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Fairhaven Person
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A Massachusetts writer, artist, historical reenactor (1770s), with a side order of puppetry and magic. Trying to return my front lawn to nature. Retired as of May 31, 2024 after working for 50 years, the last 28 years employed by my hometown as the head of its Office of Tourism, and an earlier 22 years working in graphic design, writing, editing, and publishing. Writing a mystery novel. #writing #illustration #cozymystery #mysterywriter #Fairhaven #Massachusetts #SouthcoastMA #nativeplants

#WritersCoffeeClub Jan. 17 Biggest fears for the writing world in 2025?

This isn't just for 2025, but an ongoing issue from someone who remembers the days when all one needed to get published was paper and a pen or a typewriter. Just 40 years ago, I could hand a typesetter a few sheets of yellow copy paper typed on a manual Underwood and the next day my column was in 10,000 newspapers being delivered in eight communities.

To submit a short story to a magazine last week I needed access to an [expensive, energy hungry] computer, an [expensive] software program that could put out a .Docx document, and [expensive] internet service.

I was thinking about all those in the world who cannot afford or do not want to be hooked up to all that costly and environmentally unfriendly technology who will never see their ideas in print because of that.

The magazine says it accepts "traditional" manuscripts from "established" authors. Louise Penny could mail in a scribbled napkin. . .