It’s similar to Scrivener (which I LOVE I’m just too cheap to buy a license) but it’s a markdown text editor that’s free and open source. I edit as I go and once I’m reasonably satisfied, i post it on Substack, usually in the middle of the night. I SHOULD give it a final once-over and send it to trusted reviewers in Google Docs before I publish and I’m planning to start doing that; I just get too excited!
I will often go back and read it over after publishing and continue to make little tweaks based on my own observations or feedback from my brilliant friends, like I’ve done with my recent first installment of my serialized autofiction story, Love Roses: The First Hit, which is a contemporary gothic fairytale about Wendy‘s journey through a gritty Neverland with her Lost Boys… I replaced initials with names lol. I promise I won’t do something that big again I guess that’s why people edit 🙈
Dec 23, 2024
Related Recs
🧦
Start a blog. Or a newsletter. Or a love letter.
I have always been a little shy when it comes to sharing my writing and I decided this year keeping essays and entries in digital files wasn’t enough anymore. So I started Briella in Bites! You can read HERE if you want! Or don’t! No hard feelings! :D
Feb 8, 2024
📖
not only do i have two sizable papers due, but i decided to post on my substack (not so subtle plug for lesbiankeeping)
i've never been a strong writer, but i find that pretending that i like to write leads me to actually liking it
Apr 8, 2024
🧯
exactly what it says, i'm pretending i'm girlinsides or catherine shannon in my private google doc, font comic sans, hot pink, size 13. obviously it will never see the light of day, sort of an exhibitionist exercise in self-indulgence, without having to actually, you know, be vulnerable online.
Jan 31, 2025
Top Recs from @taterhole
“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage.”
— Anaïs Nin
This is uncharacteristically raw and personal, even for me, and pretty heavy! I know many of you have seen me posting through it and I feel safe to talk about it openly now that I’ve safely landed at the start of my new life. It’s honestly even a little bit embarrassing but I think it’s important to share.
I’ve never publicly mentioned it on here, but I have a husband; as of Friday, we’d have been together for 11 years, and we’ve been married for 3 years as of 2/22. I realize now that I wanted to explore what I looked like outside of my relationship with him because I had lost that. This is why PI.FYI has been so meaningful to me as a space to express myself and connect with people—to rediscover my voice.
I had been living a lie this entire time, to others but worst of all to myself. He’s been verbally and emotionally abusive, physically but without touching me, to the point that every day I spent with him I was in danger. I’ve been shrinking myself and walking on eggshells to avoid making him insecure and provoking his casual put-downs and fits of rage, while hanging on for dear life to the threads of good I could see.
I’ve wanted so badly to leave, more than anything, but I felt like there was no way out and that this was just something I would need to endure indefinitely—but someone who is so very dear to me helped me see that I have wings to fly, not by acting as my savior but by reminding me of my own power. The emotional safety they built and the gentle care they showed me made me feel like I could open up to them. With their encouragement I was brave enough to tell the truth to my friends, my family, my boss, and they have received me with warm, loving and open arms and rallied to support and protect me. The financial and logistical aspects were the most intimidating to me and it’s going to be tough for a while but I’m going to be better than okay!
Now I’m opening up to you. This isn’t the only abuse I’ve suffered in my life, and my old therapist told me she believed it was my mission to share my strength and light with others to inspire them and show them that change is possible.
I hope that by sharing this, I can reach even just one person who is going through something similar and show that they are not alone, and they are not weak. People with certain backgrounds may be more vulnerable to abuse, but it can happen to anyone. It thrives in darkness, shame, and isolation—and breaking that silence is the first step toward freedom.
Leaving is the scariest thing I have ever done but I have so many angels around me, and I am endlessly grateful. Thank you for being here with me 💌
Mar 16, 2025
My dad teases me about how when I was a little kid, my favorite thing to do when I was on the landline phone with somebody—be it a relative or one of my best friends—was to breathlessly describe the things that were in my bedroom so that they could have a mental picture of everything I loved and chose to surround myself with, and where I sat at that moment in time. Perfectly Imperfect reminds me of that so thanks for always listening and for sharing with me too 💌
Feb 23, 2025
Schedule sent my resignation email for the morning, effective immediately ✅💅
Feb 27, 2025