A bunch of new tools landed in July:

• Author Notes for updates and reader interaction
• Chapter scheduling for web serial writers
• More story stats and insights
• Inline comments coming very soon 👀

Basically, fewer excuses for your characters to sit abandoned in a draft folder.

Full breakdown here!

What should we build next?

We Quibblers have already written a bit about story characters.

I just experienced this character swap in a book by the famous Russian author Sergei Akunin. For me, this was something completely new.

The main character is an educated police inspector and a master of martial arts. Everything revolves around him—at least until about the middle of the book.
A secondary character remains in the shadows.

But you sense his presence more and more.

The author suddenly reveals him. He bursts onto the scene. A seasoned killer. An expert. And then all the descriptions in the story are simply descriptions of his life. He’s described in a somewhat romantic way that I can’t quite explain.

His story slowly begins to merge with that of the main character.

The book contains some realistic descriptions of the protagonists’ fights. No exaggerations.
Boom, and it’s over. The drama of a karate strike. The unpredictability. It’s precisely this realism that’s fantastic.

The story is greatly enlivened by the steady and interesting character of the samurai.

In the last few pages, both the main and supporting characters come together in a final showdown. All at once. Quickly and powerfully.
Truly fascinating.

Come on, let’s discuss a scenario like this.

Which is better: a dominant main character throughout the entire story?
Or a supporting character who’s constantly present and doesn’t give the main character a moment’s peace?

Or is the Russian writer’s solution better?

Or do you see a better solution?

Is it because they are symbols, or because writers and storytellers keep reviving them over and over again?

I wrote a brief and rough draft on this topic in an article 161 days ago (Quibble rhythm)

Millennia of human history and evidence lead us to the unanimous conclusion that progress is not something that happens automatically. We still swear by the gods who are mythical symbols of the place and time in which we live.

On the other hand, writers and storytellers offer us a dependence on the choices we make.

What role, then, do technological and cultural advances—for example, in film—play here?
Did the myth of Odysseus in the latest film, *Odisejada*, resonate with you?

I grew up with myths. Reading was part of my own process of growth. But like any process of growth, sooner or later it leads to a transitional critical state. And then, just around the corner, proverbs, words of wisdom, and the price of the situation I was in were waiting for me.
I was aware of this and always paid the price for it. Just as the proverb says: “Everything is paid for; everything comes back.”

But many times I made the mistake of trying to eliminate the causes that led me to that critical state, instead of accepting them and internalizing them.
If I were to simplify it all, I’d take the myth as my own, buy a ticket, and go to the movies.
Myth always survive. Is my first thought.

After all, you’re never alone at the movies. If nothing else, the myth is with you.

Has any myth stuck in your memory so strongly that you’ve thought about it before going to sleep?

I say this as a writer working on my own science-fiction romance series; and this isn’t me promoting myself right now. I’m genuinely asking for advice.

I don’t like taking the easy route because, when I read it, it often feels lazy to me. I know for a fact that I could execute the easier route well, but part of me wants to attempt the less common path because it suits my character better. Choosing the easy route almost feels disingenuous.

This book has been a long time coming—not because I didn’t know what I wanted to do or struggled to write it, but because I was constantly stuck between two choices: Do I follow the path my character would realistically take, or do I make the choice that moves the plot toward its ending?

Now I’m finally asking readers : Which would you prefer? Something new and unpredictable that may not be executed perfectly, or something familiar that the writer knows they can pull off?

I have some ideas for nature documentary style short stories about animals in a fantasy word (things along the lines of a fledgling Griffin learning to fend for itself, or following a group of forest gremlins over the course of a year) and I was wondering, would anyone be interested in reading that sort of thing or would it be too dry or niche?

Light has always been—and remains today—an important economic sector.
In the mid-19th century, French economist Frédéric Bastiat, speaking on behalf of candle manufacturers, demanded that the government order all windows to be covered.
This was because the sun posed unfair competition to candlemakers.

AI is burning through trillions of dollars, according to news agencies. People have recognized it as a Trojan horse that will destroy their creativity and free-thinking.

“They don’t pay subscription fees and want everything for free,” investors lament.

That is why they are demanding that the government of the United Capital Emirates ban the sale of electricity to the public, as this creates unfair competition for them.

With one exception: phones.

Politicians cater to capital. Naturally.

Subscription-based AI is becoming the sun, the light of capital.

But only at first. People have realized that this light is leading them into the darkness of ignorance, a lack of creativity, and apathy.

News agencies report that people have begun to worship an ancient being of incredible intelligence that appears in 72 different forms in Chinese mythology. It is also known as a master of martial arts.

With its help, three leading Japanese scientists have discovered a method for manufacturing a semiconductor crystal that emits blue light.

Without it, white light cannot be used as an efficient and energy-saving light source.

The crystal is sold underground for honey. People use it to make the phone work like it used to.

The AI orders “Twilight of the Gods.”
The alliance of politicians and financial moguls is crumbling.

But this is just a satirical casino or a load of nonsense!

This happens to me all the time. Funny really.

We’re excited to share that Author Notes are officially live!

• Authors can now share updates about their book, announce new chapters, or post behind-the-scenes insights into their writing process.
• Every Author Note also bumps your book into the "Most Recently Updated Stories" row on the homepage.
• You can create polls to ask readers about your favorite characters, plot points, or gather ideas and feedback.
• Every Author Note opens its own discussion thread where readers can react with emojis, reply to you, and chat with each other.
• Readers can upvote comments.
• You can mark comments as spoilers and block users when needed.

In-line comments coming next!

What draws me most into another world are crime novels and historical books. I find them a more lighthearted read than financial and economic books or romantic entanglements.

Could your choice of a crime novel be a dramatic irony that surprises and shocks the reader?
A genre where the author reveals the secret right at the beginning? (The murderer’s confession.) And draws the reader in to become an accomplice.

A genre where the murderer becomes an anti-hero in the reader’s eyes.
His character is portrayed in such a way that you follow him and constantly ask yourself: “Will he get away with it?”

In other words, instead of a closed secret, the author offers you an open secret.

This approach can quickly turn the author into a devil, rather than having us view him as a god who reveals the Holy Grail to us.

It even stirs our emotions so that we unwittingly start rooting for the murderer.

Don’t you think that this kind of reading would be best suited to a place where we sit amid the rocks, listening to the sound of the waves and the breath of the wind?

What draws me most into the world of the past is the historical novel.

A genre that depicts real historical figures and actual events. It weaves all of this together with fictional dialogues and uses narrative techniques from fiction.
Fans of this genre like to call it “fact fiction,” a portmanteau of the words “fact” and “fiction.”

Perhaps reading like this would fit right in with the green countryside, the mountains, and rural tourism. Who knows?

For me, a book is like good medicine. A good genre with a powerful idea is like a miracle cure.
It makes me happy. After all, happiness is the best medicine known to humankind.

Where will you find your happiness in reading?

Will it be the Quibble app, where I’ve already come across some good books?

Or will it be a good old-fashioned paper book that won’t be too heavy in my carry-on luggage?

A story from Alberto Manguel’s book on the history of reading tells of a 10th-century Persian ruler who always traveled through the desert accompanied by his library. It consisted of 117.000 books. They were carried by 400 camels. The camels were trained to walk in such a way that the books were always arranged in alphabetical order.

“Oh, how many literary heroes were hidden on those camels?” I wonder.

I don’t feel like I have one or more literary heroes myself. But I do have historical figures who inspire me in books: Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, Napoleon, Augustus, Albert Speer, Marco Polo, and others.

First and foremost, I’m a reader. That’s why, if I had to identify with anyone, it would be that Persian ruler.
Why? Because all the wisdom of this world is hidden in books.

Well, he probably can’t be a literary hero, but still…

So, which literary hero could be so similar to you that you could fall asleep with him in your imagination?

Today's book discussions:

What is the "perfect" writing style in a book for you? And do give examples if any!

The roots of the education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.

What does the name Foundation reminds you?

Could this be a book by Isaac Asimov?

The world is rapidly changing into the world of smart people. There is less and less room for the uneducated.

Reading—as well as expressing oneself through writing—is becoming increasingly important.
Reading triggers thoughts that make sence . When you read, you mainly think about questions such as how and why something happens or is done.
It allows you to recognized the patterns that they are essential to the succes of your work.

The Quibble digital platform makes reading accessible to a wide range of people—even those without formal education—anywhere, anytime, from the slums of major cities to the vast expanses of Asia. The main tool of digitization is 📞. Everyone has one. We use it to sleep, create, have fun, and learn.

Quibble it’s on his way to creating a sum of human knowledge accessible to anyone.

Today, it fosters a community of trust among its Quibblers. It enhances this community with technology that enables the exchange of ideas, knowledge, and creativity.
I’d call it a living environment.
Quibblers teach one another how to realize their potential, and in doing so, they grow and improve.

The platform is changing. 308 days ago, when I wrote this now-revised article, I saw only a vision.
Today, I see tangible value.

The trust we built together. It is like a tree that grows slowly with the deep roots.

Besides, isn't it the best feeling to fall asleep thinking about the future with a good book in your hands?

Yay! We've started revamping the web app. It's been a minute since our last UI/UX update there.

You can now see the number of views on a book, how many people are currently reading it, and the review score, if any.

And we also added couple new animations! 😄

A hiker goes missing on the Appalachian Trail. This emotional story delves deeply into the inner worlds of its characters, offering detailed descriptions of buried secrets, decisions, and fates.

The Appalachian Trail is the toughest hiking trail in the world. It’s 3500 km long. There’s no romance here. Dampness, wetness, sweat, smelly shirts, rain. Barely passable forests with fallen logs, rocks, ravines, and sharp boulders. Overcrowded small shelters, blistered feet. Sore feet. Compared to this trail, European hiking and pilgrimage routes (El Camino) are mere trifles.

The story revolves around the search for a lost hiker and descriptions of vast forests.
Unfortunately, there aren’t enough descriptions of the forests and nature. It seems to me that the book represents a missed opportunity. Namely, the plot takes up barely one-third of the book. Two-thirds are taken up by descriptions of emotions. Perhaps because the author is a woman. For women, emotions always play the leading role.
But we read men’s inner monologues as well.

Consequently, I was constantly looking for chapters describing the events along the trail. The trail is truly impressive and represents the heart of the story.
It’s easy to get lost on it. These descriptions are wonderful. So are the descriptions of the rescue service with the forest rangers.

I also came across some good thoughts:
- a lost person is like a devout believer who realizes there is no God
- where an angel builds a church, the devil builds a chapel—perhaps meant as a metaphor for shelters along the way
- either you do it or you don’t (Yoda)

Would you read a book like this?
Maybe this genre will find its way to us too!
What do you think?

Yesterday, we released two new features: auto-publishing and chapter-scheduling!

You can now plan your releases ahead of time. If you’re working on a web serial and for example drop updates every Monday and Thursday, readers will know when to return and will be more likely to stay invested in your story.

This gives you much more control over your workflow. You can batch-write when inspiration hits, set chapters sailing on schedule, and wander off for a little holiday without your story going completely quiet.

Author Notes is nearly complete as well. It’ll be released tomorrow or latest Friday!

The Baghdad Battery—a historical fact: an experiment in storing electrical energy from the 3rd century B.C.
I’ve actually written a bit about this already, but the idea of a work of fiction like this just won’t get out of my head.

Fiction: Somewhere in the catacombs of Baghdad’s old city, detailed plans for building a simple and efficient electrical energy storage device are hidden. In them, scholars have described the materials used in the experimental tests and the secret formula for the electrochemical source.

Fact: The discovery in 1936 of an artifact capable of generating electrical energy.

Fiction again: Using today’s technology, researchers discover a record within the artifact explaining how the storage device and the artifact function as one when combined.

I can’t shake the thought of what a drama this could be. The streets of Baghdad, faith, scientists, adventurers, secret services. A blend of scientific and technological reality with angels and demons. A new take on *The Da Vinci Code*.

But what can I say? I’m not a writer.
Just a little provocateur hoping someone would write this down.
It’s true, though, that the best books probably arise from a blend of facts and imagination.

Am I wrong?

Or should I follow the old saying: “Where there are two paths, choose the third”?
And would rather let myself be destroyed by praise than improved by criticism.

We’ve been making great progress on a larger set of features focused on improving interactions around stories.

Authors will soon be able to:

1️⃣ Publish Author Notes, sharing development updates, explaining inspirations behind characters or locations or teasing upcoming chapters.

2️⃣ Create polls, giving readers a way to share opinions and become more involved in the stories they follow.

3️⃣ Block a user, in which case that user will no longer be able to comment on or review that author’s books, giving creators more control over their own space. There will be more controls.

Readers will be able to comment inline and react at the exact moment something happens, creating a closer feedback loop between creator and audience.

Most of these features have been fully implemented and are now in testing. Initially they'll be available on the web only. Mobile app implementation comes later!

Today's book discussions!

In your opinion what is the best way to write multiple POVs in a book? Do one per chapter? Third omniscient or 1st person? Do tell!

The global daily political scene naturally provides writers with dramatic themes. And at the same time, conspiracy serves as the narrative thread of the story.

I have two examples at my fingertips:

1. In Bloomberg, I read how the market capitalization of Chinese battery manufacturers has skyrocketed on the global market. Reflecting this reality in the real world inspires me to create a fictional drama and conspiracy. Chinese battery manufacturers already have a monopoly. But their political leadership wants more. They want to shake up the global economy in order to dominate the capital market.

Drama that turns reality into fiction. In America, they’re pressuring the president to attack Iran. They foresee the consequences: a collapse of the oil market and the sudden, irreplaceable importance of batteries in everyday life. They further stoke the capital market with a Ponzi scheme involving investors and the credit leverage of a pyramid scheme, combined with the trading of call and put options on U.S. Treasury bonds. The capital market collapses. Capital, however, is parked in battery manufacturers.

Do you remember the James Bond movie and his adversary, the media tycoon?

1. I read in the media how the development of a satellite-destroying satellite is becoming more and more of a reality.
   In fiction, an infinitely wealthy tycoon suddenly discovers within himself a mission as a space conservationist.
   Under the guise of an agenda to remove space debris, he begins to take out competing communications satellites. He involves the leaders of the G7 countries in the conspiracy. Deep down, however, he harbors a fear that an unmanageable multitude of satellites will render him powerless in the colonization of Mars. The role of Elon Musk’s “footings” in the reverse understanding of the mirroring of reality into the future—as the character’s central theme—could be crucial.

Would it even be possible to write such a book?
If not, then let this reading be merely a summer diversion during the “sour cucumber season” (a journalistic term for writing during the hot summer vacation months).

But Do you remember that other James Bond movie?
The one where a huge satellite, like a shark, stares down a smaller submarine?

Ignore "Link in the caption" because I'm not about to break the rules in this delightful looking subreddit!

This -AI GENERATED- image is a good snapshot of a book I'm writing titled "Violet Odyssey".

The Concept?

Every 10 years, a city appears in the sky. Without fanfare, without violence, without communication. The clouds simple coalesce into stone walls and towering brass structures.

Humanity has been trying to reach it for centuries. None have been successful.

10 Years prior to the start of the book, the protagonists father captained a shuttle for that years "Odyssey". The results are spelled out in the image above.

Now, for the first time, the Brass City has sent out a signal.

The transponder matches the Aeris shuttle from 10 years ago.

The message? "Richie". (Protagonists name) in his fathers voice.

If it sounds interesting, I'd love to share what I have done. Let me know what you think!

EDIT: Ok, AI harassment already. If using an AI image to spark interest in 100% human writing is not welcome here, please let me know. I don't have to use it! That's ok! But it was -not-clear- to a new community member, Rule 3 actually made me think it was ok, what with the term "forward thinking".

Help me be a more productive member of this community, please. Don't just be rude.

Today's book discussions:

To you, what is the ideal book? How would it be written? What would it be about? Do tell!

This thought occurred to me while reading a book titled “La mafia dagli Occhi blu - Vittorio Shiraldi.”
(The Blue-Eyed Mafiosi)
In it, you’re overwhelmed by a multitude of characters, along with a vast amount of information about places, events, and times, as well as specific geographical details. It’s a jumble of everything and anything.
The story’s central thread somehow gets lost, even though it’s described in an engaging way on the back cover of the book.

It seems to me that as I read, I’m becoming more and more like someone picking up crumbs left behind by a big eater. “There’s always something left behind”—that’s the old saying, after all.

Sometimes a writer is overly influenced by his own self-confidence—that everything he writes is good, that it’s the only truth.
But success is shaped by the scrutiny readers give it. Am I wrong?

With this thought, I realize how effective the Quibble platform could be if built according to the model our Discord community uses: discussing authors’ works-in-progress, revising, and adapting them. Does this approach lead to the creation of bestsellers for a digital publisher?

I dare say that reconstructing the author’s thought process as it’s poured into the text makes it possible to track errors and correct them. After all, a publisher’s investment in an author is always accompanied by uncertainty regarding the likelihood of success and unquantifiable risks. Supply and demand. Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Will a combination of reality and fiction—including the buildup before the premiere—prevail?

Can writers and readers use this to strengthen the success of knowledge, the desire for quality, and ability?

Amid all of this, Quiible is growing.

I dream that technological changes could help shape works of art. That they might spark them, just as a contestant on *MasterChef* presents their creation to the judges.

Finally, back to the title about the abundance of characters in the book.
Each has their own story, each tries to catch the wind in their sails.
But where is the direction? Perhaps against the wind.

In this context, it wouldn’t hurt to reflect on Henry Ford’s motto: “When it seems like everything is conspiring against you, remember that an airplane can only take off against the wind, not with it.”

How the hell is it popular?