I Like Words: How a Innocent Joke Started a Malicious Trend

It was an ordinary morning. An early riser, I was up and at it by three. In the midst of my routine, I checked my X account. Several people I follow post early, so mornings are a good time to scroll. That’s when I noticed someone I had recently followed, someone quite new to the site, with lots of interaction on one of her posts. This person posts interesting content, has a catchy handle, and is already well-embedded in the horror family on X. However, I believe this particular post got a boost in interactions because it was a selfie, and the woman is very attractive. Though not the sole reason, I believe her attractiveness also helped build her following on X quickly.

I’d seen it countless times. For instance, when I first joined X, I frequently noticed how an attractive woman could post a selfie with a brief introduction and have as many followers in hours as it took the rest of us weeks or months to get. Is that the end of the world? Should I whip together a rally outside Elon’s doors? No. But I thought it was damn good fodder for a simple joke about how many guys, to put it crudely, click with their you-know-whats online.

And so, I posted the following. For reasons I’ll come to explain, I later deleted the post, but here I’ve waded through the cesspool to find it: https://x.com/jennfarrar7/status/1900533864860459453

What is obvious at once is that I wrote the joke specifically in relation to the writing community on X, the only online community with which I’m familiar. I was not trying to say that pretty women don’t post solid content on X, but rather that their prettiness helps increase traffic on their posts, resulting in more likes, replies, and reposts, especially when those same pretty women regularly post selfies. Naturally, this increased activity also applies to pretty women posting mediocre content on X: if appearance is the basis for choosing to interact with someone online, that person’s content may not be relevant.

Meanwhile the rest of us, men and women alike, who may be accomplished writers or otherwise have much to offer in our posts, may not get the same amount of traction on X because we’re just not as easy on the eyes. And, of course, this is not to say that we less attractive people can’t be successful on X nor that we’re all geniuses society has left by the wayside.

The above makes the joke sound dry and complicated, but that’s what happens when you explain humor. In fact, if I had teased out all these nuances in the original post, it would have been no joke at all. The jest was meant to be a straightforward, honest observation – my lived experience, if you will. The perspective it shared wasn’t groundbreaking nor did it flirt with taboos. It was something with which people could relate, and a lot of people did, both men and women. My little account quickly gained some follow backs.

On the other hand, the post started the infamous ‘I like words’ trend. This trend involved mostly women posting selfies of themselves and quoting the joke. Frankly, lots of skin was shown, but what was really fascinating was how most people, though they had no idea what the trend was about, were nonetheless eager to take part, thus proving the point. Only some people were vaguely aware it had something to do with, as legend had it, a grumpy, white, middle-aged misogynist with a master’s degree in creative writing, disgruntled over why his trilogy won’t sell in a world where women get their stories published simply because they’re cute.

I’m still not sure what my race and age have to do with anything, but yes, I’m white and middle-aged. The rest is bullshit, a real stretch in the meaning of the joke. To begin with, it wasn’t about me: I do not have an MFA, I do not write short stories and poems, and I’m not even querying my standalone novel (yet). It certainly was not a commentary on the publishing industry; as the joke itself declared, it was about the writing community on X. And finally, how does one confuse an elbow jab at horny guys with misogyny?

Willfully. That’s how.

I wrote a follow up post explaining the joke. In response, one woman scrolled through my feed, replies included, to capture, crop, and repost all the posts she deemed offensive. She made callouts to people in the publishing industry, making it clear to them that if they dared to associate with me professionally, then they too would be misogynists. When I read one of my mutuals complaining to me in a reply, I reached out to her directly to explain the joke, and to assure her it was not a comment on her qualities as a writer. I even went so far as to apologize to her personally for any perceived offense, as none was ever intended. She understood this and was grateful for my acknowledgment. So much so that while I went ahead and deleted the joke and the post trying to explain it, she promptly joined the trend and showed how offended she was by posting a photo of herself in sexy costume.

The trend became a “movement,” as I’ve seen it referred, pulling together writers on X from around the world. But, in the end, what was it that really brought people together? How could indignation bind so many who had never even read the joke? Why would so many assume a polite interpretation of the joke by its author to be insincere? More to the point, if this was a movement, then where was it going? What was its aim?

Destruction: the aim of every mindless mob. Better yet, the sheer joy of destruction. The bully’s rush of power, made especially intoxicating by the moral pedestal on which everyone who wielded it could safely stand. And if joining the feeding frenzy also promoted one’s own writing, who could resist?

Some did, but their voices were shouted down and threatened with the same treatment. As the trend evolved, it sadly became a parody of the joke itself, but that wasn’t the worst part. It quickly became a parade of the kind of insecurity, vanity, victimhood, opportunism, and pettiness – words I don’t like, but that so often characterize the spirit of discourse on X, as it certainly did in this case. And that’s no laughing matter.

Why? Because, in the end, it was just a silly joke. Wonk-wonk.

Autumn and the Fall

The title of this post is a little dramatic. As of writing, it is autumn in the Pacific Northwest, but what’s this about a fall? Well, I’m reflecting on my post from January of this year, in which I listed the following three goals:

#1- Finish Final Edits of The Hole

Except for a couple of minor breakdowns, I’ve not stopped this process. It is so ongoing even the title of the novel and its concept have undergone revision. The story is now called EYELESS and is becoming as resonant as a finely tuned instrument. Problem is, it's already October; I’m only halfway into one read-through of the novel and know I need to do at least one more before I’ll be confident enough in the telling of the story to submit it to a literary agent.

Therefore, #2 – Query The Hole, will likely not happen this year at all, unless by some trick of creation I get the manuscript up to snuff in time. The same applies to the selling documents I’ll need to send to the literary agent, though at this point, I’m actually happy with my query letter and synopsis.

And finally, #3 – Map out They Feed at Night

They Feed at Night is still a viable concept to write. A very cool idea. But I had a certain revelation about The Hole that turned it into Eyeless, and when that happened, it became a trilogy. Now I’m fleshing out Book Two and making notes about Book Three whenever I find the time.

Overall, I don’t see myself as failing my writing goals for the year. In fact, I’m still committed to them, well into the new year and beyond! So, perhaps this is my way of heading off a bout of Yuletide regret, and also a warning to myself not to move the goal posts again. I am always striving to tell the best story I can. I believe if I keep doing that, I will set myself up for something lifechanging to come out of my writing. Changes of that proportion take time. If there’s any new writing goal I should slot into my calendar, it is the daily need to be patient.

Creativity Is a Weird Thing, or How a Hole in the Ground Became a Horror Sci-Fi Trilogy

Creativity is a weird thing. Here’s an example.

I wrote a novel and called it The Hole. It was about a giant sinkhole that opens in the West End of Vancouver, BC, and about how one family is drawn into the abyss. I mean, this hole was huge, big enough to swallow many towers, and made for an exciting action-adventure story. I wrote several drafts of this novel, refining the telling of the story as I went along. And then one day I thought I was ready to do a final polish, so I set the book aside to let it cool and went to work on my query letter and synopsis.

My intention was to connect with a literary agent keen on selling a disaster thriller. But in the process of crafting my query letter and coming up comp titles in both books and movies, I realized I couldn’t quite peg the story. I’d written it with the thought that the sinkhole itself as a sort of monster, but on my website and social media touted my creation as a disaster thriller – which it is, but what was the source of the disaster? It couldn’t be considered a natural disaster; yes, there are sinkholes in nature, but they don’t get to be a mile wide. I thought about making it somehow a man-made disaster, but with the novel already at 90,000 words, an ideal length, how long would the novel have to be to properly develop such a scenario? Even trying to sell the story as a fantasy knockoff demanded such development.

And then I realized that the one thing the sinkhole-as-monster concept needed was a monster.

Thus, was born EYELESS. Once the novel had a monster, suddenly the story resonated like a well-tuned guitar string and things really fell into place. So much so, that I am now working on THE WAKES, book two of what has become an apocalyptic horror trilogy replete with space travel.

Cool, huh?

Now don’t get me started on where I came up with the idea for the giant sinkhole to begin with…

(Photo by ameenfahmy.)

My Three Goals for 2024

#1 - Finish final edits of The Hole. After getting feedback and incorporating any changes suggested by readers, I will work chapter by chapter through my rigorous self-editing checklist, and then do a final read-through out loud.

#2 - Query The Hole. This means fleshing out and shining up my query package, the letter and synopsis. I will continue seeking the right agent for traditional publishing, and will begin e-mailing candidates.

#3 - Map out They Feed At Night. If I can outline this novel thoroughly this year, I will consider that a success. I believe a more thorough outline will produce more effective drafts and bring about the story’s completion in 2025.

It’s in the Mail

I began writing my disaster thriller, The Hole, in late 2021, after falling horribly ill during the pandemic (though apparently not with COVID). Now as 2023 draws to a close, I am prepared to print off and mail a copy to my brother in Ontario for his feedback. Hopefully, I’ve heard back from him about the novel before I launch into a final deep edit of the manuscript and read it aloud for clarity and flow.

This is a watershed moment for me. For the first time in two years, and just as 2024 arrives, I will turn my energies to working on my query package and developing my new story, They Feed At Night. This is a survival thriller, and a change from the monster story, In The Smoke, that I had been intending to write for some time. It is also, as I am learning, research intensive — sharks, robber crabs, sailing, and more — but for that same reason a refreshing and exciting change. A great way to ring in the new year.

Into the Light

My creative outlets have changed over the years — music, acting, filmmaking, content creating, painting and sketching. I’ve written all my life, but when I finally pulled focus and set out to write a novel, I realized that all of these modes of expression were feeding into my ability to tell stories in that form. In the process of writing The Hole, it felt like everything I had hoped to achieve in past endeavors came together on the page. In this way, while I’ve learned much about the craft of novel writing, novel writing has taught me a lot about myself. Not least, the incredible work ethic required to successfully master the craft.

And these two things, work ethic and mastery, have been at war in me from the start. At the beginning of 2023, I determined I would finish writing my thriller by August. My family was going to spend that month in Korea, and their absence presented an opportunity to read a printout of my finished novel aloud without anyone hearing. Having done that and made whatever final corrections there were to make, I planned to have my query package set and ready to go. As of the date I’m writing this, I am supposed to be at work on a second novel. I had all these deadlines set, because that was what my work ethic dictated. In the end, and because I have in fact worked diligently all the while, I can happily say I dispensed with the deadlines in favor of making The Hole the best damn thriller I can make it. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now, and that makes me horribly excited, but the novel will be done when it’s done. And when the story is the best I can make it, what I’ll have when I step into the light will be worth all the time and effort.

Late to the Party

I don’t watch a lot of movies. However, occasionally they have a way of introducing me to great authors. This was the case with The Meg. I still have not seen this movie nor its sequel, Meg 2: The Trench, but clips on YouTube pointed me to Steve Alten’s writing. Once I learn of a novelist telling monster stories, I’m quick to read him. I read The Meg and found myself warning characters to not go in the water, cheering when the bad guys bit the dust. A lot of this I did out loud in solitude — an indication you’re reading a good story, but maybe not such a great sign of mental health. Anyway, Steve Alten has been writing for years and I am only now delving into everything he’s published. I see that he’s also written a series on the Loch Ness Monster. I think I’ve found a new favorite author!

Mental Vacation - In The Smoke

It is the Canada Day long weekend and I am taking an afternoon off from Draft Three of THE HOLE to think about IN THE SMOKE, a monster story…

A Descent into the Maelstrom

One of the more daunting storylines written into my novel THE HOLE takes place on a cargo ship caught in a maelstrom on English Bay. At the same time the captain and crew contend with this massive whirlpool, the city of Vancouver disappears into a giant sinkhole on the nearby shore. How does a landbound novelist get into the head of a seasoned ship’s Master in a situation like that? The storyline amounts to only four chapters in the whole novel; still, I wasn’t sure I could pull it off. To this day, I have yet to step onto a cargo ship, and the largest vessel I’ve captained was a canoe. After tons of research, and many re-writes, the storyline took shape to become one of my favorites. The end result brings a breadth and — pardon the pun — depth to the story that, even as the writer, takes my breath away.

THE HOLE - Third Draft!

Launched into the 3rd draft of my disaster thriller THE HOLE this month. My goal is to finish this draft by the end of July 2023. My family will be visiting relatives in Korea in August, so I plan to spend that month reading the whole novel aloud as a final edit. Final edit… for now. Anyway, eye of the tiger, folks!

Proceed with Caution

I have written all my life. My bedroom as a child was covered from wall to wall with papers: stories, songs, poems, even a screenplay or two. I consider the novel the highest form of creative expression on the planet, and though I’ve written a handful of them that will never see the light of day, at the height of the pandemic — and prodded by my near-death experience with it — I finally started writing a novel worth reading. THE HOLE. It will be available for agents to read by September 2023. As I finish that disaster thriller, I am also pushing around another story idea called IN THE SMOKE, a monster story. This website is all about giving agents and future readers a taste of projects either written, in progress, or planned for the future. And, yes, I write about scary things, about troubling circumstances, about people hanging on for dear life by one bloody fingernail. Best to proceed with caution.