Spencer Young (u/young.spencer)

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A 5 minute chat with a retired editor made me rethink my whole writing process

I was at a coffee shop last Tuesday and this older guy sitting next to me saw me editing a short story on my laptop. He asked what I was working on, then told me he used to edit for a small press for 35 years. He said 'most writers worry about the big plot stuff first, but readers actually leave when the sentences feel clunky.' That hit me because I spend hours on character arcs but never read my stuff out loud to catch awkward phrasing. Has anyone else changed their editing routine after a random conversation like that?

2 comments

c/auto-body-repairers•

young.spencer•2d ago

TIL you can fix orange peel texture with a heat gun

Was spraying a Honda Civic hood last week. Got that nasty orange peel look. Buddy told me to hit it with a heat gun from 6 inches away. Just quick passes. Let it cool. Came out glass smooth. No wet sanding. No buffing. Has anyone else tried this for quick texture fixes?

2 comments

c/bricklayers•

young.spencer•2d ago

I think the whole 'always wet cut' rule is overhyped for small jobs

Heard a guy at the supply yard last week telling a newbie he had to wet cut every single brick or his wall would fall apart. I've been doing this 12 years and I dry cut plenty on small retaining walls and garden edges. My dad taught me that way back in '09 and none of my walls have failed. Sure, wet cutting is cleaner and probably better for big structural stuff, but for a 3 foot high planter box? Just use a good blade and take it slow. Anyone else think people get too caught up in the perfect method for every tiny project?

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c/conspiracy-debates•

young.spencer•3d ago

Always thought chemtrails were a joke until my pilot friend broke it down for me last week

I used to just scroll past those videos online, figured it was all just people staring at normal plane exhaust. But my buddy flies cargo routes out of Denver and he told me flat out that some of those long lasting trails aren't normal jet fuel stuff. He said there's a specific additive they use for cloud seeding during droughts here in Colorado, and it's not something they ever talk about publicly. Has anyone else heard a direct source back this up or am I just getting played by someone who likes messing with me?

2 comments