May 30 – June 3, 2026
Oak Park IL (near Chicago)
Come write & critique fiction with us!

badass action-movie-hero frog

possibly a teenage mutant ninja frog

played by Kermit in a terrible casting decision

About the anxiety of influence, the glee of influence & even, the anxiety of *lack* of influence... & everything else that entered our lovely & distractible little heads, of course.

speculativeliterature.org/ep-73-show-n...

with @maryannemohanraj.bsky.social & @speclit.bsky.social

Over an abstract background of teal and hot pink circles, the words, "Breaking the Rules: A virtual class for writers. Sunday, March 29. 9:30-11:30 AM PT with Benjamin Rosenbaum." There's an accompanying headshot of Benjamin, along with the following contact information: clarionwest.com and info@clarionwest.org

Over an abstract background of teal and hot pink circles, the words, "Writing rules of thumb help avoid common newbie failure modes. But taken as laws, they shut us off from a world of possibility." There's the following contact information: clarionwest.com and info@clarionwest.org, along with the Clarion West logo.

Over an abstract background of teal and hot pink circles, the words, "Learn: Renewed flexibility and ambition. A deeper understanding of the distnictions between the rules--how to use them as tools rather than fences." There's the following contact information: clarionwest.com and info@clarionwest.org, along with the Clarion West logo.

From Butler to Borges, Le Guin to Asimov—writers who have moved speculative fiction forward know that defying convention can be necessary. For the next generation of writers ready to use defiance as inspiration, Saturday's class with @benjaminrosenbaum.com is a must. Info here: bit.ly/4scjlid.

Over an abstract background of teal and hot pink circles, the words, "Breaking the Rules: A virtual class for writers. Sunday, March 29. 9:30-11:30 AM PT with Benjamin Rosenbaum." There's an accompanying headshot of Benjamin, along with the following contact information: clarionwest.com and info@clarionwest.org

There are a lot of rules (some written, some not) for writing. But do you always have to follow them? What could be possible when you explore defiance as inspiration and subversion as structure? Explore in a virtual class by @benjaminrosenbaum.com on March 29. Register here: bit.ly/4scjlid

Um… and probably I should post the link to sign up for the SLF Writing Workshop :-)

speculativeliterature.org/register/wri...

4) Three prolific contributors to ChoiceBeat magazine listed their Top Ten all-time Choice of Games titles — and “The Ghost and the Golem” made two out of three of the lists!

www.flipsnack.com/choicebeat/c...

You can try the game here (& it’s on sale atm)
www.choiceofgames.com/ghost-and-th...

3) You can sign up for the next class I’m teaching at Clarion West Online, “Breaking the Rules” (where we will tell not show, write unprotagging protagonists, break POV and shake our fists at the sky) here:
secure.clarionwest.org/nx/portal/ne...

2) “Regarding the Childhood of Morrigan, Who Was Chosen to Open the Way” made the Locus Recommended Reading List!
speculativeliterature.org/register/wri...

You can read it here: reactormag.com/regarding-th...

And vote in the Locus poll here: poll.voting.locusmag.com

Since I’ve wandered onto social media, here are some things I should be promoting:

1) There’s still time to sign up for the 1-week in-person writing workshop with @maryannemohanraj.bsky.social & me near Chicago, May 30-June 3 (right before the Nebulas Conference, so we can all roll there together)

in a pretty climactic moment, no less!

Over an abstract background of teal and hot pink circles, the words, "Breaking the Rules: A virtual class for writers. Sunday, March 29. 9:30-11:30 AM PT with Benjamin Rosenbaum." There's an accompanying headshot of Benjamin, along with the following contact information: clarionwest.com and info@clarionwest.org

Over an abstract background of teal and hot pink circles, the words, "Writing rules of thumb help avoid common newbie failure modes. But taken as laws, they shut us off from a world of possibility." There's the following contact information: clarionwest.com and info@clarionwest.org, along with the Clarion West logo.

Over an abstract background of teal and hot pink circles, the words, "Learn: Renewed flexibility and ambition. A deeper understanding of the distnictions between the rules--how to use them as tools rather than fences." There's the following contact information: clarionwest.com and info@clarionwest.org, along with the Clarion West logo.

​​What's the price of authenticity? Sometimes it requires breaking boxes. Learn how to break the rules with the best of them in our upcoming class with the one-and-only @benjaminrosenbaum.com. Details and registration for the March 29 class here: bit.ly/4scjlid

We still have slots open for the SLF's 2026 Writing SFF Workshop. Visit speclit.org to learn more if you're interested!

Regarding the Childhood of Morrigan, Who Was Chosen to Open the Way - Reactor A child who falls through the cracks in a world run by machines and politics, might be the savior of all humanity...

"Regarding the Childhood of Morrigan, Who Was Chosen to Open the Way," as weird and cool as most of @benjaminrosenbaum.com's stuff. This one's a novelette. reactormag.com/regarding-th...

The SLF is excited to announce the return of our Writing Science Fiction & Fantasy Workshop and Retreat!

Join @maryannemohanraj.bsky.social and @benjaminrosenbaum.com for a 5-day workshop or retreat to improve your writing and meet other members of the community.

You can learn more at speclit.org!

Hey, if you're a writer struggling to make your next idea fully come together, this online one-off course with @benjaminrosenbaum.com looks fantastic: secure.clarionwest.org/nx/portal/ne...

I have wonderful memories of brainstorming with Ben at the writing workshop where we met. He's so good at it!

A Choice 6 (+1) Games I Played in 2025 In 2025, I played more discrete new games than I think I’ve ever played before.

Some of my favorite games that I played over the course of 2025, including works by @benjaminrosenbaum.com, @yoplatz.bsky.social, @jumpovertheage.com, and more

...and save the date for...

Speculative Literature Foundation One-Week Writing Workshop
IRL in Oak Park, IL
May 30 – June 3, 2026
with Benjamin Rosenbaum and Mary Anne Mohanraj @maryannemohanraj.bsky.social

"Writing is Half the Story: the Theory and Praxis of Being Critiqued with Benjamin Rosenbaum”, along with a very bearded me grinning obnoxiously in a scarf.

Writing is Half the Story: the Theory and Praxis of Being Critiqued
April 26, 2026 | Online | 9:300-10:30AM PT

How can we glimpse the crucible of the reader's mind?

secure.clarionwest.org/nx/portal/ne...

“Breaking the Rules with Benjamin Rosenbaum”, along with a very bearded me grinning obnoxiously in a scarf.

Breaking the Rules
March 29, 2026 | Online | 9:30—11:30AM PT

Show don’t tell. Keep your point of view consistent. Beware the dreaded infodump. Protagonists must protag. Don’t tell Bob things he already knows. IT'S TIME TO BREAK THEM ALL.

secure.clarionwest.org/nx/portal/ne...

secure.clarionwest.org/nx/portal/ne...

2 hours. Techniques to bust through self-censorious scarcity. We will have SO many ideas.

“Profligacy: an Idea Jam with Benjamin Rosenbaum”, along with a very bearded me grinning obnoxiously in a scarf.

This spring I'm teaching three online courses for Clarion West Online, and one week-long workshop for the Speculative Literature Foundation!

Here’s the first one:

Profligacy: An Idea Jam with Benjamin Rosenbaum
March 15, 2026 | Online | 9:30—11:30AM PT

Text over abstract background reads: Breaking the Rules with Benjamin Rosenbaum March 15 In this two-hour idea jam, we’ll use a variety of exercises and techniques to bust through self-censorious scarcity. An image of the instructor looking dapper with a beard and suit is featured over blue and green circles.

Our first talk is Profligacy: An Idea Jam with author and game designer @benjaminrosenbaum.com, which will be on March 15th, 9:30am - 11:30am.

This is one of three as part of our Big Ideas Lab.

link: reactormag.com/regarding-th...

A small child in a laundry room with cats and a robot and the title "Regarding the Childhood of Morrigan, Who Was Chosen To Open the Way"

ugh, there never seems to be a pause in the hellscape sufficient to make an Awards Eligibility Post, instead of screaming into the void

But, in case you are curious, for 2025: "Regarding the Childhood of Morrigan, Who Was Chosen to Open the Way" appeared over at Reactor mag.

A Meal of Thorns 17 – FIRE LOGIC with Benjamin Rosenbaum Podcasts, reviews, interviews, essays, and more at the Ancillary Review of Books.Please consider supporting ARB’s Patreon!Credits:Guest: Benjamin RosenbaumTitle: Fire Logic by Laurie J. MarksHost: …

Enjoyed the heck out of talking to @benjaminrosenbaum.com about Laurie J. Marks' FIRE LOGIC. Which is really just supremely good fantasy, different priorities & conceptions than the swords & magics might suggest, and Ben as always is full of interesting insights:

Regarding the Childhood of Morrigan, Who Was Chosen to Open the Way - Reactor A child who falls through the cracks in a world run by machines and politics, might be the savior of all humanity...

The first is @benjaminrosenbaum.com's "Regarding the Childhood of Morrigan, Who Was Chosen to Open the Way." A very small child literally falls through the cracks in an ever-shifting, ever-strange far future. Available in Reactor: reactormag.com/regarding-th...

i mean, she did say that, though the scope of "done harm" is *very* narrow. it's not like she's recanted Trump or MAGA or America First; we're talking about a very small slice of the harm being acknowledged. But the point of the "rebuke" strategy is not needing correctness or 100% sincerity to begin

i am altering Connor!

Thoughts on how to interact with those, like Marjorie Taylor Greene, who have done harm and say that they seek to repent:

benjaminrosenbaum.github.io/blog/archive...