I’ve avoided this topic because I didn’t think I had anything to add that wasn’t already being loudly expressed across the Internet. But lately, I’ve seen friendships fall apart, bullying, and shaming over this, and it occurs to me that some things have been missing from much of the conversation. I don’t know if I … Read more
Are you struggling with editing your writing? This article provides a process to help you trim down what doesn’t matter to the reader. Learn how to effectively edit your writing and reduce the overwhelm. Read more
Learn any skill faster using time-tested strategies employed by top performers across all fields, physical and creative. I do a lot of research and experimentation, looking for the best path to mastery, and these are all principles that have served me well in my own practice. Read more
Most creative work benefits from long periods of focus rather than checking tasks off a list. Meanwhile, most productivity systems that are floating around in books and online are designed for working your way through checklists. I’ve designed a better one. Read more
Magic is created every time we make a piece of art or choose to live our lives creatively. Art and creativity are a communication between our thoughts/experiences and the less conscious, more powerful part of the mind that controls our perceptions and behavior. How can we use that magic with intent to shift our experience and to create better, more creative art? Read more
Why are people driven to create—to leave behind something that did not exist before—an extension of the self, willed and manifested outward into the world where it can leave an imprint on the minds of others? How do people produce such complex and beautiful artistic creations? Why are some considered creative geniuses while others believe themselves uncreative? Read more
You can learn the basics of Markdown in 5 minutes, so I’ll teach you those basics now. Learn a tiny bit of code to make your life easier. Trust me, this is easy. You’ll likely never want to return to a rich text editor again. Read more
For those of us exploring past, future, or speculative worlds, we often go to great lengths to avoid physical anachronisms like cell phones in the wild west, but we don’t often consider philosophical or ideological anachronisms. I find doing so gives me great insight into the human condition I may not have discovered otherwise. More importantly, it strengthens and deepens my characters. Read more
I’m going to make the case that the way you capture your ideas is just as integral to the creative process as what happens in the mind. It not only prevents forgetting great ideas, but it creates a feedback loop that leads to more great ideas. Read more