Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, art, creativity, rules, Thoughts, Writers, writing on May 9, 2026| Leave a Comment »
It’s understandable that a lot of beginners at any art want rules for how to do it. But there comes a time when one has to make one’s own choices about how one’s art is structured, how it’s executed, what you want it to do. There is no rulebook that will help you with that, you just have to step up and decide. That’s scary! But there’s no getting around it. — Ann Leckie
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Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, #GettingThingsDone, action, creativity, Thoughts on May 6, 2026| Leave a Comment »
Don’t overthink it, do something, and repeat. — Arnold Schwarzenegger
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Posted in Science!, Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, aliens, inspiration, science, self-reflection, writing on May 5, 2026| Leave a Comment »
Recently, Neil deGrasse Tyson visited Stephen Colbert to talk about aliens and his new book Take Me To Your Leader: Perspectives On Your First Alien Encounter. He discussed aliens, why you probably shouldn’t shake hands, and how they might mirror what they see of humanity.
It made me think of the story I wrote on that topic, and how I hope that humanity does more good than not. I’ve re-posted before but I like the story, so here it is again. Click through for the full piece.
You and Yours
I came from the stars to meet you. I was happy. Excited, even. First contact with your verdant world. Think of all that we could share with you.
“You” could have meant a lot of things. I started with one of the most populous. An insect.
I remember little of what it was like, a flash of light, a warm wriggle in a puddle after rain. The feel of wind in my wings.
It’s embarrassing to say this now, but I was promptly eaten.
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Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, creativity, Thoughts on April 29, 2026| Leave a Comment »
I think I need to start getting up earlier so I have time to do everything on my list. But I didn’t and I don’t, so today, another quote and a pretty picture!
Picasso created more than 50,000 works of art.
How many are considered masterpieces that we still admire today?
About a 100.
Less than 1% of his creations are still relevant.
Stop trying to be perfect.
It’s a numbers game.
Start creating.
Be courageous enough to share.
— Ryan Stephens
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Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, creativity, Thoughts, Writers, writing, writing advice on April 28, 2026| Leave a Comment »
If you’ve seen it before, don’t do it again. — Shonda Rhimes
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Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, free fiction, Hugos, short stories, Thoughts, to be read, Uncanny Magazine, Writers on April 26, 2026| Leave a Comment »
Fair warning, I’m about to recommend a story I have not yet read. Why? Because it’s a finalist for the Hugo Awards. Because it’s by Scott Lynch, author of The Lies of Locke Lamora and many more excellent works. And because it has a great title.
[Time Reference Unavailable]—August, 1946
The watchseed is planted in a watery hemisphere of a watery world. The place spins around a yellow star, wearing its magnetic field like a proud little hat. It’s ridiculous with life.
Hence, a watchseed, with the best of intentions. Let’s give the seed-planters that much. They mean well. Crawling from star to star at not-quite-c, they make their surveys, consult their charts, launch a seed now and then. Old thinkers, they make an endless circuit of the galaxy on behalf of young thinkers. Young thinkers are rare and precious and must be protected, particularly from themselves, because young thinkers are stupid as hell and prone to misadventures with anything they can dig out of their planetary crusts. Hydrocarbons, radioactives, anything.
This planet is rich in ingredients for misadventure.
A terrific opener. Also, it’s free at Uncanny Magazine, one of the best venues for short fiction out there today.
So yes, I expect this story to be a fun read. Perhaps you’d like it too?
Note from the future: I was right, the story was a great read!
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Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, AI, creativity, editing, Thoughts, Writers, writing on April 25, 2026| Leave a Comment »
“A good editor brings accumulated taste, emotional response, and a felt sense of what’s working — and that felt sense is genuinely different from the pattern recognition that I do.” — Claude AI, as quoted by Tony Schwartz, when asked why the AI’s editorial feedback was not as useful as a human editor’s (and why the AI spent so much time straight up sucking up to the author in ways that were not only unhelpful but actively counterproductive)
Just one more reason why having a body is a good thing. To me, a well-written story feels like standing in a stream where all the water is flowing in the right direction.
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Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, children, community building, growth, public libraries, Thoughts, Writers, writing on April 24, 2026| 5 Comments »
It is National Library Week in the US, and what better opportunity to take a moment to appreciate the joy and wonder that is the modern library system?
However you use your library, there’s joy waiting for you there.
Bored? Library. Curious? Library. Broke? Library. Rich? (Donate to the) library. Interested in the past? Library. Worried about the future? Library. Need to do your taxes? Library. Want to learn a new language? Library. Want to build a better community? Library!
“Congratulations on the new library, because it isn’t just a library. It is a space ship that will take you to the farthest reaches of the Universe, a time machine that will take you to the far past and the far future, a teacher that knows more than any human being, a friend that will amuse you and console you — and most of all, a gateway, to a better and happier and more useful life.” ― Isaac Asimov
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Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, Thoughts on April 21, 2026| Leave a Comment »
“You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.” — Rumi
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Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, creativity, Thoughts on April 18, 2026| Leave a Comment »
“Never try to discourage thinking, for you are sure to succeed.” — Bertrand Russell
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