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Posts Tagged ‘#365Ways2024’

Go Ahead and Dream

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , on July 25, 2024| Leave a Comment »

How does science fiction author Charlie Jane Anders record history that hasn’t happened, build cities that may never exist, and ground her stories in unreal realities? And what advice does she give for those of us working to build our own fictional futures?

…I kind of start by daydreaming the wildest stuff that I can possibly come up with, and then I go back into research mode, and I try to make it as plausible as I can by looking at a mixture of urban futurism, design porn and technological speculation. And then I go back, and I try to imagine what it would actually be like to be inside that city. So my process kind of begins and ends with imagination, and it’s like my imagination is two pieces of bread in a research sandwich.

Whatever works for you, works. So go ahead and dream.

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Photo by Bruce Christianson on Unsplash

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Arguments vs. Distractions

Posted in Other, tagged , , , , , on July 24, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Perhaps you keep up with the news or discuss issues with people who have different opinions than you? If so, good for you, but at the same time, it helps to be wary of bad arguments and language traps. How can you see these traps and sidestep them like the distractions they are? 

This article highlights some of the most common reasoning flaws you’re likely to encounter, and how to get around them.

Logical fallacies: Seven ways to spot a bad argument

Once you know about logical fallacies, you’ll see them everywhere. Why does this matter? Because the more practised you become at spotting them, the better you can be at identifying flaws in people’s thinking, and refocusing dialogue back to an argument’s merit. You’ll also get better at thinking critically yourself.

Because forewarned is forearmed!

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Photo by David Clode on Unsplash

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Good Books Only, Please!

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , on July 23, 2024| Leave a Comment »

We gave a dinner party over the weekend and talk turned (as it does) to entertainment. When, one conversant asked, would the Game of Thrones books ever be published? I don’t know the answer to that question (obviously, but the timeline tells its own tale) but I was interested to read this take by editor and journalist Maddy Meyers.

If George R. R. Martin doesn’t want to write Winds of Winter, that’s OK – Polygon

…without speaking to the man or knowing him personally at all, I am nonetheless prepared to make the case that George R. R. Martin simply does not want to finish writing The Winds of Winter.

He’s just not into it. If he continues to force himself to do it, the end result will probably be a pretty terrible book — and I think he knows that, and that’s why he can’t finish it, because he doesn’t want to publish a bad book. The alternative? We don’t get the book at all. And for me, that’s actually preferable.

Honestly, I agree. While I’d love for him to finish the rest of the series, a bad book is far worse than no book at all.

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Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash

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Oh, Monday

Posted in Other, tagged , , , , on July 22, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Well, I have no idea what happened, but my inbox just got wiped. Oh, Monday! My fabulous story idea will have to wait while I clean up this mess.

Just another barrier on the road to success? Sure, let’s go with that:)

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Photo by Blaine Duggan on Unsplash

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Helpful Site of the Day

Posted in Other, tagged , , on July 21, 2024| 1 Comment »

In case this is something you need.

SCREAM INTO THE VOID

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Photo by Almas Salakhov on Unsplash

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Enjoy Now

Posted in Other, tagged , , on July 20, 2024| Leave a Comment »

“Forever is composed of nows.”

— Emily Dickinson

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Photo by Chris Andrawes on Unsplash

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Work Proceeds!

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , on July 19, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Grandiosity lessens as work proceeds.

—Mason Cooley (b. 1927), U.S. aphorist.

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Photo by Massimiliano Morosinotto on Unsplash

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On Resurrecting Habits

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , on July 18, 2024| Leave a Comment »

A lot of my work relies on habit. Be it the day job, chores, calling the parental units, these daily posts or other creative work, I made space for everything in my week. When the time came, I’d do the thing. Easy and good, a puzzle with all the pieces in place.

The problem with a system like that? Change. When one of those pieces breaks, is lost, grows in size, or (running out of puzzle-related associations, but you get the idea) otherwise shifts in ways that alter the system, the associated habits can break too.

For a long time, my habit was to spend an hour or so writing with breakfast, then shift over to the day job. But when my work schedule changed, my dedicated writing time disappeared too. 

In sum: I’m not writing enough. Grr.

Time to get back to basics and rebuild my schedule. 

Step one? Remember that urgency isn’t everything. Make time for what’s important.

“Everything is habit-forming, so make sure what you do is what you want to be doing.”

— Wilt Chamberlain

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Photo by Elena Koycheva on Unsplash

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What Magic Is

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , on July 17, 2024| 1 Comment »

This story just came across my desk, part of the Grist Climate Fiction collection, which I’ve mentioned before. I haven’t read this piece yet but I’m looking forward to it. If you’re the sort of reader who enjoys hopeful views of the future, perhaps you’d like to join me.

Heirloom | Grist (by Joy Donnell)

A slight pressure on the mattress moves Dru’s foot. She looks down her body to see Helene sitting beside her toes. Her ancestor is a stunner. Perfect red lips. Her hair is curled and controlled, yet slightly tousled. Helene is also wearing the party dress but her version is composed of starlight regalia shaped like luna moths and floating bubbles of light.

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Photo by Evie S. on Unsplash

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Tuesday and Chill

Posted in Likes, Science!, tagged , , , , on July 16, 2024| Leave a Comment »

On this hot day, here’s a little chill.

Relax to Mesmerizing Aerial Views of Iceland’s ‘Glacial Flour’ Pulsing Through Waterways — Colossal

As glaciers expand and recede, they have the capacity to grind rock so fine that geologists refer to the pulverized material as glacial flour. It slips down rivers and into lakes, carrying the otherworldly turquoise hue through a unique and resilient ecosystem. In Iceland, the blue-green color is complemented by rivers that flow yellow, thanks to sulfur from nearby volcanoes, or red from dissolved ferrous iron—also known as bog iron. Coursing over rock and black sand, the streams take on dazzling, rhythmic patterns.

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Photo by USGS on Unsplash

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