Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, free fiction, speculative fiction, Writers, writing on August 23, 2025| Leave a Comment »
Today, a little free fiction from Jo Jones, who writes speculative fiction and loves reading, history, writing and Star Wars. A woman after my own heart!
STDD CASE FILE RUS1896JM – by Jo Jones
“This is not the first time we have met Miss Michaels. But….. we are getting ahead of ourselves. Or maybe behind?” He shakes his head. “Even I can’t keep up! Anyway, where are you thinking of this time?”
Enjoy!
* * *
Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, creativity, language, Thoughts, Writers, writing on August 22, 2025| Leave a Comment »
What are the most beautiful words in the English language? Here is one person’s list:
The 100 Most Beautiful Words in the English Language – Dr. Robert Beard
Not so sure about “moeity” but I like the first one:
Ailurophile A cat-lover.
* Thanks to Messy Nessy for spotlighting this!
* * *
Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, free fiction, Writers, writing on August 7, 2025| 1 Comment »
Howdy Readers! Today I’m happy to share a bit of fun free fiction from that master of humorous sci-fi David Hankins!
The Devil’s Footlocker by David Hankins – FREE STORY – Amazing Stories
Phil could sell anything to anyone. New Milwaukee, like most habitats orbiting Earth, was a moldering dump that smelled like rancid grease wrapped in locker room funk, but that was precisely why Phil had come. Suckers living in squalor made easy marks. The locals couldn’t get enough of his micro-transmat-powered Dust Zappers.
Enjoy!
* * *
Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, creativity, Thoughts, Writers, writing on August 6, 2025| Leave a Comment »
“People overestimate what they can accomplish in a year but dramatically underestimate what they can do in a decade.”
— Maya Andrews, Olympic gold medalist
* * *
Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, art, crafts, creativity, Thoughts, Writers, writing on August 3, 2025| Leave a Comment »
“You shall, I question not, find a way to the top if you diligently seek for it; for nature hath placed nothing so high that it is out of the reach of industry and valor.”
— Alexander the Great
* * *
Posted in Other, Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, books, higher education, inspiration, so many books so little time, syllabi, writing on July 31, 2025| Leave a Comment »
Ever wonder what kind of books get assigned in college courses? Wonder no more!
This plot shows the 1,138,841 most frequently assigned texts in the Open Syllabus corpus, a database of 7,292,573 college course syllabi.
The books are grouped by field and sized by the number of syllabi on which they are assigned. Click for details, browse from archaeology to information science to writing and more, and have fun.
You will have to do a lot of zooming, however. There are a lot of books in this graphic!
* * *
Posted in Science!, Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, Writers, writing, WritingResearch on July 30, 2025| Leave a Comment »
A random guide that may or may not be related to the last scene I wrote: A Naturalist’s Guide to the World’s Most Lethal Plants
Not every threat in nature has fangs. Some sit quietly, rooted in soil, dressed in flowers, laced with poison.
And since we’re on the topic, what about the (mostly but not entirely historical) trend of poison gardens, and how are they related to the history of medicine?
Welcome To The Poison Garden: Medicine’s Medieval Roots
Visitors to the Poison Garden are allowed to look but not touch, says head gardener Trevor Jones. “They’re not allowed to stand too close to the plants. They’re not allowed to smell them or touch them or taste any of them, because they do all have the ability to kill you.”
In this as in so many other cases, knowledge is power!
* * *
Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, creativity, Thoughts, Writers, writing on July 29, 2025| Leave a Comment »
“Instead of looking at things, look between things.”
— John Baldessari
* * *
Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, fun, Thoughts, Writers, writing on July 27, 2025| Leave a Comment »
I had the interesting experience of trying to explain my latest writing project to someone at a party last night. In French.
Do I speak French? I do not!
It was a hilarious experience (what exactly is “ethical thief” in French?) and I learned a lot. The best part was just diving in and figuring it out.
Did I get everything right? 100% no.
Did I get enough right to make it work? Yes.
And that’s what mattered. It also helped me think through what was important about the story and what could fall by the wayside.
So if anyone out there is aiming for perfection ? (And I include myself in this.) Maybe just don’t. Instead, focus on the important bits.
And having a good time is right at the top of that list.
* * *
Posted in Other, Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, action, creativity, inspiration, procrastination, Thoughts, writing on July 17, 2025| Leave a Comment »
There is no perfect moment to begin.
— Seth Godin
* * *
You must be logged in to post a comment.