Notes from a Season of Writing

Writing goes through its own seasons, much like life in general does. Right now I’m in a season of change. What was comfortable yesterday has become stifling. And what was safe and a source of pride has somehow morphed into a daunting obstacle. In the immortal words of Bruce Springsteen, I want to “change my clothes, my hair, my face” – and a few things besides. Actually it’s not about appearance at all. It’s about what’s going on under the hood. I’ve been slacking on my diet, I’ve been slacking on exercise, and with the resultant lack of energy, I’ve Read More …

Labor Day

The history of Labor Day is no doubt interesting and well worth reading up on. Honestly, though, it’s not the first thing that comes to my mind on this particular day. I’ve always liked this day as a bridge between the ease of summer and a season of harder, more focused work. A day of reflection and renewal, and a day of re-commitment to my goals and values. “Labor” is a word with many connotations. On the downside, it carries a whiff of the unwanted, like “chore”, just harder. The proverbial salt mines come to mind. And, yes, writing can Read More …

Publishing into the Void

It’s one of those dark, dreary days when your mood’s already low. You’re writing, because that’s what you do. And yet you can’t help but ask yourself why you keep doing it. Why do you put in the hours, day after day, year after year? It’s one thing to spend all that time on writing the stories that you can’t NOT write, either because the characters you’ve created fascinate you, or you’re intrigued by the plot you’re weaving, or because it’s your burning desire to help or teach others wisdom through the power of your writing. What about the writing, Read More …

Talent Is Everything – Or Is It?

When it comes to brains or athlethicism or creativity, we all admire the prodigy. The precocious. The talented. Talent is what it’s all about. Now, it’s obvious that some people have talent. A shitload of it. Even when they were children, they excelled at their chosen activity. Some of them became obsessed with it. They practiced for hours. They immersed themselves fully. And they had the right parents or teachers or coaches, and their talent, combined with relentless practice and a good portion of serendipity, took them to the pinnacle of their careers. And then there are those who started Read More …

Weasel Words

So I’ve recently been binge-reading Dave Asprey‘s books. He offers up a smorgasbord of biohacks that range from “you’d be crazy to skip this” to “you’d have to be pretty desperate (not to mention filthy rich) to even try”. Still, a lot of it is very doable, and I’ve always enjoyed self-experimentation, so I’ll be busy guinea-pigging for the foreseeable future. Apart from the physical hacks to upgrade your body and mind, there was one concept that appealed to the linguist in me. It’s the concept that words, used thoughtlessly, can have big repercussions on our mindset. In his book Read More …