Never Say You Can’t Survive - Charlie Jane Anders
If you need a rallying cry or a shoulder to cry on to help you create right now, Never Say You Can’t Survive might be the book you need to read right now.
Firing Chekov's Gun - A Gentleman in Moscow
A Gentleman in Moscow contains a set of literal Chekov’s guns, but many of the other objects, people, and places in the story set up the ending. So let's talk about how this type if story is built.
How to start (and keep) a writers group
If you are looking to start your own writers group, for whatever reason, these are my notes on what I would do if I had to start a new group today.
Tool: Always have something to write with
One of the best pieces of advice I've ever gotten was if you want to get good at something, keep your tools with you all the time.
Reading Report: August 2025
Hello subscribers! This is something of an experiment. I wanted to try
Steering the Craft - Ursula K. Le Guin
Le Guin is a modern master and it shows in her clear and concise explanations. Just tear out the last chapter and you’ll be fine.
Tool: Thought-Time
Thought-time is the sum of the mental energy put into a piece of artwork. Along with craft-time and distance-time it helps determine the "value" of the work.
Rest like you mean it
We interrupt this program to remind you to rest.
Tool: Put Events in Time Order
What is the actual order of the events, as the point of view character witnesses them?
Tool: Extreme Specificity
What specifically happened in that particular time when light fell through those particular leaves.
Books for Beginning and Beginning Again
Four books for getting started or getting back to basics.
About Writing - Samuel Delany
Filled with writing gems that defy being prised from their substrate, Delany's essays and interviews will reassure new writers and challenge old hands.