Writing Water Wings: 5 Habits that Betray a Lack of Mastery

In the modern age when everyone can use AI to produce at least passable work, mastery is more critical than it’s ever been. AI has largely eradicated typos and poor grammar that used to signal inexperience which has some benefits. Those who struggle with spelling or grammar aren’t as far behind the Eight Ball as …

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FEAR: Why Humans STILL Crave Stories That Scare US

Fear is, in all likelihood, the single most complex human emotion. Our fears can keep us up at night, but they can also be the only thing that keeps us alive. They can save us, strangle us, liberate us or even destroy us. Like fire, fear can be intoxicating and even addictive and for sound …

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Human Resources: When Did Humans Become Raw Materials?

Human resources. It’s such a ubiquitous term I’d never really thought about it—I mean really thought about it—until recently. As writers, we of all people, understand the power of words. How something noble or kind can be twisted. Yet, ponder the term for a moment and maybe what it’s come to entail. Human resources. First, …

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AI Scammers Are Making Publishing Scams Scarily Convincing

AI scammers are getting good. I mean scary good. The only thing that saved my bacon was a heavy dose of pessimism and KNOWING the BUSINESS of the PUBLISHING BUSINESS. When I say these scams are terrifyingly good? I do not say this lightly. Yes, I’ve been a writer for years, just also a writer …

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Everyone Loves a Prophet…in Hindsight

Everyone loves a prophet…in hindsight. So why do we ignore the people who see it coming? Why is this such a universal human trope? To mock, criticize, abuse, or even annihilate the one person who sees the truth? Today, I am using the term “prophet” because I want a little more latitude in my examples. …

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