Today’s post is not so much about the details of the technology, or pondering whether we will one day live in some kind of post-scarcity utopia in which our machine-slaves can solve all of our problems, generate optimal art, and fulfill our every whim in addition to freeing us from manual labor and rote tasks, as it is about reflecting on the nature of creativity and the process that we are really going through when we attempt to ‘create.’
Weekly Writing Update
Maybe it's doing these weekly updates that causes the months to feel as if they are flying by, because I yet again find myself tempted to remark upon how we are already down to just a week and a half remaining in February. Regardless, here we are with another weekly writing update.
The Oresteia Review
The Oresteia merits a special entry because it survives in its entire trilogy form, which is apparently unique amongst the Greek tragedies which are preserved (although some scholars believe that these three-part tragedies were supposed to be completed by a fourth comedic part). The story is full of twists, turns, and, certainly, tragedy.
Reflections on the Performative Nature of Language
When we consider the organic and evolving nature of language, it becomes clear that the medium in which we as writers work is at once both a static means of information storage, and a dynamic, independent artform allowing the author to engage in a unique interaction with each reader.
Weekly Writing Update
Not every week brings colossal progress, and this week felt slow when it comes to writing. I would be hard-pressed to give you a specific reason for this, but in fairness I did accomplish some work.
Linguistic Reference Frames
I came across a paper in Science Advances called "Different reference frames on different axes: Space and language in indigenous Amazonians."
The Time Traveler’s Guide to Medieval England Review
Considering that so much of fantasy is set in ‘medieval’ time periods (purportedly – few modern fantasies I’ve read are faithful to the period, and are arguably closer to renaissance era), Mortimer’s book ought to be required reading.
Words We Don’t Have
The possibilities of leveraging this idea to render fictional characters and cultures more unique, more interesting, more textured, more genuine, more true, more alive, are veritably endless.
Weekly Writing Update
I pushed out another five thousand words or so on Impressions this week, putting me a little past halfway on chapter 5.
Writers of the Future Volume 34 Review
I've been meaning to read at least one of the Writers of the Future anthologies for years now, and it just never rose to the top of my reading list, despite all of the emails I get from them. It took seeing this volume packaged under the same discount as Witches Abroad for me to finally obtain a copy, and I now wish that I'd done it sooner.
IGC Publishing 