Intellectual civilians
Most of us know that human-made climate change is real. But how do we know? We’re not out there, measuring ice caps or CO2 levels; most of us don’t even …
Worldbuilding
Good worldbuilding doesn’t come from maps and charts. Those can be used effectively, but they’re always secondary, in my mind, to character reactions. As an occasional writer of the fantastical, …
Offensive art
Some say the arts have gone soft, because creators are too afraid to hurt people’s feelings. Such cowardice is a threat to art, they say, for art is meant to …
Charming concepts
A country with a singular culture. People look alike, speak the same words, and share traditions. Exceptions are vanishingly rare and hidden. A large mansion, home to a nobleman and …
Men and women
Men and women both underestimate the difficulty of being the opposite gender. Neither gender knows the challenges faced by the other. It’s simply not human nature to fully fathom what …
The skeptic’s job
Not every new idea is going to win you over. There’s probably a few political opinions trending right now that don’t convince you, no matter how incessantly people laud them …
Thoughts on writing
I love to analyze the flaws of stories. Choppy character development, plot holes and clichés, underexplored themes…These are what occupies my mind after I read a book or watch a …
The most harmful misconception
is that the harshest truths of life must be taught harshly. The opposite is true. We should reserve our warmest, tenderest love for those we teach of death, cruelty, and …
God’s love
A God who created us and loves us wouldn’t need us to worship it. It wouldn’t be bothered if we believed in a different god. A God who created us …
What stories need
In my mind, virtually nothing is too offensive to be part of a book, movie, play, or game. Stories shouldn’t be thought of in terms of right and wrong. I …