History is a heat. It is the heat of accumulated information and accumulated complexity. As our culture progresses, we find that we gather more and more information and that we slowly start to move almost from a fluid to a vaporous state, as we approach the ultimate complexity of a social boiling point. I believeContinue reading “Turning Into Steam”
Tag Archives: writing
Missed the Bus
It’s been a weird morning. I overslept, there is no coffee in the house, and my spouse is traveling for work. I am extremely disoriented. I feel like I missed the bus. If anything, this is driving home how important my morning routines have been to me. I had some substantive things planned for writingContinue reading “Missed the Bus”
How to Get Started Writing
When I have trouble getting started writing, I begin a sentence with the phrase, “when I have trouble getting started writing…” By the time I’ve finished my thought, I’ve got a good start to a blog post. It works every time 80% of the time. It’s Sunday, I woke up late, they can’t all beContinue reading “How to Get Started Writing”
Why We Love Protagonists
We love protagonists because they “protag,” as Brandon Sanderson puts it. Protagonists are dynamic and experience growth, or at least change. In his BYU lectures on sci-fi/fantasy writing, Sanderson points to three areas that protagonists can grow to create a compelling arc: competence, likeability, and proactivity. In Star Wars, Luke grows in competence, while HanContinue reading “Why We Love Protagonists”
Why I Have an Ugly Blog
Several times I’ve been tempted to update the look of this site, to add new features, to add an email list form… but the most important thing for me right now is to write every day. So, I’m keeping my ugly blog for now and continuing to write. Site improvements can come later, but theyContinue reading “Why I Have an Ugly Blog”
Jacob N. Given 