Alchemy Ink

Thoughty Thursday: Popping your mental corn, March 19-25, 2023

/ Melanie Marttila / Leave a comment

Tomorrow’s March 31st! Prepare for April Fool’s Day by getting your mental corn popping 🙂

Ashawnta Jackson sings the Ballad of Railroad Bill. JSTOR Daily

Guy Kawasaki interviews Latanya Mapp Frett about the impact of everyday feminists. The Remarkable People Podcast

Sarah Barmak reveals what women (still) want. The Walrus

Mike Stobbe reports that autism now more common in Black and Hispanic kids in the US. But they have access to fewer supports. Associated Press

Marisol Martinez: immune system cells in the gut linked to stress-induced depression. Medical Xpress

Ryan O’Hare reports that advanced brain imaging hints at how DMT alters perception of reality. Imperial College London

Ingrid Fadelli: study hints at the promise of non-hallucinogenic LSD for treating mood disorders. Medical Xpress

Adrianna Rodriguez reveals the real (i.e., not cordyceps) fungal threat: the CDC warns against candida auris, a drug-resistant fungus invading health facilities. USA Today

Elizabeth M. Renieris wonders, will AI mean we’ll be able to work less? The Walrus

Will Dunham reports that an asteroid discovery suggests ingredients for life on Earth came from space. Reuters

Robin McKie: A Brief History of Time is wrong, Stephen Hawking told collaborator. The Guardian

First detection of neutrinos made at particle collider. Universität Bern

Egyptian startup turns millions of plastic bags into tiles. Reuters

New UBC water treatment zaps forever chemicals for good. University of British Columbia

Fiona Harvey reports that global fresh water demand will outstrip supply by 40% by 2030. The Guardian

Thanks for visiting, and I hope you took away something to inspire a future creative project.

Until my next chapter weekly update, be well and stay safe; be kind and stay strong. The world needs your stories!

Tipsday: Informal writerly learnings, March 19-25, 2023

/ Melanie Marttila / Leave a comment

It’s the last tipsday of March! Prepare to “go out like a lion” with some informal writerly learnings 🙂

Amy Christine Parker shares four powerful tools for creating dread in your fiction. Then, Constance Emmett discusses finding her writing tribe. Carol Van Den Hende offers three ideas to inspire Instagram-worthy book posts. Next, Lori Walker interviews Jinwoo Chong about exploring themes of grief and loneliness in a neo-noir speculative novel. Sara Gentry lists five ways numerical data can improve your novel. DIY MFA

How to write strong openings: action-driven vs. voice-driven. Mary Robinette Kowal

Susan DeFreitas: your story is amazing, but does it make sense? Dave King warns of critter danger. Then, Sophie Masson has the last word on epilogues. John J. Kelley discusses using social occasions to elevate your story. Writer Unboxed

Story Structure 101. Reedsy

K.M. Weiland presents two ways to write organic themes. Helping Writers Become Authors

Lisa Norman tells you all you need to know about how to write with AIs. Then, Ellen Buikema explains how to kill a character without enraging readers. Writers in the Storm

Where alcoholic drinks got their names. Otherwords | PBS Storied

Sarah Elizabeth Sawyer answers seven questions on writing about Native Americans. Then, Susanne Dunlap explains what memoirists can learn from historical novelists. Katie Bannon shares five reasons to write your taboo stories. Jane Friedman

Lucy V. Hay explains the importance of a great opening to a novel. Then, Becca Puglisi has some creative ways to brainstorm story ideas. Angela Ackerman wonders how much time do you waste as a writer? Writers Helping Writers

The best outlining tools for writers. Reedsy

Nathan Bransford explains how to edit someone’s novel.

Tiffany Yates Martin says don’t build your network. Fox Print Editorial

Chris Winkle shares lessons learned from the clichéd writing of Pendergast. Then, she explains the why and how of foreshadowing. Mythcreants

Gene Maddaus reports that the Writers Guild of America would allow AI in scriptwriting as long as writers maintain credit. Variety

Thank you so much for spending some time with me. I hope you found something to support your current work(s) in progress.

Until Thursday, keep staying safe and well, my writerly friends.

Thoughty Thursday: Popping your mental corn, March 12-18, 2023

/ Melanie Marttila / Leave a comment

We’re heading into the last week of March. Finish March off strong by getting your mental corn popping!

Steven John and Dannielle Beardsley: a historian explains the real history of St. Patrick’s Day. The Manual

Khaled A.: Palestinian Tatreez is embroidering resistance and remembrance. Atmos

Guy Kawasaki interviews Ginni Rometty about being the first female CEO of IBM. The Remarkable People Podcast

Dolly Church: heavenly bodies, or how space burials sell the promise of immortality. The Baffler

Spacesuit for NASA’s Artemis III Moon surface mission debuts. NASA

Will Dunham: new analysis reveals dynamic volcanism on Venus. Reuters

NASA’s JWST captures rarely seen prelude to a supernova. NASA

Visually navigating on foot uses unique brain region. National Eye Institute

Can we solve the air conditioning paradox? Be Smart

Kristin Toussaint says that growing crops under solar panels makes food—and healthier solar panels. Fast Company

True facts animal awards. Ze Frank

Thanks for visiting, and I hope you took away something to inspire a future creative project.

Until my next chapter weekly update, be well and stay safe; be kind and stay strong. The world needs your stories!

Tipsday: Informal writerly learnings, March 12-18, 2023

/ Melanie Marttila / 1 Comment

I celebrated the spring equinox yesterday while light snow fell (not at all sarcastically). It’s spring in northeastern Ontario. What else should I expect?

However you greeted spring, celebrate with some informal writerly learnings!

Kelsey Allagood says, for better creativity, spring clean your brain. Then, Marcie Geffner explains why we don’t need “heroines.” Desmond Hall is tunnelling into POV and perspective in this month’s Desmond’s Drops. Next, Julie Gerstenblatt considers the fabric of language, or what to wear on book tour. Writer Unboxed

How to condense your novel. Shaelin Writes

Jeanette the Writer explains how to find a book editor. Then, Tammy Lough helps you get noticed on social media. Whitney Cubbison is becoming a writer after spending a career writing. DIY MFA

The most powerful art you’ll ever make. Tale Foundry

Lori Freeland discusses piecing together the perfect scene. Then, Joseph R. Lallo is getting unstuck/finding a new rut. Eldred Bird shows you how to distinguish between history vs. legend when writing about the past. Writers in the Storm

The pitfalls of friendship – The Banshees of Innisherin. The Take

Oliver Fox shows you how to write horror. Helping Writers Become Authors

Nicki Howell explains why fear is a terrible friend…and how to crush it. Live, Write, Thrive

Roz Morris: once more with feeling – some notes about description. Nail Your Novel

2022-2023 Munro Beattie Lecture with Waubgeshig Rice: Anishnaabe history and writing the future. Carleton University Department of English

Joanna Penn offers some writing tips on setting and sense of place. The Creative Penn

Daphne Gray-Grant shows you how to survive editing. Then, Adriana Barton explains how to write a hybrid memoir. Tiffany Yates Martin discusses picking a point of view for your story. Jane Friedman

Jami Gold is making a long story about character arcs short. Writers Helping Writers

Over on her own site, Jami wonders, can short stories still have character arcs?

Nathan Bransford explains how to self-edit your novel.

This story will crush your hopes and dreams. Tale Foundry

September C. Fawkes shares five keys to a satisfying denouement. My Story Doctor

Rayne Hall explains how to write a short story spinoff from your novel. Fiction University

Writing lessons I wish I’d learned earlier (AKA how to stop worrying). Shaelin Writes

Tiffany Yates Martin says, do less than your best. Fox Print Editorial

Chris Winkle says Wolf Pack is about werewolves with nothing to do. Then, Oren Ashkenazi analyzes six stories with poorly designed factions. Mythcreants

Jonathan Migneault: reflections on the INCO superstack. Why is this in tipsday? Because the Sudbury Writers’ Guild is asking for submissions to their new stack anthology 🙂 CBC

Jan Grue considers the disabled villain and why sensitivity readers can’t kill off this ugly trope. The Guardian

Thank you for spending some time with me. I hope you found something to support your current work(s) in progress.

Until Thursday, keep staying safe and well!

Thoughty Thursday: Popping your mental corn, March 5-11, 2023

/ Melanie Marttila / Leave a comment

Welcome to thoughty Thursday, your opportunity to kick your brain into gear n time for the weekend. What are you waiting for? Get your mental corn popping!

Melissa Denes shares Elizabeth Stanko’s mission to change the way police investigate rape: “I know where the bodies are buried.” The Guardian

Anna Louie Sussman introduces us to a world without men. The Cut

Brandy Schillace reveals the forgotten history of the world’s first trans clinic. Scientific American

Brandon Chase: expert systems may help detect Alzheimer’s Disease from routine brain imaging tests. Massachusetts General Hospital

The world’s first horse riders found near the Black Sea. Phys.org

Edna Tarigan and Victoria Milko: Indonesia unveils construction site of new capital city. Associated Press

Christina Larson and Patrick Whittle report that nations reach accord to protect marine life on high seas. Associated Press

Vaccines for honeybees. SciShow

Will Dunham: dwarf elephants and giant rats indicate strange island creatures at high risk. Reuters

Lina Zeldovich takes us inside Canada’s polar bear jail. Atlas Obscura

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you took away something to inspire a future creative project.

Until my next chapter weekly update, be well and stay safe; be kind and stay strong. The world needs your stories!

Tipsday: Informal writerly learnings, March 5-11, 2023

/ Melanie Marttila / 2 Comments

Did you survive Monday after daylight saving? I almost didn’t. Recuperate with some informal writerly learnings 🙂

My favourite DST meme:

Greer Macallister shares five ways to rediscover your writing joy. Then, Tiffany Yates Martin is assuaging the pain of punctuation. Juliet Marillier considers writing home. Next, Kathryn Craft discusses navigating the road from journalist to novelist. Writer Unboxed

Heroes don’t have to be boring. Hello, Future Me

Piper Bayard offers help with writing about recruitment for the intelligence community. Then, Colleen M. Story shares some quick tips to help you avoid five types of writing-related pain. Penny C. Sansevieri reveals five reasons your Amazon ads aren’t drawing in readers. Writers in the Storm

K.M. Weiland explains how to write literary fiction. Helping Writers Become Authors

What is creative writing? Reedsy

Elizabeth Spann Craig discusses newsletters, even if they’re just sent for releases.

The mentor archetype: definition, ten examples, and hot to write. The ally archetype. The hero archetype. Story Grid

A.H. Plotts shares what her DIY writing retreat taught her about her writing practice. Then, Dominique Richardson offers advice on finding alternatives to ableist language. Alison Schaffir wants you to evoke your inner teen. Next, Julie Slaughter suggests five ways to reduce writer anxiety. DIY MFA

How Bloody Mary turns fear into fun. Monstrum | PBS Storied

Kim Catanzarite declaims, to give it away, or not to give it away. Then, Gemma Whelan explains how bad publishers hurt authors. Jane Friedman

Lisa Poisso explains the difference between an editor and a book coach. Thin, Liz Alterman shows you how to ask for book reviews (and why you should). Writers Helping Writers

Create a daily writing practice. Reedsy

Nathan Bransford says, don’t worry about spoilers in a query letter.

Tiffany Yates Martin composes a letter: dear author …. It’s the writerly hug you didn’t know you needed! Fox Print Editorial

Chris Winkle suggests seven easy conflicts for light stories. Then, Oren Ashkenazi analyzes Star Trek’s best antagonistic species. Mythcreants

Thank you for spending some time with me, and I hope you found something to support your current work(s) in progress.

Until Thursday, keep staying safe and well, my writerly friends!

Thoughty Thursday: Popping your mental corn, Feb 26-March 4, 2023

/ Melanie Marttila / Leave a comment

Daylight saving begins this weekend. Get your mental corn popping before the time change.

Early life stress can disrupt maturation of brain’s reward circuits, promoting disorders. UC Irvine

Intense aurora borealis lights up northern skies. Sudbury.com

New discovery sheds light on very early supermassive black holes. Royal Astronomical Society

Aidan Lewis: scientists reveal hidden corridor in Great Pyramid of Giza. Reuters

Steel was already being used in Europe 2,900 years ago, according to study. Phys.org

The science of iridescence. Be Smart

Jorge Dubcovsky: scientists unlock the key to drought-resistant wheat plants with longer roots. College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences | UC Davis

How smart are crows, actually? SciShow

Lauren Kaljur wonders, are herring making a comeback in BC? The Walrus

True facts: mussels that catch fish. Ze Frank

Thank you for spending some time with me, and I hope you found something to inspire a future creative project.

Until my next chapter weekly update, be well and stay safe; be kind and stay strong. The world needs your stories!

Tipsday: Informal writerly learnings, Feb 26-March 4, 2023

/ Melanie Marttila / Leave a comment

Monday is just a memory and tonight’s the full moon. Get ready to howl with some informal writerly learnings 🙂

Vaughn Roycroft discusses magic and spirituality in story. Then, Donald Maass asks you to consider Jack, in the box. Sarah Callender is trusting the process. And Liza Nash Taylor is hanging out with Honey Boo-Boo. Writer Unboxed

Is H.P. Lovecraft bad at writing? Tale Foundry

K.M. Weiland explains how to write a mystery. Helping Writers Become Authors

C.S. Lakin encourages getting “slick” with your novel’s theme. Live, Write, Thrive

Lisa Hall-Wilson provides ten examples of author intrusion in deep point of view and how to fix them. Then, Margie Lawson shares some writing rules to make you shine, not whine. James R. Preston: the boss fight, sherpas, and the devil’s in the details. Writers in the Storm

Why everyone hates the chosen one. Tale Foundry

Elizabeth Spann Craig discusses the differences between beta readers, ARC readers, and critique partners.

Stuart Horowitz explains the nuts and bolts of becoming and independent editor. Then, Grace Bialecki says, always read the acknowledgements page! Susan DeFreitas shares the two most critical tactics for getting emotion on the page. Jane Friedman

The surprising centuries-old origins of the unicorn. Fate & Fabled

Kristina Stanley and Lucy Cooke show you where to start a story edit. Then, P.A. Cornell lists ten things Lego has taught her about story building. Writers Helping Writers

Richelle Lyn offers a book coaching 101. Then, Sara Farmer shares more of her favourite mystery shows. Lori Walker interviews Dominique Richardson and Sorboni Banerjee about collaborating on a fairy tale-inspired YA series. Next, Stacy Frazer points out three common revision mistakes, and what to do instead. Monica Cox lists five tips for staying accountable during revision. DIY MFA

Tiffany Yates Martin discovers how Sherry Thomas revises: concentrating on the work. Fox Print Editorial

The trickster archetype: definition, examples, and how-to. The herald archetype. The shapeshifter archetype. The threshold guardian archetype. The villain archetype. Story Grid

Chris Winkle discusses doling out information during a scene. Then, Oren Ashkenazi analyzes Star Trek’s mediocre antagonistic species. Mythcreants

Thanks for visiting. I hope you took away something to support your current work(s) in progress.

Until Thursday, keep staying safe and well, my writerly friends.

Thoughty Thursday: Popping your mental corn, Feb 19-25, 2023

/ Melanie Marttila / Leave a comment

Welcome March and the coming of spring by getting your mental corn popping.

Vicky Mochama says Black communities have known about mutual aid all along. Another pick from the archives for Black History Month. The Walrus

Matthew Wills says even the best Jim Crow school … was still a Jim Crow school. JSTOR Daily

Troy Sebastian/Nupqu ʔa·kǂ am̓ reports on the Nuchatlaht First Nation: how a legal battle could change land rights for good. The Walrus

Betsy Golden Killam: Mills Panoram and Soundies. JSTOR Daily

Sarah Gibbens and Amy McKeever list the top ten things to know about Mardi Gras. National Geographic

UEA scientists make breakthrough for next generation cancer treatment. University of East Anglia

Esteban Pardo: Germany’s Düsseldorf patient cured of HIV. Deutsche Welle

Guy Kawasaki interviews Jessica Wade about advocating for gender diversity in science. The Remarkable People Podcast

New aurorae found on Jupiter’s four largest moons. W.M. Keck Observatory

NASA’s planetary radar captures detailed view of oblong asteroid. Forgive me for being heretical, but it looks like a bobbing turd (!) Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Will Dunham reports that galaxies spotted by JWST rewrite understanding of early universe. Reuters

Space travel influences the way the brain works. Liège University

Bouncing seismic waves reveal distinct layer in Earth’s inner core. Phys.org

Nathaniel Scharping: paleotsunami detectives hunt for ancient disasters. So cool. Hakai

April Nowell explains what it was like to grow up in the last ice age. Aeon

The ancient promise of water. Archaeology Magazine

Thank you for visiting, and I hope you took away something to inspire a future creative project.

Until my next chapter weekly update, be well and stay safe; be kind and stay strong. The world needs your stories!

Tipsday: Informal writerly learnings, Feb 19-25, 2023

/ Melanie Marttila / Leave a comment

We’re almost at the end of February. Prepare to welcome March with some informal writerly learnings!

Rachel Teferet offers a social media survival guide for writers. Then, JJ Graham helps you find a writing community as an introvert. Grace Bialecki: location, location, location. Next, Neil Chase lists his top five types of villains in literature. DIY MFA

Why apocalypse stories feel different now. Like Stories of Old

Porter Anderson’s hearing a lot of cyber rattling: when the bot chats. Then, Dave King writes the epilogue on prologues. Thomas Richards explains how to bring your characters to life by writing in three dimensions. Next, Heather Webb suggests some body and mind fitness for writers. Victoria Strauss points out some clauses to watch for: when your publishing contract raises a red flag. Writer Unboxed

Is R a vowel? Otherwords | PBS Storied

K.M. Weiland offers more genre writing tips: how to write historical fiction. Helping Writers Become Authors

Lisa Norman says creating a powerful author website will get the results you want. Then, Kris Maze poses this puzzle: retiring to write, or writing to retire (part 1). Ellen Buikema offers some more tips on writing science fiction (part 2). Writers in the Storm

The politics of loving the bad guy. Princess Weekes

Hank Quense explains book marketing in plain English. Elizabeth Spann Craig

Michelle Barker is getting back into the writing flow. Then, Marissa Graff lists four reasons your action-based scene is failing (and how to avoid it). Writers Helping Writers

Jane explains how authors can build relationships with independent bookstores. Jane Friedman

How to edit a novel. Reedsy

Jami Gold helps you figure out what point of view is best for you.

Tiffany Yates Martin wonders, are you “just”-ifying your writing? Fox Print Editorial

Dan Koboldt considers luck vs. talent vs. perseverance in publishing.

Chris Winkle helps you choose scenes to cover the right information. Then, Oren Ashkenazi analyzes Star Trek’s seven worst antagonistic species. Mythcreants

Lavelle Porter presents an ode to Samuel Delaney. JSTOR Daily

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you found something to support your current work(s) in progress.

Until Thursday, keep staying safe and well, my writerly friends.