Alchemy Ink

Thoughty Thursday: Popping your mental corn, Feb 13-19, 2022

/ Melanie Marttila

It’s time to get your mental corn popping for the last time in February.

Cornelius Fortune introduces the independent voices of the Black American press. JSTOR Daily

Ashawnta Jackson is remembering Emmett Till in song. JSTOR Daily

Police Brutality isn’t new. Every How Did We Get Here (part 2). The Amber Ruffin Show

Frankie Graziano and Laura Wamsley: families of Sandy Hook victims reach $73 million settlement with Remington. NPR

Catharine Tunney reports that the federal government invokes emergencies act for the first time in response to protests. CBC

Andrew Duffy provides a timeline of the occupation of Ottawa. The Ottawa Citizen

Michael Woods and Ted Raymond cover the Ottawa occupation: police hand out leaflets warning downtown protesters to leave. CTV News

Standoff between protestors and massive police operation stretches into night. CBC

Tara Henley says, “Get insanely curious when no one else is curious.” A conversation with Amanda Ripley about the Ottawa occupation and high conflict.

Harold Jarche outlines our new normal in perpetual beta.

Devin Dwyer and Sarah Herndon: “Broken Heart” cases surge during covid, especially among women. ABC News

Benjamin Ryan shares that scientists have possibly cured a woman of HIV for the first time. While the treatment is specific to a subset of patients who have Leukemia in addition to HIV, it could direct new research. NBC News

Carmen Leitch: human neurons found to be surprisingly different from other mammals. Lab Roots

Paul Withers reveals that Facebook to begin laying cable (for Metaverse) through fishing grounds off Nova Scotia. CBC

Move over, JWST! Five new telescopes to get excited about. Dr. Becky

Bob McDonald: astronomers are fighting back against satellite constellations. CBC’s Quirks and Quarks

Victor Tangermann reports that scientists propose permanent human habitat built orbiting Ceres. It’s like something straight out of The Expanse. Futurism

Are we finally on the road to fusion power? SciShow

Structured thermal armor achieves liquid cooling above 1000 degrees Celsius and solves challenge presented by the Leidenfrost effect. It should work for both aero and space engines as well as nuclear reactors. Phys.org

Simon Akam reveals a new story for Stonehenge. The New Yorker

Iceland to end whaling in 2024 as demand dwindles. The Guardian

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

Until next tipsday, be well and stay safe; be kind and stay strong. The world needs your stories!

Tipsday: Informal writerly learnings, Feb 13-19, 2022

/ Melanie Marttila

It’s the last tipsday of February! Fuel up on informal writerly learnings for the week.

Roz Morris explains how to write a novel with multiple points of view—seven voices. Nail Your Novel

Raya’s queerbaiting of Southeast Asians – the importance of cultural context to queerness (part 3 of SEA critique of Raya and the Last Dragon). Xiran Jay Zhao

Ann Marie Nieves: PR and marketing questions answered, part VI. Dave King recommends cutting your way to freedom. Then, Barbara Linn Probst shares something that might not actually be true. Porter Anderson: ego, “litflation,” and honor(s). Tom Pope is creating without hope and fear. Writer Unboxed

How do we read? It’s Magic (almost)! Be Smart

K.M. Weiland explains how archetypes and story structure are connected. Helping Writers Become Authors

Joanna Penn interviews C. Ruth Taylor about self-publishing in Jamaica and the Caribbean and the importance of diverse voices. The Creative Penn

On worldbuilding: fallen civilizations. Hello, Future Me

Alexander J. Lewis shares his experience going a year without social media as a freelance writer. Peter Desberg and Jeffrey Davis explain how to pitch like a Hollywood pro. Jane Friedman

Christina Delay takes the measure of a character. Then, Fred Koehler takes you from concept to query in ten months. Writers Helping Writers

Well, THIS seems familiar … Jill Bearup

Nathan Bransford explains how to crystalize the stakes.

Colice Sanders wants you to answer the call for diversity. Then, Disha Walia lists the seven deadly sins of speculative fiction (and how to fix them). Lori Walker: going from preparing to write to actually writing. Alexis M. Collazo shares five reasons to start a morning writing routine. DIY MFA

Dealing with writer burnout. Reedsy

Lynette M. Burroughs: things I wish I knew before I published (pat 2). Writers in the Storm

Angie Hodapp is zeroing in on comps (part 1). Then, Kristin Nelson wants you to dance with the right partner at the publishing prom. Pub Rants

Possibly controversial. Rules vs. Craft. Shaelin Writes

Oren Ashkenazi: how useful are Jonathan Franzen’s ten rules for novelists? Mythcreants

Cory Doctorow reveals that a bug in early creative commons licences has enables a new breed of superpredator. Medium

Promises as a magic system. Tale Foundry

Anne Delaney discusses words on the way in: a retrospective. JSTOR Daily

Ellen Gutoskey shares 11 things you should know about Audre Lorde. Mental Floss

Thank you for taking the time to stop by, and I hope you took away something to support your current work in progress.

Until Thursday, be well and stay safe!

Thoughty Thursday: Popping your mental corn, Feb 6-12, 2022

/ Melanie Marttila

Happy Friday eve! Get your mental corn popping in time for the weekend.

Sarah Burnett reports that Amir Locke, shot by Minneapolis cop, wanted music career. Associated Press

Derecka Purnell interviews Sybrina Fulton about her son, Trayvon Martin: grief over time. The Cut

Systemic racism? No thanks. How did we get here (part 1) | The Amber Ruffin Show

Livia Gershon considers music and spirit in the African diaspora. JSTOR Daily

Matthew Wills: Buffalo Soldiers and the bicycle corps. JSTOR Daily

Diana Opong Kuow reports that, for the first time in generations, Snoqualmie tribe has land. Indian Country Today

Natasha Lennard: anti-trans bills are moving through US state legislatures at alarming speed. The Intercept

Sam Knight examines the misogyny that led to the fall of London’s police commissioner, Cressida Dick. The New Yorker

Sudbury councillors push to establish living wage for city employees. CBC

John Michael McGrath: the loudmouths are losing. When this is all over, remember the helpers. TVO.org

Sharon Pruitt-Young reports that a new program in Canada gives doctors the option of prescribing national park visits. NPR

Anne Trafton: MIT engineers create the impossible—new material that’s strong as steel but lighter than plastic. Remember Star Trek IV? SciTech Daily

Tasnim Ahmed reports that new spinal cord stimulation study puts people with paralysis on their feet again. CNN

NASA fears SpaceX plan for 30,000 satellites could hamper space missions. The Guardian

We’ve never seen this before – JWST. Physics Girl

Ian Semple: nuclear fusion heat record a huge step in quest for new energy source. The Guardian

Tracey Anne Duncan reveals that scientists are trying to figure out how to make your dog live longer. MIC

Hannah Ryan presents the wildlife photo of the year, as chosen by the public. CNN

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

Until next tipsday, be well and stay safe; be kind and stay strong. The world needs your stories.

Tipsday: Informal writerly learnings, Feb 6-12, 2022

/ Melanie Marttila

Another week, another batch of informal writerly learnings. Enjoy!

Sara Farmer shares part two of her auto-buy mystery list. LA Bourgeois says that if you want to find your motivation, ask, “How can I make this happen?” Then, F.E. Choe explains how to develop a disciplined writing practice. Lyn Liao Butler wants you to consider writing from your perspective. DIY MFA

How to write first person point of view. Reedsy

Greer Macallister shares what a month of writing every day taught her. “It’s a balancing act, not a limbo stick.” Jim Dempsey: the story of your dreams. Kathleen McCleary wants you to explore the unknown in your writing: the dark side. Then, Kathryn Craft explains how to repurpose your plot. David Corbett tackles explanation vs. fascination—and a woman in the corner opposite. Writer Unboxed

Ellen Brock provides a writing guide for the methodological plotter.

K.M. Weiland wants you to make story structure your own. Helping Writers Become Authors

Sword lady hits ceiling with sword. Happy anniversary! Jill Bearup

Susan DeFreitas says that if you want to write a great novel, be brave. Then, Lisa Cooper Ellison proposes three things to ask yourself before writing about trauma. Janna Marlies Maron suggests three shifts you need to make to finish your book. Jane Friedman

Tuatha dé Danann, the enchanting faeries of celtic lore. Monstrum | PBS Storied

Margie Lawson offers tips to create a bestselling title. Then, Miffie Seideman provides seven steps for healthy emotional endurance for writers. Shirley Jump shares ten ways to reverse engineer your plot. Writers in the Storm

The Little Mermaid as a queer allegory. The Take

Elizabeth Spann Craig: promo for introverts.

Marissa Graff outlines the zig-zag plot arc. Then David. G. Brown offers three considerations for revising scene by scene. Writers Helping Writers

Nathan Bransford lists essential computer skills for writers.

Is Arcane a dystopia? Tim Hickson thinks not. Two the Future

Chris Winkle explains how to include thoughts from multiple characters without head-hopping. Then, Oren Ashkenazi analyses five stories that spoil their mysteries. Mythcreants

Robert Lee Brewer explains how to write successful queries for any genre of writing (with lots of examples). From 2019, but it’s a timeless topic 🙂 Writer’s Digest

Simon Usborne: forget Wordle! Can you crack the Dickens code? An IT worker from California just did. The Guardian

Thank you for taking the time to visit, and I hope you found something to support your current work in progress.

Until Thursday, be well and stay safe, my writerly friends!

Thoughty Thursday: Popping your mental corn, Jan 30-Feb 5, 2022

/ Melanie Marttila

Another week, another opportunity to get your mental corn popping.

Alisha Ebrahimji, Holly Yan, and Paul P. Murphy: “I’m just tired of being terrorized like my grandparents were.” More than a dozen HBCUs got bomb threats on the first day of Black History Month. CNN

Omar Jimenez: former officer who shot Laquan McDonald leaves prison. CNN

Julie Hollar: NYT twists stats to insist we need more policing. Fair

Lexi McMenamin: fast-food workers are getting shot on the job. Teen Vogue

Paul Solotaroff introduces us to the man who spent 25 years infiltrating Nazis, the Klan, and biker gangs. Here’s what he learned about far-right extremists in America. Rolling Stone

Terry Trembath reports that puppeteer born in Tsuut’ina Nation says work on Fraggle Rock reboot a dream come true. CBC

The brain trick that makes video possible. Be Smart

Raimund Muscheler explains how ancient ice reveals mysterious solar storm. Lund University

A supermassive black hole forming new stars. Dr. Becky

Katie Hunt introduces us to the man who can explain the first 3 billion years of life on our planet. CNN

Katie Hunt reports that 99-million-year-old flowers found perfectly preserved in amber once bloomed at the feet of dinosaurs. CNN

How you could survive (and prosper) in the Middle Ages. melievalists.net

Ann Powers presents this tiny desk (home) concert by Tori Amos. NPR

True facts about the proboscis monkey. Ze Frank

Thank you for visiting, and I hope you took away something to inspire a future creative project, or that you were educated or entertained by this round up. Maybe both?

Until next tipsday, be well and stay safe; be kind and stay strong. The world needs your stories!

Tipsday: Informal writerly learnings, Jan 30-Feb 5, 2022

/ Melanie Marttila

Was it a monumental Monday for you? Well, now it’s time to reward yourself with some informal writerly learnings.

Anita Ramirez concludes her writerly journey with a couple of revelations. Then, Angela Yeh is finding nourishment and joy in daily life through the spirit of haiku. Eliza Jane Brazier explains how to write better by not writing. Then, Heather Campbell shares five sneaky ways perfectionism sabotages your writing. DIY MFA

The existential dystopias of Arcane and Squid Game. Hello, Future Me

Tessa Barbosa presents an introvert’s guide to a public online presence. Donald Maass: back story versus the past. Keith Cronin gets an unexpected gift from covid. Then, Rheea Mukherjee is writing with depression. Writer Unboxed

Rape revenge and Promising Young Woman: realism vs. catharsis. Melina Pendulum

K.M. Weiland explains what conflict in fiction really is and why it’s important to plot. Helping Writers Become Authors

What is white room syndrome? Reedsy

Shannon A. Thompson: yes, writers need to hear the hard truths, but warnings can go too far. Then, Eric Newton discusses making difficult decisions about the work left behind when a writer dies. Joe Ponepinto explains how to use telling details to connect description to character. Jane Friedman

Why are cats mythology’s most popular creatures? Fate & Fabled | PBS Storied

Diana Clark wonders how much research is enough. Then, Eldred Bird is building a better villain. Ellen Buikema continues her explorations of sensual writing: using the power of taste in your writing. Writers in the Storm

Why the disabled villain trope is so offensive. The Take

September C. Fawkes shares six cheats to “tell” well (when it’s warranted). Writers Helping Writers

Chris Winkle lists nine personality clashes for character conflicts. Then, Oren Ashkenazi explains why tossing in calamity won’t make your story exciting. Mythcreants

How writers revise: the relentless resilience of Ruta Sepetys. Fox Print Editorial

Point of view: definition and examples for the narrative path. Story Grid

How Disney commodifies culture – Southeast Asians roast Raya and the Last Dragon, part 1. Long, but well worth your while. Xiran Jay Zhao

And part 2:

Part three … yet to come.

Nina Munteanu touts the benefits of expressive writing: the journal writer.

Susan DeFreitas shares the lessons learned during her year of reading every Ursula K. Le Guin novel. Literary Hub

Weike Wang: notes on work. “There’s a masochistic pride to overworking. How heavy a workload can I truly handle? How many plates can I keep in the air?” The New Yorker

Ena Alvarado: animal teachers and Marie de France. JSTOR Daily

Thanks for hanging out with me. I hope you found something to support your current work in progress.

Until Thursday, be well and stay safe.

Thoughty Thursday: Popping your mental corn, Jan 23-29, 2022

/ Melanie Marttila

It’s a real mixed bag of thoughty this week. Dig in and get your mental corn popping 🙂

Daniel Martinez HoSang , LeeAnn Hall , and Libero Della Piana: to tackle racial justice, organizing must change. The Forge

Susanna Ashton shares John B. Cade’s project to document the formerly enslaved. JSTOR Daily

Kelly Hayes interviews Bree Newsome Bass: “Capitalism has to collapse.” Truthout

Muriel Draaisma reports that Pickering’s Sir John A. Macdonald Public School to be renamed Biidassige Mandamin Public School. CBC

Bobby Hristova reveals that Burlington park is renamed Sweetgrass Park, no longer honouring residential school architect. CBC

Kirsten Grieshaber: 77 years after Auschwitz, Jews honor those who rescued them. Associated Press

Joe got omicron. Here’s what he learned. Be Smart

Evan Dyer reports that public outrage over the unvaccinated is driving a crisis in bioethics. CBC

Claire L. Evans is searching for Suzy Thunder. The Verge

Bob McDonald: researchers call for a new awareness of scientific colonialism. CBC’s “Quirks and Quarks”

Daniel Garisto: Euler’s 243-year-old “impossible” puzzle gets a quantum solution. Quanta Magazine

Amanda Morris reports that nearly 1,000 mysterious strands revealed in Milky Way’s center. Phys.org

Christy Somos: astronomers find mysterious object in space “unlike anything” seen before. CTV News

Ben Turner reveals that an “X particle” from the dawn of time discovered in the Large Hadron Collider. Space.com

Rahul Rao: curvature of space-time measured using “atomic fountain.” Space.com

Ashley Strickland reports that the JWST reaches its final destination a million miles from Earth. CNN

What’s next for the James Webb Space Telescope. SciShow Space

Rebecca Ruiz: politics is a huge stressor for some your people. That’s a huge problem. Mashable

Earliest human remains in eastern Africa dated to 230,000 years ago. Phys.org

Yessenia Funes examines the dark side of paper. Atmos

Sierra Garcia considers Bangalore’s green belt 50 years on. JSTOR Daily

Sophie Yeo reveals how Finland is restoring its river ecosystems: “We’re basically starting from zero.” The Guardian

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

Until next tipsday, be well and stay safe; be kind and stay strong. The world needs your stories.

Tipsday: Informal writerly learnings, Jan 23-29, 2022

/ Melanie Marttila

Another week, another batch of informal writerly learnings 🙂 Enjoy!

Sara Farmer shares the mystery series she enjoys so much, they’re automatic buys. Then, Savannah Cordova lists her top tips for self-publishers in 2022. Gabriela Pereira interviews Sue Campbell about marketing mindset shifts for writers. Then, Marina Barakatt invites you into the pages of Don’t Go without Me. Wilnona and Brandy provide five tips for genre-hopping with ease. DIY MFA

Holiday Barbie, warrior princess. Jill Bearup

Vaughn Roycroft: WU’s greatest gift. Elizabeth Huergo shares a lesson from Joan Didion: clarity trumps expedience. Then, Kelsey Allagood suggests four ways to silence your inner comments section. Julie Carrick Dalton wonders, who are you writing for? Liz Michalski wants a room of her own. Writer Unboxed

Don’t Look Up—a problematic metaphor for climate change? Like Stories of Old

Kris Maze shares nine productivity tips she learned from knitting. Then, Lisa Hall-Wilson shares four tips for writing a trauma disclosure in deep point of view. Ellen Buikema explains how to use touch in writing. Writers in the Storm

Shaelin explains how to write in omniscient point of view. Reedsy

K.M. Weiland lists 11 ways to tell if your inner critic is healthy. Helping Writers Become Authors

Liz Keller Whitehurst is writing magic in a real-world setting. Writers Helping Writers

Princess Weekes goes inside the absurdist mind of Kurt Vonnegut. It’s Lit | PBS Storied

Jane discovers what kind of books translate well to the screen. Jane Friedman

Nathan Bransford helps you figure out whether you’re an athlete or an artist.

How the dyed-hair girl stopped being edgy. The Take

Chris Winkle shares five tips for reviving bland prose. Then, Oren Ashkenazi figures out who wins on engagement: Buffy, Supernatural, or Teen Wolf? Mythcreants

Toni Morrison lists the 10 steps that lead countries to fascism. Hauntingly accurate. Open Culture

Mazey Eddings explores the benefits of writer friends. Neurodiverse authors rule 🙂 Publishers Weekly

Sales soar for Maus after US school district bans the Holocaust graphic novel. CBC

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you found something to support your current work in progress.

Until Thursday, be well and stay safe!

Thoughty Thursday: Popping your mental corn, Jan 16-22, 2022

/ Melanie Marttila

Happy Friday eve! It’s time to get your mental corn popping in time for the weekend.

Janelle Salanga: realizing inequality in news goes a lot deeper than diversity numbers. Neiman Lab

Alexandra Martinez reports that Indigenous advocates in Florida say oil drilling at Big Cypress will destroy sacred sites. Prism

Duane Brayboy: two spirits, one heart, five genders. From the archives of Indian Country Today.

Özten Shebahkeget: exhibition of Buffy Saint-Marie’s digital art in Winnipeg reveals different side of iconic musician. CBC

Kalle Benallie announces that Dr. Chavez Lamar will be the first Native woman to lead Smithsonian American Indian museum. Indian Country Today

Iqaluit woman teaches Inuktitut online. CBC

The UN defines holocaust denial in new resolution. BBC

Lexi McMenamin: students walk out over covid in New York, Michigan, California, and Massachusetts. Teen Vogue

What omicron means for the future of the pandemic. SciShow

Monica Kidd reports that public health doctors have never been needed more—but the strain and burdens have never been clearer. The Toronto Star

Anna Turns explains how to clear dangerous pollutants out of your home. The Guardian

Kimi Waite says that Asian American studies is crucial for achieving climate solutions. Ms. Magazine

Why it took so long to launch the James Webb Space Telescope. SciShow Space

Olivia Box figures out what’s in an ice core? JSTOR Daily

Phoebe Weston says that if you love meat too much for veganuary, try regenuary. [To clarify, veganuary is going vegan for the month of January. Regenuary is opting into meat produced through regenerative farming for the first month of the year.] The Guardian

Discover khipu, the ancient Incan record and writing system made entirely of knots. Open Culture

Sarah Cascone: archaeologists have unearthed a 4,000-year-old board game. Now they just have to figure out the rules. Artnet News

Ashawnta Jackson considers creating the musical canon. JSTOR Daily

Ena Alvarado introduces us to Julian of Norwich, Anchoress and mystic. JSTOR Daily

Philip Hoare: seeing 1,000 glorious fin whales back from the brink of extinction is a rare glimmer of hope. The Guardian

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

Until next tipsday, be well and stay safe; be kind and stay strong. The world needs your stories!

Tipsday: Informal writerly learnings, Jan 16-22, 2022

/ Melanie Marttila

It’s the last tipsday of January 2022. Get your informal writerly learnings to see you through the week.

Disha Walia is debunking myths about speculative fiction. Then, Ambre Dawn Leffler suggests you bring coziness to winter writing with hygge. Pamela Taylor shows you where to start with historical fiction. Then, Barb Geiger says, no really. Show. Don’t tell. DIY MFA

The pretty girl trope. The Take

Katey Schultz is getting off the hamster wheel. Then, Jan O’Hara shares what her pup taught her about writing. Dave King reveals how to learn to write. Then, Barbara Linn Probst is finding the path to authenticity. Porter Anderson explores the inevitable näiveté of the past. Writer Unboxed

10 tips for writing strong dialogue. Reedsy

Harrison Demchick explains the roles of causality and plot structure in literary fiction. Then, Jane shows you how to plan and host worthwhile online events. Jane Friedman

Ellen Brock explains how to write the status quo in your novel.

Lisa Hall-Wilson reveals how to use physical pain to show a character’s past trauma. Then, Michelle Barker shows you how self-editing can take your novel to the next stage. Writers Helping Writers

Is there any hope for the Netflix adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender? Hello, Future Me

Angela Ackerman says that if you want your characters to stand out, give them a skill. Then, Lynette M. Burrows shares the things she wishes she knew before she published (part 1). Jenny Hansen shares two aha-moments that boosted her writing confidence. Writers in the Storm

Erica Brozovsky asks, is swearing good for your brain? Otherwords | PBS Storied

Chris Winkle helps you outline a short story in seven steps. Then, Oren Ashkenazi explains how Sanderson bungled culture in Way of Kings. Mythcreants

Dune: why do people even like this book? Tale Foundry

Kristen Lamb examines the relation between branding and attention: busy brains in a busy world.

Angie Hodapp discusses kishōtenketsu and non-western story structures. Pub Rants

The gaslit Disney Princess. The Take

Nina Munteanu: when we burn books …

Natalie Zutter says that there are no heroes or villains in Station Eleven, just fans. Tor.com

Reeves Wiedeman delves into the mystery of the spine collector. Vulture

Thank you for visiting, and I hope you took away something to support your current work in progress.

Until Thursday, be well and stay safe, my writerly friends.