Alchemy Ink

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, March 29-April 4, 2020

/ Melanie Marttila

Here are a bunch of resources and useful information for your time of physical distancing. It’s time to get your mental corn popping.

Rachel Donadio explains how a millennial Prime Minister is leading her country through crisis. Vogue

Rodger Sherman: the eight types of people we turn into on Zoom. The Ringer

Erin Blakemore wonders what people used before toilet paper? Cause toilet stuff is fun 🙂 National Geographic

Amber Gibson: there’s an art to isolation—here’s how to stay centred. Medium

Sherpa says, wash your paws!

Starlight Williams shares five inspiring no-travel experiences. National Geographic

Joe Berkowitz lists 88 movies, music, series, and books releasing in the next month. Fast Company

Jennifer Nalawicki says that you can watch these six flower bloom events from your couch. The Smithsonian Magazine

Mike Mettler lists six must-see rockumentaries to shelter in place with. Sound & Vision

A.R. Williams: untouched 4,400-year-old tomb discovered in Saq’qara, Egypt. National Geographic

Michael Greshko: interstellar space is even weirder than expected. National Geographic

Robin George Andrews reports on the bizarre lifeforms found thriving in ancient rocks beneath the sea floor. Cause extremophiles! National Geographic

Jeff Goodell is concerned about rising tides, troubled waters, and the future of our oceans. Rolling Stone

Marina Koren considers the changes in land, sea, and air that have already resulted from the pandemic. The Atlantic

Chris Sweeny: the wondrous life and mysterious death of golden eagle 1703. The Guardian

Giedrė Vaičiulaitytė shares 30 photos by Julius Kähkönen that look like they come from dreams. Bored Panda

True facts about the giraffe. Ze Frank

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you took away something to support you in these challenging times, or to inspire your next creative project.

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

ThoughtyThursday2019

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, March 29-April 4, 2020

/ Melanie Marttila

As we all adjust to the new normal, some things offer continuity. Here are you informal writerly learnings for the week.

K.M. Weiland presents eight challenges (and solutions) to writing at home. Helping Writers Become Authors

Shaelin also offers her advice on how to balance writing and a remote job. Reedsy

Joanna Penn interviews Mark Leslie Lefebvre about getting your book into libraries and bookstores. The Creative Penn

Janice Hardy lists the pros and cons of studying writing craft. Later in the week, she poses five questions that will make your scenes stronger. Fiction University

Gabriela Pereira exposes an internet abomination. How the Internet Archive’s Open Library hurts readers, writers, and the whole publishing industry. Then, Abigail K. Perry wants you to use the Story Grid scene analysis template to read with purpose. DIY MFA

Matthew Norman shares confessions of a former anti-outliner. Donald Maass: the upside of anxiety. Cathy Yardley explains how to strike a balance between productivity and chaos. Writer Unboxed

Susan DeFreitas shows you how to develop a writing practice, part one: stepladders. Then, Lisa Cooper Ellison is writing from the bottom rung. Jane Friedman

Jami Gold considers whether to italicize character internalization. Then, she considers tenses: what is literary past tense?

Tim Hickson explores (and he really does) writing mental illness in video games. Hello, Future Me

Chris Winkle breaks down act one of Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. It’s a fun web movie. Ideal for these times. Then, Oren Ashkenazi analyzes five contrived legal conflicts in speculative fiction. Mythcreants

Jonathan Bailey recounts the bizarre history of the copyright symbol. Plagiarism Today

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

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

Tipsday2019

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, March 22-28, 2020

/ Melanie Marttila

In need of some distraction? You’re in luck. Thoughty Thursday is here to get your mental corn popping 🙂

Alex Beard: can AI ever replace the classroom? The Guardian

Laura Millan Lombrana: the post-virus economic recovery could be a green one. This is the hope of many people I know. Bloomberg

Elizabeth Landau discovers that the Fibonacci sequence is everywhere—even the stock market. The Smithsonian Magazine

Allison Meier: 18th Century lovers exchanged pictures of their eyes. JSTOR Daily

Stevie Keen shares ten photography projects you can do at home. Amateur Photographer

Eric Gross shares photographs of frozen waves in an alpine Colorado lake. PetaPixel

Jessica Stewart shares enchanting photos of Madeira’s Fanal Forest and its 500-year-old trees. My Modern Met

How Earth’s tides gave us life as we know it. SciShow Space

Tom Ward takes us inside Victor Vescovo’s mission to reach the bottom of all the world’s oceans. Wired

Ruth Doherty reports that Google Earth has released virtual tours of 31 of the world’s most incredible national parks. Country Living

Stella’s best leaf jumps of all time 🙂 Joy!

Lydia Schrandt shares ten of the best animal live cams for you to watch. 10 Best

PBS Eons answers the age-old question. The egg came first.

Thank you for stopping by. I hope you take away some inspiration for your next creative project, or just some interesting reading and entertainment to ease your isolation.

This weekend, I’ll be diving into my March next chapter update.

Until then, be well, be kind, and stay strong. Now, more than ever, the world needs your stories!

ThoughtyThursday2019

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, March 22-28, 2020

/ Melanie Marttila

I hope you’re all keeping safe and well.

I’m now working from home and only leaving to walk the dog. Phil continues to be our designated shopper. We’re all remaining as isolated as possible given the circumstances.

While you’re at home, you might have the time to catch up on your informal writerly learnings.

Julianna Baggott is creating in the time of quarantine. Liz Michalski: sea glass. Heather Webb says, the beauty is in the words. John J Kelley: for the love of Moira—the arc of a memorable character. Writer Unboxed

K.M. Weiland touts the power of hopeful stories in a stressful time. Helping Writers Become Authors

E.J. Wenstrom explains how authors can build a true community of fans. Later in the week, Savannah Cordova lists five signs your story’s structure needs work. DIY MFA

Shaelin shares six ways to improve your craft. Reedsy

Barbara Linn Probst visit’s Jane Friedman’s blog to explain the when, why, and how of peer critique and professional editing.

Lisa Hall-Wilson explains how to write compelling emotional triggers. Ellen Buikema explores white space on the page. Writers in the Storm

The Take takes on the weird girl trope.

Chris Winkle helps you make the most of your narrative premise. Then, Oren Ashkenazi explains why zombies aren’t a good pandemic parallel. Mythcreants

Meg LaTorre shares ten fantasy tropes she loves. iWriterly

Jami Gold explains how point of view affects dialogue.

Nina Munteanu: dreams and perceptions and “the other.”

Robert Lee Brewer clarifies fable vs. parable vs. allegory. Writer’s Digest

Adrienne Westenfeld recommends the best books for distancing yourself from reality right now. Esquire

Open Culture introduces us to the world’s first author: the Sumerian High Priestess Enheduanna.

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

Until Thursday, be well!

Tipsday2019

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, March 15-21, 2020

/ Melanie Marttila

I’ve tried to stay clear of covid-related news. We’re all consuming enough of that and I want to create a space for inspiration and learning and just plain entertainment. Still, there’s covid-adjacent material. I couldn’t avoid it completely.

Still, I hope you can get your mental corn popping in a positive and relatively stress-free manner this week.

Sophia Quaglia says, this ancient fish with arms might be the reason we have hands. Inverse

The wild reasons older people need less sleep. SciShow

Dr. Tracey Marks explains what night terrors are. I used to have these … and sleepwalk. It’s why I have an interest 🙂

Amy McKeever explains why we evolved to feel panic. National Geographic

Diana does 20 easy experiments in about five minutes. You can try these at home! Physics Girl

Liz Hund shares ten iconic museums you can tour online. The Points Guy

Is everyone going crazy? Nothing but Thieves

Be well, be kind, and stay safe and strong. The world needs you … and your stories.

ThoughtyThursday2019

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, March 15-21, 2020

/ Melanie Marttila

I hope you’re all staying safe and well in these troubling times. If you’re self-isolating or quarantining, you’ve probably already had a chance to see all the informal writerly learnings I share. If you haven’t, please see this as a helpful resource to spend you time productively if you’re having trouble concentrating for long stretches of time.

I am still working, but I work in employment that has been considered a critical service and, unfortunately, our virtual network is at capacity. Still, several of my colleagues are off because of the school and day care closures and I maintain social distancing to the degree possible. I bring lunch from home and eat at my desk. I have not travelled. When I don’t work, I only leave the house to walk the dog. My spouse is our designated shopper and is also taking care of shopping for our Moms. We’re all being as safe as we can.

Vaughn Roycroft: it’s the end of the world as we know it (and writing feels fine). Dave King says, do it again, do it again! Some practical advice about writing series. Barbara Linn Probst: 36 debut authors tell it like it is. Writer Unboxed

K.M. Weiland tackles five questions about how to manage multiple points of view in your stories. Helping Writers Become Authors

Then, she suggests five inspirational reads (if you’re self-isolating or quarantining).

And … six happy movies or series. This video came first, actually. Katie starts off by explaining her covid-19 inspired idea for a video series.

Emily E.J. Wenstrom: writing unlikable characters readers will root for. Jane Friedman

Lucy V. Hays explains why all writers need a structural toolbox. Writers Helping Writers

Shaelin discusses how to plan a series. Reedsy

And … the trilogy, specifically. Reedsy

Leanne Sowul helps you write through depression. Pamela Taylor wants you to create authentic details about food. Then, Gabriela Pereira interviews E.J. Wenstrom about bringing a fantasy series to a close. Rosie O’Neill shares five ways to rekindle inspiration for your current writing project. DIY MFA

Then, E.J. Wenstrom visited Fiction University to explain how she tricked her pantser brain into plotting.

Oren Ashkenazi provides six tips for avoiding repetitive conflict. Mythcreants

She never wrote more than a page a day, but now, Eden Robinson has a Canada Reads finalist book. CBC

Stay safe and be well. Take care.

Tipsday2019

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, March 8-14, 2020

/ Melanie Marttila

There’s enough information on the interwebz about covid-19. I don’t need to add to the deluge here. But I have assembled a nice batch of resources to get your mental corm popping.

Joe looks at daylight saving time and whether it’s still a good idea. It’s okay to be smart

Katie Weeman: time has no meaning at the North Pole. Scientific American

Maria Popova: how Kepler invented science fiction and defended his mother in a witchcraft trial while revolutionizing our understanding of the universe. Brain Pickings

Stephanie Vozza explains how to tap into your brain’s four attention states to get more done. Fast Company

Tom Lamont tells the incredible tale of Dominic Van Allen, the homeless man who built a life underground. The Guardian

Jessica Stewart announces that a 100-year-old illustrated herbal has been available online since 2017. My Modern Met

When the Sahara was green. PBS Eons

Research shows that Mangrove conservation will pay for itself in flood protection. Phys.org

Sarah Keartes shares super macro photos that reveal the magical world of the tiniest creatures of the sea. Yes. It’s old, but it’s just so dang beautiful! Earth Touch News

Greta Keenan shares a recording of fish singing a dawn chorus on reefs just like birds. New Scientist

The Mind Circle shares pictures of Japanese and Siberian dwarf flying squirrels because they’re the cutest animals on the planet (!)

Ze Frank offers some true facts on the freaky nudebranchs.

Thanks for visiting. I hope you found something to inspire your next creative project (or at least entertain you).

Until next time, be well, be kind, and stay strong. The world needs your stories.

ThoughtyThursday2019

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, March 8-14, 2020

/ Melanie Marttila

As the covid-19 crisis continues to escalate, keep calm and stock up on informal writerly learnings from the comfort of your home.

Sophie Masson advises us about creating and presenting writing workshops. Jim Dempsey: writing when you’re not writing. Juliet Marillier wants you to tell a tale for our times. Kathryn Craft says, let your protagonist’s light shine. Writer Unboxed

K.M. Weiland uses critique to demonstrate six tips for introducing characters. Helping Writers Become Authors

Jenna Moreci shares her favourite paranormal tropes.

Laurence MacNaughton shares a six-point story checklist for powerful scenes. Then, Janice Hardy offers a three-step plan for returning to a partially finished manuscript. Fiction University

Jami Gold helps you find the right pace for your story. Writers Helping Writers

Nathan Bransford: everything writers need to know about book series.

Sara Letourneau offers some writing exercises for exploring the theme of man and the natural world. Later in the week, Dave Chesson shares five tips for levelling up your craft. DIY MFA

Some great tips for creating a consistent writing habit. Reedsy

Becca Puglisi shares eights ways to hook readers at the ends of chapters. Then, Oren Ashkenazi analyzes five plot twists that are too obvious. He tackles some well-known, bestselling, award-nominated, or award-winning novels and, while I can see and might even agree with the assessments, I’ll note that it did not have a negative impact on my enjoyment of the novels (well, with one exception, but I won’t get into that here). I think many readers enjoy these books regardless of, or despite, these faulty plot twists and that writing something similar won’t necessarily hurt your chances of publication. You can always strive to do better, and I think that’s the point of the article. Still, take it in context (and don’t panic). Mythcreants

Robert Lee Brewer explains how to daringly and correctly use semicolons. Writer’s Digest

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you took away something to help with your current work in progress.

Now more than ever, be well, my writerly friends.

Tipsday2019

Thoughty Thursday: Things that made me go hmmmm on the interwebz, March 1-7, 2020

/ Melanie Marttila

It’s time to get your mental corn popping. It’s also time to celebrate the coming weekend—happy Friday eve!

Brigit Katz: “David and Goliath” was once attributed to Giovanni Francesco Guerrieri, but it was actually painted by Artemisia Gentileschi. The Smithsonian Magazine

Priyanka Borpujari uncovers India’s forgotten power broker, Begum Samru. National Geographic

Eddie Linehan tells the tales of defiant Irish women in honour of International Women’s Day. A wee bit rambly, but that’s a storyteller for you 😉

Ian Hanington introduces us to the woman who discovered global warming—in 1856! The David Suzuki Foundation

Valerie Stimac tells you the best places to see the northern lights. Forbes

Aaron Kesel: physicist says parallel universes definitely exist and we may soon explore them. The Mind Unleashed

Veritasium explores the concept of many worlds with Sean Carroll.

Tesla’s solar panels a turning salt water into drinking water for 35,000 Kenyans. Return to Now

Jennifer Nalewicki explains how to surf Alaska’s bore tide. I don’t surf (and probably never will) but this is cool. The Smithsonian Magazine

Andrew Nikiforuk is talking to the botanist who talks to trees. The Tyee

AAA State of Play offers a clickable list of birds and the sounds they make.

Nara Schoenberg: near Fulton, a rare bald eagle thruple (two dads and a mom) comes together to mate and parent. The Chicago Tribune

Maddie Stone: the Great Barrier Reef is heading for a mass die-off of epic proportions. Vice

Sarah Cox: to understand BC’s push for the Coastal GasLink pipeline, think fracking, LNG Canada, and the site C dam. The Narwhale

Genevieve Carlton introduces us to meganeura, a prehistoric dragonfly with a two-foot wingspan. Ranker

Twisted Sifter shares a video that shows all the wildlife that crossed the fallen log over this stream.

Coming around to visual art again, someone created a guide on how to recognize famous artists and it’s surprisingly accurate (and funny). deMilked

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you found something to inspire your next creative project.

Until next time, be Well, be kind, and stay strong. The world needs your stories.

ThoughtyThursday2019

Tipsday: Writerly Goodness found on the interwebz, March 1-7, 2020

/ Melanie Marttila

Welcome to the second week of March, the week that starts out with daylight savings time and International Women’s Day, proceeds through the full moon, and ends with Friday the 13th!

You’re going to need some informal writerly learnings to see you through.

Greer Macallister says, instead of promotion, try participation. Nancy Johnson: you had me at the title. Donald Maass: it can’t happen here. Bryn Greenwood can’t decide whether it’s a sophomore slump or derailment. Steven James: they just won’t understand. File in writers is weird. Writer Unboxed

K.M. Weiland: creativity vs. the ego, or, the value of unpublishable stories. Helping Writers Become Authors

James Scott Bell: synopsis writing made easy. Writers Helping Writers

Susanne Cokal lists four reasons to spend time with “bad” books. Jane Friedman

Nathan Bransford: you gotta tell the story. No matter what.

Shaelin offers eleven tips for new writers. I think these work for everyone. If nothing else, they’re good reminders. Reedsy

Jenn Walton explains how to deepen characters by assessing their fears. Sara Farmer introduces us to Jo March’s twisted sisters: the thrillers of Louisa May Alcott. Gabriela Pereira interviews Claire Waller about writing an unlikable but sympathetic protagonist. DIY MFA

Eldred Bird is colouring with words. Writers in the Storm

Kassandra Lamb explains the importance of backstory, or, how the brain connects the present with the past. Then, Janice Hardy shares three reasons your perfectly good scene is boring your readers.  Later in the week, Janice offers tips for showing character motivation. Fiction University

Jenna Moreci discusses the breaking point.

Chris Winkle explains how to describe female characters without degrading them. Then, Oren Ashkenazi recommends five questions to diagnose an overpowered hero. Mythcreants

Robert Lee Brewer extols the virtues of the Oxford, or serial, comma. Writer’s Digest

Sad news for the already small Canadian publishing scene. Bryan Eneas reports on the bankruptcy of Coteau books, closing their doors after 45 years. CBC

Thank you for visiting and I hope you came away with some fabulous resources to support your current work in progress.

Until Thursday, be well, my writerly friends 🙂

Tipsday2019