curation

Thoughty Thursday: Popping your mental corn, April 2-8, 2023

/ Melanie Marttila / Leave a comment

My last thoughty Thursday! Parting is such sweet sorrow. Feel free to peruse the archives if you need to get your mental corn popping in the future.

Picture of a moon emerging from behind clouds.

Kaelyn Forde introduces us to the women fighting one of the harshest abortion laws in the Americas. The Walrus

Candace Maracle: Elisapie gets nostalgic with Inuktitut rendition of Blondie’s Heart of Glass. And it’s freakin’ awesome! CBC Indigenous

Guy Kawasaki interviews Temple Grandin: different minds for different times. The Remarkable People Podcast

Sagy Zwirn is all about the fire and brimstone, or how the dichotomy of heaven and hell came to be, and why it bears no resemblance to what the Bible actually says. JSTOR Daily

Lorne Cook and Matthew Lee: Finland joins NATO in major blow to Russia over Ukraine War. Associated Press

Anne Trafton reports that new nanoparticles can perform gene editing in the lungs, offering hope for Cystic Fibrosis and other lung disease patients. MIT News

Nicole Schmidt wonders, will groceries ever be affordable? The Walrus

Stephen Clark: NASA names crew for first human mission to the moon in over 50 years. Spaceflight Now

Brett Tingly explains why NASA’s Artemis II will only fly around the moon, not orbit, or land. Space.com

JWST scores another ringed world with new image of Uranus. Shiny! NASA

Gaia discovers a new family of black holes. Phys.org

Davide Castelvecchi: light waves squeezed through “slits in time.” Nature

Ashawnta Jackson: money, murder, and Mrs. Clem. JSTOR Daily

Erin Blakemore explains why England’s “lost king” ended up buried beneath a parking lot. National Geographic

Henry Grabar explains how Paris kicked out the cars. Slate

Bob Weber: scientists confirm first Canadian fossil of a dire wolf, Ice Age predator featured in Game of Thrones. The Globe and Mail

Researchers discover birds with neurotoxin-laden feathers in New Guinea. Phys.org

Annette McGivney takes us inside the stunning brains of natures hardest workers: “Bees are sentient.” The Guardian

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

Until my next chapter update (returning to it’s monthly format, so the first weekend in May), be well and stay safe; be kind and stay strong. The world needs your stories!

Tipsday: Informal writerly learnings, April 2-8, 2023

/ Melanie Marttila / Leave a comment

Welcome to the last tipsday for the foreseeable. As I mentioned in my most recent next chapter weekly, I’m cutting back on social media to devote more time to writing and revision.

It’s been a while since Torvi made an appearance 🙂

Julianna Baggott: yes, I know how hard it is. Donald Maass explains where connection comes from. Then, Elizabeth Huergo muses on frigates and ChatGPT. Writer Unboxed

Margie Lawson is writing fresh: laughs, giggles, and snorts that carry power. Then, Hannah Jacobson explains what you can do with book awards and reviews. Stefan Emunds says characterization is one of the most vital writing skills. Writers in the Storm

What makes a movie “feminist”? Princess Weekes

Elizabeth Spann Craig is writing longhand.

Becca Puglisi says, if you need organizational help, try Trello. Then, Colleen M. Story shares six ways to make your author blog more successful. Writers Helping Writers

Is cyberpunk actually punk? Tale Foundry

Amy L. Bernstein provides a framework for moving beyond your first draft. Then, Matt Holmes lists the four pillars of book marketing, or how to sell more books in less time. Amy Goldmacher explains how to differentiate between desire and desperation in pursuit of publication. Next, John Matthew Fox helps you find comp titles using ChatGPT. Jane Friedman

My revision process—first draft to ready for publication. Shaelin Writes

Ashley Christiano shares chakras for storytellers, part 2: putting concept into practice. Then, Manuela Williams considers four poetry book cover design trends. Stacy Frazer explains how to recover from creative burnout and enhance your energy. Next, Lori Walker interviews Danielle Mitchell about reading and writing poetry. Brenda Rech shares five things she learned by entering writing contests. DIY MFA

Seven exercises to improve dialogue. Reedsy

Janice Hardy lists three steps to crafting a story arc that sucks (your readers in). Fiction University

Tiffany Yates Martin discovers how Camille Pagán revises—by betting on herself. Fox Print Editorial

Chris Winkle offers six tips for writing your first novel—and series. Then, Oren Ashkenazi analyzes five stories that undermine their own stakes. Mythcreants

Thank you for visiting, and I hope you found something to support your current work(s) in progress. You can always peruse the archives.

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

Thoughty Thursday: Popping your mental corn, March 26-April 1, 2023

/ Melanie Marttila

It is time, once again, to get your mental corn popping 🙂

Annie Hylton: where the children are buried. The Walrus

Michele Cyca wonders why more people are claiming Indigenous ancestry. The Walrus

Kai Chenk Thom says that kids deserve a new gender paradigm. The Walrus

Nathaniel Wade and Marilyn Cornish explain how to forgive yourself. Psyche Guides

Heidi Ledford: “astonishing” molecular syringe ferries proteins into human cells. This could improve drug delivery systems. Nature

Chris Vallance says AI could replace the equivalent of 300 million jobs. Not a new story. We’ve been hearing similar messages one way or the other since the industrial revolution. Sometimes it’s as bad as predicted, and sometimes it’s not. We have to wait and see. BBC

Guy Kawasaki interviews Wanda Harding about her journey from stars to students. The Remarkable People Podcast

Genelle Weule: Change’e-5 samples reveal water on Moon stored in glass beads. ABC

Daniel Lawler reports that a large asteroid to zoom between Earth and Moon. Phys.org

Alexandra Witze: JWST gets best view yet of planet in hotly pursued star system. Nature

The obscure history of Japanese sea lords. PBS Origins

Amy McCaig reports that ancient DNA reveals entwined African and Asian ancestry along the Swahili coast. Rice University

Human cells help researchers understand squid camouflage. American Chemical Society

Why does every animal look like this? Be Smart

Robotic system offers hidden window into collective bee behaviour. École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)

Thank you for stopping by, 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 26-April 1, 2023

/ Melanie Marttila

Welcome to April, and to tipsday, your opportunity to peruse a select curation of informal writerly learnings. Enjoy!

Kamm Prongay offers one writer’s introduction to reading and writing essay. Then, Lori Walker interviews Patricia Leavy about the magic and science of writing. Anna M. Holmes wonders, are book cover design and blurbs agony or ecstasy? Next, Francesca Miracola shares five things to consider when writing a memoir that covers difficult subjects. DIY MFA

The unbelievably tragic story of Cú Chulainn. Fate & Fabled | PBS Storied

Matthew Norman bemoans so many decisions. Then, Kim Bullock offers some self-care for writers in a pseudo-dystopian world. Tessa Barbosa offers some advice on handling editorial feedback without getting overwhelmed. Next, Mary McDonough is navigating and seeing beyond writers’ roadblocks. Julie Carrick Daltoon is playing with point of view: we are all heroes. Writer Unboxed

How to structure a heist. Mary Robinette Kowal

Janice Hardy explains how to make backstory work for you. Then, Rayne Hall is plotting a short love story. Fiction University

K.M. Weiland shares how archetypes changed her life and her writing. Helping Writers Become Authors

Kris Maze shows you how to gift your author estate — writing to retire, part 2. Then, J. Alexander Greenwood offers some tips from podcast hosts for a good show. Lynette M. Burrows is crafting a story with the forces of antagonism. Writers in the Storm

How Sherlock Holmes killed his author. Tale Foundry

Carly Watters defines upmarket fiction. Then, April Dávila helps you banish writer’s block in five minutes flat. Allison K. Williams explains why you should be writing on social media. Jane Friedman

Angela Ackerman explains how to uncover your character’s deepest fear. Then, she says, if your story needs a hit of organic conflict, look to your setting. Writers Helping Writers

How many words in a novel? Reedsy

Nathan Bransford: plinko scenes.

Tiffany Yates Martin considers lucky breaks and tough shakes. Fox Print Editorial

Chris Winkle points out six signs of over-summarized prose. Then, Oren Ashkenazi says these eight RPGs also deserve mediocre movies. Mythcreants

Thanks for taking the time to visit. 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 19-25, 2023

/ Melanie Marttila

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

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

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

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!