Writing With Clarity, Systems and Modern Tools
Writing With Clarity, Systems and Modern Tools
Tahmima Anam's novel Uprising, a finalist for the 2026 Orwell Prize, explores themes of climate crisis and exploitation through the story of a floating brothel island threatened by flooding and cyclones. Drawing inspiration from a real island in Bangladesh, Anam emphasizes how an outsider's perspective informs her writing and uses Scrivener to manage multiple character viewpoints and structure her work.
Science fiction writer Robert J. Sawyer discusses WordStar, highlighting it as a pioneering word processor specifically designed for writers. He emphasizes its significance in shaping writing workflows and its lasting impact on digital writing tools.
Martin Puchner argues that despite strong resistance from many writers, AI should be embraced as a fellow user of language and a creative partner rather than dismissed outright. He highlights how AI challenges traditional notions of human creativity and suggests that literary theories like reader-response criticism and post-structuralism can help us understand AI’s role in language and creativity. Puchner also advocates for integrating AI tools thoughtfully into education and writing practices to enhance thinking and creative processes without undermining essential cognitive skills.
https://aeon.co/essays/literature-fans-should-welcome-ai-as-a-fellow-wordsmith
Jim Nielsen reflects on how blogging often involves simply stating the obvious, highlighting John Gruber’s critique of intrusive website popups that hinder content access. He suggests that sharing these seemingly obvious observations can be valuable because such everyday annoyances often go unspoken, making posts that address them some of the most insightful and resonant. Ultimately, Nielsen sees a key aspect of blogging as the willingness to voice what others might overlook or accept silently.
https://blog.jim-nielsen.com/2026/blogging-stating-the-obvious/
Emily M. Bender and Nanna Inie advise avoiding anthropomorphizing language when discussing AI by focusing on describing software systems in terms of their actual functions, assigning agency to people rather than machines, and avoiding metaphors that imply cognition or emotion. They suggest specific alternatives to common anthropomorphic terms (e.g., replacing “artificial intelligence” with “probabilistic automation”) and encourage adopting new language habits that clarify what these technologies do without misleading implications. This approach aims to foster clearer, more accurate conversations about AI systems and their roles.
https://buttondown.com/maiht3k/archive/how-to-talk-about-ai-without-adding-to-the/
Om Malik emphasizes that effective writing should be authentic and reflect the writer’s true self, urging writers to “write like a human” rather than relying on clichéd or overly polished language. He highlights the importance of compassion and sincerity in writing, suggesting that genuine communication comes from within and resonates because it mirrors real human thoughts and emotions. Malik also praises Abby Gardner’s newsletter as a strong example of writing that feels real and personal.
Dirty Little Zine is a free, browser-based tool that enables users to create printable eight-page folded zines on a single US Letter or A4 sheet, exporting high-resolution JPG or multi-page PDF files without uploading content to a server. It automates panel rotation and ordering for accurate folding and offers features like photo uploads with captioning, drag-and-drop reordering, and offline functionality after the initial load. Geared toward photographers, illustrators, and writers, it provides a simple alternative to complex design software for producing DIY mini booklets.
Caleb Hailey reflects on Nolan Royalty’s concept of the “legibility of effort,” highlighting how generative AI blurs the ability to recognize human effort in writing and thus undermines a social contract where readers trust that writers have undertaken greater intellectual exertion. Hailey emphasizes that while social media content often signals lower effort and fleeting engagement, substantive writing intended for durable platforms like blogs still conveys meaningful effort and sustains deeper reader-writer relationships. He suggests that finding quality writing now requires moving beyond social media algorithms toward more deliberate, hyperlink-driven exploration of thoughtful content.
https://calebhailey.com/blog/legibility-of-effort-and-the-social-contract-of-writing/
Online video courses featuring famous writers, offered by platforms like MasterClass and BBC Maestro, provide high-quality, documentary-style lessons on creative writing across various genres. While these courses deliver valuable insights and practical advice from admired authors, they lack the interactive feedback found in traditional workshops and university classes. Subscribers may find them beneficial and engaging, especially if they follow writers whose styles resonate with their own, but the learning experience is comparable to reading instructional books rather than receiving personalized critique.
Juha-Matti Santala describes his approach to overcoming writer’s block by stepping away from the blocked work and instead writing about the block itself, often in a different setting like a pub with a notebook. This method allows him to explore ideas freely, reorganize thoughts, and discover new narrative angles, helping to reignite creativity and move forward with the original piece. He emphasizes that avoiding writing entirely is ineffective, and that writing around the problem can be a productive strategy to regain flow.
https://hamatti.org/posts/writing-about-it-approach-to-writers-block/
