Write Now with Scrivener, Episode No. 66: John Degen, Author and Head of The Writers’ Union of Canada

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John Degen, author and head of The Writers’ Union of Canada, wrote his latest novel, Seldom Seen Road, entirely on his iPhone using Scrivener, utilizing daily commutes to maintain a consistent writing routine. The novel features a detective trio set against the vast wilderness of northern Canada, where the landscape acts as both a character and an omnipresent threat, reflecting Degen’s deep connection to his environment and interests like birding. He also addresses issues of authors’ rights amid AI training data concerns and plans to create a writing shed to further separate his imaginative work from daily life.

https://www.literatureandlatte.com/blog/write-now-with-scrivener-episode-no-66-john-degen-author-and-head-of-the-writers-union-of-canada

The Safest Job From AI May Be Writing

The article argues that writing is likely the safest job from AI disruption because large language models (LLMs) consistently produce formulaic, soulless prose and struggle to achieve authentic expression or insight. Writing is characterized as a “wicked problem” with no clear specifications or objective verification, requiring continuous mental modeling of the reader—capabilities that current AI lacks. Consequently, human writers retain a comparative advantage by providing authentic, creative communication that AI cannot replicate, making genuine human writing a valuable and costly signal in the AI era.

https://muratbuffalo.blogspot.com/2026/08/the-safest-job-from-ai-may-be-writing.html

Craft Update – Colors, Tags, Daily Notes, and Improvements

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The update introduces inline tag integration within text, a comprehensive redesign of colors and color pickers allowing fully custom colors, and the ability to export Daily Notes for any specified date range. Additionally, Quick Entry on Mac has been enhanced with improved functionality. These changes improve customization and flexibility in the writing and organization workflow.

https://www.craft.do/blog/craft-update-3-6-0

“I Just Chose Words Carefully.”

The article explores the challenges of typesetting text in monospace fonts, particularly achieving neat alignment without awkward spacing. It highlights a unique solution by rs1n, who manually rewrote a 17,000-word ASCII guide to Super Metroid in the late 1990s so every line precisely fit the width without extra spaces or hyphenation. This meticulous word choice avoided common monospace justification issues and exemplifies careful editorial craftsmanship rarely seen in digital text.

https://unsung.aresluna.org/i-just-chose-words-carefully/

How the Words We Teach English Language Learners Changed

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A comparison of the 1953 General Service List and the 2023 New General Service List reveals a significant shift in essential English vocabulary for learners, reflecting changes in daily life and society. The newer list emphasizes more abstract words and concepts related to institutions, systems, and processes, while vocabulary tied to the immediate physical world, hands-on activities, and concrete objects has declined. This transition highlights how language teaching adapts to a world increasingly focused on systemic, global, and intellectual engagement rather than direct, tangible experience.

https://pudding.cool/2026/07/essential-words/

Why People Quit Blogging

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The article critiques common online posts explaining why people quit blogging, highlighting that many such articles prioritize SEO and business motives over genuine advice for personal bloggers. It argues that blogging should be approached as a personal, low-pressure hobby rather than a commercial venture, emphasizing authentic voice, manageable expectations, minimal investment, and patience over time instead of focusing on statistics or monetization.

https://unattributed.cc/2026/08/27/why-people-quit-blogging/

Please Let Me Interact with Your Blog Post!

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Michael Harley emphasizes the importance of enabling interaction on blog posts, highlighting webmentions as the preferred method since they allow direct engagement from RSS readers. He also suggests alternative ways like including reply email links in feeds or at the bottom of posts, sharing social media links for discussions, and, less preferably, using contact forms. Harley acknowledges varied preferences while advocating for easier feedback options to foster meaningful conversations around blog content.

https://michaelharley.net/posts/2026/08/22/please-let-me-interact-with-your-blog-post/

These 5 Claude Prompts Turned My Plain-Text Research Into Something People Actually Want to Read

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Writer Abhijith N Arjunan shares five effective Claude AI prompts that transform plain-text research reports into engaging, visually appealing formats including interactive websites, charts, Obsidian-style graphs, HTML slide shows, and polished PDFs. These prompts help structure complex information with interactive elements and visualizations, enhancing readability and audience engagement without requiring design skills. While outputs may need refinement, these strategies offer a strong foundation for making data-driven writing more accessible and dynamic.

https://www.makeuseof.com/claude-prompts-turned-plain-text-research-into-something-people-read/

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