Manual: •.,:;…!?·

The article provides an in-depth typographic manual on basic punctuation marks—period, comma, ellipsis, bullet, interpunct, colon, semicolon, exclamation mark, and question mark—highlighting their design variations, spacing, and contextual uses across different languages and scripts. It explains technical aspects such as kerning, glyph distinctions (e.g., bullet vs. interpunct), and regional conventions for decimal separators and time notation, alongside related Unicode complexities and typographic standards. The guide emphasizes consistent and nuanced punctuation design as essential for clear, culturally aware, and aesthetically pleasing text setting.

https://type.today/en/journal/dots

Substack Writers, You Need a Website!

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Elizabeth Tai advises writers using Substack to maintain their own independent websites, warning that relying solely on platforms like Substack risks losing control over content and long-term online visibility. She advocates for a “Publish (on your) Own Site, Syndicate Elsewhere” (POSSE) approach, where writers anchor their work on personal domains and use platforms only for distribution, ensuring creative sovereignty and protection against sudden platform changes or policy shifts. Tai highlights examples like John Scalzi, who has sustained a consistent personal blog for decades, emphasizing the value of owning one’s digital home over becoming a “digital sharecropper.”

https://elizabethtai.com/2026/06/10/substack-writers-you-need-a-website/

Phoneblogging

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Brennan Kenneth Brown discusses the challenges and importance of phoneblogging within the IndieWeb community, emphasizing that many personal websites are designed primarily for desktop use, which alienates billions of mobile-only internet users worldwide. He highlights the need for better mobile-first, responsive design and explores how writers often rely on phones for drafting but switch to desktops for publishing due to UX limitations, while also sharing anecdotes from various bloggers who incorporate phoneblogging to different extents. Brown argues that the IndieWeb must prioritize accessible, sustainable mobile blogging workflows to keep pace with global internet usage trends and digital inclusivity.

https://brennan.day/phoneblogging/

The End of an Era

Hugh Howey reflects on the transformation of writing and publishing brought by artificial intelligence, marking the end of a roughly decade-long era where writing was difficult but publishing was accessible and affordable. He highlights how AI-generated books are now competing with human-authored works, leading to challenges in proving authorship authenticity and reshaping readers’ and publishers’ attitudes. Howey predicts that future literary culture will include coexistence of AI-created and human-authored “meat books,” new tools to document writing processes, and evolving author-reader interactions shaped by AI assistance.

https://hughhowey.com/the-end-of-an-era/

How to Change Scrivener’s Interface Language

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Scrivener allows users to change its interface language independently from their computer's operating system language on both Mac and Windows. On Mac, users can adjust the language for Scrivener specifically via System Settings under Language & Region without altering the overall macOS language, while on Windows, the option is available through Scrivener’s own preferences in the Options menu. This flexibility supports multilingual writers who want to maintain different language settings for their OS and writing software.

https://www.literatureandlatte.com/blog/how-to-change-scriveners-interface-language

Bear Now Supports Mermaid Diagrams

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Bear now supports embedding Mermaid diagrams directly in notes, allowing users to create flowcharts, Gantt charts, pie charts, and more using plain text code that renders live as they type. This feature keeps diagrams searchable and easy to update, enhancing Bear's utility for developers, analysts, students, and everyday users who want dynamic visual elements integrated seamlessly into their writing.

https://blog.bear.app/2026/07/bear-now-supports-mermaid-diagrams/

Petergyang/no-ai-slop: Removes 20+ Patterns of AI Slop From Any Piece of Writing.

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The no-ai-slop GitHub project offers a skill that identifies and removes over 20 common AI-generated writing patterns, such as binary contrasts, throat-clearing openings, and superficial analysis, to produce clearer and more natural prose. It integrates with AI tools like Claude Code or Codex, enabling users to edit drafts with minimal changes and confirm improvements through built-in evaluation checks. This tool supports writers in refining AI-assisted output by enforcing fundamentals like leading with the point, using active voice, and preferring concrete details.

https://github.com/petergyang/no-ai-slop

Writing by Hand Is Good for Your Brain – Here’s How to Do It

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Writing by hand engages cognitive processes that enhance memory, learning, and creativity, offering distinct benefits over typing. To harness these advantages, individuals can incorporate activities like journaling, note-taking, and freewriting into their routine, prioritizing consistent practice to strengthen brain function and support deeper cognitive engagement.

https://nealstephenson.substack.com/p/writing-by-hand-is-good-for-your

Mightier Than the Keyboard

The author reflects on their experience switching from typing to writing with fountain pens, noting that handwriting led to more thoughtful, intentional journal entries enriched with personal insight. Supporting this, neuroscientific studies show handwriting activates broader brain regions related to motor, sensory, and cognitive processing, fostering deeper engagement than typing. While some research disputes clear advantages, the author suggests handwriting’s slower pace and increased mindfulness may uniquely benefit creative writing beyond academic note-taking contexts.

https://ennui-vagaries.cc/mightier-than-the-keyboard

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