One of the most satisfying aspects of design is seeing your idea evolve and improve through interaction with users. I’ve been doing this for decades in my day job as a user experience strategist, putting our products in front of users to ensure it not only meets business (and design) goals but most importantly satisfies […]
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On “sub-creation”: Tolkien and Bob Ross
In Tolkien’s famous 1939 essay “On Fairy-Stories” he said the following: The story-maker proves a successful ‘sub-creator’. He makes a Secondary World which your mind can enter. Inside it, what he relates is ‘true’: it accords with the laws of that world. You therefore believe it, while you are, as it were, inside. The moment […]
Blade Runner’s Video Room Scene: Can it be better?
I’m obsessed with Blade Runner. It continues to be one of my favorite movies and the Final Cut stands the test of time 40 years later. It’s one of the great stories in science fiction. Some say it’s the perfect movie, and I’d be hard pressed to disagree. And yet. There are a couple niggles. […]
Creative Inspiration: The Company Wars worlds of C.J. Cherryh
My first inspiration to write came from reading amazing books, most notably, Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. I’m sure I’m not alone! It makes sense that no matter what creative outlet you enjoy, the masters of that craft serve as inspiration. We want to be like them, right? Early attempts to forge ahead (especially […]
Where do ideas come from? 10 Techniques to get you writing.
Every writer gets asked the age old question “Where do your ideas come from?” It’s easy to either discard the question as impossible to answer or to lob the easy answer “everyone is different.” Maybe because it’s not an easy question to answer without a lot of self reflection and effort. I decided to give […]
A Personal Tome
A very important man receives an exclusive invitation to a rare bookstore that nobody knows about, where it is promised he shall be honored with his own personal tome.