#on-writing — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #on-writing, aggregated by home.social.
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On Writing: the chapter I was most embarrassed to share got the fewest edits back.
My instincts and my confidence don't run on the same clock 😁
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On Writing: the chapter I was most embarrassed to share got the fewest edits back.
My instincts and my confidence don't run on the same clock 😁
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CW: 3699 characters pondering proscriptive grammar
@RMiddleton I'm going to bounce off the above in an odd direction. "My body & I aren't getting along so great lately," I say. It's an odd phrase, "my body & I," because we are inseparable (afaik).
I watched a portion of an episode of The Orville recently in which Seth MacFarlane, speaking as Captain Ed Mercer, says something like, "Bortus, you'll be part of the away team with Kelly and I." And I pondered the grammatical error. It could be to sound folksy. It could be that Seth MacFarlane or the dialogue writer doesn't know the difference. I like to imagine that the script had it correctly and actor Seth made the change as a character decision. There are a great many possibilities for how that mistake made the show. Also I have to accept that it hardly counts as a mistake given the widely accepted swapping of subject & object pronouns.
And now I can veer into the ways in which how I was taught maybe didn't serve me well. First I feel that I need to say that I of course make mistakes. I saw one in a post from earlier today that I did not correct because it didn't prevent understanding. Communication is about understanding, right? Many times in my life, by communicating correctly as I was taught, I believe that I've "othered" myself in certain settings. It's been a journey for me to ease up on nonstandard language. Obviously I still obsess about it, hence this post. Part of the stress is understanding human differences & looking for my place in the world. For me it's very easy to speak and write using the grammatically correct pronouns. So I don't understand where the errors made by others come from or what's the confusion. I remember taking an online quiz—more than a decade ago, when I did online quizzes—and scoring perfectly. There is no ambiguity for me when it comes to subject & object pronouns.
But of course there are topics that I struggle to absorb that may come easily to others. A common error for me is subject verb agreement in sentences with multiple subjects joined by and &/or or. I know the rules but what's correct is not always what I write first or what sounds best to me. Generally I dislike subject/verb agreement at all—especially when using {there's, there is, there are}—I don't find it adds much to comprehension & I believe it interferes with on the fly construction. I believe that "on the fly" as an adjective in the previous sentence deserves to be hyphenated, but hyphenation is fading & the phone makes it a pain to do. I hyphenate more than most but not as much as my instincts tell me to. I wonder how/if my composition quirks will transfer to the writing that I hope to do for publication.
I want to enjoy writing. I first realized that I preferred abstract painting over writing in college, a time when I most obsessed over the quality & correctness of my writing. Now I'm tempted to put all my quirks into writing intended for publication. I know that that might be controversial. I won't just spew, I would put thought into it based on characters, speaking, narration, context. But I know that I don't want to hate the writing process. If I do I won't do it. I've labored over writing nonfiction (articles, essays) in the past. I aspire to find a writing flow--or I just won't do it. Not simply because I refuse to do anything difficult! But because I don't think it's worth it for me to make art that's produced from anxiety. I believe that it would show.
Grammar and usage varies from speaking to writing. I write how I speak—a constant mix of high and low concepts in a difficult-to-follow scatterplot that I believe coheres.
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CW: 3699 characters pondering proscriptive grammar
@RMiddleton I'm going to bounce off the above in an odd direction. "My body & I aren't getting along so great lately," I say. It's an odd phrase, "my body & I," because we are inseparable (afaik).
I watched a portion of an episode of The Orville recently in which Seth MacFarlane, speaking as Captain Ed Mercer, says something like, "Bortus, you'll be part of the away team with Kelly and I." And I pondered the grammatical error. It could be to sound folksy. It could be that Seth MacFarlane or the dialogue writer doesn't know the difference. I like to imagine that the script had it correctly and actor Seth made the change as a character decision. There are a great many possibilities for how that mistake made the show. Also I have to accept that it hardly counts as a mistake given the widely accepted swapping of subject & object pronouns.
And now I can veer into the ways in which how I was taught maybe didn't serve me well. First I feel that I need to say that I of course make mistakes. I saw one in a post from earlier today that I did not correct because it didn't prevent understanding. Communication is about understanding, right? Many times in my life, by communicating correctly as I was taught, I believe that I've "othered" myself in certain settings. It's been a journey for me to ease up on nonstandard language. Obviously I still obsess about it, hence this post. Part of the stress is understanding human differences & looking for my place in the world. For me it's very easy to speak and write using the grammatically correct pronouns. So I don't understand where the errors made by others come from or what's the confusion. I remember taking an online quiz—more than a decade ago, when I did online quizzes—and scoring perfectly. There is no ambiguity for me when it comes to subject & object pronouns.
But of course there are topics that I struggle to absorb that may come easily to others. A common error for me is subject verb agreement in sentences with multiple subjects joined by and &/or or. I know the rules but what's correct is not always what I write first or what sounds best to me. Generally I dislike subject/verb agreement at all—especially when using {there's, there is, there are}—I don't find it adds much to comprehension & I believe it interferes with on the fly construction. I believe that "on the fly" as an adjective in the previous sentence deserves to be hyphenated, but hyphenation is fading & the phone makes it a pain to do. I hyphenate more than most but not as much as my instincts tell me to. I wonder how/if my composition quirks will transfer to the writing that I hope to do for publication.
I want to enjoy writing. I first realized that I preferred abstract painting over writing in college, a time when I most obsessed over the quality & correctness of my writing. Now I'm tempted to put all my quirks into writing intended for publication. I know that that might be controversial. I won't just spew, I would put thought into it based on characters, speaking, narration, context. But I know that I don't want to hate the writing process. If I do I won't do it. I've labored over writing nonfiction (articles, essays) in the past. I aspire to find a writing flow--or I just won't do it. Not simply because I refuse to do anything difficult! But because I don't think it's worth it for me to make art that's produced from anxiety. I believe that it would show.
Grammar and usage varies from speaking to writing. I write how I speak—a constant mix of high and low concepts in a difficult-to-follow scatterplot that I believe coheres.
-
CW: 3699 characters pondering proscriptive grammar
@RMiddleton I'm going to bounce off the above in an odd direction. "My body & I aren't getting along so great lately," I say. It's an odd phrase, "my body & I," because we are inseparable (afaik).
I watched a portion of an episode of The Orville recently in which Seth MacFarlane, speaking as Captain Ed Mercer, says something like, "Bortus, you'll be part of the away team with Kelly and I." And I pondered the grammatical error. It could be to sound folksy. It could be that Seth MacFarlane or the dialogue writer doesn't know the difference. I like to imagine that the script had it correctly and actor Seth made the change as a character decision. There are a great many possibilities for how that mistake made the show. Also I have to accept that it hardly counts as a mistake given the widely accepted swapping of subject & object pronouns.
And now I can veer into the ways in which how I was taught maybe didn't serve me well. First I feel that I need to say that I of course make mistakes. I saw one in a post from earlier today that I did not correct because it didn't prevent understanding. Communication is about understanding, right? Many times in my life, by communicating correctly as I was taught, I believe that I've "othered" myself in certain settings. It's been a journey for me to ease up on nonstandard language. Obviously I still obsess about it, hence this post. Part of the stress is understanding human differences & looking for my place in the world. For me it's very easy to speak and write using the grammatically correct pronouns. So I don't understand where the errors made by others come from or what's the confusion. I remember taking an online quiz—more than a decade ago, when I did online quizzes—and scoring perfectly. There is no ambiguity for me when it comes to subject & object pronouns.
But of course there are topics that I struggle to absorb that may come easily to others. A common error for me is subject verb agreement in sentences with multiple subjects joined by and &/or or. I know the rules but what's correct is not always what I write first or what sounds best to me. Generally I dislike subject/verb agreement at all—especially when using {there's, there is, there are}—I don't find it adds much to comprehension & I believe it interferes with on the fly construction. I believe that "on the fly" as an adjective in the previous sentence deserves to be hyphenated, but hyphenation is fading & the phone makes it a pain to do. I hyphenate more than most but not as much as my instincts tell me to. I wonder how/if my composition quirks will transfer to the writing that I hope to do for publication.
I want to enjoy writing. I first realized that I preferred abstract painting over writing in college, a time when I most obsessed over the quality & correctness of my writing. Now I'm tempted to put all my quirks into writing intended for publication. I know that that might be controversial. I won't just spew, I would put thought into it based on characters, speaking, narration, context. But I know that I don't want to hate the writing process. If I do I won't do it. I've labored over writing nonfiction (articles, essays) in the past. I aspire to find a writing flow--or I just won't do it. Not simply because I refuse to do anything difficult! But because I don't think it's worth it for me to make art that's produced from anxiety. I believe that it would show.
Grammar and usage varies from speaking to writing. I write how I speak—a constant mix of high and low concepts in a difficult-to-follow scatterplot that I believe coheres.
-
CW: 3699 characters pondering proscriptive grammar
@RMiddleton I'm going to bounce off the above in an odd direction. "My body & I aren't getting along so great lately," I say. It's an odd phrase, "my body & I," because we are inseparable (afaik).
I watched a portion of an episode of The Orville recently in which Seth MacFarlane, speaking as Captain Ed Mercer, says something like, "Bortus, you'll be part of the away team with Kelly and I." And I pondered the grammatical error. It could be to sound folksy. It could be that Seth MacFarlane or the dialogue writer doesn't know the difference. I like to imagine that the script had it correctly and actor Seth made the change as a character decision. There are a great many possibilities for how that mistake made the show. Also I have to accept that it hardly counts as a mistake given the widely accepted swapping of subject & object pronouns.
And now I can veer into the ways in which how I was taught maybe didn't serve me well. First I feel that I need to say that I of course make mistakes. I saw one in a post from earlier today that I did not correct because it didn't prevent understanding. Communication is about understanding, right? Many times in my life, by communicating correctly as I was taught, I believe that I've "othered" myself in certain settings. It's been a journey for me to ease up on nonstandard language. Obviously I still obsess about it, hence this post. Part of the stress is understanding human differences & looking for my place in the world. For me it's very easy to speak and write using the grammatically correct pronouns. So I don't understand where the errors made by others come from or what's the confusion. I remember taking an online quiz—more than a decade ago, when I did online quizzes—and scoring perfectly. There is no ambiguity for me when it comes to subject & object pronouns.
But of course there are topics that I struggle to absorb that may come easily to others. A common error for me is subject verb agreement in sentences with multiple subjects joined by and &/or or. I know the rules but what's correct is not always what I write first or what sounds best to me. Generally I dislike subject/verb agreement at all—especially when using {there's, there is, there are}—I don't find it adds much to comprehension & I believe it interferes with on the fly construction. I believe that "on the fly" as an adjective in the previous sentence deserves to be hyphenated, but hyphenation is fading & the phone makes it a pain to do. I hyphenate more than most but not as much as my instincts tell me to. I wonder how/if my composition quirks will transfer to the writing that I hope to do for publication.
I want to enjoy writing. I first realized that I preferred abstract painting over writing in college, a time when I most obsessed over the quality & correctness of my writing. Now I'm tempted to put all my quirks into writing intended for publication. I know that that might be controversial. I won't just spew, I would put thought into it based on characters, speaking, narration, context. But I know that I don't want to hate the writing process. If I do I won't do it. I've labored over writing nonfiction (articles, essays) in the past. I aspire to find a writing flow--or I just won't do it. Not simply because I refuse to do anything difficult! But because I don't think it's worth it for me to make art that's produced from anxiety. I believe that it would show.
Grammar and usage varies from speaking to writing. I write how I speak—a constant mix of high and low concepts in a difficult-to-follow scatterplot that I believe coheres.
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Welcome to Seavy County
Many of you have read my Seavy County stories over the years. You might even have noticed they were set in a fictional part of the Oregon Coast. Or maybe you just thought I wrote a lot of Oregon Coast stories. (I do.) I put them in a made-up part of the coast because I […]…
https://kriswrites.com/2026/09/01/welcome-to-seavy-county/ -
Welcome to Seavy County
Many of you have read my Seavy County stories over the years. You might even have noticed they were set in a fictional part of the Oregon Coast. Or maybe you just thought I wrote a lot of Oregon Coast stories. (I do.) I put them in a made-up part of the coast because I […]…
https://kriswrites.com/2026/09/01/welcome-to-seavy-county/ -
Welcome to Seavy County
Many of you have read my Seavy County stories over the years. You might even have noticed they were set in a fictional part of the Oregon Coast. Or maybe you just thought I wrote a lot of Oregon Coast stories. (I do.) I put them in a made-up part of the coast because I […]…
https://kriswrites.com/2026/09/01/welcome-to-seavy-county/ -
Welcome to Seavy County
Many of you have read my Seavy County stories over the years. You might even have noticed they were set in a fictional part of the Oregon Coast. Or maybe you just thought I wrote a lot of Oregon Coast stories. (I do.) I put them in a made-up part of the coast because I […]…
https://kriswrites.com/2026/09/01/welcome-to-seavy-county/ -
Recommended Reading List: July 2026
It took me a long time to finish this list, and I did start it in July, like usual. There’s just a lot to recommend from what I was reading. And a few things I’m not going to recommend, mentioned below. A good reading month, all in all. Read a recently published history of 1929. I […]…
https://kriswrites.com/2026/08/27/recommended-reading-list-july-2026/#freenonfiction #OnWriting #Plays #RecommendedReading #Romances
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Recommended Reading List: July 2026
It took me a long time to finish this list, and I did start it in July, like usual. There’s just a lot to recommend from what I was reading. And a few things I’m not going to recommend, mentioned below. A good reading month, all in all. Read a recently published history of 1929. I […]…
https://kriswrites.com/2026/08/27/recommended-reading-list-july-2026/#freenonfiction #OnWriting #Plays #RecommendedReading #Romances
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Recommended Reading List: July 2026
It took me a long time to finish this list, and I did start it in July, like usual. There’s just a lot to recommend from what I was reading. And a few things I’m not going to recommend, mentioned below. A good reading month, all in all. Read a recently published history of 1929. I […]…
https://kriswrites.com/2026/08/27/recommended-reading-list-july-2026/#freenonfiction #OnWriting #Plays #RecommendedReading #Romances
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Recommended Reading List: July 2026
It took me a long time to finish this list, and I did start it in July, like usual. There’s just a lot to recommend from what I was reading. And a few things I’m not going to recommend, mentioned below. A good reading month, all in all. Read a recently published history of 1929. I […]…
https://kriswrites.com/2026/08/27/recommended-reading-list-july-2026/#freenonfiction #OnWriting #Plays #RecommendedReading #Romances
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The Dangers of Bad Beta Readers
The Dangers of Bad Beta Readers is a resource for writers getting feedback on their work.
The post The Dangers of Bad Beta Readers appeared first on Independent Book Review.
https://independentbookreview.com/2026/08/25/the-dangers-of-bad-beta-readers/ -
The Dangers of Bad Beta Readers
The Dangers of Bad Beta Readers is a resource for writers getting feedback on their work.
The post The Dangers of Bad Beta Readers appeared first on Independent Book Review.
https://independentbookreview.com/2026/08/25/the-dangers-of-bad-beta-readers/ -
The Dangers of Bad Beta Readers
The Dangers of Bad Beta Readers is a resource for writers getting feedback on their work.
The post The Dangers of Bad Beta Readers appeared first on Independent Book Review.
https://independentbookreview.com/2026/08/25/the-dangers-of-bad-beta-readers/ -
The Dangers of Bad Beta Readers
The Dangers of Bad Beta Readers is a resource for writers getting feedback on their work.
The post The Dangers of Bad Beta Readers appeared first on Independent Book Review.
https://independentbookreview.com/2026/08/25/the-dangers-of-bad-beta-readers/ -
The Write Attitude: Rest
This post is a chapter from my book, The Write Attitude, which is now in a second edition. I’m posting it here to entice you to to pick up a copy. You can buy copies in ebook. The paper should be out in a month or so. Here’s a link to the ebook on WMG […]…
https://kriswrites.com/2026/08/19/the-write-attitude-rest/#freenonfiction #NewReleases #OnWriting #Athletics #publishing
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The Write Attitude: Rest
This post is a chapter from my book, The Write Attitude, which is now in a second edition. I’m posting it here to entice you to to pick up a copy. You can buy copies in ebook. The paper should be out in a month or so. Here’s a link to the ebook on WMG […]…
https://kriswrites.com/2026/08/19/the-write-attitude-rest/#freenonfiction #NewReleases #OnWriting #Athletics #publishing
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The Write Attitude: Rest
This post is a chapter from my book, The Write Attitude, which is now in a second edition. I’m posting it here to entice you to to pick up a copy. You can buy copies in ebook. The paper should be out in a month or so. Here’s a link to the ebook on WMG […]…
https://kriswrites.com/2026/08/19/the-write-attitude-rest/#freenonfiction #NewReleases #OnWriting #Athletics #publishing
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The Write Attitude: Rest
This post is a chapter from my book, The Write Attitude, which is now in a second edition. I’m posting it here to entice you to to pick up a copy. You can buy copies in ebook. The paper should be out in a month or so. Here’s a link to the ebook on WMG […]…
https://kriswrites.com/2026/08/19/the-write-attitude-rest/#freenonfiction #NewReleases #OnWriting #Athletics #publishing
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Not your typical writing advice books. These ones are conversational and contain lessons on life as well. Some of them I read for my degree in college and have returned to more than once because they are so lovely. #onwriting #writingadvice #writing #writingtips
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Not your typical writing advice books. These ones are conversational and contain lessons on life as well. Some of them I read for my degree in college and have returned to more than once because they are so lovely. #onwriting #writingadvice #writing #writingtips
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Not your typical writing advice books. These ones are conversational and contain lessons on life as well. Some of them I read for my degree in college and have returned to more than once because they are so lovely. #onwriting #writingadvice #writing #writingtips
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Not your typical writing advice books. These ones are conversational and contain lessons on life as well. Some of them I read for my degree in college and have returned to more than once because they are so lovely. #onwriting #writingadvice #writing #writingtips
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Want to Earn More with Your Writing? Have We Got The Seminar for You!
All spring we’ve been counseling writers who have come to realize that going wide with ebooks is not bringing in the kind of income that the writers had hoped for. The days off to all the retailers and making a small fortune are gone. Now, writers need to expand their horizons even more, doing other […]…
https://kriswrites.com/2026/07/26/want-to-earn-more-with-your-writing-have-we-got-the-seminar-for-you/#OnWriting #indiepublishing #onlineworkshops #publishing #seminars
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Want to Earn More with Your Writing? Have We Got The Seminar for You!
All spring we’ve been counseling writers who have come to realize that going wide with ebooks is not bringing in the kind of income that the writers had hoped for. The days off to all the retailers and making a small fortune are gone. Now, writers need to expand their horizons even more, doing other […]…
https://kriswrites.com/2026/07/26/want-to-earn-more-with-your-writing-have-we-got-the-seminar-for-you/#OnWriting #indiepublishing #onlineworkshops #publishing #seminars
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Want to Earn More with Your Writing? Have We Got The Seminar for You!
All spring we’ve been counseling writers who have come to realize that going wide with ebooks is not bringing in the kind of income that the writers had hoped for. The days off to all the retailers and making a small fortune are gone. Now, writers need to expand their horizons even more, doing other […]…
https://kriswrites.com/2026/07/26/want-to-earn-more-with-your-writing-have-we-got-the-seminar-for-you/#OnWriting #indiepublishing #onlineworkshops #publishing #seminars
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Want to Earn More with Your Writing? Have We Got The Seminar for You!
All spring we’ve been counseling writers who have come to realize that going wide with ebooks is not bringing in the kind of income that the writers had hoped for. The days off to all the retailers and making a small fortune are gone. Now, writers need to expand their horizons even more, doing other […]…
https://kriswrites.com/2026/07/26/want-to-earn-more-with-your-writing-have-we-got-the-seminar-for-you/#OnWriting #indiepublishing #onlineworkshops #publishing #seminars
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The Write Attitude: Short Story Craft
This post is a chapter from my book, The Write Attitude, which is now in a second edition. I’m posting it here to entice you to to pick up a copy. You can buy copies in ebook. Here’s a link to the ebook on the WMG Books site, but you can get the ebook anywhere. […]…
https://kriswrites.com/2026/07/22/the-write-attitude-short-story-craft/#freenonfiction #OnWriting #craft #JeffreyDeaver #publishing
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The Write Attitude: Short Story Craft
This post is a chapter from my book, The Write Attitude, which is now in a second edition. I’m posting it here to entice you to to pick up a copy. You can buy copies in ebook. Here’s a link to the ebook on the WMG Books site, but you can get the ebook anywhere. […]…
https://kriswrites.com/2026/07/22/the-write-attitude-short-story-craft/#freenonfiction #OnWriting #craft #JeffreyDeaver #publishing
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The Write Attitude: Short Story Craft
This post is a chapter from my book, The Write Attitude, which is now in a second edition. I’m posting it here to entice you to to pick up a copy. You can buy copies in ebook. Here’s a link to the ebook on the WMG Books site, but you can get the ebook anywhere. […]…
https://kriswrites.com/2026/07/22/the-write-attitude-short-story-craft/#freenonfiction #OnWriting #craft #JeffreyDeaver #publishing
-
The Write Attitude: Short Story Craft
This post is a chapter from my book, The Write Attitude, which is now in a second edition. I’m posting it here to entice you to to pick up a copy. You can buy copies in ebook. Here’s a link to the ebook on the WMG Books site, but you can get the ebook anywhere. […]…
https://kriswrites.com/2026/07/22/the-write-attitude-short-story-craft/#freenonfiction #OnWriting #craft #JeffreyDeaver #publishing
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If you asked me, “Can anyone write?”
I’d say, “Yes, you can. If you’re asking this question, you have already started your journey of becoming a writer.”
#onwriting #writingtips
https://medium.com/books-are-our-superpower/where-do-stories-come-from-c8846f23f029?sharedUserId=fizzayounis -
Deals For Writers
I know many of you don’t go to Dean’s website, which means many of you miss some wonderful online writing tidbits as well as some excellent deals. I mention the tidbits, but today’s email is about the deals. We’re running a workshop sale in the doldrums of summer. We figure many of you don’t have […]…
https://kriswrites.com/2026/06/30/deals-for-writers/ -
Deals For Writers
I know many of you don’t go to Dean’s website, which means many of you miss some wonderful online writing tidbits as well as some excellent deals. I mention the tidbits, but today’s email is about the deals. We’re running a workshop sale in the doldrums of summer. We figure many of you don’t have […]…
https://kriswrites.com/2026/06/30/deals-for-writers/ -
Deals For Writers
I know many of you don’t go to Dean’s website, which means many of you miss some wonderful online writing tidbits as well as some excellent deals. I mention the tidbits, but today’s email is about the deals. We’re running a workshop sale in the doldrums of summer. We figure many of you don’t have […]…
https://kriswrites.com/2026/06/30/deals-for-writers/ -
Deals For Writers
I know many of you don’t go to Dean’s website, which means many of you miss some wonderful online writing tidbits as well as some excellent deals. I mention the tidbits, but today’s email is about the deals. We’re running a workshop sale in the doldrums of summer. We figure many of you don’t have […]…
https://kriswrites.com/2026/06/30/deals-for-writers/ -
What’s a daily blog actually for?
I started this blog in August 2011 as a place to post a eulogy. Fifteen years and over 5,000 posts later, it’s no longer one thing. It’s a system that does several jobs at once — exposes me to material I wouldn’t otherwise read, forces a third pass on anything that catches my attention, makes me decide what’s actually worth keeping, and gives me an archive to come back to when I’ve forgotten what I once knew.
This thread is about why I keep doing it. Not as advice — I have no idea whether what works for me would work for you — but as the working-out of a practice that has shaped how I think for over a decade. The blog isn’t precious. It’s messy. I work with the garage door up. The thread is sequenced for someone wondering whether it’s still worth doing this kind of thing.
Working with the garage door up
constantine.name — October 2021Open with the metaphor that anchors everything else. Growing up with a garage means you know what it’s like to throw open a door and let the neighbors saunter up. “Turns out, that’s literally ‘showing your work.'” The blog isn’t a finished product on display. It’s the workbench, with the door open. If you know what I’m talking about, you can hear that door opening.
Take some time to reflect
constantine.name — December 2022The origin and what it became. “This blog started initially as a place for me to post a eulogy, and then it grew to serve many more purposes. It’s now solidly a way for me to reflect, and to work with the garage door up.” The blog is the forcing-function for daily discovery and reflection — not because it’s required, but because nothing else in my life makes me do it.
Should I keep blogging?
constantine.name — September 2022The four functions, named. Exposure, learning, integration, writing — “All of that goes into feeding my personal growth and priming my curiosity.” I ask myself this question at a frequency approaching every minute. The honest answer: “It doesn’t feel like stopping is realistically an option.”
Thoughts on Conversation
constantine.name — August 2022Different channels for different purposes. The blog stays messy and exploratory; polished work goes elsewhere. “Here on the blog things are messy as I’m working with garage door up. There’s a lot of discovery and reflection happening here.” Knowing what each channel is for is what keeps any of them from becoming everything.
The library
constantine.name — May 2022The archive as the rest of the system. “I regularly reread these blog posts myself to make sure the thoughts still look reasonable after some time sitting on the digital shelf.” The blog isn’t only for the reader. It’s the place I go to find out what I used to think.
And 7 years later?
constantine.name — July 2025Honest accounting at fourteen years and five thousand posts. Tom Critchlow wrote in 2018 about networked writing — write about people you want to reach, the lowly hyperlink does the connecting. Seven years later: “in 14 years / 5,000 posts I’ve never had anyone (an author of something I’ve linked to) reach out to me.” And that’s fine. “I don’t blog as a way to fish for connections like that. I blog as a way of working with the garage door up.”
Like letter-writing?
constantine.name — March 2026The current question, fifteen years in. A historian writes about relics — things not intended for future generations, but valuable precisely because of that. “I’ve now been typing away on this blog for fifteen years and what I have posted here has varied wildly in that time… While it has occurred to me to wonder what happens to the blog after I die, it had never occurred to me to wonder if there might be actual value to historians here. I’m honestly not sure what to do with that. Do I keep posting? Do I close the garage door?” The thread ends with the live question.
ɕ
#Blogging #OnWriting #Reflection #Threads -
What’s a daily blog actually for?
I started this blog in August 2011 as a place to post a eulogy. Fifteen years and over 5,000 posts later, it’s no longer one thing. It’s a system that does several jobs at once — exposes me to material I wouldn’t otherwise read, forces a third pass on anything that catches my attention, makes me decide what’s actually worth keeping, and gives me an archive to come back to when I’ve forgotten what I once knew.
This thread is about why I keep doing it. Not as advice — I have no idea whether what works for me would work for you — but as the working-out of a practice that has shaped how I think for over a decade. The blog isn’t precious. It’s messy. I work with the garage door up. The thread is sequenced for someone wondering whether it’s still worth doing this kind of thing.
Working with the garage door up
constantine.name — October 2021Open with the metaphor that anchors everything else. Growing up with a garage means you know what it’s like to throw open a door and let the neighbors saunter up. “Turns out, that’s literally ‘showing your work.'” The blog isn’t a finished product on display. It’s the workbench, with the door open. If you know what I’m talking about, you can hear that door opening.
Take some time to reflect
constantine.name — December 2022The origin and what it became. “This blog started initially as a place for me to post a eulogy, and then it grew to serve many more purposes. It’s now solidly a way for me to reflect, and to work with the garage door up.” The blog is the forcing-function for daily discovery and reflection — not because it’s required, but because nothing else in my life makes me do it.
Should I keep blogging?
constantine.name — September 2022The four functions, named. Exposure, learning, integration, writing — “All of that goes into feeding my personal growth and priming my curiosity.” I ask myself this question at a frequency approaching every minute. The honest answer: “It doesn’t feel like stopping is realistically an option.”
Thoughts on Conversation
constantine.name — August 2022Different channels for different purposes. The blog stays messy and exploratory; polished work goes elsewhere. “Here on the blog things are messy as I’m working with garage door up. There’s a lot of discovery and reflection happening here.” Knowing what each channel is for is what keeps any of them from becoming everything.
The library
constantine.name — May 2022The archive as the rest of the system. “I regularly reread these blog posts myself to make sure the thoughts still look reasonable after some time sitting on the digital shelf.” The blog isn’t only for the reader. It’s the place I go to find out what I used to think.
And 7 years later?
constantine.name — July 2025Honest accounting at fourteen years and five thousand posts. Tom Critchlow wrote in 2018 about networked writing — write about people you want to reach, the lowly hyperlink does the connecting. Seven years later: “in 14 years / 5,000 posts I’ve never had anyone (an author of something I’ve linked to) reach out to me.” And that’s fine. “I don’t blog as a way to fish for connections like that. I blog as a way of working with the garage door up.”
Like letter-writing?
constantine.name — March 2026The current question, fifteen years in. A historian writes about relics — things not intended for future generations, but valuable precisely because of that. “I’ve now been typing away on this blog for fifteen years and what I have posted here has varied wildly in that time… While it has occurred to me to wonder what happens to the blog after I die, it had never occurred to me to wonder if there might be actual value to historians here. I’m honestly not sure what to do with that. Do I keep posting? Do I close the garage door?” The thread ends with the live question.
ɕ
#Blogging #OnWriting #Reflection #Threads -
What’s a daily blog actually for?
I started this blog in August 2011 as a place to post a eulogy. Fifteen years and over 5,000 posts later, it’s no longer one thing. It’s a system that does several jobs at once — exposes me to material I wouldn’t otherwise read, forces a third pass on anything that catches my attention, makes me decide what’s actually worth keeping, and gives me an archive to come back to when I’ve forgotten what I once knew.
This thread is about why I keep doing it. Not as advice — I have no idea whether what works for me would work for you — but as the working-out of a practice that has shaped how I think for over a decade. The blog isn’t precious. It’s messy. I work with the garage door up. The thread is sequenced for someone wondering whether it’s still worth doing this kind of thing.
Working with the garage door up
constantine.name — October 2021Open with the metaphor that anchors everything else. Growing up with a garage means you know what it’s like to throw open a door and let the neighbors saunter up. “Turns out, that’s literally ‘showing your work.'” The blog isn’t a finished product on display. It’s the workbench, with the door open. If you know what I’m talking about, you can hear that door opening.
Take some time to reflect
constantine.name — December 2022The origin and what it became. “This blog started initially as a place for me to post a eulogy, and then it grew to serve many more purposes. It’s now solidly a way for me to reflect, and to work with the garage door up.” The blog is the forcing-function for daily discovery and reflection — not because it’s required, but because nothing else in my life makes me do it.
Should I keep blogging?
constantine.name — September 2022The four functions, named. Exposure, learning, integration, writing — “All of that goes into feeding my personal growth and priming my curiosity.” I ask myself this question at a frequency approaching every minute. The honest answer: “It doesn’t feel like stopping is realistically an option.”
Thoughts on Conversation
constantine.name — August 2022Different channels for different purposes. The blog stays messy and exploratory; polished work goes elsewhere. “Here on the blog things are messy as I’m working with garage door up. There’s a lot of discovery and reflection happening here.” Knowing what each channel is for is what keeps any of them from becoming everything.
The library
constantine.name — May 2022The archive as the rest of the system. “I regularly reread these blog posts myself to make sure the thoughts still look reasonable after some time sitting on the digital shelf.” The blog isn’t only for the reader. It’s the place I go to find out what I used to think.
And 7 years later?
constantine.name — July 2025Honest accounting at fourteen years and five thousand posts. Tom Critchlow wrote in 2018 about networked writing — write about people you want to reach, the lowly hyperlink does the connecting. Seven years later: “in 14 years / 5,000 posts I’ve never had anyone (an author of something I’ve linked to) reach out to me.” And that’s fine. “I don’t blog as a way to fish for connections like that. I blog as a way of working with the garage door up.”
Like letter-writing?
constantine.name — March 2026The current question, fifteen years in. A historian writes about relics — things not intended for future generations, but valuable precisely because of that. “I’ve now been typing away on this blog for fifteen years and what I have posted here has varied wildly in that time… While it has occurred to me to wonder what happens to the blog after I die, it had never occurred to me to wonder if there might be actual value to historians here. I’m honestly not sure what to do with that. Do I keep posting? Do I close the garage door?” The thread ends with the live question.
ɕ
#Blogging #OnWriting #Reflection #Threads -
What’s a daily blog actually for?
I started this blog in August 2011 as a place to post a eulogy. Fifteen years and over 5,000 posts later, it’s no longer one thing. It’s a system that does several jobs at once — exposes me to material I wouldn’t otherwise read, forces a third pass on anything that catches my attention, makes me decide what’s actually worth keeping, and gives me an archive to come back to when I’ve forgotten what I once knew.
This thread is about why I keep doing it. Not as advice — I have no idea whether what works for me would work for you — but as the working-out of a practice that has shaped how I think for over a decade. The blog isn’t precious. It’s messy. I work with the garage door up. The thread is sequenced for someone wondering whether it’s still worth doing this kind of thing.
Working with the garage door up
constantine.name — October 2021Open with the metaphor that anchors everything else. Growing up with a garage means you know what it’s like to throw open a door and let the neighbors saunter up. “Turns out, that’s literally ‘showing your work.'” The blog isn’t a finished product on display. It’s the workbench, with the door open. If you know what I’m talking about, you can hear that door opening.
Take some time to reflect
constantine.name — December 2022The origin and what it became. “This blog started initially as a place for me to post a eulogy, and then it grew to serve many more purposes. It’s now solidly a way for me to reflect, and to work with the garage door up.” The blog is the forcing-function for daily discovery and reflection — not because it’s required, but because nothing else in my life makes me do it.
Should I keep blogging?
constantine.name — September 2022The four functions, named. Exposure, learning, integration, writing — “All of that goes into feeding my personal growth and priming my curiosity.” I ask myself this question at a frequency approaching every minute. The honest answer: “It doesn’t feel like stopping is realistically an option.”
Thoughts on Conversation
constantine.name — August 2022Different channels for different purposes. The blog stays messy and exploratory; polished work goes elsewhere. “Here on the blog things are messy as I’m working with garage door up. There’s a lot of discovery and reflection happening here.” Knowing what each channel is for is what keeps any of them from becoming everything.
The library
constantine.name — May 2022The archive as the rest of the system. “I regularly reread these blog posts myself to make sure the thoughts still look reasonable after some time sitting on the digital shelf.” The blog isn’t only for the reader. It’s the place I go to find out what I used to think.
And 7 years later?
constantine.name — July 2025Honest accounting at fourteen years and five thousand posts. Tom Critchlow wrote in 2018 about networked writing — write about people you want to reach, the lowly hyperlink does the connecting. Seven years later: “in 14 years / 5,000 posts I’ve never had anyone (an author of something I’ve linked to) reach out to me.” And that’s fine. “I don’t blog as a way to fish for connections like that. I blog as a way of working with the garage door up.”
Like letter-writing?
constantine.name — March 2026The current question, fifteen years in. A historian writes about relics — things not intended for future generations, but valuable precisely because of that. “I’ve now been typing away on this blog for fifteen years and what I have posted here has varied wildly in that time… While it has occurred to me to wonder what happens to the blog after I die, it had never occurred to me to wonder if there might be actual value to historians here. I’m honestly not sure what to do with that. Do I keep posting? Do I close the garage door?” The thread ends with the live question.
ɕ
#Blogging #OnWriting #Reflection #Threads
