Welcome! Master List of Posts & My Promise to Readers

Why I write and what I’ve written

Mar 13, 2025

What, Why and When I Write (Master List Below)

When my Storytelling & Narrative instructor at college — author Kern Carter, check out his work! — introduced our class to the idea of short-form writing on Substack, he asked us to come up with a promise we were making to ourselves and our readers. What, why and when we would write; to help define scope and build trust.

This is what I wrote back in October 2023:

[My promise] is to share socially significant themes in the media I consume, and critically engage with them through my own experiences and other relevant works. When a reader opens my newsletter/blog, they will find:
a) A new perspective on a social issue — perhaps one they were unaware of
b) A new great piece of media recommended to them — or analysis that brings back fond memories if they’ve already engaged with it
c) Tools with which they can more critically engage with the media they consume.

And I hope I’ve lived up to that, at least in part. ‘A new perspective’ is a little ambiguous given that I’m often writing about looking at the world through the eyes of different characters and the worlds they inhabit, but I suppose I’ll stand by either meaning.

But since I’ll be pinning this as a place for readers for interested in my work to go, I wanted to offer a 2025 update to the statement informed by my experience of writing for over a year.

My Promise

I currently write two articles per week, publishing them on Thursday and Sunday evenings on my website, Medium and Substack. In these articles, I reflect on socially significant and/or narratively compelling themes of media: usually books, but occasionally film, TV or music. Occasionally I’ll pull the lens back slightly and discuss the experience of engaging with media, with hopes of helping more people pick up these inspiring stories in this age of TikTokification.

My reflections on a given text are often in reference to my own experiences, other fiction and/or commentary from other people with knowledge of the field. My goal is to write articles with application to current events, our society, the craft of writing and/or personal growth — so that you can hopefully gain something from reading my work.

In my ‘Swift Riffle’ posts I explore a theme or topic (often representation) throughout the speculative fiction I’ve read; looking at the impact and relevance of the theme in multiple works with an eye for any trends that emerge. Of course these are also a place where I hope you might find new stories to enjoy!

Likewise, ‘Starting Points’ is a very direct recommendation of a jumping-in book for aspiring and seasoned SFF readers alike. I discuss what I love about the book, why it might be a good fit for you and what expectations you might want to approach it with.

I also love to hear from anyone who takes the time to read what I write! If you know of examples for topics I’m writing about, if you noticed something I missed or if you have any recommendations of your own, please send them my way!

Art: Whenever possible, I like to share fan art related to the media I'm writing about. My goal in doing so is to: bring attention to talented artists, offer visual examples of characters and scenarios I'm discussing and to push back against the overwhelming tide of AI slop online.

If you're an artist who wants your work removed from one of my posts, please reach out and I'll do so as soon as possible.

A wizard in a blue robe climbs a stone staircase lined with oversized, colorful books. Keys and lock designs adorn the books. Mystical mood. — Art by Francesco Denicolò

My Posts

Below you can find every piece I’ve ever published (new posts may take a little time to be added). If you’re looking for a specific idea, character, book, author, etc., you can always use the Search function on my website to find any places I’ve mentioned them.

Misc. Philosophical Reflections

Loss of Humanity: Gaza and The Poppy War (& the first ‘My Promise’ statement)

The Hidden Message of the Dune Books

Obsession’s Folly: Pitcher Plant Spotlight & Analysis

Sacrifice: Robin Hobb & House of the Dragon

A Mind Unburied: Inside Out 2 & Dimension 20

Villains to the Core: Trump and his Fictional Counterparts

Cosmic Horror & Corporate Dehumanization in Severance

Clarity from the Worst Possible Advice

Escaping the Unconscious Collective

Dystopia & Privilege

Misc. Writing & Narrative Reflections

Perspective, Plot and World: What Makes Great Speculative Fiction?

What Makes a Good Read?

Footnotes: From Citations to a New Style of Storytelling

Lost & Found: Entering New Worlds

Gender Bias Eliminated (Mostly) — The Unbroken

A Song of Ice and Fire: The Extraordinary Symbolism of the Stag and the Wolf

Lessons in Storytelling from Squid Game Season One

Elder Race: Clarke’s Third Law, Squared

Severance Season Two’s Faster, Smarter Storytelling

The Saint of Bright Doors: Lost in the System

Touching Allegories in The Tomb of Dragons

Telling It Like It Is

Misc. Reading Reflections & Recommendations

Audio vs. Physical Books: Reading into Storytelling Traditions

Frustrated by a Book? Put it Down, For Now

Descent into Madness: A Song of Ice and Fire

Audiobooks on Spotify: Details, Tips and Recommendations

5 Phenomenal SFF Stories you can Read in 5 Minutes or Less

4 Engaging Books I’m Thankful for Reading in 2024

Is 2025 the Year of Speculative Fiction on TV?

The Rehearsal’s Problem is Traditional Masculinity

Misc. Personal Reflections

Alone in the Tower of Babel (Books of Babel)

Looking Back at a Year of ‘Prose and Context’

There is Still Time: How ‘I Saw the TV Glow’ Illuminates Trans Experiences

Managing Expectations (Severance Season 2)

With Video/Podcast

This is How You Lose the Time War

William Elisabeth Cuthbert

Mar 14

I now have a matryoshka doll list of things to read that are either yours, or things linked in your writing. Love that article about early neopronoun use (as an any/all and tentative it/its) and I can get on board with anyone who appreciates Piranesi 💜

I’d like to write something on that book, the Imaginary Prisons and reading through a neurodivergent disabled lens. Although when and where remains to be seen!

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That's so lovely to hear!! I'd love to read that piece, sounds like a fascinating angle on Piranesi's journey and way of being 😊

Welcome! Master List of Posts & My Promise to Readers

Why I write and what I’ve written

What, Why and When I Write (Master List Below)

My Promise

My Posts

Starting Points

The Murderbot Diaries

Hyperion

What is House of Leaves?

Seth Dickinson’s The Masquerade

Ada Palmer’s Terra Ignota

Tamsyn Muir’s The Locked Tomb

Brandon Sanderson’s The Stormlight Archive

K.J. Parker’s The Siege and Other Works

Becoming Transhuman

Lyrical

Vampires

Ann Leckie’s ‘Imperial Radch’

Swift Riffle

Lev Grossman’s The Magicians

Short Fiction

Misc. ADHD Reflections

Misc. Philosophical Reflections

Misc. Writing & Narrative Reflections

Misc. Reading Reflections & Recommendations

Misc. Personal Reflections

With Video/Podcast

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