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The Word of Ward

Reviews, Blog, and the occasional Rant

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Flash News

The Studio: Brilliant Cast, Big Laughs And Hollywood Meltdowns

Science Advises Playing Chess. Here’s A Great Way To Begin

Short stories are back – here’s why that’s great for writers

Substack Vs Medium – It Doesn’t Need To Be Either Or…

The Potsdam Giants: How A Prussian King’s Obsession Led To Kidnapping, Torture, And Eugenics

Perth, Rottnest Island, And Ridiculously Cute Quokkas. All You Need To Know

The Gorilla Who Was Brought up as a Boy in an English Village

The Loose End by Dwonch and Hymel is a fun, Tarantino-esque comic caper

Tree Spirits And Good Fortune: The Beautiful Ghosts Who Protect Thailand’s Forests

What Did People Wipe With In The Past And Why Is The World Moving Beyond Toilet Paper?

The Strange And Hopefully Fun Future Of AI NPCs – Is Gaming Getting Interactive?

Black, Rudd And A Colossal Snake: The New Anaconda Trailer Looks Meta Fun

The Paper Review: A New Office-Style Sitcom About Newspapers

Morning Writing Routine: Why 6 AM May Be Your Creative Sweet Spot

My Favorite Writing Software After 30+ Years In Journalism & Publishing

Tired of doomscrolling? Subscribe to something actually interesting

person holding blue ballpoint pen writing in notebook

Outstanding Books About Writing: Classics That Will Inspire You

A detachable flying head with a disgusting diet – The Krasue

hands on a typewriter

Is There A Better Keyboard Than QWERTY? Yes, But You Won’t Use It

Work Smarter, Not Harder: Repurposing old Content Is Awesome

Friday, December 05, 2025

Tag: writing

Short stories are back – here’s why that’s great for writers
Blog

Short stories are back – here’s why that’s great for writers

ward 19/11/2025

Every Writer Should Spend Time on Short Stories Short stories have always waxed and waned in popularity. Their earliest incarnations were myths, fables, and fireside legends, but the modern short … Read More

short storiesshort storywriterswriting
Substack Vs Medium – It Doesn’t Need To Be Either Or…
Blog

Substack Vs Medium – It Doesn’t Need To Be Either Or…

ward 13/11/2025

I’ve been writing on Medium and Substack for a while now. There is quite a lot of overlap in terms of content, but they are slightly different. Especially in the … Read More

MediumSubstackSubstack vs Mediumwriting
Morning Writing Routine: Why 6 AM May Be Your Creative Sweet Spot
Blog

Morning Writing Routine: Why 6 AM May Be Your Creative Sweet Spot

ward 25/08/2025

A morning writing routine is something I’ve heard of, but due to general slothfulness, not a practice I’ve tried. But I’ve been travelling a lot recently, from one side of … Read More

Morning writingMorning writing routinewritingwriting routine
Outstanding Books About Writing: Classics That Will Inspire You
Blog

Outstanding Books About Writing: Classics That Will Inspire You

ward 17/07/2025

Listing outstanding books about writing is obviously going to be highly subjective. But these are definitely among the best loved and reviewed, and have all stood the test of time. … Read More

Anne Lamottbooks about writingNatalie GoldbergStephen KingSyd FieldWilliam Strunk Jrwriting
Work Smarter, Not Harder: Repurposing old Content Is Awesome
Blog Technology Writing

Work Smarter, Not Harder: Repurposing old Content Is Awesome

ward 25/06/2025

Repurposing articles is a great tool in a writer’s repertoire. When it comes to the wonderful world of online content, productivity, (namely speed and efficiency,) is key. As writers, we … Read More

articlesBlogefficiencyproductivityrepurposingwriting
I found a brilliant Huberman productivity technique
Blog

I found a brilliant Huberman productivity technique

ward 10/06/2025

I love productivity methods and Dr Huberman is one of the big names in the biz. I think I spend too much time searching for these things because I’m innately … Read More

Dr HubermanHubermanHuberman techniquepomodoroPomodoro methodproductivitywriting
Ghostwriting pros and cons. Is it worthwhile or soul-destroying?
Blog

Ghostwriting pros and cons. Is it worthwhile or soul-destroying?

ward 21/05/2025

I used to do a lot of ghostwriting, and it has its pros and cons. I should preface this piece by noting that, as I have written 100s of ghostwritten … Read More

ghostwritingprofessional writingwriting
Inspired By Silicon Valley, I Now Want To Be A Quirky Coder. Hello Python!
Blog TV Writing

Inspired By Silicon Valley, I Now Want To Be A Quirky Coder. Hello Python!

ward 14/05/2025

I have been binge-watching Silicon Valley on HBO Max, and it has made me want to code. I think I am having a mid-life crisis, which might be related, but … Read More

codingSilicon Valley TVwriting
How To Escape The Per-Word Trap And Make Real Money As A Writer
Blog Writing

How To Escape The Per-Word Trap And Make Real Money As A Writer

ward 08/05/2025

I have been paid per-word or per-hour for about five years now. In my previous bouts of freelance writing, dating back decades (I’m old), it was the same. For writers, … Read More

booksfictionwritingwriting per-work
Switching Focus To Short Stories To Make A Fortune
Blog Books Writing

Switching Focus To Short Stories To Make A Fortune

ward 27/04/2025

Or a pittance. Time will tell… The popularity of short stories has waxed and waned over the decades. They have always been around as myths and fables like the Arthurian … Read More

bookskindleshort storieswriting
AI Writes Poor Prose – Use It To Fix Procrastination
Blog Technology Writing

AI Writes Poor Prose – Use It To Fix Procrastination

ward 16/04/2025

And how to make an AI assistant I use AI to cure my colossal procrastination but don’t use it for any writing – you can probably tell. I was a … Read More

AIAI assistantbooksprocrastinationwriting
Fantastic tunes to listen to help write more and focus
Blog Writing

Fantastic tunes to listen to help write more and focus

ward 17/03/2025

I listen to tunes when I write. This is often to drown out the noise of fellow humans, but I also really like it and it can induce flow state. … Read More

Brain.fmmusicmusic for focusmusic for writingwriting
After Career Advice From ChatGPT I’m Trying Something Drastic
Blog

After Career Advice From ChatGPT I’m Trying Something Drastic

ward 30/01/2025

I don’t use ChatGPT for writing, as the output is a bit bland. You can probably tell by my garbled syntax. Writing is also my livelihood, and I am mildly … Read More

MediumSubstackwriting
To Monetize Or Not? Reaching An Astonishing 100 Subscribers On Substack
Blog Writing

To Monetize Or Not? Reaching An Astonishing 100 Subscribers On Substack

ward 17/12/2024

I hit 100 subscribers on my Intriguing Times Substack yesterday and am pretty damned excited about it. ‘Astonishing’ is admittedly a bit hyperbolic, but it is apparently good for SEO. … Read More

subscribersSubstackwriting
From Zork to AI Dungeon: How AI is Revolutionizing Interactive Text Adventures
Blog Books Technology Writing

From Zork to AI Dungeon: How AI is Revolutionizing Interactive Text Adventures

ward 10/12/2024

AI is so damned useful that I am overwhelmed and am still thinking of ways to use it. You can probably tell that I don’t use for writing by looking … Read More

AdventureAIgamesgamingText-basedwriting
Blog Writing

How to be more productive when writing – great music and apps!

ward 27/11/2024

I listen to music and use a few apps that really help when writing, and consequently, I thought this might be something helpful for others. I write for a living. … Read More

music for focusproductivityproductivity appswriting
Blog Writing

Getting Substack subscribers and changing writing focus

ward 20/11/2024

It has been around a month and a half since I launched my shiny new Substack. Previously, I’d had a science fiction and fantasy newsletter for a month and it … Read More

Blogbookslifewriting
Plotting vs. Pantsing: What’s Better for Writers and Readers?
Blog Writing

Plotting vs. Pantsing: What’s Better for Writers and Readers?

ward 07/11/2024

In the world of fiction writing, few debates are as enduring as “plotting vs. pantsing.” Writers and readers alike have strong views on the merits of each approach. Some prefer … Read More

lifepantsingplottingReadingwriting
The Intriguing Times Substack is now live!
Blog Writing

The Intriguing Times Substack is now live!

ward 21/10/2024

Intriguing Times – my new Substack newsletter – has been live for almost three weeks. It already has 35 subscribers and over 90 followers, which is pretty damned good if … Read More

Intriguing TimesNewsletterSubstackwriting
iPad Pro 13-inch M4 the all-in-one device I’ve been looking for
Blog Technology Writing

iPad Pro 13-inch M4 the all-in-one device I’ve been looking for

ward 17/05/2024

I love my iPad Pro. Actually, that should be plural as I have the original 13-inch version from 2015, and an 11-inch from 2021. Remarkably, both still work, if a … Read More

appleiPadiPad 2024iPad ProM4writing

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In recent news

  • The Studio: Brilliant Cast, Big Laughs And Hollywood Meltdowns
  • Science Advises Playing Chess. Here’s A Great Way To Begin
  • Short stories are back – here’s why that’s great for writers
  • Substack Vs Medium – It Doesn’t Need To Be Either Or…
  • The Potsdam Giants: How A Prussian King’s Obsession Led To Kidnapping, Torture, And Eugenics
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