Category: Articles

“Inspiration is for amateurs, the rest of us just show up and get to work.” – Chuck Close

Make your move or pass the ball.

Speak up or sit down.

Sh*t, or get off the damn pot.

Those moments of lukewarm effort, of kinda doing the thing but really not…

The work hours spent flicking around social media instead of in deep, unbroken concentration on your most critical task…

The workouts half-assed, the sets stopped short of failure, the exercises skipped, the days missed…

The meditations spent lost in thought, sitting without practicing, never generating the diligent focus required for self-mastery…

The activities completed as checks on a to-do list, done just to say you did them, showing up without being fully present…

The time spent doing work you hate without also working towards doing work you love…

The years that pass by with no tangible results, no material progress, no dynamic movement towards your greater vision…

The hesitation, the indecision, the fapping and farting and taking it way too damn easy for no good reason other than fear, laziness, and that foggy, cloudy, not-sure-what-it-is that seems like it’s blocking you but evaporates the moment you take action…

…Those moments are the very building blocks your life is made of.

And when time all-too-quickly runs out, your life as you know it will be the end result of those moments: 

The moments you either sat there doom-scrolling with your pants down around your ankles…

…Or put your phone down, put your boots on the ground, sh*t, and got off the damn pot.

Happy Monday.

– T

P.S. This just dropped. 

You’re here because you want the skinny on cranking out those word counts, right?

You’ve got deadlines looming like storm clouds and a book that’s as stubborn as a mule.

You’re probably hoping I’ll tell you about some mystical muse that’ll swoop down and breathe life into your work. Well, sadly I don’t.

The Muse is a Fickle Beast

Let’s get this straight: the muse is about as reliable as a chocolate teapot.

Sure, the idea of some divine creature sprinkling your brain with fairy dust sounds peachy, but if you’re waiting around for that to happen, you might as well be waiting for rain in the Sahara. It’s a myth my  fellow silly geese. A beautiful, dangerous myth that could leave you high and dry when the deadline’s knocking at your door.

Embrace the Gloriously Mundane

Here’s the real magic trick: making peace with the mundane. That’s right, the day-to-day, the grind, the routine. It’s not glamorous, but it’s gold…

Here’s how you mine it:

1.Nail Down a Writing Schedule

Clock in, clock out. Make it as regular as brushing your teeth.

Whether it’s an hour after breakfast or a quick sprint before bed, keep it consistent. This isn’t just about cranking out words—it’s about making your brain sweat in all the right ways.

2. Claim Your Territory

Stake out your space. Whether it’s a creaky desk in the corner or your favourite coffee shop, make it yours. This is your cockpit, you’re the captain and that’s where the words are gonna fly.

When you sit down, you’re not just fooling around—you’re flying to the moon.

3. Chop It Up  

A book’s a beast. Don’t try to wrestle it all at once. Break it into bits—scenes, chapters, beats. Conquer it piece by piece, like eating an elephant one bite at a time. And yes, it’s okay to celebrate every little victory. Do a dance. Pat yourself on the back. You’ve earned it.

4. Systems Over Goals  

Forget painting the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Your job is to put paint on the brush and then put that brush to the canvas. Every. Single. Day. The system is your path to victory. The goals? They’ll follow if you keep pumping the pedals.

5. Feed the Beast  

Read, watch, absorb. Stuff your eyeballs with movies, your brainpan with books, and your soul with art. The muse might not show up, but you can still invite other guests to the party. They’ll bring their own sparks and who knows? Fire might just catch.

Finally…

Keep On Truckin’ 

The real work happens when nobody’s watching. It’s the slow and steady, the relentless march of words that pile up while you’re looking the other way. That, is where you’ll find the gold.

Remember, the muse is great for a fling, but the mundane? That’s your ride or die. It’s the quiet, commitment to the craft that’ll help you churn out stories that stick. Keep hitting those keys, keep showing up. Make the mundane your secret weapon. Now, go forth and write.
Stephen Walker.

I get that in the wild times of the internet in its current state.

We’re all shouting from the roof tops trying to be seen. Whether it’s just for attention (Which is the new currency btw) or whether we need to get people into our creative worlds so we can share our things and stuff with them.

It’s easy to do but it’s not simple. It takes consistent work and effort and a certain level of ruthlessness you need to weave into your system. Like when grandma gave you tablespoons of cod liver oil whenever you went over to visit. It may have tasted gross, but it was good for you.

So how do you do this you may ask?

Well…

You need to craft an interesting persona and origin story for yourself as a creator.

Build a mystique around your creative process. Engage your followers and readers curiosity about the person behind the work they love.

You do this by telling stories and sharing processes, it also goes a lot deeper with your characters and stories you write. The paintings you and drawings you make or even the music you write and share.

There needs to be back stories and emotions attached to it. You need to write it all. Yeah might write a love song or song about something but why? Go deeper. Were you feeling a certain way? Was it just cause you were bored? Details matter. Even if you don’t share it. It’s there so in your mind you can attach and pull from it with future work.

The thing is. It’s not difficult. It’s just a lot of work that needs to be done. Yet when you carry on doing work this way. Your work will automatically be infused with more magic and authenticity than the creatives who just create something with minimal thought.

It’s why some authors can write a single book. With a single character and rope in millions of fans.

A prime example would be Jack Reacher from Killing Floor by Lee Child

Lee has such an amazing approach to developing his characters, you can’t help buy think that you know that character in person, even though it’s pure fiction. Yet if you read the books. You learn about every single detail there is about the character, warts ‘n all.

This is something I actively think about the things I post and share on social media and with my fellow Silly Goose Society.

This is how I want you to think about creating if you are already making the jump or plan to make the jump in the future. Either way. I’ll have your back if you need advice or tips or be pointed in the right direction.

Stephen Walker.

I’m at this hoity-toity coffeeshop, right?

Just trying to inject some sweet, sweet caffeine into my veins and wrestle with the squirming, otherworldly creatures of my next series of posts, ideas and books.

When suddenly, this starry-eyed, enthusiastic fan comes bouncing up to me like a sugar-rushed squirrel.

“Oh my word, are you Stephen Walker? THE Stephen-Walker?”

[Silence for a second]

I’m like, “You caught me, my friend. Resident silly goose, squirrel tamer, and creative mischief-maker, at your service.”

This guy starts singing praises about how my storytelling advice has transformed his writing game.

He’s all, “Man, your tips on crafting unforgettable characters and building immersive worlds have straight-up supercharged my fiction skills!”

We chat for a bit, geeking out over our favourite fantasy series and debating whether adverbs are the linguistic equivalent of a stale cookie.

He tries to buy my coffee, but I’m like, “Nah, dude, I got this. Gotta fuel the ol’ imagination machine somehow.”

As we part ways, it hits me: this guy felt like he knew me, like we were old pals trading tales over a cozy campfire.

But we’ve never met. Heck, we haven’t even swapped a single Twitter high-five.

So, how did he feel so connected to me?

It’s because I’ve been weaving stories and sharing my hard-earned writing wisdom with him (and you) through my tales, blogs, and mildly caffeinated twitter musings.

And yeah, that little coffeeshop encounter? Total fiction.

But don’t get your knickers in a knot. There’s a method to my madness.

This is a demonstration.

I want you to take a closer look at this tall tale. Can you see the strings I’m pulling, the emotional beats I’m hitting? Do you get why I’m weaving this particular web of words?

Do you want to learn how to do this too, how to craft stories that grab readers by the heartstrings and don’t let go until they’re begging for more (and maybe even throwing their hard-earned cash at you) ?

Well, if you stick around and keep reading these emails.

You’ll be creating your own propaganda in no time and people will line up to throw their coins at you.

Stephen Walker.

P.S. Check out Writing Dynamite Story Hooks by Jackson Dean Chase if you want to indoctrinate a few new tricks up your sleeve in the mean time.

I had a call with a couple of my silly goose members and they keep brining up A.I. in the creative sense of the world.

Now I’ve always said that there’s a place for A.I. when it comes to do the boring shit. If you don’t like data and numbers, the robot overlords can do that. Hell, I welcome it.

(Unless you as a person love that then ugh, okay?)

When it comes to creative work. Art, writing and music… Well that’s a whole different thing in itself.

Firstly. The fact that all of these companies, start ups and “biz bros” who jumped on the bandwagon went out of their way to steal work from living artists, to train their models on.

I would’ve been totally cool if they were using work that has already been put into the public domain or even work that isn’t being used by family estates that may still be living.

Yet they didn’t.

Now when they have billions of dollars to throw at companies in silicon valley it’s the whole:

Grace Hopper’s famous axiom, “It is better to ask forgiveness than permission,”

Which is bullshit, cause instead of going out and getting a commission from your favourite painter or artist. Some shit weasel who is using A.I. can create a poor mans copy of your favourite living artists work by typing a few sentences (Or prompts as the A.I. nerds) like to call it.

So as much as I’m one for working smarter and not harder. When it comes to creativity. Well I’d rather spend my time crafting the best work I can with the brain-meat that sits behind my ears, than rely heavily on A.I. apps/software and the people who use it to exploit living creatives.

I’m actually just annoyed while writing this so it’s coming off more of a rant.

A.I. is just theft in its current state. They don’t care about the creatives they steal from, they also don’t even have heart to approach their artists they stole from and compensate them for blatantly ripping off their intellectual property.

And as much as I’d embrace my own manifest of being a silly goose (Coming soon)

I will go out of my way to boycott these start-ups, apps and advocates of A.I. cause they don’t seem to care about the humanity wrapped around it.

Stephen Walker.

The ol’ proverb: “empty vessels make the most noise” has always stuck with me over the years.

You also don’t want to be labelled as one because you’re going to remove any authority you may have over your audience etc.

When you’re shouting from the roof tops and echoing what has said without any conviction you are committing the sin of being an empty vessel.

With the way social media has infected our brains, we’re often pushing for changes or ideas without really standing behind what we mean.

Without getting too political, you see it with the current day social justice warriors. They just hop onto anything that’s popular to get a little bit of internet currency.

Creatives like us get stuck into it as well. We often start to water down our ideas, our stories and the things we create.

If you have a certain set of beliefs and you stand by them (Even when challenged) you are far from being an empty vessel.

I’m wrong more often than I’m right and I course correct my beliefs as I learn and grow.

That’s the way the world should be. That’s the way we need to stay true to ourselves.

Don’t be like one of the many internet weirdos who hop on band wagon after band wagon just to be part of the “In” crowd. It’s a form of misery that loves company.

Don’t be an empty vessel, cause they’re just loud and obnoxious.

Stephen Walker

Till this day. I live by that saying:

“If you don’t stand for anything, you’ll fall for everything.”

In the digital age we’re bombarded with everything. The good, bad and ugly.

Lies and truths that make up our world view. Social media platforms have got us thinking every single way. Up down left right and it’s tough.

So buckling down and having a world view that evolves as you learn and grow is a must.

Like having a moral compass on whether you’re gonna do this or that. If it’s write or wrong etc.

As a kid you were born and raised a certain way with a certain set of beliefs (whether they are right or wrong) well that’s just down to a lived experience.

However you need to adopt something that you can stand behind and believe in and if you are wrong (which will happen) you can course correct, learn and grow yet again.

I’m creating a little Silly Goose Manifesto which is essentially the way I see the world and the way/reasoning behind why I approach things the way I do. From my writing, to the way I carry myself in the real world and online. It’s by no means perfect but it’s a solid base which helps me just be me.

I’ll be sending it out when it’s done. Take a look. See if it makes sense and hey, if you’d like to adopt the Silly Goose Philosophy, well then that manifesto is all you’ll need.

Stephen Walker.

Alright, gather ’round, you merry band of weirdos and word-wranglers, because we’re diving deep into the mind’s muck and mire.

Picture this: your brain is a sprawling, chaotic map of the universe. A madcap collage of memories, beliefs, and wild-ass guesses, all stitched together into a shoddy patchwork quilt of reality.

This, dear silly goose cultists, is your mental model—a cracked, creaky simulation of the world you stumble through.

Now, we ride this rickety rollercoaster of a model to navigate life. We make plans. We strategise.

We predict. All in the hopes of wrangling our way to those glittering goals we set for ourselves.

But here’s the kicker: if your mental map is a half-baked, janky mess, you’re gonna make choices that are just as busted. You might think you’re on the golden path, but really, you’re about to cannonball into a pit of despair.

Why? Because the map is not the territory, folks. So, what’s our role in this carnival of chaos?

When we set out to sway someone, to nudge them into action, we’re playing the role of the map-maker. Depending on the gig, we might be tweaking their existing map, nudging it to fit our ends.

Other times, we’re handing them a fresh map, a guide to uncharted lands they’ve never ventured into.

Here’s the juicy part: you can spin this metaphor into gold.

Craft informational products that folks will scramble to buy. These maps—your maps—can guide people from their current mess to a sunlit meadow of desirability. Strip down the complex territory to the bare bones, the key landmarks and choices that lead to the promised land.

But wait, there’s more…

Craft a map to your map. Your sales pitch? It’s a map that paves the way from problem to solution, from agony to ecstasy, from empty hands to the Holy Grail. What are the waypoints on this journey? How do you lead someone from clueless to clued-in, from indifferent to raving fan?

And then, because we’re never just satisfied with one layer of madness, create a map to the map that leads to your map. Build content that drags people from the quagmire of their dull, settled lives to a state of restless agitation.

Light a fire under their complacent asses. Propel them from the land of “meh” to the land of “must-have.

Between where your mark is now and where you want them to be, there’s a wild, untamed wilderness. So, sharpen your pencils, ink your quills, and get to work on your cartography.

Metaphorically speaking, of course.

Stephen Walker

Every now and then a massive tweet thread goes down on Twitter where fellow word nerds debate Quality over Quantity.

It’s like trying to prove what came first? The chicken or the egg?

Now I’d like to think that I do alright with writing and words and whatever, yet that was never the case. I was a reader as a kid. I read a lot more and never thought of myself to be a writer.

I did great in English classes. Essays were always 100% but that’s probably cause the teacher loved that I debated with them because of everything that I read.

Getting back to Twitter. Well, it’s a weird place for authors. Unless you’ve got a massive audience nobody really cares about what you write and the quality of writing you put out.

I know I put out a lot of garbage and have done so for years. Luckily as time went on. It got a lot less garbage-y.

The thing is. You need to write a lot. Write about anyone and everything. Create characters, kill them off. Write silly stories and deep poetry. Write terrible jokes and make people cringe.

The more you do it. The more you imbibe your own “style” or voice (Voice is another different topic when it comes to writing)

You need to be writing daily and you need to be doing it a lot. Not once or twice a week or month cause you’re waiting for the muse.

Anything worth doing and getting good at needs to be done a lot. You need to get through some serious quantity before you start creating quality. This applies to pretty much everything in life too.

(Keep ya mind out of the gutter…)

…but seriously.

The handful of creative friends I’ve got who get stuck just ask me the same thing over and over.

“How do I get good?”

Simple answer.

Do the work and do a lot of it. Then when you’re done. Do some more and more and more until you can’t. Then rest and then do some more.

This is a craft. Everything creative is a craft.

So get to doing the quantity so you can get to doing the quality.

Stephen Walker.

You ever come across something written and it’s all just fact after fact after fact?

*SNORE*

That’s the way college and university professors teach us how to share information.

“Just hit ’em with the facts”

Wrong.

You need to paint a picture. A grand vision.

Here’s an example of the ol’ college and university style approach:

The Benefits of Fat Loss

Embarking on a journey to lose fat can lead to significant improvements in your overall health and well-being.

Here are some pure facts highlighting the benefits:

Reduced Risk of Chronic Diseases: Losing excess fat can lower your risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers.

Improved Metabolic Health: Fat loss helps regulate blood sugar levels and improves insulin sensitivity.

Enhanced Physical Functionality: Shedding extra pounds can decrease joint pain, improve mobility, and increase energy levels.

Better Mental Health: Fat loss can lead to improved mood, reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression, and higher self-esteem.

Longevity: Maintaining a healthy weight is associated with a longer life expectancy.

Now don’t get me wrong. People need facts even if they’re boring but they honestly don’t move you to do anything about wanting to lose fat and get in shape, even if they know it’s gonna stop them from dying before they hit 40.

The vision version:

Picture this: You roll out of bed, and BAM!

You’re ready to conquer the day like a caffeinated squirrel on a mission. Imagine moving through life with the grace of a ninja, unburdened by the heavy anchor of extra weight. Visualize joining your crew for a hike without turning into a wheezing, sweaty mess.

See yourself playing tag with your kids and actually catching them, or finally rocking that outfit that’s been taunting you from the back of your closet.

Think about the surge of confidence as your body transforms, the ego-boosting compliments raining down from friends and strangers alike. Envision strolling into your doctor’s office, your health stats shining like a beacon of awesome news.

Picture your future self, living a life that’s longer, healthier, and packed with kickass experiences instead of medical bills and regret…

Obviously it’s a little basic but it was just written to illustrate a point.

If you want to indoctrinate people into your world and share your ideas and win them to your way of thinking. You need to paint a vision of what life can be like etc.

You can apply this to your characters in your stories or even a story you want to tell your loved ones, friends etc to help win them to your way of thinking. Paint a picture, give them the grand vision and if they question. Then hit them with the facts.

You need to finesse people’s brains a little. The news is doing it. So you might as well get in on the action too.

Stephen Walker

Saul Goodman, the charismatic and morally flexible lawyer from the popular TV show “Better Call Saul,” offers a number of lessons on charisma and persuasive communication.

Since persuasive communication is my jam and I get asked occasionally how I can be so charismatic.

Which is weird cause I don’t class my self as that. I’m just a regular silly goose who just doesn’t seem to care all too much about what people think of me.

So maybe that’s part of it?

Well, when it comes to creating characters or at least even telling a story here are some of the cool things I’ve picked up from watching Saul in the show…

Confidence: Saul exudes confidence, even when his back is against the wall. This self-assurance often convinces others to trust in his abilities and follow his lead, a key trait of charismatic individuals.

Communication Skills: Saul is a master of verbal communication. He knows how to tailor his language, tone, and pitch to suit his audience, making him highly effective at persuasion. His ability to spin any situation to his advantage is a hallmark of his character.

Humour: Saul often uses humour to disarm those around him and to diffuse tense situations. His quick wit and ability to make people laugh endear him to clients and viewers alike.

Adaptability: Saul is highly adaptable, able to shift his strategies and tactics depending on the situation. This flexibility not only helps him navigate complex legal and ethical challenges but also enhances his appeal to a broad audience.

Empathy: Although often used for manipulative purposes, Saul’s ability to understand and play into the emotions of others is a critical component of his charisma. He often portrays himself as the underdog or aligns himself with the struggles of his clients, making them feel understood and supported.

Boldness: Saul is unafraid to take risks, whether in his choice of flamboyant marketing strategies or in the courtroom. This boldness is attractive and commands attention, contributing to his charismatic image.

Resourcefulness: Saul’s ability to think on his feet and come up with creative solutions to problems is another key aspect of his charisma. He often turns seemingly hopeless situations around through sheer ingenuity.

Presentation: Saul knows the power of a strong visual presentation. His flashy suits and office decor are meticulously chosen to craft an image that is both memorable and authoritative.

Now I’d say be more Saul but you’ll need to watch out.

His methods and ethics are frequently questionable, his charismatic traits are undeniable and play a crucial role in his ability to influence and persuade others. It’s important to note that while these traits contribute to his success, they also underscore the potential dangers of charisma when detached from a strong ethical foundation.

This is why politicians, presidents and just bad people overall can end up rising to the top very quickly.

So yeah, Be more Saul but without all the bad juju.

Stephen Walker.

P.S. Picked up this poster cause it was bloody epic: Better Call Saul

Gary Provost is one of my favourite writers. He added so much to the craft.

He also pissed a lot of “Scholars” of writing off too.

He also annoyed a lot of the ad men from the Mad Men era of marketing. Purely because of the way he approached writing, especially sentences.

Here’s one of my favourite quotes/reminders and if you master this. You’ll magnetise your readers to your work. No matter what it is that you choose to share with the written word…

“This sentence has five words. Here are five more words. Five-word sentences are fine. But several together become monotonous. Listen to what is happening. The writing is getting boring. The sound of it drones. It’s like a stuck record. The ear demands some variety.

Now listen. I vary the sentence length, and I create music. Music. The writing sings. It has a pleasant rhythm, a lilt, a harmony. I use short sentences. And I use sentences of medium length. And sometimes, when I am certain the reader is rested, I will engage him with a sentence of considerable length, a sentence that burns with energy and builds with all the impetus of a crescendo, the roll of the drums, the crash of the cymbals–sounds that say listen to this, it is important.”

Your English teachers and people who read a lot will always say that run on sentences are bad, but you can make ’em work if you write them like a piece of music.

Food for thought eh?

Stephen Walker

P.S. 100 Ways to Improve Your Writing by Gary Provost is an amazing little read. There’s a few things in there that I don’t agree with but that’s just me. 

There’s just something about the old spaghetti westerns that get my thinking.

Yes they’re not always the most flash, especially cause they were shot well before CGI.

I mean they were shot well before I and may others were even born.

They are cinema marvels though.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is my all time favourite and it’s one that I watch at least twice a year.

There’s minimal dialogue but it’s impactful, the story is simple and the tension between scenes is always exciting no matter how many times you’ve watched it.

If you’d like to spice up your writing and the way you tell stories. I’d highly recommend watching it over and over.

In fact. That’s what I’m going to do right now.

Stephen Walker

When I’m not writing horror, filth or advertising copy.

I’m always dabbling with my own philosophy on how I see the world, how I do my work and how I want to help people think differently.

It’s a tough gig cause there’s way too much information out there and there are also way too many people telling you that your way is wrong.

This is where when you take a craft like writing and force yourself to do it every single day, without fail, even when you don’t want to and churn out something. Your brain magically starts to compartmentalize ideas. It’s what I call content assimilation.

I wouldn’t say it’s new. It’s just something a lot of people don’t talk about purely because they’re trying to sell you something that won’t work.
(I’ll talk more about content assimilation in another email cause it’ll deserve it’s own bit of spotlight)

I was just reminded by boy Ben Settle that sticking to your philosophy and constantly tweaking and growing as you go is what you need to do.

Especially in a world where creatives try and pound their chests on social media.

Announcing how great they are…

(You’re not great if you have to keep telling the world how great you are)

Greatness is acknowledged when you put in the time. You make the sacrifice and put out the words, content and ideas that you readers/fans will inevitably read.

The only thing you have control of is putting yourself out there, followed by moulding your philosophy surrounding what it is you do.

It’s why I write. I write for self-discovery and it helps me shape the way I see the world and people.

It’s about progress and not perfection. It’s about vulnerability instead of fake confidence.

Funnily, the more vulnerable you are the more confident you come across.

So whether I share my books or talk about advertising and psychology there’s always going to be an underlying philosophy around why I do the things I do.

It’s why you’ve probably followed me on places like Twitter or LinkedIn it’s also probably why you’ve joined my little cult inside of The Silly Goose Society.

I like to test the limits of what people look for on social media. I post what I post deliberately to filter out people who won’t get my humour and ideas. I don’t take myself too seriously but I do love to have conversations about a lot of wild topics which will then lead me to be able to write about it too.

That’s a win win strategy in my books. So having a reason behind what you do. A philosophy.

That is what will set you apart from the others competing for attention in a world where connection is overlooked.
This also applies to how interact with people at work, or how you treat your loved ones.

There’s always a philosophy around how you act and it’s what will draw and repel people from you.

If you ever want to talk about this. I’m all ears. Hit reply and let’s go.

Stephen Walker

You wake up one day and decide you want to become an expert in whatever it is you’re working in.

Even if it’s just a hobby.

Everyone believes you need to have degrees and hundreds of years worth of experience to even be considered an “expert”

So let me give you the permission to call yourself an expert. If you’re willing to put in the work and hone your craft day in and day out. You can call yourself an expert.

The thing is. You only need to know a little more than the person needing your services/product/thing to stand out.

Obviously it’s a specialist thing like heart surgery, then duh. You better go to medical school, get your degree and get your proper working qualifications.

But we’re talking about the day to day things that people do on auto-pilot, who even think that it’s not of any value at all to anyone else but themselves. (Which is untrue)

I was helping a friend whose been in the dog walking business for a few years, which is also a pain in the ass to get into here in England. So much red tape and public liability insurance loop holes to dance around… blah blah blah.

Long story short. She kept getting asked by friends and family on how they could get involved or at least get started with their own little dog walking side hustle.

So basically the only thing I did was advised her to document her process. How she got started. From building a basic website. Getting all the legal bits sorted and also how to go about getting her first few clients.

She typed it up and made it all pretty and sold it to them for $27. A little PDF guide on how to get started as a dog walker.

There’s a lot of free information out there but being able to put it together in an actionable way is what sets everything else apart. It’s also what considers you to be an expert if you are able to make it make sense.

So if you look at this from a birds eye view. ANYTHING you are good at that people may have an interest in. Can be packaged up simply and position you as the expert.

As long as you’re genuine with your intentions, giving them actionable advice and support. You be the expert.

You can expertly tease them with the ideas through the conversations you have and then just present them with the offer.

So whether you’re a dog walker, pole dancer, landscaper, writer, musician etc etc.

This all applies.

You never know. These are the types of things you can turn into a full time income and break away from the wild 9-5 grind that everyone despises.

You have expertise inside of you. Now you just need to figure out how to best package it for the world to see.

Stephen Walker
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So you wanna brew a villain so nasty you’re itching for their downfall?

Well, there’s no secret that I spend more time creating villains. They’re fun and honestly it’s the main reason we watch a lot of these crazy films. Yes the hero will win, but heroes are boring.

So now I’m gonna let you in on how to cook up a villain so dastardly, so unapologetically vile, that your readers are clawing at the pages (or swiping madly on their e-readers) just to see your hero plant a metaphorical (or literal) boot in their ass?

Well, buckle up, grab a coffee, because I’m about to guide you through the villainous labyrinth of crafting a Big Bad that’s more hated than a cell phone that goes off in a quiet movie theatre.

First off, Make It Personal.

A great villain isn’t just a faceless entity or a nebulous force of evil. No, no, no. Your villain needs to be a thorn in the side, a pebble in the shoe of your hero’s life. Maybe they burned down the hero’s village, swiped their significant other, or – for added spice – they’re the hero’s own flesh and blood.

The more personal you make it, the more readers will salivate for some grade-A comeuppance.

Secondly, you gotta Give ‘Em A Plan. Not just any plan, though. I’m talking about a scheme that’s as complex and intricate as a Rube Goldberg machine, but with the stakes cranked to eleven.

This plan should make the reader’s stomach knot up with tension. It should be something grandiose, with layers that peel back like some kind of sinister onion, each layer revealing a new level of “Oh crap, they did WHAT?”

Now, let’s talk Charisma. Yes, charisma. Your villain should drip it like a leaky faucet.

They might be as wicked as a sack full of scorpions, but oooh, make them charming. Whether it’s a silver tongue, a magnetic personality, or a devilish wit – if your readers love to hate them, then baby, you’re golden.

Think of the smooth-talking charmers who could sell a ketchup popsicle to a woman in white gloves. That’s your villain.

Moving on, Flaw Them Deeply. A perfect villain is a boring villain. Give them weaknesses that your hero can exploit. Maybe they’re hubristic, prone to underestimating others, or maybe they have a soft spot for an old flame or a pet armadillo.

These flaws make your villain relatable and beatable, which is crucial unless you want to write a story of unending despair (you monster.)

Finally, let’s get to The Clash. The hero versus villain showdown should be like the climax of a great symphony – all instruments blaring, timpani banging, and the audience on the edge of their seats. This battle, whether of wits, words, or weapons, should feel inevitable and satisfying.

Build it up throughout your narrative, sprinkle hints of what’s to come, then deliver a finale that’s as cathartic as popping a zit.

The clash is one of the most important parts so as a little bonus. This is how you can spice it up even more.

1. Raise the Stakes

First up, you need stakes that are higher than a kite on a windy day. We’re not just talking about personal stakes (though those are juicy and essential), but something bigger, broader—a threat that looms over more than just your hero’s head. Maybe the villain’s plan will reshape the world as we know it, or maybe their win means a significant ideological shift in the universe. Whatever it is, make it gargantuan.

2. Location, Location, Location

The setting of your final showdown affects everything: the mood, the tactics available to both sides, the scope and scale of the battle. Choose a location that amplifies the tension. Volcano lair?

Classic.

A crumbling suspension bridge? Heart-pounding.

A space station with a malfunctioning gravity core? Sci-fi gold.

Match the location with the theme of your story for maximum impact.

3. Personal Dynamics

This battle should be more than just a clash of fists or wits; it should be a clash of ideals and emotions. Weave in personal history and pain points. Maybe the villain is the hero’s former mentor or their sibling.

Each blow can be a line of dialogue that cuts to the bone, making the fight as emotionally charged as it is physically brutal.

4. Unexpected Twists

Throw in a couple of curveballs. Just when the audience thinks they know how this is going to go down, flip the script. Maybe the villain gains an unexpected upper hand, or an ally of the hero betrays them at the worst possible moment. Keep your readers on their toes.

5. Hero’s Growth Reflection

The hero should use everything they’ve learned throughout the story during this final battle. This is their moment to shine, to show how much they’ve changed and grown. Have them use a new skill, a piece of knowledge, or an emotional truth they’ve come to embrace to turn the tide.

6. Satisfying Conclusion

The resolution of the clash should feel earned. Avoid deus ex machina solutions that can deflate the tension. The hero should win through their own efforts, cleverness, and sacrifices. This victory should wrap up not just the fight but also their character arc, providing a satisfying closure to their journey.

7. Epic Description

Don’t just tell us the hero swung and hit the villain. Show us the swing, make us feel the impact, describe the consequences of that hit in vivid detail.

Use dynamic, sensory language to paint the battle in the minds of your readers. Let them hear the clash, smell the sweat and blood, and feel the raw emotion and adrenaline.

So no matter what you do. Your villain will be the most hated and loved character and when the clash is over. Your readers will fall in love with the hero. That’s how you tug on your readers heart-strings.

Stephen Walker.

P.S. Check out Writing Dynamite Story Hooks by Jackson Dean Chase it’ll help you write in a way that drags the readers by their eyeballs and gets you cranking out hooks left and right.

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Here’s my story from the IT sector.

I graduated from NTU in 2011 and joined a foreign company.

Out of 10 of my Singaporean classmates, 9 of them joined the public service because of higher starting pay.

6 years down the road, they are still with the first place they joined. I’ve been to 3 different foreign companies.

It was only recently I have had what the locals call an “itchy backside” that I decided to join the government and give a try to be a good public servant.

I thought that if all my friends could make it, it won’t be too hard for me, right?

Long story short – I went in, got a culture shock like most people before me, and decide to resign after a short 3 months.

On the day of my resignation, a few of my colleagues came to me and ask me where I was going. I said some small tech product company, nothing fancy.

The context here for you to understand is that I went from a foreign tech consulting firm in the banking sector which has foreign bosses, to a statutory board environment where everyone is a born and bred Singaporean.

When I left the foreign firm and I told my ex-colleagues (who are mostly foreigners) that I’m working for the government, it made sense to them as they’ve heard of how it is like working for the government – the pay package, benefits, which is horrible by the way. The only good thing is to expect a 3.5 month bonus if you and the Singapore economy don’t screw up too badly.

When I quit my government job and told my colleague where I was going, most of them didn’t quite grasp what I would be doing or heard of the company I’m going to. It seemed so foreign to them where I come from and going to that I have to use a very degrading industry term that they always used – “vendor”.

In other words, they’ve lived in that ecosystem for so long they don’t know what’s available out in the market.

They don’t know the difference between a product company and an implementation partner. To them, every external service provider is a “vendor”.

They’ve been a “customer” for so long that they don’t know how the IT industry works.

And I’m not just talking about the old guards – even those with the same amount of experience as me as well. They simple have no clue what goes on outside of the government sector.

So this brings me back to my personal anecdote.

You wanna know where are all the Singaporean IT graduates?

Probably 7 out of 10 are working in the government service, sitting in their nice little desk sourcing for childcare for their next child, and planning their next trip to Greece.

Sure, they’re smart, they’re educated, they’re well-traveled and well-spoken, but they lack the exposure to the industry.

Being educated and smart doesn’t mean shit in the industry. There is no course in school that tells you what kind of technology stack a company is using. You have to get in to know that.

So if you are an MNC trying to set up shop in Singapore, what kind of person would you hire? You would hire someone from the industry, which in many cases, unfortunately, are foreigners.

This guy also hit a nail in the head among all the answers here: Mike Al-Sidawi’s answer to Why does Singapore require so much “foreign talent” when Singaporeans are so educated and smart? Why does Singapore keep “importing” foreigners to do their work when they can get locals to do it?

The question assumes that Singapore is filled with local enterprises who hire foreigners over locals.

In reality, Singapore is filled with MNCs who have to send their own people here to set up shop, and then try to hire locally. But by the time they get there, they couldn’t find a suitable Singaporean candidate at the managerial level because all of us are happily planning our next holiday to the Scandinavia in our nice little public service bubble.

I cannot count the number of times I encourage someone to step out to join an MNC over a local firm or government service. At every opportunity I get, without a moment of hesitation, I would tell you to just get into any company not run by Singaporeans.

Guess how many times my advice is taken?

I guess people in our local enterprise heed the same advice as well. If you want to build a truly competitive global business, try to get someone with an exposure to the global market. If they thought along that line, I’m sure they would have considered certain Singaporeans but decided that none fits the profile.

Btw, it doesn’t matter who the CEO is, it only matters who the directors are. You can sack the CEO anytime but you need the directors to control the direction of the company. As long as the board is made up of Singaporeans, and it is, nobody gives a shit.

If you are still asking a question like that and still holding that world view, I suggest you get off Quora now and start working on your resume. Don’t ask why they always hire foreigners. Ask how you can get in.

https://yrsadaleyward.substack.com/p/the-middle-finger-poem-3e3

You say that I don’t seem myself.

These days are long and revealing,

so every time I see one through, I grin.

Every time I make it home, I dance.

Every time I’m up again after being down, down, down;

I’m beating the odds.

Every time I don’t give up,

it’s worthy of celebration. Every time I write a poem,

it’s a bloody miracle. Of course, the me you knew before

is less available. She is keeping herself alive

and awake.

She is salt bathing and

forest walking and turning off her phone.

She is learning herself

and teaching herself piano. See the headlines.

See the persistent, awful news,

see the updates no one wants to hear or know about.

See the numbers – have you seen the numbers?

See the terrorists they will never call terrorists.

See the telling dark of the system.

See my beautiful body; offensive. My gleaming skin;

a problem. Who can still be themselves these days?

Isn’t the self a fine art composite,

an odd mosaic

a strange and growing story?

I no longer have time to lie to you.

*To be used when people expect you to still be the same and to still be doing all the taxing, unnecessary things that you were doing before, but you’re a shifting work in progress, and you wake up and know something is different and you know that thing is you. Sometimes, the right things shift in the night. You have emerged altered and surer with new intentions. Today is a New Day. You are beginning to see things for what they are and what they are becoming, and now you think twice about who has access to you and who you will allow to question you because, honestly, you have always deserved more.

https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/books/a60387960/carrie-anniversary-stephen-king/?taid=661003fb96e393000162bdcf

Stephen King’s first novel changed the trajectory of horror fiction forever. Fifty years later, authors say it’s still challenging and guiding the genre.

There are two great origin stories in the history of horror fiction. The first took place in Switzerland in 1816, but it began with a volcanic eruption on the other side of the world. Ash from Mount Tambora wrapped the planet in shade, leading to “the year without a summer” and forcing a rabble of Romantic poets inside their vacation home on the banks of Lake Geneva. Bored, they took to writing scary stories, and a nineteen-year-old woman wrote down a “tale that haunted [her] midnight pillow.” It became Frankenstein, which revolutionized horror, birthed science fiction, and ensured that Mary Shelley would forever reign as the queen of Gothic fiction.

(more…)

https://www.sentinelone.com/blog/detecting-a-rogue-domain-controller-dcshadow-attack