Blog

We need to talk.

(ooof I know hearing that sucks if you’re in a relationship)

You know that feeling when you open your phone and suddenly three hours have evaporated like spilled vodka on hot concrete?

Yeah. That one.

The one where you started checking “just one thing” and ended up doom scrolling through seventeen different flavours of god knows what.

And as one of my close friends have often said to me: “The internet’s on fire, mate. Properly ablaze.”

Social media platforms have mutated into these grotesque breeding grounds for toxicity.

Like petri dishes left under a heat lamp by some sadistic lab tech who really, really hates humanity.

News outlets are cranking the doom and gloom dial to what I’d call “level 32 on the gloom-O-scale”

(and honestly, that scale only goes to 10, so we’re in uncharted territory)

Everyone’s either looking to fight each other or one up each other.

So we need to tackle Intent

Deep breath. This is the important bit and stay with me…

I can confidently say that 95% of people jump on the internet or social media platforms as a form of distraction from the dumpster fire of their own lives. I get it. It’s not like the world’s gotten measurably better since 2020.

We’ve been collectively marinating in uncertainty like some kind of anxiety flavoured I don’t even know.

Misery loves company, right? And don’t get me wrong…

We’re allowed to have a little moan once in a while. We need to acknowledge the suck fest that is modern existence. But there must come a time when we stop.

When we decide, with actual, deliberate intent, that we’re gonna make some changes to our lives.

THAT is the part that’s not easy. Before you know it, you’re binging Netflix for the next 72 hours like some kind of entertainment addicted zombie, shuffling from one auto playing episode to the next.

(I’ve been guilty of this. We all have. Don’t pretend you haven’t)

But what if…

What if instead of using the internet as comfort food (empty calories for your brain), you used it with intent?

What if every time you opened that glowing sadness rectangle of infinite distraction, you asked yourself:

“How is this going to make my day better? My ideas sharper? My business stronger?”

Take my approach as an example. I’ve built a wild audience by being intentionally opinionated, deliberately thoughtful, and strategically entertaining. (some people dislike me, especially in the marketing space but they still read all of my stuff to this day)

I craft silly emails that people like to read because it keeps their brain meats working…

I don’t have some wild content plan. I just write about what I enjoy and the way I see the world and people like. Which to this day is still wild.

That’s intent in action.

With that all being said. Do these things:

Every time you reach for your phone, pause.

Ask yourself: “Am I about to feed the fire, or am I about to build something?”

If you’re scrolling for business intel. Great. If you’re looking for inspiration. Brilliant. If you’re connecting with actual humans who add value to your existence, carry on…

But if you’re about to dive headfirst into another argument about pineapple on pizza (for the 9462th time this year), or get sucked into whatever fresh drama is trending. Just… stop.

Use the internet like a research library, not a entertainment center. Follow creators who challenge your thinking.

I like to read widely, thinks deeply, and share about as authentically as I know.

Which is super not so sexy. It’s just me in these emails and the back and forth I have with you.

I’d say find your version of that. Whether it’s following weirdos who you dig, joining a cul-community, or just looking at what others are doing that you want to do.

If you read something. Make sure it teaches you something fresh, maybe even inspire you a little or even point you to someone who might be able to help you get your thing out into the world.

Use the internet to understand your people, not to escape from them. Engage in conversations that matter. Share insights that help. Build relationships that last longer than an Instagram story.

The internet doesn’t have to be this soul sucking, attention harvesting machine.

But remember it all requires intent.

Curating what you feed your brain takes intent. It’s not easy but it makes a difference if you do it little by little.

The internet’s on fire, sure.

You can choose to be the person who builds something better.

The internet is what you make it and even if that means animal videos and memes, well then that’s cool too.

Make it better.

(Now stop reading and go do something intentional with your day)

Stephen Walker

P.S. No links. Just words. I love you. Go be awesome.

If you’re not diggin’ these tasty little emails anymore you can hit the unsubscribe button right here >>> unsubscribe

Stephen Walker
Unit 146317
PO Box 7169
Poole
BH15 9EL
United Kingdom

Now I’ve had a lot of micro conversations about A.I.

Some of them good and some of them bad.

Like I’ve said in the past. I’m not strictly against it. There’s a use case for it and it’s good for crunching data, especially if the people using it have a specialist knowledge in the topic.

Then GenAI side though. The bit where people pretend to do the creative work like writing, making music or art…

That’s the side I have mega issues with. It stems mainly from theft and the fact that these tech billionaires think it’s okay for them to pirate peoples content, their intellectual property and their hard worn, suffered and over time…

Identity because “hey capitalism is fine for the greater good of the economy” or whatever other delusion these clowns are floating on a day to day basis.

But hey. If you’re a regular person who wants to find that niche horror movie that you can’t stream or buy, but it’s hosted on some dodgy website built in 1996…

Well listen here buddy. We know you would’ve bought it but because you’ve pirated it for your own sadistic niche purposes. We’re gonna fine you and potentially put you in prison for 3 years.

Ahhh capitalism…

But see this is only the width of the issue.

But what about the depth and also what do you mean by depth Stephen, I’m confused!

Glad you asked.

Depth is the long term effects (globally) it has on the planet and also the long term affects (human cognition / physiology etc) it has on us meat puppets.

We all know that the growth of the A.I. tech is completely screwing with power grids in some countries. It’s ruining water supplies and even forests are starting to get the brunt of it too. While all of this is turning us into a cooked planet a lot quicker than our other capitalistic adventures.

It’s the mental/spiritual/physical side in humans that is taking the knock.

We all know that we can be lazy as shit. We’d rather do the things that make our lives easier and in this case. Tools like ChatGPT are making it easier by doing the thinking for us. That thinking is not accurate at all, unless you’re able to source the research and cite those ideas to make sure they’re cool.

And so now we’re witnessing in real time. People becoming dumber. People almost losing cognitive control over the decisions in their lives. Hell they’re happily using A.I. to tell them how to respond to their boyfriends, girlfriends, wives and husbands etc.

In the next year or two. If you happen to remove the brain from a human it’ll probably be as smooth as a bowling ball because they’re not thinking at all, on top of that there are even studies that suggest that the brain has the ability to atrophy over time when difficult things are not embraced.

That’s the type of depth I’m worried about.

The depth of what makes us human is slowly getting eroded by all of these tech overlords.

And while I can always argue a good use case for it. That creative side is what keeps you going. Keeps you, well being you…

This also popped up on my feed today and it was an interesting watch, purely because someone took the effort to compile a lot of the crap into a well thought out thinkpiece styled documentary…

Watch it and just head the warning.

Cause trust me when I say this. Once this “tool” takes over every aspect of our lives. The ones who can think and write and discern all the bullshit…

We’ll be the ones ahead of the curb.

Stephen Walker

If you’re not diggin’ these tasty little emails anymore you can hit the unsubscribe button right here >>> unsubscribe

Stephen Walker
Unit 146317
PO Box 7169
Poole
BH15 9EL
United Kingdom

I had a few replies over the last few emails, especially the last one with the audio and where I just asked how everyone is.

Like some internet vibe check or whatever you want to call it.

Surprisingly. Everyone’s a little tired.

Tired of the uncertainty with all of these grifters peddling A.I.

Tired with all of the divides with politics and wars.

I mean we all know the world is absolutely upside down right now and it almost looks like nothing is going to go back to “normal”

1 humble disciple of yours truly asked me about what I do when it comes to turning off the noise and all that jazz.

And honestly. I really don’t do anything special. I don’t meditate. I don’t do any of these introversion type of spirit animal focus.

All I do. Which is very boring on the front is write.

I sit down and put words on paper. It’s one way I find to just get out all of the crap. The stresses and potential ideas.

Funny thing is though because we’re in an always on society. We’re looking for things online to better our lives. To take us to a place or nirvana where we can be free and all of that.

And when we are looking online on social media and all other platforms, we get lied to.

We compare our chapter one to the others and their chapter 72.

So we spiral and feel deflated on all fronts.

But when you sit alone with no distractions and write. Whether it’s pen on paper (Preferable) or you’ve got a word doc with all your notifications/phone turned off. That’s where you can do some serious soul searching for lack of a better phrase.

And as cliche as I know that answer is. It works like magic. I’ve even said in past emails that writing is the closet thing we have when it comes to magic and manifestation.

The downside is. It takes a fudge load of work. Like having those hard conversations with the gf/bf or husband/wife etc.

It also doesn’t happen over night. It takes weeks/months/years to slowly find out who you are. It’s no TikTok over night fucker-y.

And so it is in the mind of how I figure these things out. One sentence at a time.

Whether I’m selling something with words, or entertaining my fellow nerds. It starts with a page and some thinking.

Appreciate everyone who listened/replied to the last voice tape email. I guess I’m not too bad eh?

Stephen Walker

http://facebook.com/stphnwlkr

If you’re not diggin’ these tasty little emails anymore you can hit the unsubscribe button right here >>> unsubscribe

Stephen Walker
Unit 146317
PO Box 7169
Poole
BH15 9EL
United Kingdom

I just read this article and my brain is currently doing that thing where it tries to crawl out through my nose.

I posted about it on FB but I thought eh, you love a bit of my rant-y type posts, but let me re-write it cause why not?

“Nick Clegg: Artists’ demands over copyright are unworkable”

“The former Meta executive claims that a law requiring tech companies to ask for permission to train AI on copyrighted work would ‘kill’ the industry.”

Do I have this right? (With all sarcasm intended)

Some college kid torrents The Mandalorian? PRISON!!!11!

Tech billionaire builds entire empire on wholesale intellectual property theft? “Too complicated to prosecute, uwu”

That’s the take?

Now usually I’d love to speak to someone who makes some stupid statement like that.

Like “I’m gonna need you to walk me through this real slow like because right now my neurons are staging a mass die off event” kind of thing.

You’re telling me. You’re actually telling me, that we should crack down on individuals but when Richie Rich McMoneybags does it at scale, suddenly the law becomes “unworkable”?

Like some kind of legal Schrödinger’s Cat where crimes both exist and don’t exist depending on your net worth?

And this “industry” they’re worried about protecting?

Which one?

The one where:

Regular people get cease and desist letters that read like death threats?

While billionaires get think pieces about how prosecuting them might be “too hard”

Where theft is only theft when poor people do it?

Where “innovation” is just rich people speak for “I took your shit and made money”

That industry?

Because from where I’m sitting (currently in a puddle of my own confusion), it sounds like you’re defending the Theft Industry. The Grand Fucking Larceny Industry. The “Rules for Thee But Not for Me” Industry.

Sir Nick Clegg can get fuxed.

But honestly. Someone explain this to me like I’m five. Or drunk. Or a drunk five year old. Because right the logic is making about as much sense as a meat bicycle in a vegan parade.

If you want to read the article. I’ve slapped it into a google doc cause all of these paywalled B.S. peddlers need to get bent.

Stephen Walker

P.S. If Nick’s next thinkpiece contains the phrase “it’s complicated,” I’m gonna need you to know that my laptop might spontaneously combust from the sheer concentrated bullshit radiation.

If you’re not diggin’ these tasty little emails anymore you can hit the unsubscribe button right here >>> unsubscribe

Stephen Walker
Unit 146317
PO Box 7169
Poole
BH15 9EL
United Kingdom

Years ago when I was living in London.

Every Friday we’d have what we like to call a Drink and Draw.

Very long story short. We’d go to the local Wetherspoons (back when it wasn’t completely ass) cause we knew the owner.

When the time came to kick everyone else out. A bunch of us would be invited to stay over for a few more hours, go upstairs and push a couple of tables together.

Then we’d roll out this massive piece of industrial sized roll-y paper across the table. We’d grab our drinks and then for then next few hours we’d chat some shit, draw penises and write poetry on this massive wad of paper and have a good old time.

In between that. I’d be balancing a whiskey sour in my hand, after getting up and huddling over the sticky bar top to grab another round, on top of tapping out hints of an email while balanced precariously on a rickety barstool.

(I could swear it was about to collapse, but hey, that’s was half the fun during that night)

Some of us worked in advertising. Some of us were artists and some of us were students. It was one of the best times we had as we all had this thing we were doing. There was chaos and there was shenanigans…

So one night, after we’d thrown back one too many tequila shots. I mentioned Gary Provost’s quote about creating music with your sentences…

The quote went something like this:

“This sentence has five words. … So write with a combination of short, medium, and long sentences. … Write music.”

And a couple of the younger lads in who were fresh in the advertising game were like:

“Why can’t we just do that modern copywriting thing? One line. Then another. Then another. Forever.” Because it’s easy?

Sure I said but it just sounded robotic and the same and because everyone else was doing it. It all blended in.

I suggested a bit of variety.

Don’t get me wrong. Single sentence paragraphs have their place. But it’s sure as hell not everywhere. Jump from short to long. Slip in a mid length drift. Make your reader’s brain cells stand up and do the cha cha instead of lulling them into a trance.

There needs to be a little bit of rhythm.

Sentences can punch like a boxer or roll like an orchestral swell. You get to decide which vibe each paragraph unleashes. One liners are the perfect jab. But follow with a flourish that draws out the tension, letting your words ring in the reader’s ears, building up to that big, satisfying knockout.

And I’ve always been about music, dammit…

If you stick to one repetitive beat, your “song” (a.k.a. your writing) is just a funeral dirge of blandness. You want a soundtrack with cymbals, strings, maybe a moody synth or two. Think of each sentence as a note and you’re the DJ mixing them into a banger.

Now, look, I’m not saying never use single sentence paragraphs. Hell, they can be as cinematically thrilling as an action movie’s final showdown. But like Gary Provost says, you gotta keep things fresh. Turn those words into music, not white noise.

All I’m saying is give this writing approach a shot. Vary your sentence length.

Embrace the short, the medium, and the extravagant. Make the prose sing, dance, and occasionally cackle with unhinged glee.

We’re not about sounding boring unless that’s the way you want to be…

Now if you excuse me. I have to go grab a pint and watch grown men kick a football around for 90 mins…

Stephen Walker

And if you wanted to see Gary P’s famous little quote. Go here: https://stphnwlkr.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/garyp.jpg

If you’re not diggin’ these tasty little emails anymore you can hit the unsubscribe button right here >>> unsubscribe

Stephen Walker
Unit 146317
PO Box 7169
Poole
BH15 9EL
United Kingdom

I’ve taken a pretty decent break from Twitter.

A lot of my writer-ly friends hang there and hidden in the trenches of #WritingCommunity and various other self pub hashtags and crying about being an indie writer, the common thing that comes up is:

“I haven’t sold any books!” or some variation of writing service they offer alongside selling their own warez.

But what makes me want to punch a wall is the whole “If you don’t ask, you don’t get.” thing.

If people don’t know what’s on the menu. How are they gonna know what’s available to order?

You don’t want to be seen as one of those video game NPC characters that offer nothing but a “hey” when you talk to them…

And with A.I. taking over every platform with people posting the same old generated bullshit in MASSIVE quantities…

1 meek little post won’t cut it if you want to be seen, heard and bought from. Let alone taken seriously.

I honestly don’t care if you’ve been thinking about starting a thing. Whether you sell feet pics to the degens or want to sell your creative musings to the world.

The most important thing you need to do is show up daily and just be you.

Yeah people are going to start giving you shit, but the cool thing is. Those are the types of people who aren’t gonna support you and would probably never buy from you (Unless they have some weird rage-buying fetish…)

And that’s okay. Not everyone’s gonna be a fan.

I can yap on about this all day but it just needs to be raised every now and then.

You’re an amazing creative human and the world deserves to see, appreciate and buy your art.

So maybe this email will find you well and you’ll decided to get that idea that’s been swirling around inside of your brain meats, throw out into the world and finally get the good humans on your side, while filling your pockets with a few coins…

But for now if you need a little kick up the ass. You know what to do.

Hit reply and I’ll give you the medicine.

Stephen Walker

https://www.facebook.com/stphnwlkr

If you’re not diggin’ these tasty little emails anymore you can hit the unsubscribe button right here >>> unsubscribe

Stephen Walker
Unit 146317
PO Box 7169
Poole
BH15 9EL
United Kingdom

I was lucky to sit down have a consultation with the man himself, Ben Settle.

Ben is like marmite as they say here in the UK.

You either love it or your hate it and the same goes for him.

His ways are deliberate and they all make sense.

So there’s no secret that I write short stories in a range of genres, across different pen names and it’s something I don’t usually talk about. Mainly because I was never sure where I wanted to take it.

The call I had with Ben today has straightened out where I need to be. Especially with the way the whole creative / writing industry is heading, especially with our A.I overlords…

And to sum up the call it was really like with a lot that he teaches…

You need to do more to build out your world and get the right people in while keeping the ones you don’t want at bay.

And with all the research I’ve done on my market/genre there’s a lot of lack in that industry for someone to step in and be a “guru” figure head.

So yeah. I’ve got the rest of 2025 mapped out and now I need to get to work.

I’d highly recommend checking out his stuff. Jump on his list and learn from him.

It doesn’t matter what you do. His ways make sense because they are rooted in old school principles.

Stephen Walker.

If you’re not diggin’ these tasty little emails anymore you can hit the unsubscribe button right here >>> unsubscribe

Stephen Walker
Unit 146317
PO Box 7169
Poole
BH15 9EL
United Kingdom