One of the big debates in writing fiction is plotting versus pantsing. Outlining your story ahead of time, or making it up as you go along. Continue reading
Plotting vs. Pantsing
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The Evolutionary Advantage of Shyness and Social Anxiety
I used to think of my shyness and social anxiety as a disorder—something wrong with me. As if I got unlucky and inherited a genetic defect. Then, I heard that social anxiety is not something you’re born with—it’s developed. Which didn’t make sense either because I’ve been shy and socially anxious my entire life. It wasn’t until I learned about evolutionary psychology that everything started to make sense. I was born with the tendency to be shy around strangers and worry about what other people think of me, but that wasn’t a genetic mistake. Shyness and social anxiety were actually an evolutionary advantage. Continue reading
Man in Wild: A Cartoon
It’s comical how overconfident humans have become, walking the streets with our heads down staring at a phone, not even looking where we’re going, assuming we’ll be fine. Thousands of years ago, we had to constantly be on alert while walking out in the wild, searching for tigers and other threats that could kill us. Now, we just stroll past cars, (which are even more dangerous than tigers) with our eyes glued to a screen, and if a car hits us, it’s they’re fault, not ours.
Audiobooks vs. Reading
I love listening to podcasts, but for some reason I never got into audiobooks. I couldn’t quite connect with a novel by listening to it in the same way I did by reading it. Which I found odd. Oral storytelling is evolutionarily ingrained in humans, dating back to when our prehistoric ancestors told stories around the campfire. Therefore, audiobooks should be more natural than reading. Which explains why I prefer listening to podcasts over reading transcripts or articles. However, I still prefer reading books over audiobooks. Why the apparent discrepancy? Continue reading
Social Anxiety in Black Mirror: White Christmas
Black Mirror is one of my favorite shows on television. It’s like a modern version of The Twilight Zone, an anthology series exploring the ramifications of technology on life in the present and near-future. “White Christmas,” the seventh overall episode of Black Mirror, touches on some ways in which technology might help people with social anxiety in the future. Continue reading
How to Fix the NBA (By Getting Rid of the Draft)
The NBA draft is one of my favorite nights in sports. The suspense of which team will pick which player, the inevitable trades, and of course the fancy suits. It’s insanely fun. I probably enjoy the draft more than the actual games. But in today’s era, the NBA draft is completely unnecessary, and the league would probably be better as a whole if they got rid of it entirely. Continue reading
The Allure of the Reclusive Author
I wish I could be like J.D. Salinger or Thomas Pynchon, a famous author who stays completely out of the public eye. No interviews. No social media. No website. Retain an air of mystery about myself. Build a mystique. It’s an alluring idea, but I’m not sure if it’s possible anymore to be both a famous author and a recluse. Continue reading
Fear of Teenagers Over Time: An Infographic
Why I Hate Rewriting
They say writing is rewriting. Well, I love writing, but I hate rewriting.
The first draft is my favorite part of the process. While it’s often difficult, I enjoy the challenge because it’s pure creativity. Rewriting and editing, on the other hand, feels like drudgery. I know it’s important and makes the work better, but I just want to get it over with and move on to the next project and write something new. Continue reading
Social Anxiety and Star Wars: Attack of the Clones
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…
In honor of Star Wars Day 2017, let’s continue the saga of the Force versus the Dark Side. We found a new hope in Episode IV, the Empire struck back in Episode V, the Jedi returned in Episode VI, and a Phantom Menace rose in Episode I. Now we visit episode two of the prequel trilogy, Attack of the Clones. It is admittedly not a great film, although it does contain one of my favorite action scenes in the entire Star Wars series: the flying car chase through the Coruscant cityscape at night. It also contains some wise insights into the Force (mindfulness) and the Dark Side (social anxiety).
T.Z. Barry 