1). A shift or a turning point in your life, would you like to share what it was?
Too many shifts... one was health related which meant I went inwards and closed in a lot to a core of friends and family. It's kind of helped me gain back strength. Becoming a parent is another great shift. Suddenly, it isn't all about me. That's both good and bad, especially when you want to go to a George Michael concert and you have one ticket only and a child who needs a babysitter. Wouldn't change it for the world no matter how much hard work, and difficulties you experience. Another shift, writing and starting to share my fiction work.
All these shifts have brought on experiences that have made me a richer person. Not moneywise mind you.
I haven't accessed any recording, any time I try it asks of some QR code recognition and I don't use QR codes.
Yes, it's strange how those moments in our lives that seem the hardest at the time are often the ones we look back on and feel they made us grow the most, and helped us find new strength, as you say. And that's great you're working on some Fiction. What genres are you writing? And are you planning to put any on here? 😎
We've been busy the last two weeks. I find when I take the low profile role it's not as busy. My notes get very little traction these days. Could be all those breaks I took in August.
I've been using Notes every day most of this year, and I've still got no idea how it works. Sometimes things get seen, and sometimes they don't, but no one seems to know for sure what it is that triggers them to suddenly go out further. But as I always say, that's all part of the fun, never knowing what will happen, and it's always a nice surprise when things do well... 😎
Am writing poetry, short stories and reviews and interviews plus some journo stuff and memoir. Am I putting any on here? Hello! I have a few poems, at least on short story and a few tasters of the rest. Memoir is being worked behind the scenes for now.
Haha! No, I know you're doing poetry, I always read everything you send out. I meant what Fiction are you interested in writing, and are you planning to post any of the new things here? I think I must have missed the short story if that went up before six months ago, which is a shame, but I'd love to see whatever you've been working on now... 😎
Ahh, well that's why I've never seen any Fiction. But I'd like to. I love Fiction! So are you writing Romance? Or Fantasy? Or something else? They have some lovely events on here you could get involved with. I've been doing a few myself, and I've met some amazing people... 😎
That’s a good question, I think I fall in the something else category. Short stories. Last year I did sci-fi for a month… But it mostly turned into sci-fi poetry. Bring the unknown and the poet pops up.
I might be missing it but it appears the office hours are conducted here in the comments? If so, I'm here if anyone has any questions, comments, insights, or thoughts on Infobesity!
Sep 26·edited Sep 26Liked by Writer Pilgrim by So Elite
Hi Michael! Yes, that's right, we chat in the Comments. It tends to be a little quiet at the start, but hopefully, some others will start coming in later... 😎
As Chris said, we chat here in the comments. Usually, I'm around and keep the convo going but today an event ran over and I needed extra travel time as we've had transportation issues due to rain... as if it never rains here...
Yes, there were a few of us here. But it's been quieter on the site overall lately. Even Substack's own posts don't seem to be attracting as much activity as they were... 😎
I'm usually here but just a day where life just happened and an event ran over time and delayed transport due to heavy rain. I've been missing in action. Apologies.
Great to have you connect with us here. I wonder what else other than discipline would you suggest to fight infobesity? Also this fact checking does it serve a purpose? How can a news outlet do fact check when their owners have bought the free speech and journalism?
That's a really great question that seems so simple but it got my brain spinning. What else besides discipline? I associate personal discipline with agency. If you don't have discipline to manage and exert control over your own affairs then you can't have agency meaning you can't act as an independent person.
The challenge is, if you don't have agency then that means someone else is controlling you. The option there is that you hope someone else is feeding you the right information. We might call that 'faith.'
To your point on fact checkers, they are third parties that have been identified as honestly quite biased but in whom, if you agree with them, you place your faith that they'll manage your agency and feed you the right information. As you can probably see, this gets messy really fast in everything from religious cults to totalitarian regimes like 1984 (or modern-day N Korea, Russia, China, etc.)
So what else is there besides agency? It's letting someone else control your information for you while you trust they are feeding you the right things and asking you to do the right things with that information.
I wrote in more detail on agency regarding addiction here and the parallels are very close:
Well, first of all the concept of agency is new to me as a term so not too comfortable using it until I get it properly. I think you are spot on with regards to Soviet, the ex Eastern European countries, China and N Korea. But too long we’ve been content here in the west to point fingers at these communist/totalitarian/Authoritarian regimes and the more time goes the more our society’s media emulates what we criticise. X for example is a place where many people get their information. But X is run as a business as are most media outlets and the big names people rely upon to get their information. So I think it’s very dangerous to criticise others and not look at what’s going on in our own backyard, or house actually. Besides discipline, time and research and to read as many sides to make your own understanding. But then to put a limit… I also think spending time with people and going outside and being in nature to deal with infobesity. Can we rely on someone and have faith in someone to feed us the right information? Thank you these comments made me think about this and at the end of the day it gets back to the individual and our mini communities. I feel the more information the less people are aware and know. Maybe there is so much one can take? You also wrote about decision fatigue. They are connected. With all the info, how much research and what decisions do you want to take?
Great points. I'm one who is always curious so I have to deal with new information all the time. On the other hand, I'm also a systems thinker so I keep asking, "does this matter." If it doesn't... it gets canned.
This is a bit afield but in mind for another essay is 天高皇帝远, Tiān gāo, huángdì yuan, an ancient Chinese proverb that translates to “Heaven is high and the emperor is far away.” It's something that helps when people freak out here in the US about the president. I ask, "how has it directly affected your life." This is part of how I cull the 'doesn't matter' from the 'I can do something with this.'
lol, this got a little philisophical but your questions are great and you keep opening new ideas. Agency + Context (what matters)
Anyway, on to the questions... What was a turning point in your writing life? Without a doubt, it was the one I mention in the 'About The Author' section of my books. It was when I answered an ad in my local newspaper asking for new writers, and it opened up a whole world of possibilities for me. I don't think things like that happen anymore, but it was a magical time, and back then, there weren't as many people trying to be writers. You could send things to Agents and get handwritten replies. Whereas now, most of them don't even accept submissions.
How does this affect your writing? Well it was absolutely pivotal, because it was the first time someone had believed in my work and what I was doing and wanted to publish it. And the things I learnt working with those people influenced everything that came after. It's probably where I first developed my style of keeping things succinct! Haha. Because I often only had a little space to write in when I was first starting out.
Have you accessed the live streaming? Not yet. But it sounds great and very intriguing. It could be a very interesting new way to engage with readers.
Sorry, Chris! I don't know how I missed your substackversary post! Its weird what is promoted isn't it - that error has been rectified now!
1). My biggest shift was moving abroad to Kenya to teach… it opened so many doors, and so many possibilities! New doors led to India, Thailand, China, Mongolia - I have a book in the works about an expat teacher (been working on it a while), unfortunately, I'm not very confident about it.
2). Hmm, a broader perspective, more experience. A shift doesn't have to be monumental, it can be a conversation at a bus stop, someone complimenting your hair, or it can be a story - a line you read. Daily life I think manoeuvres us like an iron weight in a Puzzle Ball.
3). Nope! Videos don't interest me. I've seen a few people ‘go live’, I can see the benefits… bit just not for me.
That's okay. It's tricky when there's so many things popping up on that carousel, but thanks for taking a look at it now. That is much appreciated. That's amazing to have lived and worked in all those countries, too. It would make a brilliant book, for sure, because people are always interested in reading about other cultures, and hearing unique insights about exotic places and settings. And "Daily life manoeuvres us like an iron weight in a Puzzle Ball." Wow. That's a lovely way of expressing it... 😎
So glad to have you back and I learnt a few new things here! Expat teacher book! Don't think too seriously about it! Keep writing and you're going to find the confidence on the way. Thank you for sharing all this!
I just tried the audio feature that’s been out for a while, thanks to Rod’s suggestion to edit by reading the work aloud. I got so into the story that I started doing voices, so that decided me on recording it.
I’ve attended one live here on Substack. It seems to work just like the Instagram Lives … and then I had to field calls during it. It might be fun if it were more collaborative, like for brainstorming perhaps, or doing a live reading. My problem is being in an odd time zone compared to most people.
I think the audio feature takes time to get used to if you havent done audio before. Well done for trying and I wouldn't give it up in the first instance after reading how much fun you've had and how it got so creative that the characters went in character via you! I think you're on to something here.
When I think turning point, I think of the big stuff. All the major events impact my writing. I write about these events often and the emotions involved fuel me.
Hi Rod! Yes, that's very true, I guess every significant event in our lives, particularly the emotional ones, whether happy or sad, filter into the work in some way eventually... 😎
1). A shift or a turning point in your life, would you like to share what it was?
Too many shifts... one was health related which meant I went inwards and closed in a lot to a core of friends and family. It's kind of helped me gain back strength. Becoming a parent is another great shift. Suddenly, it isn't all about me. That's both good and bad, especially when you want to go to a George Michael concert and you have one ticket only and a child who needs a babysitter. Wouldn't change it for the world no matter how much hard work, and difficulties you experience. Another shift, writing and starting to share my fiction work.
All these shifts have brought on experiences that have made me a richer person. Not moneywise mind you.
I haven't accessed any recording, any time I try it asks of some QR code recognition and I don't use QR codes.
Yes, it's strange how those moments in our lives that seem the hardest at the time are often the ones we look back on and feel they made us grow the most, and helped us find new strength, as you say. And that's great you're working on some Fiction. What genres are you writing? And are you planning to put any on here? 😎
We've been busy the last two weeks. I find when I take the low profile role it's not as busy. My notes get very little traction these days. Could be all those breaks I took in August.
I've been using Notes every day most of this year, and I've still got no idea how it works. Sometimes things get seen, and sometimes they don't, but no one seems to know for sure what it is that triggers them to suddenly go out further. But as I always say, that's all part of the fun, never knowing what will happen, and it's always a nice surprise when things do well... 😎
Spot on observation. I’ve noticed however, if I go quiet, then my notes get less traction too.
Am writing poetry, short stories and reviews and interviews plus some journo stuff and memoir. Am I putting any on here? Hello! I have a few poems, at least on short story and a few tasters of the rest. Memoir is being worked behind the scenes for now.
Haha! No, I know you're doing poetry, I always read everything you send out. I meant what Fiction are you interested in writing, and are you planning to post any of the new things here? I think I must have missed the short story if that went up before six months ago, which is a shame, but I'd love to see whatever you've been working on now... 😎
I think it is a long time ago since I posted that short story. I had like 2 followers!
Ahh, well that's why I've never seen any Fiction. But I'd like to. I love Fiction! So are you writing Romance? Or Fantasy? Or something else? They have some lovely events on here you could get involved with. I've been doing a few myself, and I've met some amazing people... 😎
That’s a good question, I think I fall in the something else category. Short stories. Last year I did sci-fi for a month… But it mostly turned into sci-fi poetry. Bring the unknown and the poet pops up.
I might be missing it but it appears the office hours are conducted here in the comments? If so, I'm here if anyone has any questions, comments, insights, or thoughts on Infobesity!
Hi Michael! Yes, that's right, we chat in the Comments. It tends to be a little quiet at the start, but hopefully, some others will start coming in later... 😎
Perfect, I'll keep my eyes out.
As Chris said, we chat here in the comments. Usually, I'm around and keep the convo going but today an event ran over and I needed extra travel time as we've had transportation issues due to rain... as if it never rains here...
Hi! Yes, they can never get the trains running properly. Usually this time of year it's, "Leaves on the line". Haha... 😎
Glad you still all turned up and kept a little hangout.
Yes, there were a few of us here. But it's been quieter on the site overall lately. Even Substack's own posts don't seem to be attracting as much activity as they were... 😎
There was no excuse today… but yeah, leaves on the line or 1mm snow…
Haha! ⛄😎⛄
I'm usually here but just a day where life just happened and an event ran over time and delayed transport due to heavy rain. I've been missing in action. Apologies.
Great to have you connect with us here. I wonder what else other than discipline would you suggest to fight infobesity? Also this fact checking does it serve a purpose? How can a news outlet do fact check when their owners have bought the free speech and journalism?
That's a really great question that seems so simple but it got my brain spinning. What else besides discipline? I associate personal discipline with agency. If you don't have discipline to manage and exert control over your own affairs then you can't have agency meaning you can't act as an independent person.
The challenge is, if you don't have agency then that means someone else is controlling you. The option there is that you hope someone else is feeding you the right information. We might call that 'faith.'
To your point on fact checkers, they are third parties that have been identified as honestly quite biased but in whom, if you agree with them, you place your faith that they'll manage your agency and feed you the right information. As you can probably see, this gets messy really fast in everything from religious cults to totalitarian regimes like 1984 (or modern-day N Korea, Russia, China, etc.)
So what else is there besides agency? It's letting someone else control your information for you while you trust they are feeding you the right things and asking you to do the right things with that information.
I wrote in more detail on agency regarding addiction here and the parallels are very close:
https://www.polymathicbeing.com/p/agency-vs-addiction
I'll flip it back on you. 🙂 What do you think, other than discipline, would fight infobesity?
Well, first of all the concept of agency is new to me as a term so not too comfortable using it until I get it properly. I think you are spot on with regards to Soviet, the ex Eastern European countries, China and N Korea. But too long we’ve been content here in the west to point fingers at these communist/totalitarian/Authoritarian regimes and the more time goes the more our society’s media emulates what we criticise. X for example is a place where many people get their information. But X is run as a business as are most media outlets and the big names people rely upon to get their information. So I think it’s very dangerous to criticise others and not look at what’s going on in our own backyard, or house actually. Besides discipline, time and research and to read as many sides to make your own understanding. But then to put a limit… I also think spending time with people and going outside and being in nature to deal with infobesity. Can we rely on someone and have faith in someone to feed us the right information? Thank you these comments made me think about this and at the end of the day it gets back to the individual and our mini communities. I feel the more information the less people are aware and know. Maybe there is so much one can take? You also wrote about decision fatigue. They are connected. With all the info, how much research and what decisions do you want to take?
Great points. I'm one who is always curious so I have to deal with new information all the time. On the other hand, I'm also a systems thinker so I keep asking, "does this matter." If it doesn't... it gets canned.
This is a bit afield but in mind for another essay is 天高皇帝远, Tiān gāo, huángdì yuan, an ancient Chinese proverb that translates to “Heaven is high and the emperor is far away.” It's something that helps when people freak out here in the US about the president. I ask, "how has it directly affected your life." This is part of how I cull the 'doesn't matter' from the 'I can do something with this.'
lol, this got a little philisophical but your questions are great and you keep opening new ideas. Agency + Context (what matters)
Hi everyone!
So this week I've been celebrating my one year anniversary here on Substack. It's been an incredible journey so far, and I wrote a little post about it here, which also features a fun little announcement: https://chrisjfranklin.substack.com/p/celebrating-one-year-on-substack
Anyway, on to the questions... What was a turning point in your writing life? Without a doubt, it was the one I mention in the 'About The Author' section of my books. It was when I answered an ad in my local newspaper asking for new writers, and it opened up a whole world of possibilities for me. I don't think things like that happen anymore, but it was a magical time, and back then, there weren't as many people trying to be writers. You could send things to Agents and get handwritten replies. Whereas now, most of them don't even accept submissions.
How does this affect your writing? Well it was absolutely pivotal, because it was the first time someone had believed in my work and what I was doing and wanted to publish it. And the things I learnt working with those people influenced everything that came after. It's probably where I first developed my style of keeping things succinct! Haha. Because I often only had a little space to write in when I was first starting out.
Have you accessed the live streaming? Not yet. But it sounds great and very intriguing. It could be a very interesting new way to engage with readers.
What have you all been up to? 😎
Sorry, Chris! I don't know how I missed your substackversary post! Its weird what is promoted isn't it - that error has been rectified now!
1). My biggest shift was moving abroad to Kenya to teach… it opened so many doors, and so many possibilities! New doors led to India, Thailand, China, Mongolia - I have a book in the works about an expat teacher (been working on it a while), unfortunately, I'm not very confident about it.
2). Hmm, a broader perspective, more experience. A shift doesn't have to be monumental, it can be a conversation at a bus stop, someone complimenting your hair, or it can be a story - a line you read. Daily life I think manoeuvres us like an iron weight in a Puzzle Ball.
3). Nope! Videos don't interest me. I've seen a few people ‘go live’, I can see the benefits… bit just not for me.
Hope everyone is having a sublime week 🧡🍁🧡
That's okay. It's tricky when there's so many things popping up on that carousel, but thanks for taking a look at it now. That is much appreciated. That's amazing to have lived and worked in all those countries, too. It would make a brilliant book, for sure, because people are always interested in reading about other cultures, and hearing unique insights about exotic places and settings. And "Daily life manoeuvres us like an iron weight in a Puzzle Ball." Wow. That's a lovely way of expressing it... 😎
So glad to have you back and I learnt a few new things here! Expat teacher book! Don't think too seriously about it! Keep writing and you're going to find the confidence on the way. Thank you for sharing all this!
I just tried the audio feature that’s been out for a while, thanks to Rod’s suggestion to edit by reading the work aloud. I got so into the story that I started doing voices, so that decided me on recording it.
I’ve attended one live here on Substack. It seems to work just like the Instagram Lives … and then I had to field calls during it. It might be fun if it were more collaborative, like for brainstorming perhaps, or doing a live reading. My problem is being in an odd time zone compared to most people.
I have too many turning points to name …
I think the audio feature takes time to get used to if you havent done audio before. Well done for trying and I wouldn't give it up in the first instance after reading how much fun you've had and how it got so creative that the characters went in character via you! I think you're on to something here.
Doing the voices sounds great! That turns it more into a performance than just a reading, and I think people would love that... 😎
Name one that comes first to mind.
Moving across the ocean. Twice.
Hi everyone!
I hope you’re all having a great week!
I’ll jump right to the questions.
When I think turning point, I think of the big stuff. All the major events impact my writing. I write about these events often and the emotions involved fuel me.
I have not tried the video feature yet.
Have a great week!
Great to have you here Rod! Sorry it's been a little more quiet than usual.
Thanks, Pilgrim! It’s always enjoyable regardless of the turnout!
Hi Rod! Yes, that's very true, I guess every significant event in our lives, particularly the emotional ones, whether happy or sad, filter into the work in some way eventually... 😎
Hi everyone.
Just a quick check in.
I'm traveling now and for the next few weeks, so I will be kinda scare.
Have fun. I look forward to reading the comments.
Thanks for popping in! Enjoy your travels... 😎
Enjoy your travels! Looking forward to reading and hearing about your experiences afterwards.
Late Night SPAWN! Haha... 🕺😎🕺