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What Setting Goblin Market to Music Taught Me about Writing Fiction

September 6, 2021

Recently, on a whim, I decided to set Christina Rossetti’s poem Goblin Market to music. I had a lot of fun doing that, as I expected. What I didn’t expect was that the experience would teach me something about writing fiction. But remember, art is holistic.

The reason I decided to share my experience of adapting Goblin Market to music is that it makes for an excellent teaching opportunity. In other words, I want to share with you what I learned from this, because I believe it can be very efficient for anyone interested in writing fiction.

At the end of this post, I’ll also share a link to the album, which you can stream or download for free.

goblin market music
Cover of the Goblin Market music album. The Focus Protocol is a lo-fi music vehicle for some of my artistic ideas
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The Smell of Paper: Memories and Experiencing

May 24, 2021

Do you like to smell paper? If yes, I’m sure you find nothing weird about it. If not, you likely think that people who smell paper are weird, or worse. Perhaps you find it weirder, still, to hear that smelling paper is a strong facilitator of memory and, hence, experiencing.

In other words, smelling paper can help you recall old memories and relive past experiences. As we’ve seen before, this is crucial for a writer.

But even if you’re not a writer, recalling and re-experiencing your memories offers a sense of identity, helping you to reflect on yourself. Ultimately, it helps you better understand who you are.

All this from smelling paper!

smell of paper
Paper doesn’t smell like roses. It smells like paper! And it’s precisely this uniqueness that makes smelling paper special in helping us remember
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Review of The Travelling Cat Chronicles, by Hiro Arikawa

January 18, 2021

As you might have noticed from previous reviews, I’m a great fan of Japanese literature. I’m also a great fan of cats. Combine the two, and this review of The Travelling Cat Chronicles, by Hiro Arikawa, was the result.

Indeed, I’m writing this review mere minutes after I finished the book, as the impact is still very fresh in my mind. You should also know that I finished reading the book in a few hours – it’s one of those books that simply flows effortlessly.

So, what is The Travelling Cat Chronicles about? Much more than what the premise lets you think.

Review of The Travelling Cat Chronicles
In Memoriam
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