I’m a fiction author and journalist who is very much aware of, and angry about the racial, class, country-based, and gender and sexuality inequalities in the book and media worlds. Given the systemic exclusion many of us face, over two years ago I started only reading novels by female authors — preferably those from other oppressed worlds … Continue reading
Watching a video of Jim Carrey painting, you can see he has a wonderful sense of play and colour, as he creates a range of giant paintings in his warehouse-sized studio. He bashfully covers a canvas double the size of my bedroom with paint, and he pours thick, luscious acrylic paint from cans in wonderful pink … Continue reading
When the mainstream media world talks about the importance of balance, or “both sides of the story”, what they are really doing is justifying also talking to the rape victim’s attacker, to the cop who murdered the Black man, to the violent right wing in Venezuela, to the coup plotters, and to the company that … Continue reading
J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potty series, was asked by her publisher Barry Kunningham to use just her initials (she made up the K), as he thought boys might be wary of a book written by a woman. Many people assume that Harper Lee is a man, Charlotte Bronte originally published as Currer Bell … Continue reading
Writers’ and journalists’ pay and sense of achievement is often framed around a word count – and if that’s working for you, fine. But writers shouldn’t feel that daily-output counts or ideal chapter word counts are important to being a serious and decent writer. Though writing is work and requires commitment and regular practice, it … Continue reading
He was so horny, he just couldn’t help himself…. yeah right. So we know that the idea of male lack of sexual self control is used to hold up rape culture. We also know that women, on average, get just as horny as men do (though within both those genders and among intersex people there … Continue reading
Today is a tough day. I’m dealing with stuff and there’s a tight knot in my chest and work is taking twice as long because my concentration is off, to put it mildly. There is worry crying out from behind my head, knocking on my door, demanding attention – but it’ll only make things … Continue reading
Mark Zuckerberg announced last week that Facebook would continue to de-prioritise shared public content like news, videos, and links and would favour “family and friend” content like personal photos and thoughts. He made out that “meaningful interactions” were at the core of the decision. But that’s just thinly-disguised spin. Facebook isn’t a social media company. It … Continue reading
In these times where we are bombarded with bullshit, where news is advertising and advertising is entertainment and our minds have been made into sloth juice by meme-life and quick-fix social media, we have a duty to be unfashionable writers. In these times where what we read – the food our brain is fed – … Continue reading
“It wouldn’t bother me if I was complimented,” men often say when told that their street harassment or their comments on our appearance are a problem. Here’s one bad-ass way you can respond. Start with a hypothetical about a friend who was in a traumatic car crash. Hanging out with that friend, we’re sensitive to … Continue reading
Political literacy is more important than technological literacy – without it, democracy and freedom are a sham. It can be easier to stand up to police harassment, bureaucratic abuses or corruption or workplace abuse, when you know your rights and the law. Likewise, political literacy is vital as a tool of defence, conversation, and organisation … Continue reading
The publishing industry’s focus on profits amounts to a censoring of a diversity of viewpoints and experience. Books are lives compressed, humanity summarized into screaming or striking stories. One would think the book world would be a safe haven from inequality, but instead the traditional publishing industry – the big corporate publishers – is perpetuating … Continue reading
