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Ady Coles @adycoles.bsky.social · 10h

Constraints like acrostics keep me focused when ideas feel too loose.
Read about this and other tips & tricks in The Ode Map: buff.ly/XnxeFBz

#amWriting #writingAboutWriting #poetry

The Ode Map | Ady Coles | Substack

Behind the poems: writing process, emotional themes, and new poetry as it takes shape. Click to read The Ode Map, by Ady Coles, a Substack publication.

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Ady Coles @adycoles.bsky.social · 1d

Literature challenges us with ambiguity, contradictions, and unclear answers. Unlike AI, it forces us to wrestle with meaning and draw our own conclusions.
When was the last time a book made you question something deeply?

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#amWriting #writingAboutWriting #poetry

Reading in the Age of AI

Why books might be our best defence against cognitive offloading

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Ady Coles @adycoles.bsky.social · 2d

I’d never have written 'Something Stirs' at my desk; sometimes you need a different setting.
How a new environment can boost creativity: buff.ly/BzZ6sQT

#amWriting #writingAboutWriting #poetry

Sources of Creativity: Unfamiliar Environments

In a previous post - “The Creative Process” - I listed ‘Unfamiliar environments’ as a source of inspiration.

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Ady Coles @adycoles.bsky.social · 3d

Every sentence you read lights up your brain. Language, memory, empathy - all activated.
Reading builds neural pathways that don’t vanish when the book closes. It changes how you think long after you stop turning the pages.
Read more on The Ode Map: buff.ly/TzsVtzW

#amWriting #writingAboutWriting

Reading as Resistance

How Books Rebuild the Mind

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Ady Coles @adycoles.bsky.social · 3d

Boredom is not the enemy of productivity; it’s a vital state that encourages our brains to stitch together meaning from seemingly empty moments.
Learn how to encourage and embrace boredom: buff.ly/Yy97Klx

#amWriting #writingAboutWriting #poetry

Boredom as a Creative Tool

Why doing nothing might be the most productive act

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Ady Coles @adycoles.bsky.social · 4d

Today’s ear worm is “Sleeping in the kitchen”, by Madilyn Mei.

#earworm

Ady Coles @adycoles.bsky.social · 4d

Last month wiped me out creatively. Barely any writing.
Do you notice patterns in your periods of low-output?
Tips & tricks in The Ode Map buff.ly/XnxeFBz

#amWriting #writingAboutWriting #poetry

The Ode Map | Ady Coles | Substack

Behind the poems: writing process, emotional themes, and new poetry as it takes shape. Click to read The Ode Map, by Ady Coles, a Substack publication.

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Ady Coles @adycoles.bsky.social · 5d

I've reached a 20-week posting streak with Buffer!

An image of a plant growing into a 20-week posting streak with Buffer

Ady Coles @adycoles.bsky.social · 5d

Today my brain is in conflict. Between "Bamboo Banga" and "Paper Planes", both by M.I.A.
Not a mash-up - each is taking turns. (Although the latter feels more likely to win.)

#earworm

Ady Coles @adycoles.bsky.social · 5d

Your creative journey doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. Embrace your unique rhythm and workflow.
How have you tailored your creative process to fit your life?

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#amWriting #writingAboutWriting #poetry

Getting Back to the Book

An update on progress

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Ady Coles @adycoles.bsky.social · 6d

I let ideas accumulate without pressure. Later, I return to see which ones glow. What’s your ritual for revisiting ideas?
Check out my methods on The Ode Map.

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#amWriting #writingAboutWriting #poetry

The Ode Map | Ady Coles | Substack

Behind the poems: writing process, emotional themes, and new poetry as it takes shape. Click to read The Ode Map, by Ady Coles, a Substack publication.

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Ady Coles @adycoles.bsky.social · 6d

Today I am writing poetry. Two ideas sprang up and grabbed me by the throat, so who am I to ignore them?

Also, it seems to be staving off the migraine that’s lurking behind my right eye.

#amWriting #creativity #poetry

Ady Coles @adycoles.bsky.social · 7d

I have an urge to re-watch all the Inspector Montalbano episodes. And re-read the books.

#amWriting #writingAboutWriting #readingImprovesWriting

Ady Coles @adycoles.bsky.social · 7d

A well-stocked reference library is essential - accessible both physically and online.
What's in your writing toolkit?

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#amWriting #writingAboutWriting #poetry

My Writing Toolkit

How my setup supports my writing (and other toolkits you might explore)

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Ady Coles @adycoles.bsky.social · 8d

Notes in margins are maps. And if you follow them they will lead you somewhere new.

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#amWriting #writingAboutWriting #poetry

Sources of Creativity: Annotations

Margins as Maps: How Annotation Fuels Creative Writing

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Ady Coles @adycoles.bsky.social · 9d

Today’s ear worm is The Muppets’ theme tune.
A ray of sunshine in an otherwise drab day.

#earworm

Ady Coles @adycoles.bsky.social · 9d

Sometimes a song unlocks something you didn’t know was there. What lyric or melody shifted your writing this year?

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#amWriting #writingAboutWriting #poetry

PIP: Beyond the Sea

How the subject of an earworm and it's creative output can be so different

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Ady Coles @adycoles.bsky.social · 10d

Powerful books can remain undiscovered if the audience doesn’t show up.
We all have a role in changing this, readers & booksellers alike.

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#amWriting #writingAboutWriting #poetry

Recognition, At Last

Why Jonathan Stanley’s story is a reminder to show up for new authors.

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Ady Coles @adycoles.bsky.social · 10d

Not making the progress we expect in creative projects can be discouraging, but it’s important to remember that progress is not always linear. Sometimes, other creative outlets can bloom unexpectedly, offering new energy and insights.

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#amWriting #writingAboutWriting #poetry

Getting Back to the Book

An update on progress

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Ady Coles @adycoles.bsky.social · 11d

My current phase isn’t about polishing, it’s about generating.
Learn my tips and tricks on The Ode Map.
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#amWriting #writingAboutWriting #poetry

The Ode Map | Ady Coles | Substack

Behind the poems: writing process, emotional themes, and new poetry as it takes shape. Click to read The Ode Map, by Ady Coles, a Substack publication.

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Ady Coles @adycoles.bsky.social · 12d

Latest week note, "Christie unease and annoying spondees".
- Q3 strategy reviews
- Exploring wait lists, etc
- Little progress on creative writing
- Field recordings -> sounds & rhythms in XLN Life
- Watched Endless Night, Time Bandits, and nostalgic TV

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#strategy #amWriting

Christie unease and annoying spondees

Work-ish I’ve been checking out various suppliers of: wait lists; referral lists; landing pages; digital product distribution. There’s a lot of choice and a lot of cross-over. It d

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Ady Coles @adycoles.bsky.social · 12d

Creativity is unpredictable, but you don’t have to wait passively. You can invite randomness in structured ways to increase your creative output.

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#amWriting #writingAboutWriting #poetry

Sources of Creativity: Randomness

Practical ways to let randomness fuel your work

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Ady Coles @adycoles.bsky.social · 13d

A reminder: creativity hides in plain sight.

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#amWriting #writingAboutWriting #poetry

Sources of Creativity: Found Words

Sometimes inspiration arrives in the strangest places

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Ady Coles @adycoles.bsky.social · 14d

There’s no shame in a creative quiet season, but there’s power in recognising it.

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#amWriting #writingAboutWriting #poetry

The Ode Map | Ady Coles | Substack

Behind the poems: writing process, emotional themes, and new poetry as it takes shape. Click to read The Ode Map, by Ady Coles, a Substack publication.

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Ady Coles @adycoles.bsky.social · 15d

Used well, AI can reflect your themes back to you.
I gave it my past work. It gave me insight.
What might your archive teach your future?

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#amWriting #writingAboutWriting #poetry

Using AI in Creative Writing

General thoughts on the use of AI to support creative writing

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