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writingslowly.bsky.social
Writing Slowly
@writingslowly.bsky.social
150 followers 530 following 300 posts
My name's Richard and I live on Bidjigal land, Sydney. I’m the author of Shu Ha Ri: The Japanese Way of Learning, for Artists and Fighters (https://writingslowly.com/shuhari-book/). Find me at Writingslowly.com though one day I may speed up.
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writingslowly.bsky.social
Japanese paper films: https://writingslowly.com/2025/11/23/japanese-paper-films.html
A montage of the Japanese Paper Films presentation, showing stills from the paper reels.
November 23, 2025 at 9:41 AM
writingslowly.bsky.social
Why niche blogs and Small Rooms still win - even in the age of technofeudalism: https://writingslowly.com/2025/11/16/why-niche-blogs-and-small.html
An audience of 1,000 is seated in an auditorium, attentively facing a stage or speaker. A crowd of 250 people enthusiastically clapping and cheering in an indoor venue. A Reddit post from r/Zettelkasten discusses the debate on assigning unique IDs to notes, mentioning timestamps and Luhmann's method, with engagement metrics displayed below, showing 14,000 total views. An audience of 10,000 watches a professional tennis match in a well-lit indoor stadium.
November 16, 2025 at 12:09 PM
writingslowly.bsky.social
There's a fundamental flaw in how we learn about expertise: https://writingslowly.com/2025/11/07/theres-a-fundamental-flaw-in.html
Auto-generated description: Three book covers featuring Speak Spanish in 8 Days, Learn to Ski in a Weekend, and The Ten Day Draft: A Writer's Guide to Finishing a Novel in Ten Days. A group of monks dressed in traditional robes and sandals walk in a solemn procession along a street.
November 7, 2025 at 1:02 AM
writingslowly.bsky.social
📷 From the top of the castle the town seemed to have been poured into its valley, where it flowed gently.

My book, Shu Ha Ri: The Japanese Way of Learning, for Artists and Fighters, is out now. Please check it out.

#Matsumoto #Photography #JapanCulture #ShuHaRi #Learning #Nonfiction #JapanTravel
The Matsumoto cityscape with a mix of modern and traditional buildings is set against a backdrop of mountains.
November 6, 2025 at 10:04 AM
writingslowly.bsky.social
AI is not helping the learning process

"“When teachers rely on commonly used artificial intelligence chatbots to devise lesson plans, it does not result in more engaging, immersive or effective learning experiences compared with exi... https://writingslowly.com/2025/11/03/ai-is-not-helping-the.html
A person holds a book in front of their face while standing against a brick wall.
November 2, 2025 at 8:58 PM
writingslowly.bsky.social
What’s your most valuable note?

@[email protected] asked:

"“Any examples where a tiny note became unexpectedly valuable?”"

Here’s my reply.

"In 2018 I wrote a note describing how I’d like to visit Japan and learn mo... https://writingslowly.com/2025/11/03/whats-your-most-valuable-note.html
A screenshot of a Mastodon post about a useful note
November 2, 2025 at 8:32 PM
writingslowly.bsky.social
Create your own mental models: https://writingslowly.com/2025/11/02/create-your-own-mental-models.html
A vintage car is driving along a former railway line near Trawsfynydd, Wales, through a rural landscape with rolling hills in the background.
November 2, 2025 at 5:26 AM
writingslowly.bsky.social
📷 Outside Matsumoto Castle it was raining gently.

My book, Shu Ha Ri: The Japanese Way of Learning, for Artists and Fighters, is out now. Please check it out.

#MatsumotoCastle #Photography #JapanCulture #ShuHaRi #Learning #MartialArts #Nonfiction #JapanTravel
The traditional Japanese castle at Matsumoto stands in the background as people with umbrellas walk through a garden in the foreground on a rainy day.
October 29, 2025 at 6:52 AM
writingslowly.bsky.social
🎵 You’ve got to have a dream. #RetroTech #VinylVibes
A billboard advertisement showcases the orange iPhone 17 Pro with a stylized design resembling a turntable. AI, obviously.
October 22, 2025 at 10:33 AM
writingslowly.bsky.social
Provocative words about learning, teaching, AI, and the timely value of history: https://writingslowly.com/2025/10/11/provocative-words-about-learning-teaching.html
Five freshly harvested radishes with leaves and soil are arranged on a wooden surface.
October 10, 2025 at 11:41 PM
writingslowly.bsky.social
Publishing means no more hiding: https://writingslowly.com/2025/10/09/publishing-means-no-more-hiding.html
Colourful koi fish swim gracefully in a pond, surrounded by a few scattered leaves.
October 9, 2025 at 11:17 AM
writingslowly.bsky.social
Curious about Hypercuriosity: https://writingslowly.com/2025/09/30/curious-about-hypercuriosity.html
A cat with striking blue eyes is peeking out from inside a paper bag.
September 30, 2025 at 12:53 PM
writingslowly.bsky.social
Author Craig Mod seems to be following me. I saw his picture in Kyoto Station. Now he’s doing a 200km walk in the Kiso valley, where I walked just a few days ago. Follow his latest pop-up newsletter Between Two Mountains for a unique view of Japan.

#KisoValley #Japan #Walking #Travel #SlowTravel
A small, rustic Japanese train station building stands against a backdrop of mountains under a cloudy sky.
September 29, 2025 at 12:25 PM
writingslowly.bsky.social
📚Tsundoku emergency temporarily averted.
A collection of various books is neatly arranged on a white surface with a plant in the background.
September 28, 2025 at 10:23 PM
writingslowly.bsky.social
Keeping a diary is a way of living: https://writingslowly.com/2025/09/28/keeping-a-diary-is-a.html
A handwritten index card features a circular flow diagram with the concepts Journal, Zettelkasten, Writing, Publishing, and Life, accompanied by notes and timestamps.
September 28, 2025 at 5:51 AM
writingslowly.bsky.social
Magpie swooping season has been busy. But on this morning’s bike ride the magpies I saw were busy chasing a noisy mynah. Then just when I thought I’d escaped, I was swooped - by a mob of ebullient rainbow lorikeets, high on their supply of bottlebrush nectar.

#birdlife #bikelife #swoopingseason
the red flowers of a bottlebrush tree against a blue sky
September 27, 2025 at 12:45 AM
writingslowly.bsky.social
If AI can’t do simple anagrams, how is it meant to fix the economy and make our jobs obsolete? (Admittedly, my job doesn’t involve solving anagrams - I’m not that senior - but still).

#anagrams #AIhref="/hashtag/AIfail" class="hover:underline text-blue-600 dark:text-sky-400 no-card-link">#AIfail #AI
The Gemini chatbot is asked to come up with an anagram for the name Nimrod Workman. It replies, "Nimrod Workman is an anagram of 'Mormon Dorkin'."
September 22, 2025 at 8:03 AM
writingslowly.bsky.social
Some books I read before visiting Japan.

#reading #Japantravel #shuhari
Fifteen books about Japan, spines upright on a white surface next to a leafy house plant.
September 21, 2025 at 5:30 AM
writingslowly.bsky.social
An atomic note isn’t just about ideas; it’s about time. Start smaller, stop sooner, and your notes become easier to reuse and connect. ✍️
Post here: The shortest writing session that could possibly work.

#NoteTaking #KnowledgeWork #zettelkasten #writingtips
A cat is lying next to an hourglass filled with blue sand on a table.
September 16, 2025 at 11:06 AM
writingslowly.bsky.social
On a single small island in Shugaku-in, the imperial pleasure garden, Autumn has arrived.

I’m the author of Shu Ha Ri: The Japanese Way of Learning, for Artists and Fighters, available now.

#japantravel #Kyoto #KyotoJapan #shuhari #Japanesegardens
A tranquil Japanese garden scene features a pond bordered by trees with autumn foliage, set against a backdrop of dense forest.
September 16, 2025 at 7:31 AM
writingslowly.bsky.social
Kyoto is a unique mix of ancient and modern. From this angle Japan’s tallest wooden pagoda Gojūnotō, rebuilt 1643, has a great fire escape.

I’m the author of Shu Ha Ri: The Japanese Way of Learning, for Artists and Fighters, availab... https://writingslowly.com/2025/09/13/kyoto-is-a-unique-mix.html
A Kyoto cityscape features modern buildings with a traditional pagoda visible in the distance, set against a backdrop of mountains.
September 13, 2025 at 2:44 AM
writingslowly.bsky.social
Craig Mod’s newsletter Ridgeline features a wry account of a fashion photoshoot in a pizza toast café for the Uniqlo clothing wear in-house magazine. In search of good coffee at Kyoto Station I stumbled upon the ve... https://writingslowly.com/2025/09/13/craig-mods-newsletter-ridgeline-features.html
Author and walker Craig Mod in a sweater is seated at a table with pizza toast, featured in a magazine, which includes both English and Japanese text.
September 13, 2025 at 2:00 AM
writingslowly.bsky.social
An ordinary street scene in Kyoto can have a unique atmosphere.

Shu Ha Ri: The Japanese Way of Learning, for Artists and Fighters is available now.

#streetphotography #kyotojapan #shuhari
A nighttime street scene in Japan features traditional wooden buildings, a parked taxi, and bicycles against the storefront.
September 12, 2025 at 11:54 AM
writingslowly.bsky.social
The hills just to the North of Kyoto, from Kurama-dera temple. There’s a cool breeze up here, seemingly far removed from the sweltering city.

Shu Ha Ri: The Japanese Way of Learning, for Artists and Fighters is available now.
A lush, mountainous landscape with cloudy skies and a temple roof in the foreground.
September 10, 2025 at 5:20 AM
writingslowly.bsky.social
Back to the Information City? How knowledge visualisation shapes the journey: https://writingslowly.com/2025/08/24/back-to-the-information-city.html
Theseus and Ariadne are depicted in classical attire, art nouveau-style. Theseus holds a sword and Ariadne offers him a long thread from a large spindle. A person with a basket walks along the Nikko Kaido, a path surrounded by towering trees. A woodblock print by Hasui Kawase.
August 24, 2025 at 10:00 AM