When we consciously browse social media rather than mindlessly scrolling through news feeds, we realise that the content is jumbled. There are intertwined situations. These are difficult to grasp at first because they conform to an increasingly accepted structure. The local values and cultural elements of countries are sometimes the subject of jokes or irrelevant content. Although it is difficult to reconcile the two, people get used to it over time. But how healthy is this f

Some authors kill off their characters. Sometimes it's sudden, sometimes it's drawn out, and sometimes it's so unexpected that we can't believe it when we turn the page. But why do they do it? Why create a character with so much effort, make us love them, and then kill them with a bullet, a knife or simply leave them to die a silent death? While writing another story, I thought about this topic and wanted to share my thoughts. There is no single sentence that can sum up the r

On 27 January 2026, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists  issued a statement about the risk of human extinction. Based on their analysis of global events, scientific data and political developments, the outlook was not promising. While rewriting an article from exactly one year ago, the publication of the Epstein documents (only a portion of them) sent a chill down everyone's spine. Once again, it is clear to humanity why the Doomsday Clock has been moved forward. Friends wh

Learn from the experts We all used to have huge encyclopaedias at home. Now, they are probably gathering dust in a box somewhere, long forgotten. The internet has, of course, replaced them. As we all know, using the internet was difficult at first. Moreover, the information we found was often repetitive. Back then, libraries were frequently used for basic information searches (and still are). However, there was an initiative that went beyond this. It was a leap forward in lea

I don't know when you last went to the cinema, but I imagine that most of us, like me, haven't been for quite some time. As we know, the online world has long since made the concept of going to the cinema obsolete thanks to the convenience and affordability of watching films at home. However, the real reason lies in what is shown on the silver screen itself. Works that lack appeal and are captive to various forms of political propaganda no longer draw in large audiences as th

The Effect of Aesthetic Perception on Books Over Time In the twenty-first century, capitalism is everywhere. It shapes our lives. We cannot help but see its traces in literature. This is not a one-sided process, of course. The buyer/reader is as important as the seller. Those whose desire to possess something drives them to extremes are defeated, and when they become the majority, new norms are established. Styles are defined and new creations emerge. This is most notably ach

Or should we have said 813? Towards the end of the year, I did something crazy. I dusted and rearranged the books in my bookcase. This gave them the maintenance they hadn't had in a long time and allowed me to rearrange them, creating a new visual appeal. It definitely changed the whole atmosphere of the room. However, as I began, I asked myself a question that everyone has asked themselves several times: “How should I arrange these?” Once I had found an order that made sense

From Here to There: What has been written, read and produced? As the end of the year approaches, we turn to statistics. Reflecting on the year helps us to relive those moments and experience the associated emotions again, which is valuable. Moreover, examining our work both before and after provides us with the opportunity to give more informed feedback and evaluations, which will hopefully motivate us for the new period. As I write regularly, I wanted to review my work this

Are the things we read and write getting shorter and shorter? Or is that just our imagination? Our daily consumption certainly seems to be accelerating. This is evident in the entertainment tools we use and the activities we choose in our spare time. Take the songs we listen to, for example. Many are produced to be short or to have repetitive choruses. Fast, energetic genres such as rap and hip-hop are becoming increasingly popular. I won't discuss scrolling through videos on

The Nobel Prize, the Pulitzer Prize, the Booker Prize, the Nebula Award and the Hugo Award... Each is a prestigious award given in a different field. The process by which most of them are awarded remains shrouded in mystery. Yet these tangible symbols of success undoubtedly give their recipients a significant advantage. In literature, for example... They make authors more recognisable, sought-after and famous. Interview requests come one after another, and dates are set for b

2026 Public Domain Arrivals January 1st is approaching! No, I'm not talking about New Year's Day, but World Public Domain Day! As I did last year, I have researched which works will become freely available to everyone in 2026. Which films, books, comic book characters and pieces of music will now be available for public use? Those who want detailed information can find the link to last year's article here . I invite you to take a look. I have tried to explain the process conc

Silent Heroes We enjoy using metaphors and similes to make comparisons in our narratives. Like proverbs and idioms, they have set meanings and can be used instead of long sentences. Moreover, our similes often have a charming quality. We usually construct them around living beings. The meanings we attribute to animals can become part of our everyday language and define people. Conversely, the characters in stories can also influence the narrative itself. So today, let's talk

Consume peacefully. We recognise that the world is changing rapidly, as are people. We prefer quick and convenient meals, and we pursue profits by any means necessary. The songs we listen to are getting faster, and we try to complete our tasks as quickly as possible. We want to move quickly and consume relentlessly. This applies to every aspect of life, whether positive or negative. We ask ourselves, “What's all this rush and hurry, mate?”, yet we are all part of it. It's not

Having written about it for the past two years, I was curious about the 2025 Word of the Year, so I did some research. Let's take a look at the words chosen by various organisations, why they were chosen, and what they mean. This will give us a general idea of the direction in which the world is heading and the prevailing mindset. You can read my articles on the words of 2023 and 2024  if you would like to find out more. As the final months of the year approach, I have been

The Author's Shadow in Characters and Events Whether we are aware of it or not, all of us who write stories project aspects of ourselves onto our characters. Sometimes it takes time to realise this, and sometimes it becomes apparent through readers' comments. This is also true of accomplished writers. This is why, when reading a novel, it is important to consider the author's perspective. So, which well-known works bear autobiographical traces? When creating a character or ev

Transforming Literature into Rational Games Poetry is a literary form that enables people to express their emotions. It serves as a tunnel for all positive or negative feelings. Words flow through it, ultimately sprinkling a bit of relief on the heart. But do poems always urge us to act on our emotions? Can't we make it more logical, rational, and mathematical? On the other hand, would this strip away what makes poetry poetry? These days, I focus on poetry more than any other

The Eerie Evolution of Halloween Have you ever wondered how the festival celebrated by the Celts hundreds of years ago became associated with writers such as Poe, Shelley and Stoker? How did it become so significant in the context of horror and Gothic literature? The Celts, particularly those living in Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, celebrated a festival called Samhain on 31 October. The word “ Samhain ” means “November” in Irish and symbolises the autumn and winter harvests o

Last week, I wrote an article about balancing consumption with production when it comes to hobbies and artwork. Now, I would like to address the latter aspect in more detail. I have been pondering the consumption of clichéd and popular literary works. Any popular work that we dislike or have no desire to engage with can haunt us. Works that we are constantly exposed to through advertising can put us off, even if we bear no grudge against their authors. Rather than piquing our

Let's give some thought to a subject that we all think about, some of us engage in, and which nobody can deny. I hope you will also take the time to consider what is going on in your own life. I would like to share my current thoughts on our personal consumption and production. As a child, I didn't play many games, and there were probably others who played more than I did. Nevertheless, I mostly played physical and digital games on my own. Each time, I realised how enjoyable

To counteract the potential lethargy of autumn and winter, I am setting myself a challenge. In the hope that this goal will warm your hearts as much as a cup of ginger, honey, clove and cinnamon-infused herbal tea can warm you on a cold day, I invite you to join me on this journey. My aim is to embark on a journey of renewal. I hope this article serves as a signal flare to encourage others to take action alongside me. Although I love the beauty of the upcoming seasons, I am a