A look at futurism through the lens of Wells’s idea of a world encyclopaedia The book by Herbert George Wells—whose birthday anniversary was last month—that I read this year was a work that was completely new to me. I came across it whilst doing research for my other article, so I immediately got hold of a copy and began reading it. Reading "World Brain" made me reflect on Wells' idea of a world encyclopaedia. He envisaged a shared knowledge system that would compile and orga

Staying human in a digital landscape that has evolved from an information network into a culture of consumption. When we think back to the early days of the internet, it's clear that it wasn't a structured, polished environment that catered to every need as it does today. We did not know how to use it, nor what role it would play in our personal lives. Visiting a website to see what we might find, chatting with strangers on a forum, or experiencing a form of communication tha

On the selection process for the Nobel Prize in Literature, the criteria and how literature is assessed When a writer wins the Nobel Prize in Literature, two questions usually come to mind: Who is this writer, and which of their works should we read? Following the announcement, publishers prepare new editions, booksellers move the author's books to the front of the shelves, and literary publications explain why the winner is significant. This gives us the opportunity to disco

The difference between rejecting a book and never being able to read it at all “Banned Books Week” is taking place from 4 to 10 October. Established by the American Library Association in 1982, the event provides an opportunity to reflect on book censorship and freedom of reading. The theme for this year is “Let Books Be. Protect the Freedom to Read”. To coincide with the ALA's 150th anniversary, a list of the 150 most frequently challenged books from 1990 to 2025 has also be

Reflections on a year's output, changing habits, and alternative approaches to maintaining a writing practice Around this time last year, I set myself some literary goals, although I cannot quite recall my starting point. I made a list of the poems, prose pieces and short stories I had written up to that point and wrote a motivational piece about my commitment to continuing this throughout 2026. I hoped it would motivate not only myself, but also like-minded friends. As I had

A train of thought stretching from natural traces to the records left by humankind. When we cut into the trunk of a tree, we can see its rings and use these to work out its age. Each ring reveals information about the previous year, such as whether there was a drought or rapid growth, or what changes occurred in the tree's surroundings. Yet the tree does none of this to keep a record. It simply lives, grows, and leaves traces on its trunk. Years later, we interpret these trac

A century of silence left behind by unreadable texts. Consider a literary text. Although we know who wrote it and where it is kept, we cannot read it. We can attend the ceremony organised in its honour and find out why the author took part in the project. Yet we cannot read the text itself. Nor will we be able to read it any time soon. We know that art can be expressed in many different ways. Sometimes, even when we cannot experience art directly, we can still perceive, appre

When we try to understand a work of art, are we seeing the work itself or the meaning that has been attributed to it? When we stand before a work of art, we immediately wonder what the artist is trying to convey. Within seconds of looking at a painting, for example, we find ourselves scrutinising the colours, figures, and symbols. When a film ends, we seek to understand the meaning of the final scene. Similarly, when we read a poem, we look for the meaning beneath the surface

From a country’s attainment of independence to its future development. When we reflect on the past, we tend to view historical turning points as more definitive than they actually were, precisely because we know how they turned out. 30 August 1922 is a well-known date, as is the outcome of that day. However, for those involved in the War of Independence under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the future was uncertain. They did not know how the Great Offensive would end

When humanity's culture becomes a memory stored in machines, the concepts of art, knowledge and originality are called into question once again. When we speak of the future, we often describe visions formed in the past rather than the future itself. This is because, when trying to describe a time that has not yet been experienced, we can only draw on our existing knowledge: the worlds we have seen and the stories that have been passed down to us. As we construct the future by

A compilation of my articles organised by topic. Having celebrated my third year of regular online writing a few months ago, I am now sharing my three hundredth article. With this in mind, I once again took the opportunity to look back. I’ve identified certain categories and selected one article from each year to share with you. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, creating topic-based archives is an important part of my life. Dividing every completed post into sections and s

Looking at today’s world through the eyes of H. G. Wells’, without a time machine It has become something of a tradition for me to commemorate Herbert George Wells on the anniversary of his death. I greatly enjoy reading his works and have devoured his short stories. Today marks exactly eighty years since he passed away on 13 August 1946. The most enjoyable aspect has been viewing the same author from a different perspective each year. In the first year, I discussed his place

Today, we find ourselves living in a world that was imagined seventy-five years ago. In 1950, Ray Douglas Bradbury (1920–2012) published a short story called "There Will Come Soft Rains". The story opens with the words: The story opens with the words: "Today is August 4, 2026". For readers of that era, this date represented a distant future. For us, however, it is now the present day. In this seventy-five-year-old narrative, Bradbury focuses on humanity while depicting the fu

Seasonal lethargy, the summer blues, and changing lifestyles People react, either consciously or unconsciously, to what is happening around them. These reactions vary according to personality. However, there are times when large numbers of people find themselves in a similar state of mind. Recently, I’ve noticed that many of my friends are reading less and aren’t writing with the same enthusiasm as before. Instead, they are choosing to distract themselves rather than setting

Writing short stories can be as exhausting as it is enjoyable. This is particularly the case when we’re not sure what to write about. We may find ourselves unsure of how to approach the story or which direction to take it in. However, once we’ve decided on a topic, the hardest part is over. When inspiration strikes, the rest becomes easier to develop. This is why the real challenge more often than not lies in figuring out what to write about. So, I’d like to explain how I com

Every new book is a mountain that grows a little taller; every passing year is a path that grows a little shorter. Since the start of the year, I’ve come across an increasing number of articles about reading habits. Some questioned reading speed, while others questioned the act of reading itself. At some point, I finally set aside some time to reflect on the topic. While I agreed with some of the points made, I would now like to share my own thoughts on the subject. I’d love

Was that what you meant? Not all literary texts are easy to understand. Just as there are books that we can read as part of our daily routine, there are also works that require a more studious approach. This means setting aside time in a quiet place and ensuring that our minds are clear. This is often the case with long novels and poetry. Once we have finished reading them, we reflect on them and consider what we have understood. Sometimes, however, we read a book that doesn'

What processes do you go through from start to finish, and what can aspiring writers expect? I asked myself this question constantly, as I found it confusing and couldn't find any clear answers. That’s why I intend to briefly outline this common journey and offer my humble assistance. Rather than focusing on feelings such as whether it’s easy, difficult, enjoyable or complicated, I’ll focus on the practical aspects. I hope this helps you overcome some challenges and puts your

Life is so strange. Before writing this post, I took a look at what I’d written about my first and second years. Reading about the state of mind I was in back then was interesting. My thoughts, feelings and excitement were so different then. Everything changes over time. That’s one of the inevitable consequences of time, after all. On 20 June 2023, I embarked on an unexpected journey on Medium, encountering many obstacles along the way. Ultimately, though, I’m continuing alon

The power of visual storytelling is spreading rapidly across cultures, generations and borders