Didn’t get much done today. Sometimes I have these short slumps where I can’t seem to write very much. I usually try to keep some momentum going on a daily basis but it doesn’t always carry over very well. The blog has certainly been helpful for giving me something to fall back on to get the juices flowing again though. There’s always something new to explore and write about.

Like today I was gathering some ideas for small bits of world building by watching one of my favorite YouTube channels, Tasting History. I can’t ever get enough of his videos. Food and history is a great combo, and the production reminds me of old Discovery Channel shows that were actually informative. The histories behind the foods are always such great stories, and I like working similar little stories into my own worlds to add some authenticity. It’s hard to beat the value that a recipe offers to connect people across continents and centuries. I noticed recently while reading the Green Bone Saga from Fonda Lee that she often uses little pieces of lore like recipes, commonly known stories, and even widespread company brands to create minor connections between characters. It creates this really convincing web of small commonalities between friends and enemies that all contribute to a sense of culture. This technique made the shock of visiting another continent feel so real, something that happens a few times over the series. Clever details like that never fails to make me want to go write again!

Thank you for reading,

Benjamin Hawley