Rhéa, Rhéa!

An artist breaks the rules that they sought to respect—an inevitable part of the trade. They must let the rule enter them to break out of it. How do you break out of a rule that hasn’t sought control over you?

It is the same with writing. You have to parley. You cannot shape literature if literature hasn’t shaped you first.

Love, R. ♡

There can never be enough footage.

You can’t erase from a blank page.

Love, R. ♡

The purpose of your story, of what your write, of why the story you want to tell sticking in your mind, on your heart.

The answer brings such a layer of rich meaning to your writing process, it’s almost unbelievable.

This is how you tell your story effectively.

You won’t know before you go out and actually do some of the writing, sit in the story for a while, and soak in its themes.

It is worthwhile to reflect on:

The impact telling your story could have on the world and the people around you, and if that impact is going to be a force for good in the world; if you are certain about it; if you subscribe to its purpose; if you recognise yourself in it; if you have a deep sense of connection to it.

Do not fear the eye-opening path.

Venture in it.

Sometimes—and oftentimes—we learn through trial and error.

Go seeking.

Chase that answer.

Try to wrap your head around it.

Love, R. ♡

There is poetry in leaving Riyadh with one more thing to do—the magical thing you are going to postpone until next time. One more hasāwi cookie from Wacafe; one more peek at the galleries in Jax; one last stroll around Bujairi, one last mouthful of marqoq carried in the palm of the hand into the mouth.

There is a lot of poetry in one-more’s. In postponing.

There is also hope. That we will come back. That the story doesn’t end here. That bits and pieces collected here and there are hints of an encore. People we met; open-ended conversations; lands to explore; smiles to throw at one another from one end of the room to the other.

Uncertainty inspires the most unexpected yet surest results. It is when you don’t know what you’re up to that possibilities open up.

Creativity is that which makes the possible probable.

On repeat, it is, oddly, a satisfying loop.

Love, R. ♡

A good writer is not afraid to be honest, all-cards-on-deck, brutal. This might, actually, have a lethargic therapeutic effect, which puts into discomfort the reader who needs to face-to-face their very own self.

A good writer is not afraid of being accountable to anyone about anything—that is, should this conversation present itself in the first place. They do not justify, they do not explain, or get into rabbit holes of swirling excuses. They are debauched when it comes to the text. They are not afraid to offend.

To be a good writer is an express act of freedom.

Love, R. ♡

Routine is the end of everything.

In your lifetime you will have one idea, if you’re a genius, two. The idea you are afraid of is the thing you must pursue.

Pursuing the unknown and coming face to face with your fears is the one thing that you should do to break the routine.

Marina Abramović talks about creative mastery. 

Mastery can lead to stagnation. 

Comfort becomes a trap. 

Once your process becomes automatic, you’re no longer exploring. 

You’re just repeating.

Routine kills creativity. 

When you’re too good at something, it can become lifeless.

If your right brain has become too good at something, switch to the left brain.

Love, R. ♡

A pen is just a pen, until Murakami writes with it. Until Miyazaki draws with it.

A space is just a space until Marina Abramović stands in it.

A camera is just a camera until Christopher Nolan stands behind it.

Anything is any thing until someone with “this” unique talent uses it.

Understand you are always bigger than what you have.

Love, R. ♡ 

ask yourself:

How much time have I taken to sit with how I feel? Is my truth or part of it in that endeavour? Am I taking the advice of a person that has been in this situation? Am I seeking clearance or validation?

Sit in a quiet space. Hear yourself. Converse with yourself.

Asking others about our art and life is subconsiously projecting their desires, limitations and aspirations onto ours.

Advice is not a replacement for your self-trust.

Your true power is connected to the potency of your intuition.

Love, R. ♡ 

The thing is the point.

Do not maximise the things that make life worthwhile. Experience them.

Do not input your ideas into GenAI under the pretext it saves a lot of time and creates stories for you. Instead compare the enjoyment of writing to reading books.

People who enjoy reading books don’t read a summary. They take their time to read the whole thing.

Same thing when you write. Let the ideas evolve and enjoy the journey of bringing them together.

This takes time.

The so-called ‘geniuses’ of tech don’t write / don’t read / don’t edit. They’re lazy.

You can’t offload a skill. You can’t offload thinking.

People with real skills will rise again.

Love, R. ♡

Writing isn’t a passive nor a neutral act. Every collaboration either challenges or reinforces the dominant narratives. Every click, every recommendation participates in a system of visibility.

Language is not neutral. It carries ideologies, assumptions, and histories. Anthropologies.

Resist cultural biases. Challenge the default perspective. Shape how you think. Frame your meaning-making. Watch which narrative structure you are adopting.

Question the metaphors you use. Question the assumptions about human nature, morality, or truth, that are baked into the text you read and write.

It’s all part of the attention economy.

Be conscious. Prioritise substance over virality.

Read to understand. Write for reflection.

Love, R. ♡

Great copy uncovers the part of you the market can’t ignore. This is your unfiltered positioning.

You got three faces. Every human on this earth does.

The first: The one you show to the world, how you want to be read. The second: The one your family—and probably good friends—know. The third: Who you really are.

The “third face” is your brand essence.

Your writing has a face, too. It’s your writing fingerprint, its “personality”.

How would you write if you knew that no one will ever read? Who are you, when no one is reading? What is your mystery?

No one is happy with who they aren’t becoming. Sport the face you are so afraid to show the world. This is the “true you”.

What is the cost of becoming your fully expressed self?

What would you be willing to pay for it?

Love, R. ♡

Be present in it.

Do not write for the sake of it. Do not stack word upon word. Instead, make your every letter count.

Keep it simple. Simplicity wins hearts over.

Overcomplicating things is a by-product of extremely bad writing; and, ending up with nothing is a by-product of overcomplication. I like to call that exponential decay.

Don’t use presumptuous words. You can have the best product or service in the world. But if your ad sounds like a transaction, you won’t sell any of it. You will end up with nothing.

Write clearly, genuinely. Write with emotion. Write with your reader in mind. Write to communicate well. Write to maker the digital space a better place.

Love, R. ♡

Success in all things creative flows as a consequence of a good story. No amount of abstract theory can get you anywhere near where a good story will. There is no triumph, conquest, prosperity, without a good story.

Vision alone is not enough; it must be narrated, lived, and publicized.

Please, don’t fucking be lame. Tell something extraordinary; something people discover with eagerness.

Think of fairytales. What’s yours? What’s your dream?

Have a writing style that mirrors your personality. Make it seen, manifest.

Be proud of your story; tell it with no shame.

Love, R. ♡

Neither someone who uses AI is. I know you’ll come at me for this, but hear me out.

AI will highlight the effort required to write/produce good content. So, be fucking good at your skill, at setting yourself apart from your competition. Have a signature style.

Most importantly, do not input it into AI—lest you want it to copy you.

And so long there will be madly passionate people about their craft, so long the human touch will persist.

For me, not writing is the most exhausting thing that could ever happen to me. I can’t fathom passing this down to a machine. I can’t fathom working with people who prefer an algorithm over a human being.

And so, just as there are machine “skills” on the rise, rightly do I believe real human skills will be on the rise, as well.

People who believe in their dreams will call on real people who believe in them, too.

Love, R. ♡

All non-intentional endeavors of any kind should be placed under the short leg of your couch. Write with intention. Write as if you’re headed into a sure direction. Write with a goal in mind. Be obsessed about that goal. Be obsessed about the process. Be obsessed about your finality. All things are possible; but, not all things all beneficial. Intention will set them apart and you must choose the latter—absolutely. Be intentional with your thoughts, and your words and expressions will mirror those. Be selective, and be intentional.

Love, R. ♡

Write yourself a fairytale. Be the hero of your own story.

You don’t like the language? Create your own. Lift the curtains and do not put them down until you’ve fulfilled your destiny. Play that act. Make it grand.

I still can’t understand how people choose to be little when the stars are within our reach. You just got to stretch your hand. So stretch your fucking hand and grab some stars.

That carriage doesn’t have to turn back into a pumpkin at midnight. That horse doesn’t have to be white. Ride your dragons.

Do not ask for permission. Make it fun. Play.

Love, R. ♡

A good writer is not afraid to be honest, all-cards-on-deck, brutal. This might, actually, have a lethargic therapeutic effect, which puts in discomfort the reader who needs to face-to-face their own self.

A good writer is not afraid of being held accountable to anyone about anything—that is, should this conversation present itself in the first place. They do not justify, they do not explain, or get into rabbit holes of swirling excuses. They are debauched when it comes to the text. They are not afraid to offend.

To be a good writer is an express act of freedom.

When we win, it’s skill. When we lose, it’s luck, or the weather. We’re angry. We blame our luck on everyone: parents, clients, partners—except us. Sometimes, it is about forgiveness. Are you forgiving yourself enough? It is easy to blame others for how we ended up. Self-serving biases are defense mechanisms. It is easier to walk with surrender. You cannot write good on the grounds of grudge. Most of life is luck. Sometimes a banana is just a banana. It’s not your mom, Karen. Get on with your life.

The distinct human faculty called “thinking” is being outsourced. Humans are subtly trained to find alternatives for everything; to bathe in complacency?

It’s the era of trends. Of laziness. Of decrease in critical thinking. A lazy cognition. A silent reset. We are here. We respond; but, something is off. Humanity is losing depth. Dulled. Personalities are being erased. Intelligence is handed over. Unprepared. Atrophied. Lobotomised.

What will humanity regret, 30 years from now? Some decisions are better than others.

Thinking mustn’t be offloaded.

Overthinkers rarely ever get things done. Rarely ever are they present in the writing process.

Academia is quite dangerous to writers. Too much intellect destroys creativity.

I know so because I used to be an academic. Rules and frameworks are insufferable for imagination.

Creativity is a natural byproduct of feeling.

Stay with your own basic truth: Find out who you really are, who you want to be, and what you want to become.

You must write to uncover your thought—not the other way around.