PARADOX

A title demands nondiegesis; language demands collaboration; a story demands tolerance of metaphor. ‘Everything should be in-world’, ‘everything should be created on your own’, ‘everything should be literal’: ruinous when pushed to extremities. Be not a hobgoblinous fool.

EXOGENY

Your words reflect gaps you see in the world. They strengthen your and your readers’ understanding. It is not petty escapism; it is not allegory; it is applicability. Do not denigrate yourself as writing a petty, idiosyncratic world.

CAPTURE

You are your subconscious, you are the patterns you extract from other works, you are the grass you see on the ground, your bad idea that collapses after a second of thought. You are unique in your permutations, nobody can be said to deserve them more than you.