Books, podcasts, videos, essays, and other source materials that nourish the garden.
29 entries
I’ve been struggling a lot lately with the concept of purpose and–related to that–value. In classical thought, particularly within the Aristotelian tradition, purpose is intrinsically linked to telos, or the inherent end goal of a being. Aristotle argued that everything in nature has a specific function or purpose, and achieving excellence—or arete—within that function is […]
1. A Guide for Successful World-Building in Fiction — Sarah Frances Hicks (Writing Cooperative)A practical, encouraging guide framing world-building as something every novel does, not just fantasy/sci-fi — even a story set in “Kansas City, Nebraska” needs a distinct world. Argues writers should feel free to spend as much space as the story needs (citing […]
This is a topic that spans sociology of education, child development, and child protection literature — worth separating carefully since “grooming” means quite different things in each context. Grooming as acculturation In sociology, “grooming” (or “preparing,” “shaping,” “socializing”) describes how institutions cultivate people into social roles over time. This isn’t sinister by default — it’s […]
Institutionalized education and grooming in schools refer to the structured processes through which students are socialized and the dangers of predatory manipulation within academic settings. It broadly spans two primary concepts: the intentional acculturation of children to societal norms, and the patterned exploitation of authority by adults to isolate and manipulate vulnerable students. Discussions around […]
The article provides a comprehensive overview of Trauma Studies as a field of literary theory and criticism, tracing its evolution from its 19th-century psychoanalytic roots to contemporary literary frameworks. The core concepts and historical shifts detailed in the article can be broken down as follows: Foundations in Freudian Psychoanalysis The field’s core psychological concepts rely […]
Creating supportless models for 3D printing requires designing geometry that the printer can build layer by layer without printing in mid-air. You can achieve this by designing for the 45-degree rule, using specific bridging techniques, and orienting your model properly. Before generating the final mesh, you can guide generative AI like Meshy.ai to create a […]
Having a filament (FDM) printer actually gives you a massive, highly underserved niche if you market your files correctly. While the majority of standard 28mm-32mm humanoid character minis are printed in resin for crisp detail, millions of tabletop gamers only own filament printers. If they try to print a standard resin-optimized STL, thin parts like […]
Selling TTRPG miniature STLs successfully comes down to understanding how the tabletop community buys and prints digital files. While standard e-commerce platforms work for general products, the 3D printing miniature community is highly concentrated around a few specific platforms and subscription models. The strategy involves choosing the right platforms, ensuring print reliability, and structuring files […]
This piece explores the “triumvirate” of plot, character, and setting, arguing that excellent worldbuilding forces characters to confront internal conflicts they wouldn’t face otherwise. Drives Authentic Motivation: Using examples like The Expanse, the article shows how environmental rules (like gravity physics or resource scarcity) naturally create authentic class, political, and personal friction. Prevents Shallow Narratives: […]
In this article, G.M. Baker argues that worldbuilding has evolved from a tool used to support storytelling into a distinct, participatory art form of its own. He contends that this shift has fundamentally changed modern fiction, elevating expansive, open-ended universes at the expense of traditional, close-ended literary plots. Baker distinguishes between the structural demands of […]
