Tag Archives: creativity

Let Me Count the Ways

Posted on October 9, 2022 by midiguru

I first encountered a synthesizer in 1975. I had just been hired as an assistant editor at a startup magazine called Contemporary Keyboard. (The name was later changed to Keyboard.) My boss, who was living down the walkway in the … Continue reading →

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Are Good Intentions Enough?

Posted on October 10, 2021 by midiguru

If you aspire to be a writer, you will need to learn correct spelling, punctuation, grammar, and word usage. There, I said it. A surprising number of people consider this proposition outrageous. “You can hire an editor!” they shout. (On … Continue reading →

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Fleshing It Out

Posted on August 4, 2009 by midiguru

The creative process is mysterious, but Rule #1 is, follow your nose. Go with the flow. Do the next indicated thing. Sometimes you may have a fairly definite outcome in mind, sometimes not. Even if you think you know where … Continue reading →

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Little Things

Posted on July 1, 2009 by midiguru

I’ve been wondering why I enjoy something as bizarre and pointless as writing interactive fiction. But ultimately it’s no different from a lot of other creative hobbies. There are people (mostly men, I imagine) who build quite elaborate model train … Continue reading →

Posted in Interactive Fiction, writing | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Photoshop Junkie

Posted on June 20, 2009 by midiguru

Remember the Mac IIci? Great computer, for its day. Back in 1992 or thereabouts, I found myself with a loaner machine in my home. On it was a copy of Photoshop. I can’t draw, so Photoshop was an ideal program … Continue reading →

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Redundancy

Posted on June 16, 2009 by midiguru

I keep a spare bow in my cello case. And of course an extra set of strings. If something breaks just before a concert, I want to be prepared. If the cello itself breaks, of course, there wouldn’t be much … Continue reading →

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Gifts

Posted on June 16, 2009 by midiguru

This could easily turn into one of those hackneyed “our time on Earth is limited; we have to make the most of it” sermonettes. I don’t want to go there. The thing I want to get at is a little … Continue reading →

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Text(book)ing

Posted on June 12, 2009 by midiguru

Writing The Inform 7 Handbook was a lot of fun, and a good experience too. Now that it’s finished, I’m wondering what to do next. I learned a lot about Inform by writing the book. If you want to learn … Continue reading →

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Feeling Good

Posted on June 11, 2009 by midiguru

People create stuff because they enjoy creating stuff. That’s a truism, so let’s be a little more specific. When an artist creates a new work of art, what’s going on is that the artist’s brain is producing some sort of … Continue reading →

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The Art Business

Posted on February 15, 2009 by midiguru

Many artists are adept at self-mystification. We like to feel that our best works come from some mysterious well (call it the unconscious or God, your choice). We hope to visit that unconscious well often, and we fear that if … Continue reading →

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