Things I've Heard

Writing Process

Feb 24, 2026

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6 min read

On big issues and small details

If you let them come for your milk and say nothing, next they will come for your apples, and before you know it, they come for your freedom, your life, and no amount of bleating will stop them.

Philip Holyman

Writing Process

On (un)healthy relationships with the metal pet

Feb 10, 2026

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6 min read

On (un)healthy relationships with the metal pet

"And then I realised, geez, how dependent I have been on my cellphone. But I should confess, you know, after the first day, I felt liberated."

Philip Holyman

Writing Process

Dec 23, 2025

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7 min read

On the present and the future

Ballard's trick, or technique, is deceptively simple — observation, which gives the impression (especially with hindsight) of being extrapolation.

Philip Holyman

Writing Process

On green ink, shenanigans and tomfoolery

Nov 11, 2025

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6 min read

On green ink, shenanigans and tomfoolery

"The vast majority of novels, including those with explicit scenes, use standard black ink. This keeps production costs down and follows the established norms of the publishing industry."

Philip Holyman

Writing Process

On saying what you mean and meaning what you say

Aug 26, 2025

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6 min read

On saying what you mean and meaning what you say

"If you're making a statement, artistically, then when you're making that statement, as far as you're concerned, it's an absolute."

Philip Holyman

Things I've Read

On whether accents matter, or just get in the way

Jun 17, 2025

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9 min read

On whether accents matter, or just get in the way

Does it really matter what accent an actor uses to play a character, or does it not?

Philip Holyman

Sharing Some Dots

Apr 29, 2025

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7 min read

On someone just saying yes

[FROM THE ARCHIVE] In order to say yes to one thing, you have to say no to another. That’s how time is protected. That’s how the art gets made. But it starts with you, saying yes to yourself.

Philip Holyman

Sharing Some Dots

On caterpillars, emergence and ambiguous stomachache

Apr 8, 2025

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6 min read

On caterpillars, emergence and ambiguous stomachache

The only thing that should ever be described as “emerging” is The Very Hungry Caterpillar out of his chrysalis.

Philip Holyman

Novels

On professionalism and the (super)market

Mar 18, 2025

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7 min read

On professionalism and the (super)market

[FROM THE ARCHIVE] What does it mean to be a “professional” writer? Is it that you devote lots of your time and effort to writing? Or that you get paid for writing?

Philip Holyman

Writing Process

On the corruption of relevance, or the Plastic Cheese Effect

Mar 11, 2025

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7 min read

On the corruption of relevance, or the Plastic Cheese Effect

Oh, how I loathe that word — relevant! — and the noun that accompanies it — relevance! I encounter them both a lot in the cultural sector, and they give me the ick.

Philip Holyman

Sharing Some Dots

On behaving like a pineapple, or, realising when it’s not all about you

Feb 25, 2025

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6 min read

On behaving like a pineapple, or, realising when it’s not all about you

What better way of challenging these unhelpful feelings than by taking my clothes off in front a room full of strangers?

Philip Holyman

Sharing Some Dots

On waving goodbye to 2024 and saying hello to 2025

Dec 31, 2024

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3 min read

On waving goodbye to 2024 and saying hello to 2025

In the space of thirty-six words, they have consolidated everything I'm going to keep reminding myself to do in 2025.

Philip Holyman

Output

Sep 24, 2024

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5 min read

On more than one kind of input

Because books have always been my default sources of input, I used to assume, unthinkingly, that it would be the case for other people, too.

Philip Holyman

Things I've Heard

On big issues and small details

On (un)healthy relationships with the metal pet

On the present and the future

On green ink, shenanigans and tomfoolery

On saying what you mean and meaning what you say

On whether accents matter, or just get in the way

On someone just saying yes

On caterpillars, emergence and ambiguous stomachache

On professionalism and the (super)market

On the corruption of relevance, or the Plastic Cheese Effect

On behaving like a pineapple, or, realising when it’s not all about you

On waving goodbye to 2024 and saying hello to 2025

On more than one kind of input

But anyway, I digress...