Current projects
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How to make scenes work harder, part II
Filed under: WritingCONTINUE READING: How to make scenes work harder, part IIFor a story to succeed, the individual scenes need to work hard. Here are some tools I use to achieve that goal.
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How to make scenes work harder, part I
Filed under: WritingCONTINUE READING: How to make scenes work harder, part IFor a story to succeed, the individual scenes need to work hard. What does that mean and how can you know whether your scenes are working hard enough?
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Show some spine: the problem with Black Mirror “Bête Noire”
Filed under: WritingCONTINUE READING: Show some spine: the problem with Black Mirror “Bête Noire”The Black Mirror episode “Bête Noire” has a broken spine. What do I meant by this and how might it have been fixed? Let’s dig in!
My story…
I’m sometimes asked what seems to me a question with an obvious answer: “what’s the connection between writing, programming, and product management?” In one form or another, I’ve practiced all three of these disciplines throughout my career, so of course I see the through-line. I love words and I love solving problems.
A computer programmer and an author do the same job: they solve a hard problem by connecting related components using words and a clear narrative. A product manager solves the problem that comes before, identifying which problem needs to be solved.
M.A. Tanenbaum
Writer, Engineer & Product Manager