Of Pens and Swords

In January 2011, a series of pro-democracy protests and demonstrations across North Africa and the Middle East succeeded in deposing multiple rulers. This constellation of events became known as the Arab Spring, and it ushered in, at least briefly, hope for a new era of change.
When I returned to Egypt afterward, the physical landscape of Cairo had changed. At Tahrir Square, the epicenter of the revolution, the gutted-out shell of a hotel testified to the violence that marked the revolution. Giant new walls surrounded the national museum. Narrow avenues of entry and guard posts slowed access to tourist sites. During my daily drives through Cairo I also saw something that never existed during the Mubarak era: graffiti.
https://writerunboxed.com/2026/03/26/of-pens-and-swords/

#Inspirations #REALWORLD #Writinglife #powerofwords #thepenandthesword

Writing Retreats: What Showing Up Builds

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https://writerunboxed.com/2026/03/25/writing-retreats-what-showing-up-builds/

#REALWORLD #adviceforwriters #inspiration #writinglife

New Perspectives at 14,000 Feet (and Falling Fast)

The photo above is real.
Yep, that’s me, having just leapt from a perfectly good airplane 14,000 feet over Whitewright, Texas on January 15 th , 2026. My thought at that moment: “Well, I’m out.”
That’s it.
No prayer for a working parachute.
No refrain of ‘I’m going to die.’
No screamed profanity. Or screaming at all.
After 52 years of being stuck in constant narration mode, the only thing my brain had to say about plunging toward the ground at 120mph was a simple acknowledgment that I had left the plane.
Neurodivergence is weird.
https://writerunboxed.com/2026/03/23/new-perspectives-at-14000-feet-and-falling-fast/

#REALWORLD #Writinglife #adviceforwriters #fear #KimBullock

Amid Iran war, gap between market oil prices and consumer costs widens

Three weeks into the Iran war, there’s an ever-growing gap between the price of oil futures and supplies…
#NewsBeep #News #BreakingNews #aggressiveu.s. #barrel #breakingnews #Consumer #consumercost #future #gap #hormuz #Iran #iranwar #jetfuel #oiltrader #price #realworld #supply #War #week
https://www.newsbeep.com/446575/

Finish First: Sometimes the Best Advice Is the Simplest

A few weeks ago, I was listening to a great new podcast, Little Pod , by Olivia Muenter (of Bad on Paper fame). The show follows the emotional rollercoaster of Olivia’s most recent book launch—something many authors can relate to.
During the third episode, “What’s Success, Anyway?” Olivia asks New York Times bestselling author Catherine Newman if there are any habits or mindsets that have contributed to her success.
Catherine laughs before answering. She says she works really hard and has written a lot. Then she recalls a scientific study she once read about musicians. Researchers had studied people who were writing music, and the conclusion was surprisingly simple:
The longer people spent writing music, the more music they wrote.
https://writerunboxed.com/2026/03/18/finish-first-sometimes-the-best-advice-is-the-simplest/

#CRAFT #Inspirations #REALWORLD