C. L. Nichols

@clnichols
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C. L. Nichols
Author
C. L. Nichols retired from a Programmer/Analyst career. A lifelong musician, he writes mostly speculative fiction.

https://medium.com/storyangles/you-dont-have-to-have-an-opinion-on-everything-4da23d14b4a9

Someone asks your view on a topic you only heard about. Instead of guessing, say “I haven’t looked into that yet.” Don’t rush yourself into a position you can’t support.

#opinions #conversation #medium #life #selfimprovement #personalgrowth

You Don’t Have to Have An Opinion on Everything

A practical tool for everyday conversations.

Medium

https://medium.com/speculative-encounters/are-we-now-nearer-to-wtshtf-than-ever-before-5157ec9ab5ef

Prices jump. Shelves empty. Storms hit harder. Outages last longer. Institutions respond slower. The world is running hotter, faster, and closer to the edge.

#wtshtf #teotwawki #medium #apocalypse #life

Are We Now Nearer to WTSHTF Than Ever Before?

The Proofs Are Hiding in Plain Sight.

Medium

https://medium.com/the-writers-reach/turning-points-in-creative-fiction-285e80699b69

A turning point is any event that changes the direction of the story or the emotional state of a character. After it happens, the story can’t return to how things were.

#turningpoint #CreativeFiction #medium #writingtips #storystructure #fiction

Turning Points in Creative Fiction

From setup to climax, how to plan real narrative change.

Medium

https://medium.com/the-writers-reach/the-craft-skills-youre-finally-ready-to-learn-f23e9c357ed1

Some craft skills don’t unlock when you first encounter them. They unlock when you’ve grown as a writer.

#writingskills #writingtips #writingcommunity #medium #WritingAdvice

The Craft Skills You’re Finally Ready to Learn

Techniques that only click once you’ve grown into the writer who can use them.

Medium

https://medium.com/storyangles/let-go-of-the-person-you-used-to-be-c13f27c63d9d

A person stands in front of an open closet, trying on an old jacket they haven’t worn in years. Once it fit perfectly but now it’s tight and unfamiliar.

#personalgrowth #selfimprovement #medium #personaldevelopment #changeyourlife #change

Let Go of the Person You Used to Be

The Quiet Moment You Realize You’ve Outgrown Yourself.

Medium

https://medium.com/the-writers-reach/use-setting-as-a-character-f42d08f502c5

A character steps into a room that breathes with its own intentions. Shadows gather in corners, the floorboards whisper warnings, and the air carries the weight of something unsaid.

#setting #characterdevelopment #medium #writingtips #writing #worldbuilding

Use Setting as a Character

Turn Environments into Active Forces That Shape Plot and Emotion.

Medium

https://medium.com/storyangles/stop-feeling-stressed-and-scattered-e82b16673eaa

Stress speeds everything up. Your breathing gets shallow. Your thoughts race. When you slow your pace, your mind follows.

#stress #mentalhealth #behavior #medium #selfimprovement #personaldevelopment

Stop Feeling Stressed and Scattered

Get your mind back under your control.

Medium

https://medium.com/the-writers-reach/edit-your-novel-like-a-pro-the-7-things-you-must-do-66d746a4cbe9

You finish a draft. Something feels loose. Scenes drift. Dialogue stretches. The pacing slows. You know the story needs editing, but you’re not sure where to begin.

Editing isn’t fixing typos. It’s where you rebuild the story so it works. A story becomes readable when the structure is solid, the scenes have purpose, and the emotional beats make sense.

#editing #novelwriting #medium #writingtips

Edit Your Novel Like a Pro: The 7 Things You MUST Do

A step‑by‑step plan for fixing story problems.

Medium

https://medium.com/the-writers-reach/teotwawki-not-with-a-bang-but-with-a-choice-691ce20ce60a

TEOTWAWKI: Not With a Bang, But With a Choice.
Reflecting on “The End of the World As We Know It: New Tales of Stephen King’s ‘The Stand’”.

#teotwawki #wtshtf #apocalyptic #medium #books #thestand #stephenking

TEOTWAWKI: Not With a Bang, But With a Choice

Reflecting on “The End of the World As We Know It: New Tales of Stephen King’s ‘The Stand’”.

Medium