What goes in, off the top of your head As a journalist, after interviews that could go on for three hours, I wrote down everything that came to mind a soon as I’d said goodbye – before reading through pages and pages of shorthand. Today, … https://flintoff.org/what-goes-in-off-the-top-of-your-head

Some things can't be automated Some things can’t be automated. For instance: a course designed for you to write and print an illustrated memoir, in 30 days, so it’s ready by Xmas. I’ve designed the course, which is delivered by daily emails, and … https://flintoff.org/some-things-cant-be-automated

Credit where it's due On Friday I added surveys to this website. You can now answer a few questions on a page here, and I get an email with your answers. Woohoo, I hear you say. That may not sound like much. But this is a site I run myself. It’s not a pag… https://flintoff.org/credit-where-its-due

You must read Ulysses 24 October 2026 Hello In this issue: the English teacher who told me to read Ulysses in a weekend; what people see when they look up from where they work; and a bike messenger who doesn’t stop for red lights. Drawn from a phot… https://flintoff.org/you-must-read-ulysses

Suddenly when it's too late to thank her I remember how much I owe to my teacher

John-Paul Flintoff@jp.flintoff.org · last wk.

Mrs Barnes Anne Barnes taught me English in the sixth form, and she had quite an effect on me. At first I was baffled by A-level English. I couldn’t get things like Jane Austen – it all seemed so boring. I wasn’t the only boy, but most of the class were girls, an… https://flintoff.org/mrs-barnes

Not forgetting the email exchanges One of my wishes with this blog is to provide real-time updates on what is actually going on with my work in progress. It’s tempting to forget some parts of that, as if the email exchanges etc don’t really c… https://flintoff.org/not-forgetting-the-email-exchanges

The calendar does my head in I’ve tried paper diaries, digital calendars and a hybrid. Somehow, I still managed to miss a class I was supposed to lead, with 30 people waiting for me. That experience has stayed with me. So has the frustration of be… https://flintoff.org/the-calendar-does-my-head-in

If you want one last roll of the dice to get people reading printed mainstream media, you’ve got to get young working-class kids on board. #caitlinmoran @dgquarterly.bsky.social www.slow-journalism.com/app-issues/l...

Mrs Barnes Anne Barnes taught me English in the sixth form, and she had quite an effect on me. At first I was baffled by A-level English. I couldn’t get things like Jane Austen – it all seemed so boring. I wasn’t the only boy, but most of the class were girls, an… https://flintoff.org/mrs-barnes

Chopping up books / 4 Many positive responses to my recent bookchopping confession. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. Also in agreement with H that this is a good idea. – Reuben B Hi JP. Approve of chopping up huge new books! Wonder why and when we lo… https://flintoff.org/chopping-up-books-4

Specimens of paradox Just read an article with two nice specimens of paradox, both about the same person: “Elon Musk is a bullshitter who delivers” – Benedict Evans “Never underestimate the man who overestimates himself” – Howard Ahmanson Always hap… https://flintoff.org/specimens-of-paradox

Night off Sometimes at night Peanut lies still like a silver bullet, waiting for me to come to her with a dog toothbrush and dog toothpaste. She’s usually very compliant when I brush her teeth… But sometimes she runs away, perhaps going upstairs and hiding in her… https://flintoff.org/night-off

‘Why Do You Let Me Lie Here Wastefully?’ in Best British Short Stories 2026. I’ve kept to myself this year, working on my blog, so I wasn’t expecting *this*. Excited to know that more people will read the story. Overawed to be in such good company. @saltpublishing.com

Hardly even an interview Michael G was the first person I interviewed for my podcast, Voice Notes to the World. I sent him three questions by WhatsApp voice note, and he sent back three answers. When I sent him the edited episode, he apologised for th… https://flintoff.org/hardly-even-an-interview

The most indebted corporations in America right now are, at their core, computer virus companies. They think the computer viruses are their girlfriends, so they think this absolves them of guilt. Let's find out!

Anthropic warns AI models could soon copy themselves across home devices

Anthropic's latest research adds to the growing safety concerns around AI from the ability for models to carry out cyberattacks to the technology going rogue.

www-cnbc-com.cdn.ampproject.org

The reader can imagine They tell people on writing courses to “show, don’t tell”. It’s good advice, helps bring life to what might otherwise be terribly boring – but it’s not the only way to proceed. Sometimes it can be a good idea to tell, not show. … https://flintoff.org/the-reader-can-imagine

Ryan said yes After I posted about Ryan Turpin’s new book, he sent an email thanking me. Among other things, he said: Writing a book has the potential to be quite a lonely project, and a first book especially can be a real exercise in confidence-building. For … https://flintoff.org/ryan-said-yes

Without whom Hurrah! Look what just arrived in the post. Ryan’s book! I’m so pleased to see Wild Enough: The Subtle Trade-offs of Modern Living, and to note in passing the lovely paper, the elegance of the typography, the copious notes at the back, and the brilli… https://flintoff.org/without-whom

This could be genius, or a terrible crime. I read something that encouraged me to chop up fat books into slim volumes, with customised covers. As an author I felt a bit queasy about chopping up anybody’s book. 1/2

I could never do that, said my author friend 10 October 2026 Hello This is the first of the Saturday issues I promised last week. If weekly is more than you want, reply MONTHLY and I’ll send you a monthly round-up instead. In this issue: chopping … https://flintoff.org/couldnt-do-that-author

Chopping up books / 3 I finished the first segment, with great pleasure, and have now sliced off and re-covered part two: How this book-chopping started. https://flintoff.org/chopping-up-books-3

Back to the Post Office Earlier this year, I went to great lengths putting together a package of materials and sending them out to people who mostly didn’t know me, and I recorded voice messages for each person and just generally went out of my way to d… https://flintoff.org/back-to-the-post-office

Canadian writer Anne Carson wins 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature reut.rs/4zlWKmO

Canadian writer Anne Carson wins 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature

Canadian poet and writer Anne Carson won "for her bold and inventive oeuvre that, in ​playful dialogue with the classical tradition, has created new forms for ‌contemporary literature," the award-giving body said.

reut.rs

“The only sensible solution at this point is a moratorium on datacentres until very basic questions about how many we need, what for, where, and how pollution will be avoided are answered satisfactorily by the government” - @olliehayes.bsky.social 👏

Drax datacentre could create nearly twice the yearly emissions of all Gatwick flights

Exclusive: Campaign group’s analysis of North Yorkshire plans finds datacentre would have to burn 4.9m tonnes of wood a year

theguardian.com

From my notebook. My philosophy, while writing books, for the last ten years.

Sorry at what point do the government feel the need to do something about BBC funding, or are they just going to watch it be salami-sliced to extinction?

Felicity Hannah@felicityhannah.bsky.social · 3w ago

Really sad news. Thinking of my very talented colleagues today

Today I am imagining a friendlier and more loving world 🧡 💚

You don't need to feel bad Years ago, I wrote a book called How to Change the World. I’m very proud of it, can’t recommend it highly enough, you should buy a copy, blah blah blah. It was published in 16 languages, I did a TEDx Talk on the subject, a… https://flintoff.org/you-dont-need-to-feel-bad