What happens when we step outside the inherited architecture of Western storytelling? In SPRING, SUMMER, ASTEROID, BIRD Henry Lien @henrylienauthor.bsky.social explores the textures, philosophies, and narrative instincts of Eastern story traditions. humanjourney.us/book-reviews...

THE BALCONY SCENE Thank you to the California Writers Club, Orange County branch for letting me talk about SPRING, SUMMER, ASTEROID, BIRD (@w.w.norton) . . . from a balcony! Love, Henry #AmWriting

The LLFs have a new chat out with Henry Lien. We loved hanging out with Henry the first time he joined us and couldn't wait to have him back again. Henry shares some great story generating ideas he teaches his student. Episode below! @eeking.bsky.social @henrylienauthor.bsky.social

Long Lost Friends interview with author Henry Lien, Part 2

YouTube video by MetaStellar

youtu.be

WHAT $44 OF AIRPORT FOOD LOOKS LIKE. Omg that was disgusting, especially the drink. Tasted like someone hosed down their lawnmower and bottled the run-off. At least the candy bar was good. Please send thoughts and prayers. Love, Henry

See? This just proves my belief that Philip K. Dick was writing realist fiction.

@henrylienauthor.bsky.social is an author & teacher who is joining us at Wholehearted Writers Mini-Retreat to discuss the radical four-act Eastern storytelling structure. If you’ve ever wondered about how stories, ya know, actually work, come join us: wholeheartedwriters.weebly.com/june-mini-re...

Fantastic time reading @locusmag.bsky.social Awards Virtual readings tonight with @henrylienauthor.bsky.social. Henry is a delight, always.

This brief list has my absolute MUST HAVE books for writers, gleaned over my 15 year career (some are old, some very new!). These work for any writer, but especially #solarpunk writers. Books on Writing Every Writer Should Have: bookshop.org/lists/books-... #writing @henrylienauthor.bsky.social

A LABYRINTH, NOT A LIBRARY Just got back from the members’ preview of the magnificent new David Geffen Galleries at LACMA. +

@eeking.bsky.social and I had a fantastic time chatting with Henry Lien. I loved learning about the structural differences between Western three-act stories and Eastern four-act ones. #WritingCommunity #WritingTips @eeking.bsky.social @henrylienauthor.bsky.social @metastellar.bsky.social

Long Lost Friends interview with author Henry Lien

YouTube video by MetaStellar

youtube.com

Hey, you. Yeah, you. You like watching an author work himself into a lather about #kishotenketsu and Eastern storytelling structures? Thot so, you look like the type. Well, then, here’s a hawt video for you. - Henry #SpringSummerAsteroidBird @wwnorton.com

@metastellar.bsky.social · 3mo ago

New on our channel: Author Henry Lien, with hosts Andrea Goyan and E.E. King... Awesome interview about Eastern storytelling and his “Peasprout Chen” series, described as “Hermione Granger meets Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon meets the Ice Capades meets Mean Girls.” www.youtube.com/watch?v=5I8S...

COOL LECTURES + DRINKS - EXAMS = I got invited by @lecturesontap.bsky.social to do a lecture about my book #SpringSummerAsteroidBird (@wwnorton.com) and #kishotenketsu. +

Congratulations to our amazing Clarion West alumni who are finalists for @locusmag.bsky.social Awards, plus too many instructors to name. Full list: locusmag.com/2026/04/2026.... @isabelcanas.bsky.social @nassos.bsky.social @somtoihezue.bsky.social @seraph76.bsky.social @henrylienauthor.bsky.social

Congrats to all the finalists!! I spy @charliejane.bsky.social @wiswell.bsky.social @sarahgailey.bsky.social @samiraahmed.bsky.social @bogiperson.bsky.social @annaleen.bsky.social @sentencebender.bsky.social @franwilde.bsky.social @henrylienauthor.bsky.social and many other really amazing people!!!!

Locus Magazine@locusmag.bsky.social · 4mo ago

2026 Locus Awards Top Ten Finalists https://twp.ai/9OV8UI

hey @henrylienauthor.bsky.social congrats on the nonfic book nod on the Locus finalists list!!!

#RevPitWaiting I can't recommend @charliejane.bsky.social 's Never Say You Can't Survive (esp. right now) enough! @henrylienauthor.bsky.social 's Spring, Summer, Asteroid, Bird was very validating as someone incorporating this structure into my own work. 💖

Revise & Resub@reviseresub.bsky.social · 4mo ago

So sorry, everyone! Buffer didn't post this today and we didn't know! #RevPitWaiting for Thursday, 4/9: What are your fav craft books? Resources that helped you improve? Let’s help each other be better writers!

Act structures profoundly affect worldview, expectations and outcomes. What assumptions do we make about the world? Can we tell better stories? @henrylienauthor.bsky.social joins me and @laurafayeten.bsky.social on Love Letters to the Future to discuss 4 act Eastern story structure.

Humans are wired for story and that's what made us succeed as a social species. Join @henrylienauthor.bsky.social, @laurafayeten.bsky.social and me as we discuss how to tell better stories on Love Letters to the Future. Listen, subscribe, comment and join our community.

MY ARTIST IN THE GETTY MAGAZINE As some of you might know, I moonlight as an art dealer. I’m super proud that my artist Susan Hannon is featured in the @gettymuseum.bsky.social magazine. Link to full article in first comment.

In honor of Lunar New Year, I reading this fantastic book on Eastern storytelling methods (highly recommend) and drinking a Vietnamese coffee/tea pour-over from @coppercowcoffee which is quite good, as well ☕️ #SpringSummerAsteroidBird #kishotenketsu @henrylienauthor.bsky.social #lny #chinesenewyear

HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR! @idinamenzel.bsky.social #PeasproutChen and I wish you a happy year of the fire horse! Love, Henry #lunarnewyear #yearofthehorse #DiverseBooks #reading

10,000 YEARS OF STOMACH GAS! #PeasproutChen is infuriated to death that the #Olympics committee once again failed to include Wu Liu, the beautiful and deadly sport of kung fu figure skating, in #MilanoCortina. #DiverseBooks #HeatedRivalry Artwork: Alexandra Manukyan, Afu Chan, Caroline Jaltorossian

SOMETIMES THE ASTEROID IS SMALL (AND WET) My book about Eastern storytelling structures has been enjoying an interesting life.

New on the @odysseyworkshop.bsky.social blog: excerpts from a Q&A with author & Your Personal Odyssey guest lecturer @henrylienauthor.bsky.social, who talks about nonlinear storytelling & the relationship between unreliable narrators and linearity odysseyworkshop.wordpress.com/2026/02/09/q...

Q&A Excerpt: Henry Lien

Henry Lien was a 2025 guest lecturer for Your Personal Odyssey Writing Workshop. Henry is a graduate of Brown University, UCLA School of Law, and Clarion West Writers’ Workshop. He is the auth…

odysseyworkshop.wordpress.com

and Spring, Summer, Asteroid, Bird by @henrylienauthor.bsky.social bookshop.org/a/102876/978...

Spring, Summer, Asteroid, Bird: The Art of Eastern Storytelling

The Art of Eastern Storytelling

bookshop.org

“THIS IS YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM USING AN OLD PASSWORD.” This is my new mantra I came up with as a sort of self bio-hack. It’s been modestly life-changing. Love, Henry #biohack #neurology #rewiring

“IN DREAMS I WALK WITH YOU” 2 blocks from my house is a cemetery starring the remains of David Lynch. A year and a day after he left Earth, I went to thank the artist who taught me there is another world, but it’s not somewhere out there. It’s inside and it’s hidden in plain view. #DavidLynch

Gah, I forgot the link! Okay, NOW with excellent work written by @melissacaruso.bsky.social, @kjcharleswriter.com @exaggerated.bsky.social, @kerstinhall.bsky.social, @henrylienauthor.bsky.social, @elienyc.bsky.social, @ryannorth.ca, @edenroyce.bsky.social, @riverssolomon.bsky.social, as well as ...

All My Favorite 2025 Reads

Last week, I posted a big long list of Everything I Read In 2025. This week, I’ll be discussing some of my favorites from that list, categorized—per usual—in super normal ways, like Favorite …

mygeekblasphemy.com

HAPPY NEW YEAR NEWS Oh, hey, that’s nifty. @nextbigidea.bsky.social just selected #SpringSummerAsteroidBird (@wwnorton.com) as one of its six pix of 2025. Love, Henry nextbigideaclub.com/magazine/nex...

BATCH-DUMP! Ojai there, could you just hold this bag open for me while I dump a bunch of photos I forgot to post over the past year? Thnxurthebest. Love, Henry #SpringSummerAsteroidBird #PeasproutChen