I went back to add some links to old articles and ended up revamping this gem If you know a teacher, you might take a second to read through it.  Also, if you're knew to my content, its a great why to start getting to know me.  https://jswordsmith.com/why-im-leaving-the-classroom/

writing as a stay-at-home parent can be difficult. You are always needed somewhere, so you can't focus for long. Here are strats I use to get a little done, writing in the margins of life

Writing In The Margins – How I Find Time for Writing As A Stay-at-Home Dad

Summer is starting, so my roles are about to switch from writer/dad to dad/writer, as my kids come first. However, I don’t want to give up everything I’ve built and lose the momentum I’ve created this year. I will need to continue writing as a stay-at-home dad, somehow. Once my kids wake up, they seem to need me at all times.

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Mercury Johnson has a simple job: break into a warehouse, grab the package, and get paid. Nothing goes as planned, as usual. And what is the Black Lotus anywhy? Read the newest Mercury Johnson adventure

Mercury Johnson and the Black Lotus

George Lucas created Star Wars as a tribute to Flash Gordon. I created Mercury Johnson as a tribute to Star Wars and Indiana Jones. While I've written about Mercury before, in The Gamble, I hadn't had him actually looking for an ancient Earth Artifact yet, so I wanted to write that story. This things is all adventure. Please enjoy. Mercury Johnson and the Black Lotus by Jarrett S. Smith Some things are better left buried. However, if they stayed buried, Mercury wouldn’t make enough money to buy food, much less make the repairs to his ship.

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My MacBook Air ran out of storage before an update. I couldn't just run out and buy a new MacBook, so here are the things I did to reclaim storage on my laptop

MacBook Air Storage Full – Here’s How I Fixed It

I got the error message MacBook Air storage full. I should have known better, but I bought this laptop when 256 GB took me pretty far. All my travel devices, iPhone, iPad, and MacBook had 256 GB of storage. While I still have a ton of space on my iPad and iPhone, I ran into issues on my MacBook.

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Last spring my son's post-screen meltdowns got so intense I convinced myself he was developing an addiction at four years old. I bought the NEX Playground—a screen-time device with built-in limits—hoping it would reset his relationship with screens.

The best writing setup isn't the one with every Apple device—it's the one you can actually afford this month while still paying rent.

I spent years loving Scrivener's binder—until I realized I was organizing chapters instead of writing them. Then I tried Ulysses. Markdown everywhere, iCloud sync that actually works, and a writing mode that gets out of your way. No compile settings to debug at 11pm.

I've been using both Scrivener and Ulysses for years. One of them stuck. My full breakdown of the features, the tradeoffs, and which app wins is live now on JSwordSmith.

Scrivener vs. Ulysses: Which Writing App Is Worth Your Money in 2026?

Which writing software is the best for most authors? It’s time to throw down in Scrivener vs. Ulysses. For the longest time, writing software always kicked off a creative spark in me. My output after discovering something new brought new structure ideas and excitement to discover new features. When I found Scrivener, I loved it. It changed the way I wrote.

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My son would meltdown every time screen time ended. I bought the NEX Playground hoping it would help—transitions got easier. Not perfect, but better. He'd finish a game and actually say "okay" when I called time. jswordsmith.com/nex-playground-review/

I bought the NEX Playground because my son would lose it every time screen time ended. Not tantrums—full meltdowns. The promise was simple: controlled screen time that wouldn't spiral.

Bought the NEX Playground hoping it would fix our screen time meltdowns. Spoiler: it didn't. But we still kind of love it. Honest review from a dad of two toddlers on the blog.

NEX Playground Review: Curb Screen Addiction? Can It Curb Screen Addiction in Toddlers?

I bought the NEX Playground hoping it would give my son a way to enjoy screen time without the meltdown that came when it was time to stop. After a few months of use, here's the honest truth about whether it delivers.

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When my oldest was four, we fought every couple of hours. He couldn't control his emotions. I couldn't control mine. So I wrote a story about it—because that's what writers do when parenting breaks them open.

A father. A tantrum. A chalk-covered driveway. And a message he almost missed. "The Sign" is a short story about the hardest parts of parenting — and the moments that make it worth it.

The Sign

Being a stay-at-home parent is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Raising children can test the best of us in ways we never thought possible. I wrote this story when my oldest was four and couldn't control his emotions very well. It felt like we were fighting every couple of hours. It is mostly a reminder to me, that even when things feel bleak I just need to look for the signs.

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Apple Notes + Siri means I can capture story ideas in the shower without grabbing my phone. Later, when the kids are eating lunch, those notes are already synced to my Mac. That's the whole game—write between interruptions.

I've been writing on Apple devices since college, and honestly? The ecosystem just works. iCloud syncing, Handoff between devices, copy-paste across screens—it's all invisible magic that lets me write between interruptions.

I've been writing on Apple devices since college. New post: a complete walkthrough of how Apple's ecosystem supports every stage of the writing process — from capturing ideas to hitting publish. Includes an honest take on Apple Intelligence and whether it's actually useful for writers yet.

Best Apple Apps for Writers: A Workflow Guide to the Ecosystem

Discover the best Apple apps for writers and how the Apple ecosystem can support every stage of your writing workflow.

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My 2022 novel STARS AND BONES was a finalist for the British Science Fiction Award, and was followed in 2023 by the loose sequel DESCENDANT MACHINE, both published by @titanbooks.bsky.social

Learn how to use Playlist Playgrounds in Apple Music to create AI-generated playlists with a simple text prompt. Here's everything you need to know.

How to Use Playlist Playgrounds in Apple Music (iOS 26.4)

Learn how to use Playlist Playgrounds in Apple Music to create AI-generated playlists with a simple text prompt. Here's everything you need to know.

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Learn how to organize your Ulysses library like a Kanban board to track every stage of your writing — from inbox idea to published piece — and never lose a project again.

How to Organize Your Ulysses Library Like a Kanban Board (And Never Lose a Writing Project Again)

Learn how to organize your Ulysses library like a Kanban board to track every stage of your writing — from inbox idea to published piece — and never lose a project again.

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I wrote my entire Disneyland post — all 2,000 words — on my iPad on the flight to Peru. Edited it there too. Posted it from my cousin's house in Lima. The iPad gets a bad rap as a productivity device. I'm not sure that's fair anymore. New post on whether the iPad can actually do real work

iPad Productivity Put to the Test: I Wrote a Blog Post from Peru

My self-imposed goal was on the line. We’re still early in the year, but I don’t want to miss a weekly post. So, when we started packing for our ten day trip to Peru, I started to panic. Finding time to work on vacation with two kids could be challenging. Finding the time and being in another country felt even more daunting.

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I flew out of my seat as we crested the dune. I knew the dune buggies were coming. I did not know it would feel like this. Standing at the top of a sand mountain, looking down at a desert oasis in Peru — it felt like being on Tatooine. Like I was staring down at a starport from another world.

Our Day Trip to Huacachina, Peru: Dune Buggies, Sand Surfing, and Desert Adventure

I flew out of my seat as we went over the dune. While I knew this was coming, I hadn’t expected this exactly. This was why we came to Huacachina, Peru, to explore the desert oasis, ride dune buggies, and surf down in the heat. But I hadn’t expected this to feel so much like a roller coaster. One of our cousins worked for a tour guide company, …

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Wrote a short story about a book that desperately wants to be chosen off a shelf. It’s really about something else entirely. Link in bio

A Book’s Longing – A short story about books

I thought about how hard it is to get your creations out into the world. I thought about how a story wants to be told and wrote this little short story about books looking to find their reader. Enjoy, and let me know what you think in the comments. A Book's Longing by Jarrett S. Smith Despite all the other books around him, the book felt lonely.

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We took two toddlers to Disneyland. One screamed in line and refused to get on the ride. One got lost in Toontown for 10 minutes. It rained ALL DAY at California Adventure. Rise of the Resistance broke down. And somehow, it was still magical. Here's what actually happened

Taking Toddlers to Disneyland: The Real Story

I sat in the hotel bed and scanned my Disneyland app, searching to add my ticket to my Apple Watch. But after going through every setting and then a Reddit thread, I found out that Disneyland didn’t offer one. Taking these toddlers to Disneyland wasn’t starting off on a good foot. We had become Disney people after going on a…

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I’ve been using the Ulysses writing app for everything I write—from blog posts to novels. ✍️ Finally put together a complete guide to show how it can streamline your writing workflow, stay focused, and hit your goals. #writingtips #bloggingtips #Ulyssesapp #contentcreation

New Ulysses Writing App Guide for Writers, Bloggers, & Students

Discover my complete guide to the Ulysses writing app—stay organized, focused, and productive whether you’re a writer, blogger, or student.

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Just published: How to Actually Use Apple Music's Up Next Queue 🎵 I use this feature constantly. But most people don't realize: • You can reorder your queue (drag and drop!) • Swipe left to quick add songs • "Play Next" vs "Play Last" makes a huge difference • You can add entire albums at on

How to Use Apple Music Up Next Feature to Build an On-the-Go Playlist

Learn how to use Apple Music’s Up Next feature to add songs, build a Queue, and create an on-the-go playlist without making a full playlist.

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Apple Music is great. But it’s missing some obvious features: • a queue that follows you between devices • fixing kids music wrecking your recommendations • real Handoff between iPhone, iPad, and Mac • profiles for different listening moods •AI playlists I wrote about features I want to see soon

5 Apple Music Features I Wish Apple Would Add (Queue Sync, Profiles, Handoff & More)

Apple Music is great, but it’s missing key features like queue syncing, listening history control, profiles, and smarter playlists. Here are 5 updates Apple should add.

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I'm really proud of my newest short story, The Line You Don't Cross. It's a story about the elite rich and what they do to maintain their status. Oddly enough, I wrote the first draft of this last summer, and it finally come to fruition now. 🔗👇🏼 #eattherich #writingcommunity #shortstory #reading

I had the privilege of going on Karen's World of Art podcast to discuss my writing process. Check out the YouTube as we talk about writing and life

Podcast with Karen’s World Of Art

I had the privilege of going on Karen's World of Art podcast to discuss my writing process. Check out the YouTube as we talk about writing and life

jswordsmith.com

Brayden’s app has skyrocketed, but success comes at a cost. At an exclusive gala, surrounded by wealth, power, and temptation, he must decide how far he’s willing to go—and what he’s willing to sacrifice to stay true to himself.

The Line You Don’t Cross

Brayden’s app has skyrocketed, but success comes at a cost. At an exclusive gala, surrounded by wealth, power, and temptation, he must decide how far he’s willing to go—and what he’s willing to sacrifice to stay true to himself.

jswordsmith.com

Yeah. Finished the edits on this draft of my short story and I feel like it’s much tighter. Hoping to brush it up a little more and post it tomorrow.