If you're in the thick of it right now—fighting with a four-year-old or just drowning in the daily grind—you're not alone. Sometimes the writing is how we survive it.
Read "The Sign": https://jswordsmith.com/the-sign/
Years later, he's better at managing emotions. I'm better too. But that story still matters—it captured a moment when we were both learning how to be human together, one meltdown at a time.
The story became a container for what I couldn't say out loud: that raising kids tests you in ways you never imagined. That sometimes you write not because you have answers, but because you need to make sense of the chaos.
One day during that season, I sat down and wrote "The Sign." Not to fix anything. Not to teach him a lesson. Just to process the weight of loving someone who couldn't stop melting down—and how that mirrored my own breaking points.
Being a stay-at-home parent is the hardest thing I've ever done. Not grad school, not teaching—this. The constant emotional chaos, the fights over nothing, the feeling like you're failing every hour.
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.
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.
Stats and Bones by Gareth L Powell. The cover is the colour of blood and shows a spaceship against a planet.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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.
When my boys (5 & 2.5) and I caught the flu, I realized just how tough parenting can be. It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to go through mentally.
Meds kept symptoms at bay, but all of us, tired and cranky, took a toll
#parenting #writingcommunity
jswordsmith.com/parenting-is...
*thought
I though I was done with this short story last week, but thanks to some suggestions and edits, I'm making it even better and I'm really getting into the edits. Now, I'm not even close to posting it and I don't have anything else in the works for this week. Time to get back to work
#writingcommunity
After a few months, I'm still loving my #airpodspro3 and use them every day.
My only change from my Impressions is the battery life. The buds' battery is great, but I'm having to charge the case more often.
Any ?s I can answer for you? Let me know!
jswordsmith.com/airpods-pro-...
A father. A son. Two superhero capes. And a phone call that won't stop buzzing.
My short story 'Offline' is about the moment we decide what really matters.
https://jswordsmith.com/offline/#ShortStory #Fiction #WritersOnBluesky #ParentingStories
