Replacing carbon with silicon The new mass layoffs put AI in the spotlight once again, but not in a way we'd expected (but sci-fi writers did).

Talent wars are over. The new tech race is over silicon and (electric) power. On the new wave of mass layoffs and how AI is involved

Masters of Fear Even 80 years after the end of World War II, resisting evil, despite fear and impossible odds, feels as urgent as ever. Here are my takeaways from this WWII-themed book roundup.

World War II began and ended in September.
I read 8 novels: some modern classics, some hidden gems.
All ask the same question: How do people resist evil?
1-sentence reviews + full roundup here:
🔗 beatakwriter.substack.com/p/masters-of...

What is the B Story in 'Save the Cat!' and how to plot it? If you’ve ever stared at your outline wondering, “What exactly is the B Story beat?”—you’re not alone. Let's answer your questions.

B Story in Save the Cat ≠ one scene. It’s a full subplot.
In my latest craft post, I break down what the B Story is, when to introduce it (Act 2!), who drives it, and how it helps your main plot hit harder.
For Save the Cat writers or anyone struggling with subplots.

100 Years of Silence: My Women’s Voices Month “Your mother-in-law introduced you to people by saying, This is Lucy, she comes from nothing. But do you know what she came from?”

Update: Here's the working link to my essay on 100 years of silece in women's fiction: beatakurcz.com/blog/100-yea...

A hundred years after Mrs. Dalloway, I spent August reading seven novels by women—each exploring silence, longing, and generational trauma.

Read by essay: [https://bit.ly/100-years-of-silence]
🎥 Reel: [www.instagram.com/beatakwriter/reel/DN_h1Q...

#litfic #MrsDalloway #womensfiction

Built, Blown Up, Rebuilt, and Downgraded The bridge in Radymno, Poland, has carried more than just vehicles across its steel frame. It has borne the weight of empires, the scars of war, and the missteps of peacetime bureaucracy.

Built, Blown Up, Rebuilt, and Downgraded
The story of a bridge that saw it all in less than 100 years