There's an old story about a crow who found a pitcher with just a bit of water at the bottom.
Too deep to reach.
Too narrow to tip.
So the crow started dropping in pebbles, one by one, until the water rose high enough to drink.
That story has been living in my head lately. Maybe because it feels like the truest picture of how creativity works. It's rarely a flood. It's a slow filling. A steady gathering of small things that eventually lift the level.
That's the spirit behind a little experiment I started last month: a curated list of tools and ideas to help you keep the work going.
I didn't have a name for it then, but I do now: Pitcher & Pebbles.
For the first email of each month, I'll share a few "pebbles": small things to help raise your creative waterline. So without further ado...
1. Read: I Left Medium to Build Something for Writers. Now I'm Back.
I wrote this reflection on what happened when I stopped chasing metrics and started building something for writers who just want to get better. In other words, I wrote about writing about writing. (Yes, you read that sentence correctly; just give it a moment to sink in.)
2. Watch: Bo Burnham — "Can't Handle This"
Every once in while I'm re-reminded of Bo Burnham's comedic genius, how he was able to transcend his early "shock-jock" comedy of the mid-aughts and create something like this. It's part comedy, part confession, and maybe the most honest piece of art about performing in the digital age. If you're unconvinced, here's a taste: "I can sit here and pretend like my biggest problems are Pringles cans, and burritos. The truth is my biggest problem is you." (Warning: contains some mild language.)
3. Tool: Our Scrivener Review
Candace is our resident Scrivener power user, and she worked really hard to write an in-depth review. I feel bad for burying a link to her article in an email two weeks ago. She deserves better, so I'm resharing it here.
4. Book: Nexus by Yuval Noah Harari
I just finished Nexus by Yuval Noah Harari, and it's one of those books still percolating in my brain. He traces how every era has been defined by its networks — trade routes, religions, empires, data, AI — and how each new web of connection reshapes what we know and create. It's a fascinating reminder that our creative work doesn't exist in isolation; it's part of a much older, ever-evolving network of ideas and meaning.
5. Curveball: Camp Snap Screen-Free Digital Camera
This one has nothing to do with writing, or maybe it does. Camp Snap is a simple, screen-free digital camera that lets you take photos without getting lost in the preview. I've had mine for a while now and love how it helps me stay present (here are a few photos I took this summer). We writers need to get out and look at the world sometimes. This makes it a little more memorable.
6. Quote:
"Little by little does the trick."
— Aesop
Hope you enjoyed this handful of pebbles.
Talk soon,
Declan Wilson
WriterGadgets.com