Lay them out to create accountability!

Just completed the first full draft of my memoir, Ascending Cancer! What are some of your recent wins?

Hey friends, Our recent conversations in this group got me thinking more deeply about AI and what it really means for us as writers. Soon after the live class with @Nicolas J on this very subject, I began exploring further—at first tentatively, and later, enthusiastically. The further I wandered into the mysterious world of AI, the more I realised I'd been missing a few important pieces of the puzzle. As for most writers, there was an underlying sense of fuzziness around the whole concept. Once the key ideas slotted into place, I began to sense there was a massive opportunity here for us in actually mastering AI. As the world gets flooded with mediocre AI content, those of us who already understand what great writing is will, indeed, have a huge advantage over others when using this technology. Now, as some of you already know, I’ve been working quietly behind the scenes on a book called, The Alchemy of Prompting: Writing With Flair in the Age of AI. It’s written specifically for writers. And it offers a radically different way of thinking about AI that, I hope, will bring both clarity and inspiration. It's part philosophy, part manifesto, and part practical guide. I’ve poured everything I’ve learned about AI into this book—and I honestly can’t wait to share more details with you. Feel free to tell me in the comments what you've been learning in your own experiments with AI. —Shani

A lot goes through your mind when you're told you have terminal cancer and could have as little as 18 months to live. "What should I do with my remaining time?" "What treatments should I do to prolong my life?" "How shall I say goodbye to those I love?" I'll say more in my coming memoir about my rollercoaster cancer journey. Today, after receiving the all-clear for the third year in a row, I wanted to pay tribute to those who offered their unconditional support to me, as I faced the biggest and scariest challenge of my life. Without their backing, I might not be here with you today. Among those unsung heroes was @Jeffery Wang, whom I first met in a professional capacity. Years earlier, Jeffery had founded the Professional Development Forum, a nonprofit aimed at giving a leg up to struggling young Sydney professionals. It was a labour of love that inspired many, including myself, to support him. After my diagnosis with "stage four" bowel cancer, Jeffery didn't flinch. He treated me as though I was just as alive, as relevant, and as worthwhile as I'd always been, even when I'd begun to doubt it myself. Jeffery met me for lunches, connected me with others, and carried on inviting me to social events, as he'd always done. Looking back, I believe that love like Jeffery's (and there are many more people I could mention, including several in this community, whose compassion I'll never forget) contributed as much to my recovery as any medicine, surgery or treatment. So, when Jeffery asked me to be a guest on his podcast, 10 Lessons Learned, to discuss my health journey, and other significant life events, I was only too happy to oblige. In fact, I'd secretly been waiting for the opportunity to share the big life lessons I'd learned after everything I'd been through. The 10 Lessons format gave me the opportunity to present these discoveries in a concise, logical, and engaging format. Jeffery, of course, was the perfect host. He was curious, sincere, gracious, and generous. This is the fruit of our conversation:

—it's a list where the usual conjunction (like and) is intentionally left out. It's not only grammatically acceptable, but it's also a stylistic choice often used for emphasis or rhythm, especially in advertising, headlines, or strong calls to action. Take this sentence from one of my own texts: "Kill jargon, dump ambiguity, nix vagueness." This is grammatically fine without the "and"—and arguably stronger because of it. It feels sharper and more urgent. The more traditional version would be: "Kill jargon, dump ambiguity, and nix vagueness." Still totally correct—just a little more conventional in tone. So it's all about the mood you're going for. Want it punchy? Stick with the original. Want it a tad more formal or flowing? Add the "and." What do you think of this rhetorical device? Do you use it often, rarely, or never in your writing? Care to share any memorable asyndetic lists you've written, or that you recall reading elsewhere?