The Potential Paradox

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The Specificity Paradox: Why Specific Details Reach More People
Most creators try to be universal.
Feb 20 • Idris Elijah
Creative Freedom Is a Technical Skill
Creative freedom requires technical control.
Feb 17 • Idris Elijah
I Wrote a Novel at Ten. Here’s What Adults Get Wrong
I wrote my first novel at ten years old.
Feb 13 • Idris Elijah
Tools Make You Faster. They Do Not Make You Better.
Every creative era worships its tools.
Feb 10 • Idris Elijah
What Coding Taught Me About Solving Hard Problems
Most people respond to problems by pushing harder.
Feb 6 • Idris Elijah
The Story Size Question Writers Avoid
Most writers ask the wrong questions.
Feb 3 • Idris Elijah

January 2026

The Question Ruining Your Songwriting
You keep asking the wrong question.
Jan 30 • Idris Elijah
Learning Code Without Learning To Think, 6 Signs Holding You Back
Most people think learning code means collecting knowledge.
Jan 27 • Idris Elijah
Sail Away (A Short Story)
The wave didn’t knock--it punched.
Jan 23 • Idris Elijah
Why the Best Artists Ignore Genre Until the End
You sit with a finished track open on your screen.
Jan 20 • Idris Elijah
Why “Natural Talent” Is a Convenient Lie
We love the idea of natural talent.
Jan 16 • Idris Elijah
The Short Story Paradox: Why Less Space Demands More Truth
For years, I thought I knew how to write short stories.
Jan 13 • Idris Elijah
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