Jessica Zafra's Blog, page 51

A reader asks: What was so wrong about Martial Law? Help us answer the question.

When I read this comment from a reader, my first instinct was to say something sarcastic. And then it occurred to me that this letter sums up the rift in our society at present. It asks: What was so wrong about Martial Law? And if we have no negative memories of the period, why should […]

Obituary for the Formerly Brilliant

For a long time I have felt like a child whose beloved parent has dementia. I have watched as the sharp, shining intellect I had admired and respected was corrupted, dulled, and reduced to smearing excrement on the walls. This person I looked up to as a mentor, who introduced me to great works of […]

Do you need rest? Then spend some time alone.

How much rest do we think we need, who is getting the most, and what are the most restful activities? The results of the world’s largest survey on rest indicate that to feel truly rested, a lot of us want to be alone, reports Claudia Hammond. Read How being alone may be the key to […]

Start and finish writing a short story in two weekends in our Writing Boot Camp.

Poster by Anne Tamondong Both sessions will be facilitated by Jessica Zafra. Venue in Makati to be confirmed. For details and to book a place, email saffron.safin@gmail.com.

Best Writing Tips from William Boyd, Claire Messud, Tessa Hadley, Philip Hensher and others

Illustration by Jill Calder in The Guardian Plan your ending About once a month or so, when someone says to me, “I’ve got this great idea for a novel/film/play/TV series” and then outlines the (usually pretty good) opening, I say: “So – how does it end?”. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred the answer is: […]

North Korea has officially banned sarcasm. What a wonderful idea! Truly a great move.

What it looks like when Kim Jong-Un crushes sarcasm Behold the Glorious Leader pointing at things, with the Ghost of the Glorious Leader’s Father behind him. Action figures by Contra Bandidos.

AI in the war against troll farms and outsourced online hatred

Companies like Facebook and Twitter rely on an army of workers employed to soak up the worst of humanity in order to protect the rest of us. It’s a soul-killing job better left to AI. Photo: A content moderator from TaskUs in BGC. Mass harassment online has proved so effective that it’s emerging as a […]

Letter from a Reader: How do you start getting published?

Hello Ms. Zafra! Im Mao and I read some of your of your essays from the twisted series. A friend of mine recommended you to me and I thought you were amazing. I don’t really have any concerns, I just really wanted to tell you how great your writing was. I loved how you saw […]

Too much metaphor: The Brutal War of the Political Cats of Downing Street

Larry (tortoiseshell) of the Prime Minister’s Office in battle with Palmerston (black and white) of the Foreign Office. Both were adopted from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home. Other cats have since moved into the offices on Downing Street: whether they will promote peace or join the fray remains to be seen. Cat Wars: Downing Street […]

The winning catchphrase