Archive - The Maven Game

winning the author metagame

In a post about the "PhD metagame," Max Forbes, an AI researcher and indie developer who recently completed his PhD at the University of Washington…

Jul 12 •

the two skills of creative athleticism

"All creativity is an act of play," screenwriter and author Noah Hawley tells The Believer. (If only it always felt that way!) Regardless: "When an idea…

Jul 5 •

May 2025

Sayaka Murata’s Japanese publisher offers in-house hotel rooms. Right in the office: a room with a bed, desk, and shower. It's a place for authors to…

May 3 •

April 2025

what to call it

Authors stress about titles.

Apr 12 •

circling the drain (and how to escape)

Last time, I wrote about Norman Foster, the architect who doesn't hesitate to junk a good design in pursuit of a great one.

Apr 5 •

March 2025

good enough isn't good enough

Norman Foster is an architect.

Mar 15 •

February 2025

an element of surprise

"Originality," wrote the British philosopher Sir Roger Scruton, "is not an attempt to capture attention come what may, or to shock or disturb in order…

Feb 8 •

January 2025

November 2024

I love it when a plan comes together.

Nov 16, 2024 •

watching the clock

Earlier, I shared my journey learning Transcendental Meditation (TM) but left out a surprising tip: “Don’t set a timer,” my instructor advised.

Nov 2, 2024 •

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