C. C. Harper - Author

  As the clock strikes midnight on December 31st, millions of us engage in a time-honored ritual: setting New Year resolutions. From promises to eat healthier, exercise more, or finally learn that second language, we embark on this journey of self-improvement with high hopes and determination. Yet, as the weeks roll by, these resolutions often dissolve into the chaos of daily life. By February, the gyms start to empty, journals gather dust, and the motivation that seemed so abundant fades into a familiar routine. Why is this so common? And more importantly, is there a better way to approach self-growth and fulfillment? The answer lies in embracing a philosophy that has stood the test of time: Carpe diem! The problem with New Year Resolutions is that the concept is deeply flawed. It implies that meaningful changes must be tied to a calendar date—that January 1st holds some sort of magical power to reset our habits and mindset. Take a habit; for example, it takes at least 60 days to ...

 Remember when I said my mind felt like a chaotic storm filled with worry and sadness? Well, it still is! But rather than stay stuck in this creative slump, I decided to dive into updating my Erandelle Guidebook. Just a casual 40 new pages, no big deal. On top of that, I created a guide for the Esir’s constructed language and its dialects for the Kril and Selies. Easy, right? If you’re not up to speed, Erandelle is my fictional world that I’ve been shaping for a quite a while, and is connected to a novel that’s still giving me the runaround. I promise I’ll finish it eventually; I have until I’m 132! If you’re curious, my first post on Medium shares the details of the early draft . But back to the guide. I desperately needed something to keep my creativity flowing, so I made a basic outline of the cultures and customs of my fictional characters. Feeling as creatively stuck as I was, I thought tackling something simpler might help. To my surprise, this mechanical approach didn’t just...

  I know today should be midweek prompt day, and I didn’t post last week because I was traveling and, planning and scheduling in advance is just some sort of alternate concept that sometimes I use, sometimes I don’t, but… Today I just want to tell you that, recently, I came to the realization that it's important to celebrate small victories.  Now this might seem obvious to many of you, but for a long time, I overlooked these moments, always keeping my eyes fixed on what I considered to be the bigger goals. Like many others, I thought only large accomplishments deserved recognition. But now, my mind has shifted, and I understand that the small wins—those moments that seem utterly insignificant to others—are often what sustain us in the long run. Take, for example, being awarded a tiny blue badge acknowledging that you’ve published a book. Just like the one I now have next to my name and looks so cute. On the surface, it’s just a digital marker—something that doesn’t attest to t...

  Today, I want to share some thoughts on AI and the use of Large Language Models (LLMs). Back in April, I presented my perspective on AI in an article titled “ The AI Factor .” In this piece, I’m diving deeper into the subject, this time based on a specific experience I had recently. Before I get into the details, let me share a bit about myself. I’m not one to follow trends blindly. I did that during my early high school years, but I eventually grew out of it and started thinking independently—around the same time I began writing. This means that just because many people hold strong opinions on a topic, it doesn’t necessarily mean I agree with them. I respect their right to their opinions, regardless of how they’ve formed them. Now that you have this background, let’s dive into the matter at hand. Last Friday, I received an email from my self-publishing platform inviting me to take a survey about LLMs and the creation of original content by writers. They were exploring new revenu...

  I've been wondering for a while about the distinctions between "authors" and "writers," but I never really bothered to dive into it. But hey, here I am now actually thinking about it. Why the sudden interest? Well, I'll attribute it to my crazy allergy situation and all the pills I'm popping to keep it under control. So here goes nothing. What I figured out, during my research, was that when it comes to literature and storytelling, people tend to use "author" and "writer" interchangeably, which can be confusing. Even though both involve creating written works, there are actually some important differences between the two. So, let's look into these distinctions and unravel what it truly means to be an author versus a writer. **Defining Authors and Writers:** At first glance, it might seem that authors and writers perform the same function: they write. However, the distinction lies in the scope and intention of their work. **Autho...