Vertex Views

Tag: Writing

  • Book Review – Verity by Colleen Hoover

    There are two kinds of books in the world.

    1. The ones that politely escort you through a story.
    2. And the ones that drag you by the collar, slap you across the face, and whisper, “You’re not sleeping tonight, buddy.”

    Colleen Hoover’s Verity is definitely the second kind.

    This book is psychological manipulation dressed up as fiction. It’s gaslighting but make it paperback. And like an idiot, you willingly sign up for it.

    The Premise: Simple. The Impact: Emotionally Damaging.

    Lowen, a struggling writer, is hired to finish a bestselling author’s series because the original author, Verity, is basically a vegetable in the house.

    Except—plot twist—nothing in this house is normal.
    Nothing about Verity is normal.
    And certainly nothing inside Lowen’s head remains normal once she discovers Verity’s autobiography.

    Hoover doesn’t write mysteries.
    She writes emotional landmines.
    You step on them thinking you’re safe, and next thing you know you’re questioning the moral compass of every human you’ve ever met.

    The Writing: Fast, Dirty, Addictive

    The writing is pure dopamine, short chapters, cliffhangers everywhere, and just the right amount of “What the actual hell did I just read?”

    It’s like Hoover took a masterclass in psychological warfare and said,
    “Cool, let me weaponize this.”

    There are no wasted words. No filler. Just page-after-page of escalating madness that makes you trust no one—not Lowen, not Verity, not even yourself.

    The Themes: Manipulation, Trauma, and the Dark Side of Truth

    “We’re all screwed up, but Verity shows what happens when someone weaponizes their screwed-up-ness.”

    And honestly? That’s the book.
    It’s about control—emotional, psychological, sexual.
    It’s about how humans distort truth not just to survive, but sometimes just for the thrill of it.

    The line between truth and lies becomes so blurred that by the end, the only thing you’re sure about is that you need therapy.

    The Ending: Colleen Hoover Said ‘Good Luck Functioning’

    Without spoiling it, the ending is the literary equivalent of dropping a bomb and walking away in slow motion.

    It doesn’t give closure.
    It doesn’t even pretend to.

    Hoover hands you a final chapter that basically says:

    “Here’s your existential crisis. Don’t say I never gave you anything.”

    And then you sit there staring at the wall, reconsidering every decision you’ve made today.

    Final Verdict: Read It. Then Question Everything.

    Verity is not for the faint-hearted.
    It’s uncomfortable. It’s twisted.
    It punches you in the gut, steals your mental stability, and thanks you for reading.

    But damn, it’s good.

    If you want a thriller that feels like a psychological rollercoaster designed by a slightly unhinged engineer, this is it.

    9/10. Docking one point because I’m still emotionally recovering.

  • Why December Is the Best Month to Quit the Wrong Things

    December is basically the year’s dramatic season finale, twinkly lights, emotional chaos, and the collective delusion that everything will magically fix itself on January 1st.

    But here’s the truth nobody wants to admit:

    December is the best month not to start something new… but to quit the things that haven’t been working all damn year.

    Yeah, I said quit.
    The internet hates that word. It sounds weak. Unambitious. “Not growth mindset enough.”

    But quitting isn’t failure.
    Quitting is a strategy.
    And December is when it works best.

    1. December forces you to actually look at your year — which is uncomfortable as hell.

    Every December, we all do the same ritual:
    Scroll through our camera roll like it’s a highlight reel, pretend we “grew so much,” and ignore the dumpster fires we helped create.

    But somewhere between Christmas cookies and existential dread, you’ll face the truth you’ve been avoiding:

    • That “friendship” you’ve carried like emotional baggage? Still toxic.
    • That side hustle you swore would make you rich? Still draining you.
    • That habit you said you’d break “next month”? Yeah… still there, being an asshole.

    December exposes the gap between the life you wanted to live and the one you actually lived.
    And clarity, even the painful kind — is the starting point of every worthwhile quit.

    2. Everything slows down, which means you can actually think.

    The world finally shuts up in December.
    Emails stop. Deadlines pause. Even your boss mysteriously disappears (probably napping in a resort).

    This silence is gold.

    When everything slows down, you finally have the mental bandwidth to ask the real questions:

    • Why am I still doing this?
    • Does this even matter anymore?
    • Is this aligned with the person I actually want to become?

    Reflection doesn’t happen in chaos.
    It happens in the quiet.

    December gives you that quiet.
    Take advantage of it.

    3. You escape the January Resolution Trap.

    January is the month of lies.

    We set ridiculous goals fueled by guilt, comparison, and the pressure of “new year, new me,” only to crash by February like a toddler learning to run.

    But December?
    December has no expectations.

    It’s honest.
    Raw.
    Self-aware.

    Quitting the wrong things in December means you enter the new year with space, mental space, emotional space, time-space, productivity-space.

    You give Future You a fighting chance instead of burying them under more obligations and self-imposed bullshit.

    4. Quitting creates the momentum that starting never will.

    Starting something new feels sexy.
    Quitting feels like taking out the trash.

    But guess which one actually clears your life enough to grow?

    Quitting.
    Always quitting.

    Because quitting:

    • Removes friction
    • Frees attention
    • Cuts emotional weight
    • Creates clarity
    • Makes room for better decisions

    January goals fail because people try to build on top of clutter.
    December quits succeed because you remove the clutter first.

    5. The year ending reminds you something else can end too.

    There’s poetic symbolism in quitting in December.

    The year wraps up.
    The chapter closes.
    And you’re reminded that endings aren’t tragic — they’re necessary.

    Some things in your life expired a long time ago.
    You just kept them around out of guilt, fear, obligation, or pure laziness.

    December gives you the courage to say,
    “This doesn’t belong in my next chapter.”

    And that is powerful as hell.

    So… What Should You Quit This December?

    Not everything.
    Just the things that feel heavy, forced, or no longer aligned with who you’re growing into.

    Quit:

    • The projects you secretly dread
    • The habits that sabotage your energy
    • The relationships that drain more than they give
    • The expectations you never chose
    • The guilt that isn’t yours
    • The fake obligations you created to avoid discomfort

    Quit the things that have already been dead.
    Quit the things you’ve been carrying out of habit.
    Quit the versions of yourself that don’t fit anymore.

    The Bottom Line

    December isn’t a month for reinvention.
    It’s a month for release.

    Stop waiting for January to change your life.
    January is just the calendar’s way of giving you false hope.

    December is the month where you get real.

    Quit the wrong things now — so next year, you actually have space for the right ones.

  • Indie game developers have a new sales pitch: being ‘AI free’

    Somewhere between the rise of AI art bros and the endless debate about whether robots will steal our jobs, indie game developers have discovered their newest marketing superpower:

    “This game is 100% AI-free.”

    And the internet lost its shit.

    Suddenly, being “AI-free” became the gluten-free, sugar-free, keto-approved label of the gaming world. A badge of purity. A digital virtue signal. A way of saying, “We, unlike those soulless corporate overlords—actually give a damn.”

    But underneath the marketing flair lies a much deeper truth about how we humans respond to technological chaos, creativity, and the fear of losing the things that make us…well, us.

    Let’s dig into that.

    The Rise of the Anti-AI Badge of Honor

    Indie devs aren’t stupid. They know gamers have trust issues, especially when it comes to AI.

    Triple-A studios have already burned gamers with microtransactions, broken releases, and promises about “innovative procedural storytelling” that translated to: We let an algorithm write your side quests, sorry about that.

    So when people swipe through Steam and see:

    “No AI art.”
    “No AI writing.”
    “Every pixel hand-drawn.”

    —it hits different. It taps into the nostalgia of a simpler time. It feels…human.

    It’s the gaming equivalent of “farm-to-table.” Except it’s “dev-to-keyboard.”

    And weirdly?
    It’s working.

    Why People Trust Human-Created Stuff More

    Humans have always had a weird relationship with creativity. We worship it, fear it, pretend to own it, and occasionally try to automate it.

    But here’s the unsexy truth:

    Creativity feels valuable only when it comes with struggle.

    Hand-painted art? Struggle.
    Crafted narrative? Struggle.
    Coding a game from scratch while living on caffeine and trauma? Massive struggle.

    AI removes the struggle.
    And when you remove struggle, people assume you’ve removed the soul.

    Humans don’t just want games that look good.
    They want games that mean something.

    And meaning is a human trait, not a machine feature.

    AI-Free as a Rebellion, Not Just a Label

    Let’s be honest:
    AI is everywhere now.
    It writes code, paints art, makes music, generates lore, and probably knows more lore than the average gamer.

    So going “AI-free” isn’t just a production choice, it’s a rebellion.

    It’s indie devs saying:

    “We’re choosing the harder path because meaning lives there.”

    It’s a middle finger to corporate shortcuts.
    It’s a statement about identity:
    “We are creators, not prompt writers.”

    And players resonate with that.
    Because deep down, we’re scared of losing the things we love to automation.

    Not just jobs.
    Not just art.

    But the human fingerprints on the things that shape us.

    But Let’s Not Romanticize Too Much

    Here’s the twist:
    AI isn’t the villain.
    And humans aren’t always saints.

    Some AI-free games will still be mediocre.
    Some AI-assisted games will be masterpieces.

    The real issue isn’t the tool.
    It’s the intention behind the tool.

    Are you using AI to shortcut effort?
    Or to amplify creativity?

    Are you hiding behind “AI-free” because it’s trendy?
    Or because you genuinely believe in the craft?

    The line between authenticity and bullshit is thin.
    Marketers cross it daily.

    The Future: Humans + AI + Honesty

    The future of game development isn’t going to be “AI everywhere” or “AI nowhere.”

    It’ll be this messy middle ground where:

    • humans create things only humans can feel
    • AI helps with things no human should suffer through
    • and authenticity becomes the currency of trust

    “AI-free” is just one chapter in the long story of how creators adapt to new technology.

    But the heart of the story stays the same:

    People crave work that feels human—because they crave connection.

    And no matter how powerful AI gets…
    connection is something it can’t fake.

    (Not yet, anyway.)

  • The Freelance Revolution 2.0

    Everyone wants to be their own boss, until they realize their new boss is everyone.

    Welcome to the Freelance Revolution 2.0 — where you’re the CEO, HR, marketing team, accountant, therapist, and janitor of your own life.

    It’s freedom on paper. Chaos in practice.
    And somehow, it’s the future.

    1. The Death of the 9-to-5 Fairy Tale

    Let’s face it: the old system is breaking down faster than your laptop during a Zoom call.

    The “stable job” doesn’t exist anymore. Companies that once promised loyalty now ghost employees like bad Tinder dates. Job security has been replaced with job anxiety — and a ping on LinkedIn from a recruiter who still hasn’t read your résumé.

    So, people did what people always do when the system stops serving them, they built a new one.
    Enter: freelancing.

    At first, it was side hustles. Then, it became main hustles. And now, it’s an entire economy powered by caffeine, Wi-Fi, and a generation that decided they’d rather chase invoices than chase validation.

    2. Freedom — The Most Overrated Drug in the World

    Ask any freelancer why they started, and they’ll say the same thing: “I wanted freedom.”

    Freedom from bosses.
    Freedom from meetings.
    Freedom from pretending to care about team-building activities involving trust falls.

    But here’s the thing: freedom sounds sexy until you realize it comes with its evil twin, responsibility.

    No boss also means no paycheck if you screw up.
    No meetings also means no structure if you slack off.
    No one to report to means… no one to blame when you fail.

    Freedom isn’t the absence of control — it’s the presence of discipline.
    And most people only realize that when their “freedom” turns into a 2 AM panic attack about unpaid invoices.

    3. The Rise of the Digital Mercenary

    Freelancers today aren’t just workers, they’re entrepreneurs, creators, and sometimes, survivors.

    You’re not just selling skills anymore. You’re selling trust.
    You’re selling the idea that you can deliver better, faster, and cheaper than a full-time employee with benefits and a desk.

    In the Freelance Revolution 2.0, your resume isn’t your degree, it’s your portfolio.
    Your office isn’t your cubicle — it’s wherever your laptop opens.
    And your competition isn’t the person in the next cubicle, it’s someone in another time zone who’s willing to work for half your rate.

    Globalization flattened the world. Freelancing digitized it.
    Now, everyone’s on the same playing field, and it’s both liberating and brutal.

    4. The Gig Economy Hangover

    Freelancing 1.0 was romantic.
    Digital nomads sipping iced coffee in Bali, posting about “living life on their terms.”

    Freelancing 2.0? Not so much.
    It’s people juggling five clients, three currencies, two time zones, and one mental breakdown.

    The problem isn’t that freelancing doesn’t work — it’s that we’ve glamorized the hell out of it.
    The truth? It’s hard. Lonely. Inconsistent.
    Your income fluctuates faster than crypto.
    Your motivation depends on caffeine.
    And your self-worth becomes dangerously tied to how “booked” you are.

    This is the real freelance revolution, not the Instagram version.

    5. The Power Shift No One Saw Coming

    Here’s the fun part: companies need freelancers more than freelancers need companies now.

    The modern workforce is fluid. Brands want agility without commitment. Projects without payroll. Expertise without onboarding.

    And freelancers? They deliver that — fast.

    The best ones aren’t just service providers. They’re partners. They shape brands, drive campaigns, and build billion-dollar startups from their living rooms.

    The balance of power has shifted.
    And the people who learn how to wield it, not abuse it — will own the next decade.

    6. The Future Is Collective, Not Solo

    The Freelance Revolution 2.0 isn’t about lone wolves anymore. It’s about packs.

    Communities of designers, writers, coders, and marketers teaming up across borders, pooling resources, and forming mini-agencies that scare the big guys.

    Because let’s be real — even the most independent freelancer eventually realizes they need others.
    You can’t invoice friendship. You can’t outsource motivation. You can’t grow in isolation.

    The future of freelancing isn’t solitude, it’s collaboration without corporations.

    7. Final Thoughts: Freedom Isn’t Free

    Freelancing is the ultimate paradox.
    It gives you freedom — but demands your entire soul in return.
    It lets you escape the system, only to build one from scratch.

    But that’s the beauty of it.

    The Freelance Revolution 2.0 isn’t about rebelling against the 9-to-5. It’s about redefining what work even means.
    It’s about choosing fulfillment over status, purpose over policy, and growth over comfort.

    Because at the end of the day, freelancing isn’t just a career choice.
    It’s a philosophy — that maybe, just maybe, life’s too short to spend it building someone else’s dream when you can create your own.

  • Book Review – Originals By Adam Grant

    We love to glorify “original thinkers.” You know, the Teslas, the Musks, the Oprahs, the people who seem to bend the world to their will while the rest of us are just trying to make it through Monday. But here’s the truth Adam Grant spits in Originals: being original isn’t a gift. It’s a goddamn grind.

    This book isn’t about being creative. It’s about having the guts to stay creative when the world keeps telling you to shut up, sit down, and stop rocking the boat.

    1. Creative Destruction: Burning Down the Default

    Grant kicks things off by asking the question most people never dare to: “Why do we accept the world as it is?”
    Because it’s comfortable. Because our brains love defaults. Because questioning the status quo makes you the office weirdo.

    He introduces the concept of vuja de, the opposite of déjà vu. It’s when you look at something you’ve seen a thousand times and suddenly think, Wait, why the hell is it this way? That’s where originality is born — not from random inspiration, but from irritation.

    The boldest takeaway? You don’t have to be a reckless daredevil to stand out. Originals are risk balancers, not risk takers. They hedge their bets like investors, safe in some areas so they can go rogue in others. Because let’s face it, quitting your job to “follow your passion” without a plan isn’t brave. It’s stupid.

    2. Blind Inventors and One-Eyed Investors: The Art of Judging Your Own Ideas

    Here’s the problem with creative people — we suck at knowing which of our ideas are good.
    You think you’ve made the next big thing? Congrats, it’s probably trash.
    The best creators don’t have one brilliant idea; they have a hundred mediocre ones, and one of them happens to stick.

    Grant calls this the “kiss a lot of frogs” strategy, you keep experimenting until something doesn’t croak.
    Also, the people who are best at predicting which ideas will work? Not the “experts.” Not the CEOs. It’s the creators themselves — the ones in the trenches, playing with the clay, making the mess.

    So yeah, trust your gut, but only after it’s been punched in the face by reality a few times.

    3. Out on a Limb: The Science of Speaking Up

    Every original thinker hits that moment when they realize they’ve got something important to say… and no one gives a shit.
    Grant explains why: people hate unfamiliarity. The human brain treats new ideas like viruses.

    So what do you do? You expose people to your ideas slowly — like small doses of caffeine. Repetition builds familiarity. Familiarity builds acceptance. It’s not manipulation; it’s survival.

    He even has a killer concept called The Sarick Effect: lead with your flaws. Admit your weaknesses before anyone else can. It disarms critics and earns credibility. Basically, start your pitch by saying, “This might sound crazy, but hear me out…”

    It works. Try it on your next date. Or PowerPoint. Or both.

    4. Fools Rush In: Why Procrastination Might Save Your Ass

    Mark Twain once said, “Never put off till tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.”
    Turns out, he was onto something.

    Grant’s research shows that moderate procrastinators are often the most creative people. Why? Because they give ideas time to breathe. They let their brain stew in uncertainty long enough to connect weird dots.

    The trick isn’t procrastination itself, it’s strategic delay. The sweet spot between impulsive action and endless overthinking.
    Da Vinci took 16 years to finish the Mona Lisa, and the dude still nailed it. That’s not laziness. That’s patience weaponized.

    5. Goldilocks and the Trojan Horse: Playing the Long Game

    Being original doesn’t mean being a lone wolf. It means building coalitions with people who don’t think exactly like you.
    Grant calls out the “narcissism of small differences” — our tendency to fight with people who are almost like us instead of teaming up.

    The lesson? Sometimes your biggest ally is your worst enemy. Shared purpose beats shared personality. And if you want your wild idea to succeed, wrap it in something familiar.
    Novelty attracts attention. Familiarity earns trust.
    It’s why the Beatles mixed classical melodies with rock, or why Steve Jobs made futuristic tech look friendly. It’s rebellion wearing a nice suit.

    6. Rebels with a Cause: Parenting, Mentors, and the Art of Growing Weirdos

    Grant’s insights on upbringing hit hard. The most original people weren’t raised by “perfect parents.” They were raised by parents who let them question things, who said why mattered more than what.

    Older siblings get structure. Younger siblings get freedom. Guess which ones grow up to start revolutions?

    Parents, mentors, and teachers don’t need to preach originality. They need to model curiosity. Teach kids how to think, not what to think.

    7. Rethinking Groupthink: The Problem with “Strong Cultures”

    We love the word “culture.” But strong cultures can turn into cults — places where everyone agrees so much that nobody thinks.
    Grant says real innovation needs “disagreeable givers”, people who challenge ideas not to be jerks, but because they care enough to make them better.

    You don’t need more harmony. You need more honesty.

    8. Rocking the Boat Without Sinking It

    Originals aren’t fearless. They’re scared as hell — they just act anyway.
    They feel doubt, anxiety, and imposter syndrome like the rest of us, but they’ve mastered one crucial trick: they use those emotions as fuel.

    When you’re nervous, reframe it as excitement. When you’re angry, channel it into action. When you’re stuck, look at how far you’ve already come instead of how far you have to go.

    Grant ends with this mic-drop insight:

    “Becoming original isn’t the easiest path in the pursuit of happiness, but it leaves you perfectly poised for the happiness of pursuit.”

    Final Thoughts

    Originals isn’t your typical self-help bullshit. It doesn’t tell you to “believe in yourself” or “think outside the box.”
    It tells you to break the damn box, study the debris, and build something no one’s seen before.

    Because originality isn’t about being different for the sake of it. It’s about refusing to settle for a world that makes no sense, and having the courage to make it a little less stupid.