Writing Makes You Smarter
Pick Of The Week – 1st December 2025
This newsletter is a curated cornucopia featuring some of the best of Medium and Substack, and the wider world, rumoured to exist outside of these platforms.
Please note that in view of the impact of AI on the writing community, Eco has a stringent “No AI-content” policy, and will seek to actively avoid any articles we consider to be partly or fully generated by AI, and not feature authors believed to be using it in this way again. We are fully committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. In support of our aims and objectives, 10% of earnings from this series will be donated to Greenpeace.🌈
This newsletter is currently published free on Substack, but if you would like to support us please do pay to subscribe.
Sponsors – a link to donors and paying Substack subscribers 🦄 will appear here:
Ecosia; The Environmental Transport Association; Mary Grindeland; Writer Chick With A Ukulele; Adéla Valčíková; Rob Moir;
Pick of Medium – (advisory allergy note – may contain poetry)
Kiranmai Reddy claims that writing makes you smarter:
https://medium.com/write-a-catalyst/how-medium-made-me-a-better-thinker-f52a70b7d439
Mehakdeep Kaur shares the simple pleasures:
https://medium.com/pen-with-paper/what-it-means-to-be-a-librocubicularist-c1b6dcea8da7
Michael Burg scores with some limericks (which barely count as poetry):
https://medium.com/doctor-funny/trumpian-limericks-feat-quiet-piggy-b25a8bb431fd
Yana Bostongirl shares the reaction of friends to her writing:
https://medium.com/illumination/your-writing-isnt-the-problem-it-s-this-dying-habit-080e2cab9ebf
Carlo Zeno stretches the truth:
https://medium.com/doctor-funny/spot-the-truth-055c988dba4d
Gem Blackthorn highlights how we like to get paid:
https://medium.com/@gemblackthorn/turns-out-i-like-being-paid-ef8969b16f8c
Barry Robinson misses absent friends:
https://medium.com/@barry16rushen/would-i-say-goodbye-31794e77b045
Don’t upset Rishita Sharma!:
https://medium.com/illumination/in-case-of-emergency-stab-first-and-ask-later-972ae003dca6
Lacey shares her experience of studying at Oxford University:
Bin Jiang crunches the numbers:
Dt. Tinna turns over a new leaf:
https://medium.com/frame-tales/the-leaf-dried-in-autumn-c8f15ff672d4
Heather Bradford shares the fruit of her labour:
https://medium.com/ride-the-wave/the-abundant-wealth-of-a-productive-garden-05a3acd6b4fe
Carlo Zeno promises to buy his round (contains POETRY):
https://medium.com/never-stop-writing/0-02-7cd4df3047fb
Tip of the week –
Some gritty advice from Martin Heiland-Sperling:
https://medium.com/illumination/becoming-a-writer-change-and-grit-are-the-keywords-2acfd93f9912
Pocketboo shares some writing tips:
https://medium.com/the-rabbit-note/12-1-2-writing-rules-you-ever-need-4ae89a252c06
Pick of Substack:
Carlo Zeno keeps smiling through:
Susie Kearley finds inspiration:
The wider world:
Former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis examines technofeudalism at union-busting Amazon and its related AWS (Amazon Web Services) power base:
On the problem of exotic petting cafes:
Location-sharing by TwiX has revealed remarkable facts about some accounts engaged in rage-baiting and misinformation:
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/nov/27/pro-trump-x-twitter-accounts-based-in-asia
The hot gossip on Gen Z -
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/datablog/2025/nov/28/gen-z-sex-dating-relationships
The water shortages created by the climate emergency are escalating:
Political News
An inside story of Podemos in Spain:
Europe fears further Russian expansionism:
AI News
Chatbots are offering unhelpful or dangerous advice to some people with mental health conditions:
Scientists are developing carebots – this feature explains the future in store:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9wdzyyglq5o
Life Hack of the Week –
Try to avoid “toxic humility” argues this article from “The Guardian” -
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/commentisfree/2025/nov/30/toxic-humility-modesty
Quote of the Week:
“If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it. Or, if proper usage gets in the way, it may have to go. I can’t allow what we learned in English composition to disrupt the sound and rhythm of the narrative.”
— Elmore Leonard
Joke of the Week:
(Health warning – swallow coffee before reading)
“Pray for whirled peas”.
“Did you hear about the employee of the month at the escalator factory? He took it to another level.”
“I once entered the world kleptomaniac championships. I took gold, silver, and bronze.”
Where did the IT guy go? He probably ransomware.
I’m afraid of elevators, so I take steps to avoid them.
Did you know?
After his death in 1955, the pathologist who performed his autopsy secretly stole Einstein’s brain and kept it for over 20 years without the family’s permission. Dr. Thomas Harvey sliced it into hundreds of pieces, stored it in mason jars and a Tupperware container, and even carried it across the U.S. in the trunk of his car while trying to find scientists interested in studying it.
Word of the Week:
gimbal - a device that allows a compass, camera, or other equipment to stay in position when it is inside a moving vehicle or object.
Clip of the Week:
Some of the best of this week’s wildlife photos:
Climate protestors disrupt port in Australia in protest over coal:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/c865p45j3qeo
A hawk among the pigeons:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/clydvwlnnxpo
As always, thank you for reading, and enjoy your day.
Editor’s comment: It is noted that the authors featured above have not consented in advance to their inclusion - I have assumed that authors appreciate a mention and sharing of your work – but if you do not wish to be featured please let me know and apologies.
Thank you for putting this together, John.
May you have a joyful December :)