A lot is said about the need for writers to read, and while I won’t dispute this advice as being some of the most sensible you’re ever likely to get as a writer, I’m going to say that there’s more you can do. A good writer, I think, also needs to play.

So, this time around I was a little late to join in the party. The name of the party was “everybody see this movie” and everybody certainly did. In fact, it’s entirely likely that by the time this gets posted to my website, the movie won’t be in the cinemas any more. If you missed your chance to see Mad Max: Fury Road on the big screen, and have still managed to avoid spoilers, then don’t fret about this review.

It’s that day of the year again, so I’m looking back on what’s been going on in my life while I eat some cake. A lot of what I had hoped for this time last year fell short, due to personal troubles. Instead of being able to focus on writing, I had to spend that time worrying intensely about a close family member, their deteriorating health, and eventually having to say goodbye to them for the last time.

A lot of people get their first introduction into literary theory with Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces, and a not-insignificant portion of those people sort of stop right there. Usually after having skimmed the blurb on the back cover and decided that they’ve learned enough. Because while the book itself is a series of insights into the interconnected nature of old stories, myths and folktales that share symbology and rhythms, what these certain people take away is that every story is the same. Which is an absolute lie.