Writer's Update - January 22, 2026
This One Didn't Make the Cut - Making of Dystopian Fantasy, Poetry with a Pulse: Hush Halo
I am already deep into writing the book. At this stage the work is technically moving forward, but mentally I am starting to tire and feel the need to get it out of my hands. What began as a relatively contained poetry project has expanded far beyond its original scope.
Just a quick reminder: Most of my writing is published openly and free. Almost all posts are automatically paywalled after 14 days.
To see archived posts and poems, you need to break the paywall.
Making of Paradise Beyond Pulse
Paradise Beyond Pulse started as a roughly 120 page collection with about 80 poems. At some point I became stuck on the idea that these poems could not exist as a printed book because many of them had already been published on Substack. That assumption slowed the project more than I expected.
While circling that issue, I began examining the world building and narrative logic more closely. That process pushed me to write complementary poems that filled structural and thematic gaps. My mind shifted from a loose collection into a more intentional system. More about that on previous update:
In total I wrote around 240 poems before stopping. Even though I still had unused themes on my list, I figured it was pointless to write any more for this just because I felt like it. I deliberately chose exhaustion over endless accumulation.
From that material, I have now cut the book down to roughly 150 poems, and I am still open to further reductions.
What was removed and why
One example of a removed poem is ‘Dressed for Destiny’. I have added this one to the end of this article in both writing and as in Soundscape. Let me know what you think.
This piece was cut mainly because the first book only covers the early phases of the Systoics, while this poem introduces later conflicts that may belong to future volumes.
The same logic applies to many Substack-published pieces. A large portion of already published poems will not appear in the printed book, after all.
Current state of the manuscript
I’m finished writing the poems for this collection, aside from editorial fine-tuning. Structurally, I am satisfied with the internal logic and rhythm of the book as it stands.
Soundscapes and creative fatigue
The soundscapes are still significantly unfinished. Producing them at scale using Suno has proven more numbing than expected. It’s still great fun, but I get bored on certain style and that means loosing my focus a bit.
I briefly considered changing styles, but realized that impulse was driven more by personal fatigue than by artistic necessity. For this project, maintaining stylistic continuity makes more sense than chasing novelty.
So I keep on hammering those beats. Wow. Doesn’t that sound inspiring? In the end, all artistry and all projects have annoying elements, whether it’s washing brushes, signing books, marketing, or whatever.
What is your surprising bummer in your writing or art?
Removed Piece - Dressed for Destiny
Dressed for Destiny This dress does not decorate. It disciplines. It shapes how I enter space, how I arrange my spine, how much of myself I allow to surface. It fits too well to be hated, as if tailored from memory. Instead of being worn by me it has grown on me. This dress I don’t dare to tear. This breath of air I risk to wear. ©Samia Oldman
At this point, the work is less about creating more material and more about honoring the core and outline I have already created. I need to constantly remind myself, that the remaining task is refinement, not expansion.
What are you interested in reading next?
Leave feedback on Reader’s Corner
What would you like to ask me?
I’d like to write more “Making of” articles. What topics should I cover?