Dillon Picks July 2021

My all-seeing eye scours Medium for the diamonds amid the coal.

Scrutinising your articles in monochrome because it looks scarier and more judgemental. Photo by author.

Further to last month’s Dillon Picks, here again is my monthly roundup of truly excellent writing on Medium. What do you gain from being on this list? Absolutely nothing, other than a generous quantity of smug points for having found favour in the eyes of the Dillon Empire, as my criteria is stupidly strict.

Please remember that these articles are not necessarily from the calendar month, as I reserve the right to exhibit hidden gems from the Dark Ages of Medium. These pieces are from a variety of authors. Some featured last time (and I expect will be regular fixtures here) but others I hope will be new to you.

None of these pieces are bland content mindlessly spewed forth in a craven attempt at algorithmic arousal. Instead, they are entertaining, informative, transformative, funny, poignant, shocking, and silly. In short, they are worthy additions to your reading list.

Let’s kick off with this from Austin Hackney, on the neurological reasons why it was so difficult to finish that long-planned novel during lockdown. I highly recommend following Austin, especially if you are serious about writing great fiction. His articles are a splendid repository of essential knowledge and experience from which we can all draw.