Nice Try

Nice Try is a personal Substack detailing diverse life experiences, creative processes, and personal growth. It covers everyday challenges, creative pursuits, and personal reflections, often infused with humor and relatability. Themes include health, writing, relationships, creativity, and life's unpredictability.

Life Experiences Creativity Health Writing Relationships Personal Growth

The hottest Substack posts of Nice Try

And their main takeaways

Recs III

59 implied HN points • 13 Oct 22
🎭️ Culture Music Literature Film Art Religion
  1. Using randomness can make discovering new music fun and interesting. By choosing albums randomly, you can explore various genres that you might not usually listen to.
  2. Reading big books slowly lets you enjoy them more. Taking your time with a classic novel, like 'Middlemarch', can enhance the experience and lead to interesting conversations with others.
  3. Creating an edited version of the Bible for personal study can help grasp its important themes. It’s a unique way to understand the core stories across religions while making it easier to digest.

Earthly Delight

139 implied HN points • 23 Jan 21
📚 Literature Creative Writing Narrative Prose Personal Reflection
  1. Life can feel gray and mundane, but we can find moments of joy in small things. Whether it's a hot cup of coffee or a fun idea for a blog, these little pleasures brighten up our days.
  2. Many people deal with everyday frustrations that might not seem important, like a slow leaking tire. But these experiences can serve as interesting stories or metaphors for life's challenges.
  3. Connections with others, even through simple conversations, can spark creativity. Talking to friends or loved ones can help us figure out what to write about or how to find meaning in our lives.

Just Learning Now

139 implied HN points • 16 Jan 21
📚 Literature Creative Writing Narrative Nonfiction Personal essays Memoir Storytelling
  1. Embrace creativity, even when faced with challenges. It's important to find joy in expressing yourself and not just in conforming to expectations.
  2. Life can be unpredictable, and everyone has their own unique story. Listen to others as they might have valuable lessons and experiences to share.
  3. Teaching can be a rewarding experience. It allows you to share knowledge while continuously learning from your students and their diverse backgrounds.

Killed Somebody

99 implied HN points • 09 Jun 21
📚 Literature Fiction Poetry Short Stories Creative Writing Narrative
  1. The story is about a dream where someone kills a person in a fancy dress and then tries to hide the evidence.
  2. As the dream continues, the character finds many of their belongings scattered around, suggesting a connection to their past.
  3. In the end, the police arrive, but instead of arresting the character, they ask them to solve the case, leading to a surprising twist.

recommendations

39 implied HN points • 29 Aug 22
📚 Literature Books Reading Writing Essays Philosophy
  1. Reading can be a community experience. Finding another person's notes in a book can spark a connection, and even lead to creative projects like podcasts.
  2. Exploring different cultures through literature can be eye-opening. Reading classical texts like 'The Odyssey' and 'Tao Te Ching' helps understand different philosophies and life lessons.
  3. It's important to balance life and creativity. Engaging with stories while also finding ways to be present can enhance our understanding and give peace in a busy world.
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First Drafts

99 implied HN points • 03 Aug 20
📚 Literature Writing Creative Prose Fiction Narrative
  1. First drafts are important and can be tricky to handle. Writers often feel stuck or unsure about how to start.
  2. It's okay to get distracted while writing. Things happening around you can break your focus, and that's normal.
  3. Meeting new neighbors can be a funny and awkward experience. Sometimes the little moments, like not shaking hands during a pandemic, make great stories.

screeeeeeeeeeeeee

39 implied HN points • 03 Oct 21
📚 Literature Fiction Short Stories Narrative Writing Creative Nonfiction
  1. The sound of the neighborhood can be surprising and even annoying, like a shrill noise that seems to come from everywhere. This can lead to funny situations, like watching someone struggle to park a limousine.
  2. Interactions with neighbors can lead to unexpected moments, such as discovering a new pet bird next door that makes a loud noise. This can create amusing conversations and a sense of community.
  3. Everyday life can have silly and strange events, like a bride trying to get into a car or someone getting frustrated with a piece of trash. Observing these things can add humor and curiosity to regular activities.

The Man Who Was Wrong

59 implied HN points • 12 Nov 20
🎭️ Culture Personal Story Consumer Culture
  1. Investing in good quality furniture, like a nice chair, can improve your comfort and well-being. It's worth spending money on items that will last and make your life better.
  2. Sometimes things don't go as planned, like when the car broke down after buying the chair. It's easy to feel frustrated, but small victories matter.
  3. We all have our struggles, like feeling out of place or dealing with everyday problems. Humor and perspective can help lighten those moments.

New Internet

59 implied HN points • 01 Aug 20
🕹 Technology Internet Networking Devices Digital Culture User Experience
  1. Getting a new wifi router can be a hassle, especially when it involves complicated setups and registrations. Using your phone can help bypass some frustrations.
  2. The internet can feel new even if the network and password are the same, just like how fresh experiences can bring a sense of renewal.
  3. Life events, like waiting for a job call or a drug test, can seem ordinary yet poignant against the backdrop of personal and global situations, making everyday moments feel significant.

File Won't Open

19 implied HN points • 16 Jul 21
📚 Literature Fiction Poetry Essays Criticism Narrative
  1. Sometimes files just won't open, which can be really frustrating.
  2. It's important to figure out if the issue is with the file itself or the program you're using.
  3. Trying different devices or software can sometimes help you access the file.

Shaky

19 implied HN points • 05 Dec 20
📚 Literature Fiction Writing Storytelling Personal Essay Creative Nonfiction
  1. Work life can feel uncertain and shaky at times, with jobs changing and less demand for certain workers.
  2. People have unique ways to cope with stress, like finding humor in parenting or unexpected situations.
  3. Learning new skills can be fulfilling, whether it's cooking or teaching, and it helps us grow beyond our previous experiences.

A Bud Under the Influence

0 implied HN points • 04 Oct 20
🎭️ Culture Literature Film Music Art Personal Stories
  1. The author enjoys watching films and reading books but often gets distracted by music and life. They share their experiences of starting a film, getting interrupted, and reading multiple books.
  2. They find joy in writing stories on a typewriter, believing it adds a sense of risk and adventure. They also share about their writing workshops and the challenges of managing their time and creativity.
  3. Finally, the author reflects on their free time and dreams of making changes in their living space. They joke about wanting a hot tub but worry about breaking apartment rules.