What It Really Means to Be Tempered — And Why I Chose the Title
We talk about people being ‘strong,’ but strength is rarely something we’re born with. More often, it’s something forged — shaped by pressure, heat, and the moments that threaten to break us. That’s what it means to be tempered. In metalwork, tempering is a deliberate process. Each heated cycle changes the structure. Each shock makes it tougher, more resilient, less likely to shatter under strain. But tempering isn’t just about metal, not in my book anyway. I also think of ch
Resilience in Fiction: Why We Need Stories of Survival to relate.
Fiction has always been more than entertainment. At its best, it becomes a mirror, reflecting the struggles we face and the strength we discover in ourselves. One of the most enduring themes across literature is resilience — the ability to endure hardship, adapt, and emerge out the other side, changed. From old classics to contemporary works, resilience is the thread that binds characters to readers. We may not be able to relate fully to characters who fight mythical beasts o
Heroines in a Dystopia World: Grit, Grace, and the Power to Rebuild.
In the ashes of broken societies, heroines rise—not always with capes or swords, but with resilience, cunning, and a fierce sense of purpose. Dystopian fiction has long been a mirror to our fears and hopes, and its heroines reflect the best and worst of humanity under pressure. What Makes a Dystopian Heroine? Unlike traditional heroes, dystopian heroines often begin as ordinary individuals—students, girlfriends, or reluctant leaders. Their strength lies not in superpowers but