Welcome to The Open Tab, where I gather the online pieces that have lingered in my browser — essays, interviews, and reflections that sparked something I wanted to keep. These are the pages I couldn’t quite close, and the ideas that keep reshaping the work inside The Writer’s Atelier.
You’ll see a load of links to other Substacks at the top of the issue, mostly because this has become my go-to place for writing inspiration. I mean, it’s why I’m here, doing what I’m doing — it’s only natural for me to share the things that are inspiring me and my own writing process.
Additionally, I’ll include things that aren’t exactly tied to the craft of writing, but still caught my attention. I will organize these in the “More Reading” section of The Open Tab when I have some to share. I’ll also share the music I’m vibing with, because having good music flow through my headphones is essential when I’m writing.
There’s a little something for everyone in my open tabs. I hope you enjoy the Autumn 2025 issue!
ONLINE READS/NEWSY LINKS/PIECES I LOVED READING THIS FALL
📣 Andrea Bartz (and two others) sued Anthropic, an AI company, and won a historic amount (the largest in history, in fact).
📌 Oh, another Andrea Bartz piece I keep bookmarked and visit often is her growing list of successful query letters. Save this one!!
🎧 Lucinda Berry shares on Writer’s Digest how creating fully-produced audiobooks changed the way she writes.
✎ Check out Manda Comisari’s piece on Jane Friedman’s website that outlines how creators can protect themselves when it comes to publishing deals.
📚 Baker & Taylor, a giant book distributor, is “winding down operations” by the end of the year, so it’s going to be harder for your libraries to get new releases. 😭
[non-writing related content — or, things I vibed with online]
Pluribus’ Vince Gilligan on making shows that ‘attract really smart viewers’
Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro says ‘I’d rather die’ than use generative AI
David Sedaris on the Joy (and Peril) of Wearing Comme des Garçons
Can a species ‘de-evolve’? Wild tomatoes in the Galápagos may provide compelling evidence
2025 Lourve Robbery — yes, it already has a pretty extensive Wikipedia entry
When I’m creating, I’m usually listening to something. It might be in Apple Music, but it might also be open in a tab somewhere. Here are some of the things I’ve been jamming to this season while working on pieces and more.
Albums on heavy rotation:
LoFi vibes:
What about you? What essays, articles, or posts have lingered in your tabs this season? What are you listening to? Share a link or two in the comments — I love discovering what’s been sparking other writers’ thoughts.
May the rest of your autumn be cozy. Until next season…
The Open Tab will be dropping mid-season, quarterly. That may change in the future, but we’ll see how things go for now.
So many good reads!! Thank you for sharing! If you tag the authors, sometimes they might come over to your page to check out what you’ve written or share that they’ve been included in your round up. 😊