Most writers treat character backstory like a filing cabinet—just stuff that happened. But real characters aren't built from events; they're built from how those events live inside them, distort over time, and clash with who they think they are. Here's how memory actually works in storytelling.
AuthorJohn Deacon
An independent AI researcher and systems practitioner focused on semantic models of cognition and strategic logic. He developed the Core Alignment Model (CAM) and XEMATIX, a cognitive software framework designed to translate strategic reasoning into executable logic and structure. His work explores the intersection of language, design, and decision systems to support scalable alignment between human intent and digital execution.
Read more at bio.johndeacon.co.za or join the email list in the menu to receive one exclusive article each week.
Stop Chasing Decoys That Keep You Dependent Online
Most creators stay busy on logos, likes, and platform-hopping while digital independence work sits undone. Focus on owned channels and evergreen assets instead.
Metacognition: From Noise to Strategic Clarity
Learn how metacognition transforms busy work into strategic clarity. Move from reacting to creating through internal reflection and disciplined thinking.
Why Tactic-Heavy Copy Fails: Cognitive Design Fixes
Copy that relies on tricks breaks trust. Cognitive design guides readers to conclusions that feel like their own through empathy, micro-bridges, and narrative anchoring.
When Support Systems Fail: Behavioral Patterns That Stall Work
When structure, community, and feedback go missing, predictable behavioral patterns emerge: inconsistency, isolation, perfectionism, burnout. Learn how to rebuild.
Human-in-the-Loop: Stop AI Feedback Loops Breaking Systems
Unvalidated AI feedback loops amplify errors into system drift. Learn cybernetic principles for stable human-AI workflows with validation gates and variance control.
AI Strategy: Fix Operations Before Automation
Why AI amplifies broken processes instead of fixing them. Learn how to build AI readiness by fixing operations first, with practical steps from 10 companies.
AI Consciousness: Why Behavior Doesn’t Prove Experience
AI systems simulate awareness without verified consciousness. Explore the gap between functional behavior and phenomenal experience, plus the ethics of unverified claims.
Why Popular Tactics Keep You Stuck and How Structural Change Works
Motivation hacks and habit tricks often fail because your life's structure pulls you back to old patterns. Learn how to redesign that structure for lasting change.
Building Decision Architecture That Bridges Human Insight and Machine Precision
A systematic approach to structuring human-machine collaboration through clear decision stages—observation, orientation, decision, and action. This framework reduces cognitive load while maintaining human values and contextual intelligence, creating an efficient bridge between insight and execution that scales across teams and organizations.