BJ Bell
Writer, Coder, & Analyst
I write fiction as well as essays on writing, Buddhist practice, and technology. Currently working on The Kalachakra IP, a cyberpunk novel series exploring the challenges of modern society and the role of community and spirituality.
I'm also a Python coder and data analyst, with a background in contact centers.
Recent Writing
What’s the Point? A Buddhist Perspective on Shit Not Working Out
When the book doesn't sell, "what's the point?" comes easily. Desire isn't the problem; craving, the spiral of papañca, and the second arrow are, and promoting someone else's work is one way out.
blogProtecting Your Novel Against AI Witch Hunts
Authors are losing book deals over vague accusations of AI use. Free, well-established tools like git and OpenTimestamps let an honest writer document exactly how their novel was written, and when.
blogThe AI Witch Hunt Starts With Us
Writers call AI-generated fiction both a threat and “slop.” That contradiction says more about our fear than about the technology, and it’s the fear that publishers are turning into policy.
blogGiving a Fuck Every Single Day Is Not Easy: On Equanimity
Perhaps we need to look closer when we struggle to give a fuck. When examining the causality chain that drives us towards reactive behavior, does a link in that chain point towards the equanimity we need to break free of it?
essayMore Punk in Cyberpunk
Cyberpunk borrowed punk's leather jacket and left its politics behind. A case for putting the punk—advocacy, community, ardency—into the genre.
blogThe CTF Event Toggle on kalachakra.world
kalachakra.world is a lore site that turns into a capture-the-flag event during promotions, then turns back. Here's how the toggle actually works.
Interests
Buddhist Practice
Vipassana meditation, the three marks of existence, and how contemplative practice informs creative work and daily life.
Technology & Ethics
Surveillance, autonomy, AI ethics, and the invisible systems that shape our choices before we know we're choosing.
Coding
Python, FastAPI, systems thinking, and building tools that make creative work easier and more intentional.
Writing & Storycraft
Speculative fiction, worldbuilding, story structure, and narrative as a way of understanding experience.