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ize:fit:800/1*ouwwoDwYvPp7uoQpaR3pTQ.png"><figcaption>Paintings by the Author, first painting completed in April and last one in October.</figcaption></figure><h2 id="8ae9">I live in beautiful Cape Town, South Africa.</h2><p id="e9df">We have unicorns and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chacma_baboon">baboons</a>. <a href="https://www.enca.com/life/kataza-baboon-goes-home">One’s even famous</a>. It’s a magical place.</p><figure id="5936"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*TU9UUvXsp1nNXqRm"><figcaption>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@thomasbennie?utm_source=medium&amp;utm_medium=referral">Thomas Bennie</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com?utm_source=medium&amp;utm_medium=referral">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure><h2 id="e08b">I’m a romantic family man who longs to travel again.</h2><p id="1160">My wife and I are high school sweethearts. We’ve been together since we were seventeen. When we finally tied the knot a decade later, we took a one-year backpacking honeymoon and bused, ferried, trained, tuk-tuked, donkeyed, and flew through twenty countries on three continents. Now we have our hands full with two beautifully independent young girls.</p><p id="3bce">I love the psychology of creativity and achieving meaningful productivity without time anxiety. Mostly just trying to balance work, side hustles, and being a present patient parent.</p><h2 id="9f27">If you want to connect with me:</h2><ul><li>Respond to a story; I like chatting to other writers on Medium.</li><li>Or feel free to harass me on <a href="https://twitter.com/ZaneDickens">Twitter</a>.</li></ul><h2 id="9a51">I write to create worlds for others to explore at Microcosm.</h2><p id="e78b">We’re looking for <a href="https://readmedium.com/about-microcosm-10a0cf75ddf0"><b>new writers to join us</b></a> and share their microfiction. We firmly believe new writers grow best by practicing in public. Monthly theme and weekly prompts starting in December.</p><div id="5ec5" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/uninsurable-9f830eb474e2"> <div> <div> <h2>Uninsurable</h2> <div><h3>The fine print always wins</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*RZ1CyVXVGUDC52guodzsng.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="336d" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/eaten-b58713d8e567"> <div> <div> <h2>Eaten.</h2> <div><h3>A centina about unofficially missing homework.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div>

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            <div><h3>Smash the impossible into a million pieces, and knock them down like dominoes</h3></div>
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            <div><h3>A couple of my best (stolen from people smarter than me) tips for writing better headlines</h3></div>
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About Me —Zane Dickens

A storyteller in paint, pixels, and prose.

I’m a mid-thirties writer and artist, a user experience designer at a health NGO by day, and a wannabe polymath by night.

I tend to meander and explore things.

Building up skills in things I find interesting.

And so, I’ve worked professionally as a documentary filmmaker, TV true-crime series editor, promo ad director, online entrepreneur, front-end developer, copywriter, and many flavours of designer.

I remembered that I’m an artist at heart.

I started painting again during our very strict lockdown in South Africa.

I had previously stopped just after high school.

As a silver lining to being cooped up, I now had a bit of extra time on my hands. It’s been a great way to unplug and be creative in an analogue way. This is my favourite post about this journey:

I’ve started a new painting for my three-year-old daughter. She has requested a unicorn, a castle, and rainbows. 🦄 🌈 🏰

Paintings by the Author, first painting completed in April and last one in October.

I live in beautiful Cape Town, South Africa.

We have unicorns and baboons. One’s even famous. It’s a magical place.

Photo by Thomas Bennie on Unsplash

I’m a romantic family man who longs to travel again.

My wife and I are high school sweethearts. We’ve been together since we were seventeen. When we finally tied the knot a decade later, we took a one-year backpacking honeymoon and bused, ferried, trained, tuk-tuked, donkeyed, and flew through twenty countries on three continents. Now we have our hands full with two beautifully independent young girls.

I love the psychology of creativity and achieving meaningful productivity without time anxiety. Mostly just trying to balance work, side hustles, and being a present patient parent.

If you want to connect with me:

  • Respond to a story; I like chatting to other writers on Medium.
  • Or feel free to harass me on Twitter.

I write to create worlds for others to explore at Microcosm.

We’re looking for new writers to join us and share their microfiction. We firmly believe new writers grow best by practicing in public. Monthly theme and weekly prompts starting in December.

And all over Medium

Helping artists and creatives find the mental habits they need to unblock their potential.

Writing
Fiction
Short Story
Creativity
Psychology
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