A little less than 2 years ago, this website was created. In 2025, there was much bigger focus on video content, leading to the creation of Laenif Studios. Let’s review the year’s original stories, poems, essays, art, and music.
2 Years Later: Looking Back on the Writing, Music, and Art of 2025 from Laenif Studios
In the first year, the main focus was building a solid blog schedule so there were more posts (117). The following year saw 74 more (75 if you count this one). As of now, the order of posts has been following this pattern:
- Poetry and “Steve” Posts
- Music Playlists
- Prose (Novel excerpts, short stories, and a few essays) – includes some “Steve” posts.
- Jam Notes Podcast and some Jams without the Notes
- “Opinion” pieces, random articles, and even one poem from Mars Jazz.
- A featured “work of art” is added to the Weird Gallery of Doodle Drawings.
Then there’s coinciding YouTube schedule:
- Poetry video
- Prose video
- Jam or Jam Notes episode
So with all that being said, let’s look at what really connected with people. And don’t forget to subscribe to the monthly newsletter.
Top Poem and the Untitled Project About Steve
With poetry being the main type of post I published in 2024, I pumped the brakes a little. If you really want more Poetry by BW Derge – you can purchase a collection of original poems.
Top Poems of 2025: Constipated on the Spectrum
Going off of views on the website, the poem with the most had over 120 as of December 13, and that was Constipated Consciousness from the 2019 book of poems called ‘Paradox Locked’.
Based off YouTube views, not only was this the most watched poem in 2025, but the most watched video of the year from Laenif studios with over 8200. Also from ‘Paradox Locked’ the poem is called All the Pigments on the Spectrum. Watch it here:
Editor’s Pick: The Trifecta
What is the Untitled Project About an Author Named Steve?
A short story written in 2009 at the College of Santa Fe, it follows a drunk writer through a series of events and clips of his writing. In a cross-genre, nonlinear style, the story was one of the longest and most acclaimed written by BW Derge. It has been published in chunks and will finally be completed in 2026 and compiled into one video, with a title, telling the whole story. For now, part 12 is up next with part 11 of Steve’s story being the latest released in 2025. The part with most views this year was Episode 8: In the Middle of a Tuesday.
I’ve also been making YouTube shorts based off Steve’s story. Going off views, the most popular was Episode 3: A Poem by Steve. Watch it here or start at episode 1 of Steve’s story:
Best Short Stories and Essays of 2025: Laenif Studios
There have been complaints rising about the lack of original stories. The short stories and essays written by BW Derge and the videos produced by Laenif Studios are 100% A.I. free when it comes to the words and stories themselves.
Short Stories About Chakras and Time Travel Claim Top Spots of 2025
With almost 300 views, the most read original story by BW Derge of 2025 was the odd little tale entitled String Theory and Chakras in 26 Dimensions about a mad scientist explaining his weird spiritual theory to a young, skeptical math professor.
As for the original short story with the most views on YouTube, with over 2600, was the quirky fiction letter by HG Wells supposing the great American author was a time traveler and still alive. Watch it here:
Editor’s Pick: Push the Button, Reality is as Limitless as a Dream
Top Essays of 2025: Themes of Faust and Cosmic Tragedies
Moving on to other Prose posts in 2025, the most viewed essay on the website was The Themes of Goethe’s Faust which was originally written in 2014. Themes of “going beyond” reality and scientific explanation are explored.
If going by YouTube videos produced by Laenif Studios, the top essay was the recently published Cosmic Tragedy of Existence with over 2600 views in the first 16 days since its release on November 28. Watch it here:
Editor’s Pick: What is a Philosophical Zombie?
Top Music Posts of 2025: Best Playlists, Jams, and Podcast Episodes
In case you didn’t know, Spotify is a garbage company. And you can say what you want about Amazon, their music service at pays musical artists somewhat fairly. With that said, here are the best playlists, jams, and podcast episodes in 2025:
Best Playlist of 2025: Sum of Everything featuring Tool and Nine Inch Nails
Similar to last year, a mixtape I made in 2006 claims the top spot. This is the twelfth playlist in the series, called Sum of Everything, featuring Tool and Queen and a lot more. Listen here:
Editor’s Pick: #27: Snowed In Dry (2011)
Best Improvised Instrumental Jam Session of the Year
When it comes to the most viewed jam on the website, a post published in 2024 featuring a heavy jam on guitar and drums got the top spot. As for YouTube views, the aptly titled Best Jam Ever received over 2550 views. Listen here:
Editor’s Pick: An Attempt at Nu Metal
Best Jam Notes Podcast of the Year: Koala Bears and Tool
As for listens on the website, the episode about Tool’s Maynard Getting Booed in Mexico was the top podcast episode last year, in which Ben and Nick talk about The Upside Down Tree Jam. When it comes to YouTube, though, the second most watched video from the Laenif Studios channel was the one about Koala Bears and High Hat Cymbals as it got over 5000 views and more than 230 likes. Watch it here:
Top Opinion Post and Looking Forward to 2026
Well that about wraps it up, folks. If you’re curious what the top performing opinion post was from this past year, it was by far the piece answering that burning question about Maynard’s main band: Is Tool in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? No. The answer is no, they were snubbed another year…
On the Horizon: What to Expect in 2026
Focusing on getting someone to buy something from either the bookstore or the merch store – we will also be continuing to post on the normal schedule as well as making more videos, including a fourth type of video, maybe about novels, maybe about art. I’m undecided at the moment so we’ll see. Here is what is definitely getting done in the next 12 months-
- Despite numerous delays, BW Derge’s third novel (and first not set in the Laenif universe), Remember Me, Nothing will be published in the first half of 2026! (Aiming for March)
- The untitled story about Steve will be completed and released as one long-form video telling the whole heartbreaking story about a drunk poet and novelist.
- More newsletters! With over 100 subscribers, you can keep expecting a monthly newsletter from BWDerge.com
- The second season of the Jam Notes podcast will begin this Spring! (2 more episodes from season one will be released around January 2026)
Thanks for reading, everybody!
