In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Practice Is Important * Of Interest * The Numbers Practice Is Important This is a blast from the past, and a perfect followup to yesterday’s post on setting goals. I originally posted this to the Journal back in June of 2018. I read over it with an eye toward updating it—and I did add to it a little—but the original post is kind of timeless. For perspective, notice that in this post I mentioned having written “31 novels and around 200 short stories.” Today I’ll write my 255th short story and … Read more

In today’s Journal * A New Short Story * Setting Goals * Harvey’s Notes to Earth * Of Interest * The Numbers A New Short Story “Empirita Sanchez de Uvalde” went live yesterday at 10 a.m. on my Stanbrough Writes Substack. It’s also an excerpt from one of my Blackwell Ops novels. Go check it out. Setting Goals This is a topic I feel compelled to revisit now and then. Since we’re entering the final quarter of the year, it might be timely for some of you. In a recent issue of TNDJ, I mentioned I’ve recently readjusted my goals. … Read more

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * A Place (and Computer) of One’s Own * The Writing * Of Interest * The Numbers A Place (and Computer) of One’s Own This is another blast from the past, considerably updated. I first posted it here back on November 1, 2018. I felt it was relevant because in today’s Of Interest, DWS talks about having a dedicated writing computer. As many have said, having a dedicated writing space is all-important. Still, I’ve heard many say they can write anywhere. I usually smile and say, “Oh good.” The unasked question is … Read more

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Yesterday * Don’t Tighten Your Shoelaces… * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable.” Christopher Reeve Yesterday Yesterday was a forced day off. My brain went on hiatus, overpowered by red emotions with black edges. I wrote no fiction and only this little bit of nonfiction. I hope to get back to writing fiction today. Life stuff. I won’t bore you with details. Suffice it … Read more

In today’s Journal * New Book Available Free! * Also * A Great Question * Yesterday * Of Interest * The Numbers New Book Available! Free! Enjoy a fast-paced, action-packed mystery? I enjoyed writing my new Stern Talbot PI novel so much, I decided to release it NOW through Bookfunnel. I really enjoyed writing this one! To get your copy of The Darling Members Club FREE, visit Bookfunnel. Also If you prefer, both The Case of the Wayward Accountant and The Darling Members Club are now available through Payhip for only $4 each. See StoneThread Publishing on Payhip. Both books … Read more

In today’s Journal * A Note on the Bradbury Challenge * I Wrote This Into the Dark * The Writing * Of Interest * The Numbers A Note on the Bradbury Challenge I was just thinking, I told you recently I plan to offer challenges in November similar to those I offered in September. If you plan to jump into one of those challenges, one great way to practice for those during October would be to write at least one short story per week for the Bradbury Challenge during the month of October. The deadline to submit your story title, … Read more

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * The Bradbury Challenge Writers Reporting * The Value of Averages, 3 * The Novel Wrapped * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.” From Edgar Allan Poe’s “Eleonora” The Bradbury Challenge Writers Reporting I really wish more of you guys would jump into this. C’mon, show us what you’ve got. (grin) The whole point is to have fun and grow as a writer. There is no cost. The only requirement is … Read more

In today’s Journal * The Value of Averages, 2 * Of Interest * The Numbers The Value of Averages 2 As I noted in Part 1 of this series, even when you’re taking part in a challenge, you aren’t writing for the challenge. Maybe you believe you’re writing to finish a short story you started yesterday or last week. Or to add-to or finish a novel you started yesterday or last week or last month. But in the overall scheme, you’re doing much more than that. As I wrote yesterday, you’re writing to accomplish something you’ve never accomplished before. And … Read more

In today’s Journal * A New Short Story * The Value of Averages 1 * Of Interest * The Numbers A New Short Story “The Unfortunate Case of Agatha Bitters” went live yesterday at 10 a.m. on my Stanbrough Writes Substack. Go check it out. If you enjoy it, tell Everyone. If you don’t, shhh! (grin) The Value of Averages 1 There’s a question that all who fancy themselves fiction writers eventually have to face: Do I want to BE a fiction writer or do I simply want to DO fiction writing? There is a massive difference. Let me just … Read more

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Post-Publication Organizing * Of Interest * The Numbers Today I’ll be writing and also working on that Average Matters post I’ve been talking about. So it’ll be ready in a day or two. Quote of the Day “Not at all sure why this idea of writing at Pulp Speed sort of hits me right. I think because it flies in the face of all the myths. … If you think it can’t be done, ask yourself why? Why is your belief system telling you that?” Dean Wesley Smith Post-Publication Organizing (The … Read more