Professional Writer Series

The Journal: Writing Routines

In today’s Journal * Writing Ritual and Routine * Of Interest * The Numbers​​​ Writing Ritual and Routine Over on TKZ today, Sue Coletta posted an article on writing ritual and routine. Interesting post, and she asked toward the end about others’ rituals and routines. I thought mine would make a good post over here on the Journal. I rise at 2 or 3 a.m. (I take my 6-8 hours from a different part of the day), grab a mugga coffee, and walk about 150 feet to my Hovel, an adobe shack with 3-foot thick walls. That gives me the … Read more

The Journal: From B&N and Reader Kudos

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * From Barnes & Noble Press * Reader Kudos * Of Interest * The Numbers ​​​ Quotes of the Day “Lack of courage sabotages more people than lack of ability. Don’t beat yourself before you start.” Farnam Street blog “I was successful in getting published that first time because I broke the rules and created something no one else was doing.” Reavis Wortham “If you’re an author and not familiar with Writer Beware, you probably should be.” The Passive Guy From Barnes & Noble Press, in case you’re interested FREE Marketing Webinars! … Read more

The Journal: Amberries

In today’s Journal * Unlike Kristine Kathryn Rusch * Neil Gaiman * Of Interest * The Numbers Unlike Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Dean Wesley Smith is usually pretty good about backing away from political hot topics. Kris tends to alienate (with extreme prejudice) anyone who doesn’t agree with her. By doing so she ends up only preaching to the choir. She’s a masterful business person and should be a valuable resource in that arena, but I personally had to step back from both her free blog and my paid subscription to her Patreon account. It was actually adversely affecting my health. … Read more

The Journal: Critical Mind: A Diagnosis

In today’s Journal * Topic: Critical Mind: A Diagnosis * Of Interest * The Numbers Topic: Critical Mind Diagnosis I’m seemingly never immune to intrusions from the critical mind. Yesterday, as I wrote in the current story, that niggling, quiet little voice (creative mind) kept telling me I was forcing things and going in the wrong direction. By “wrong” I mean I was telling the story per what “made sense next” instead of just giving the characters their head and writing what they gave me to write. You would think by now I’d know better, and I do. But really, … Read more

The Journal: Feelin’ a Little Snarky

In today’s Journal * I can’t make this stuff up * The Perfect Society, the Perfect World * Of Interest * The Numbers Seriously, I can’t make this stuff up: “Jeff Bezos says flying in space changed his view of Earth.” from an article at Space.com Now there’s some news, eh? Sorry. Couldn’t help myself. That quote reminded me of line I heard one time in a presentation delivered by a meteorologist. He was talking about releasing weather baloons, and he actually said, “And as the balloon rises, it gets farther from the earth.” (grin) Of course, nobody’s immune to … Read more

The Journal: Sigh. Mentorships

In today’s Journal * Mentorships * Of Interest * The Numbers Mentorships First, nothing I write below will affect my current mentoring relationship with my one student. I’ve updated my Mentorships again, and for the final time. Now I’ll just leave them up unless I decide to stop offering them at all. The changes are extensive. I kept the topic descriptions, but cancelled the option to “buy” specific topics. I typically give much more than I’m asked, so offering them as individual topics was self-defeating where my time is concerned. Now I share my knowledge, suited to the student’s own … Read more

The Journal: Rain

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Rain * I had a great deal of fun * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “Story is more important than style.” David Farland Another group of words that should be attached via sticky note to the edge of every writing computer everywhere. Right alongside “Story is more important than words.” To use a builder analogy, if words are nails and the writing computer is the hammer, Story is the Taj Mahal. “[L]ong before we dreamed of cities, I imagine we should probably have had a premonition, dreamed … Read more

The Journal: Well, Fooey

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Well, Fooey * Smashing Smashwords * Daniel Fellows * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “Governments always claim noble purposes as the basis for limiting speech or other rights.” Jonathan Turley I started a new novel yesterday morning. As usual, a fairly slow start. And then around noon I realized, well, fooey. In talking with a friend, I came to know that I have five unpublished novels: Terra 2, the last novel in the FOH SF series (so far); Wes Crowley: The Final Chapter, the 12th … Read more

The Journal: Some Cover Design Fundamentals

In today’s Journal * Yesterday * Topic: Some Cover Design Fundamentals * Of Interest * The Numbers Yesterday, which should have been a relaxing day off, was mostly a bust. We went to a couple of estate sales over in Sierra Vista. Neither had much that we were interested in, and the other attendees at one acted as if they’d never been around other humans before. Sheesh. We shopped in the commissary too, and found some of what we needed but not all. And then I chose and ate the wrong thing for lunch, making myself ill. It was just … Read more

The Journal: SpaceRons, and Author Angst

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * The Novel Wrapped * Author Angst * SpaceRons * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “We have have been discussing how writers, editors, commentators, and academics have embraced rising calls for censorship and speech controls…” Jonathan Turley Well, my short novel wrapped yesterday at a little over 28,000 words. I was fine with that. Honestly, this one felt more like a really long short story than a novella or novel. (grin) That makes an even dozen novels this year so far, including novels 5-10 of the SF FOH … Read more