In Today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * On Politics * Of Interest Quote of the Day “Someone else decides whether a door opens. A mirror, I can hang myself, anywhere, today.” RJ Redden (see Of Interest) On Politics First, don’t worry. This post won’t have even a passing acquaintance with advocating for any candidate or political party. Please read on.  Gag me with a spoon. The damn midterm elections are coming. I hope you’ll vote—PLEASE VOTE—but vote however you like and don’t tell me. I couldn’t begin to care less about that part. The one thing I can’t … Read more

In Today’s Journal * My Quote of the Day * Quote of the Day * Observation: Thinking/Acting Like a Writer * Of Interest My Quote of the Day “There’s no feeling on Earth quite as good as the nervous laughter that erupts when you realize you’ve survived.” Quote of the Day “[Character] voice is what a character notices and how they feel about what they notice.” Janice Hardy (see Of Interest) Observation: Thinking/Acting Like a Writer Several years ago I taught a couple of writers’ retreats on Observation for Writers. I might look up the handouts I used for those … Read more

In Today’s Journal * My Quote of the Day * The Bradbury Challenge Report * On Writing Challenges, Writing Advice, and Writing Fiction * Of Interest My Quote of the Day “As for writing a new story every day, wonderful. Of course, how often you write and even streaks don’t really matter except as a way to drive you to the writing chair. But they’re invaluable for that. As a bonus, each time you write a new story, you’re increasing your inventory and learning or realizing new things.” The Bradbury Challenge Report Participating in any challenge is a great way … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Degrees of Joy * Of Interest Quotes of the Day “And then there are the quieter forms of joy: the kind of deeply felt satisfaction of mastering a difficult skill, creating something beautiful, having an especially meaningful conversation, or doing something we love so completely that we lose all awareness of time. … They make us feel intensely alive [and] when we feel intensely alive, we connect with our deepest selves.” Dr. Mardy Grothe (see Of Interest) “Your sacred space is where you can find yourself again and again.” Joseph Campbell … Read more

In Today’s Journal * My Quote of the Day * Random, Roughshod Thoughts * Of Interest My Quote of the Day “Youth is that period of life during which you ‘pay your dues’ until you’re eventually rough-broke enough to be invited to sit at the grown-ups table without embarrassing anyone.” Random, Roughshod Thoughts Despite my attempt to anticipate and sideline the question, one person whose opinion I value emailed to ask why I’m ‘looking backward’ to ‘revise’ The Wes Crowley Saga. Back in early 2014, I learned about Heinlein’s Rules and Writing into the Dark. They work hand in hand, … Read more

In Today’s Journal * An Exciting New Project! An Exciting New Project! I hope you might find a gem or two in this, but primarily I just wanted to share this great news with all of you…. On October 19, 2014, I sat down at my writing ‘puter and wrote Wes Crowley leaned forward and poked at an ember that had popped out of the campfire a moment earlier. “Been a long trail this time, boys.” Those were the first 26 words (and the first paragraph) of Leaving Amarillo, my first novel and the first book of what would eventually … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * The Bradbury Challenge Report * Faux Interview, Part 6 * Of Interest Quotes of the Day “You’re gonna start with zero in a scene and end with zero. You let the process take you to the result rather than going to the result. Come in with nothing and just see where it goes, like life.” Robert Duvall in the best, most concise explanation I’ve ever heard of the creative process and writing into the dark “Then if something good happens, something that’s really valid because you allowed yourself to not push … Read more

In Today’s Journal * A Fun Fact * Faux Interview, Part 5 * Of Interest A Fun Fact How to conceive of a trillion anything…. 1 million seconds is 11.5 days. 1 billion seconds is 11,574 days (31.7 years) 1 trillion seconds is 11,574,074 days (31,709.79 years) (Thanks, KC!) Faux Interview, Part 5 You explain that you once wrote under five personas and still publish some short fiction under names including Gervasio Arrancado, Eric Stringer, and Nicolas Z Porter. What does a pseudonym allow a writer to become? I don’t do that much anymore. But Gervasio Arrancado is very much … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Faux Interview, Part 4 * Of Interest Faux Interview, Part 4 Why teach writing publicly after spending decades learning it privately? I learned it “privately” even as many of my students learn it privately, but I learned it from various sources outside of myself just as they do: other fiction writers and poets, books and seminars on writing, and most importantly from my own process as I practice. Why teach it publicly? Because I enjoy helping other writers cut their learning curve. Teaching forces a writer to articulate instincts that may otherwise remain subconscious. Has teaching … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Faux Interview, Part 3 * Of Interest Faux Interview, Part 3 What if revision is sometimes the problem rather than the solution? Any conscious-mind revision, including rewriting, is ALWAYS a problem because every instance at least risks taking you further from the character’s authentic story. And it almost always does. But at what point does revision stop improving a story and begin removing the instinctive qualities that made the original draft work? See my previous response. Also, that’s why I “cycle”—a kind of revision that’s a function of the creative subconscious—instead of revising, which is a … Read more