In Today’s Journal * Introductory Note * Writing vs. Publishing: Two Vastly Different Things Introductory Note While I was revamping and resizing my new Blackwell Ops covers a couple of days ago, I received a few questions from a fellow writer who’s in Dean’s “How to Make 40K a Year” seminar. I responded to her personally, then posted my somewhat expanded responses yesterday in “Ten Important Things”. Naturally, I recommend you read it. And then while I was uploading the ‘large’ covers for my Blackwell Ops series and my two horror novels to my online discount store yesterday, I had … Read more

In Today’s Journal * BO-55 is Live * Ten Important Things * Of Interest Blackwell Ops-55: Neil Speck | Tempting Fate is live everywhere for $5.99 or at my online discount store for $5. Although Tempting Fate is set in the Blackwell Ops crime thriller world of professional assassins, it’s more of a suspenseful romance than a crime thriller. In that way, it’s similar to A Most Unusual Day. And of course, A Most Unusual Day is currently still posting free in serials over on Stanbrough Writes. There are only four or five chapters to go, but you can still … Read more

In Today’s Journal * My Quote of the Day * The Bradbury Challenge Report * A Cover Cheat Sheet * Of Interest My Quote of the Day “When coupled with passion, we can achieve excellence without the sense of having strived for it because work becomes joy.” The Bradbury Challenge Report Participating in any challenge is a great way to have fun and grow as a writer. The requirement is to write at least one short story per week, then let me know the title, word count, and genre per the format below. During the past week, the following writers … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * A Few Things * The Novel Wrapped * On Skill Level and Process * Of Interest Quote of the Day “Life is like a play: it’s not the length, but the excellence of the acting that matters.” Lucius Annaeus Seneca (Seneca the Younger) A Few Things came together to cause me to write this post today: the novel wrapped and I received feedback from my first reader, I read Dr. Mardy’s Quotes of the Week newsletter (see Of Interest) where I found the Quote of the Day, and I received a … Read more

In Today’s Journal * First, a Disclaimer * Writing Past the End First, a Disclaimer In the article below, I’m not talking about a novel having a “sagging middle” or “painting yourself into a corner” or any of the other usual problems that plague those who “plot” or “erect sign posts” or otherwise plan in advance and construct a novel from that plan. I’m not even talking about “bogging down” as something to be expected, as it pertains to writing a novel from an outline. When a novel bogs down for those writers it does so for only one reason: because … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * About Publishing to Audiobooks * Of Interest Quote of the Day “The soul of negotiation is knowing you can always walk away.” A popular aphorism widely attributed to business and negotiation lore About Publishing to Audiobooks Okay, first, the new novel’s going well at over 37,000 words in and no end in sight. The writing’s pretty much my only excitement and my primary reason to get up, make coffee, and trudge out to the Hovel every morning. And that’s fine. I’m not complaining. My drive or enthusiasm or whatever is much … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * The Bradbury Challenge Report * On Author Websites * Of Interest Quote of the Day “On your website, don’t be in the way of anything your customers want. Be welcoming: Newsletter popup signups are not welcoming, and white text on red or black backgrounds is not welcoming. Make the information easy to find and fun. Authors are amazingly good at annoying people who are trying to buy their books.” Dean Wesley Smith The Bradbury Challenge Report Participating in any challenge is a great way to have fun and grow as a … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Don’t Confuse Movement with Action * Of Interest  Quote of the Day “Never confuse movement with action.” Ernest Hemingway Don’t Confuse Movement with Action Great advice from probably the best writer who ever lived. The quote of the day ranks up there with “All you have to do is write one true sentence, Just write one true sentence, then go on from there.” But what does “Never confuse movement with action” mean specifically? Notice that the advice doesn’t exclude either aspect. It just says not to confuse the two. I saw … Read more

In Today’s Journal * My Quote of the Day * Ambition, Talent, Skill, and Outcome * Update on My Own Writing * So TNDJ * Of Interest My Quote of the Day “‘Luck’ only means when the knock came at the door you were prepared.” Ambition, Talent, Skill, and Outcome Don’t confuse ambition, talent, skill, or even outcome with excellence. They’re different animals inhabiting the same world. Ambition is only desire and the willingness to work toward a goal or dream. Talent is only a degree of natural ability, and skill is only a marker of your level of proficiency … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * An Email on Focusing Down * On Learning * Focusing on Learning * Of Interest Quote of the Day “The second you think you know all you need to know about writing fiction, you’re done as a writer.” Dean Wesley Smith An Email on Focusing Down This from a long-time, dear writing friend: Remember when I asked why you thought [A Most Unusual Day] might be [your] best, and you did not, of course, give me an answer. I went back and read it and the next chapter with an editor’s … Read more