Month: June 2021

The Journal: A Short Post Today

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * A Short Post Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “I distrust plot for two reasons: first, because our lives are largely plotless, even when you add in all our reasonable precautions and careful planning; and second, because I believe plotting and the spontaneity of real creation aren’t compatible.” Stephen King “I started trying to write a short story for Amanda [Palmer] … about what it was like to be me when I was 7, and it just kept going. And it turned into a book called … Read more

The Journal: There Are Five Physical Senses

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Topic: There Are Five Physical Senses * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “When you find a writer who really is saying something to you, read everything that writer has written and you will get more education and depth of understanding out of that than reading a scrap here and a scrap there and elsewhere.” Joseph Campbell Topic: There Are Five Physical Senses Not one. Five. One of the most obvious signs of a beginning writer is that in description, the writer focuses on Sight as the dominant, … Read more

The Journal: A Short Post Today

In today’s Journal * A Short Post Today * Of Interest * The Numbers A Short Post Today and I guess it’s a little negative. Well, not negative so much as indifferent. First, if you’re interested at all, see “Where Gender-Neutral Pronouns Come From” at https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2021/06/gender-neutral-pronouns-arent-new/619092/. I was going to write a bit about this, but then I realized I don’t really care. People have a right to call themselves whatever they want. How someone else “identifies” doesn’t affect my bottom line or my time off, so what do I care? By and large, aside from a few family members … Read more

The Journal: Alison Naomi Holt and Robert J. Sadler

In today’s Journal * Thanks for the input * Alison Naomi Holt * Robert J. Sadler * Yesterday * Of Interest * The Numbers Thanks to everyone who gave me input re my fairly recent announcement that I was considering writing nonfiction books on all my mentoring subtopics. I even thought about doing a Kickstarter for the series. I appreciate the input, but I’ve decided against doing that, at least for now, and at least as a series. It would take too much time away from my fiction, and really, that’s where I live and breathe. Besides, the mentorships, personalized … Read more

The Journal: A Day Off and Writing Sales Copy

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * A Day Off * Search the Journal * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “The less promise and potency in the self, the more imperative is the need for pride. The core of pride is self-rejection.” Bruce Lee Self-esteem is at the core of the ability to trust yourself and write into the dark. Yesterday I mostly blew off the day. I had to get labs (fasting) at 7 a.m. so I had no coffee etc. until after that. It’s only pure luck that yesterday’s Journal was coherent. … Read more

The Journal: The Novel Finished

In today’s Journal * Welcome * How to Write Fiction Sales Copy * More Boring Talk About My Own Writing * Of Interest * The Numbers Welcome to Kelley and Anitha and any others who have joined our little community lately. If I can ever do anything to help with your writing, please don’t hesitate to contact me. You know those writers you meet at writers’ conferences who deliver their lecture or class and then disappear into their room in the hotel for the duration? Yeah, that’s not me. I was the guy hanging out in the lobby or the … Read more

The Journal: A Story Idea

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Yesterday * A Story Idea * Of Interest * The Numbers Well, yesterday, finally, I took a few minutes to upload the slightly revised editions of The Rise of a Warrior and Comanche Fire, the first two novels in the Wes Crowley series. Nothing major. As I was reading through them, I spotted and corrected a few typos. Anyway, anyone who would like a “clean” copy of The Rise of a Warrior, you only need to email me at harveystanbrough@gmail.com. A Story Idea For those of you who enjoy reading or … Read more

The Journal: Absorbing Story

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Topic: Absorbing Story * The novel * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day a brief conversation between bestselling authors John Gilstrap and Jeffrey Deaver John Gilstrap: “What are you doing right that I’m doing wrong?” [Jeffrey Deaver] answered without pause, “Last time I counted, I was sixteen books ahead of you.” Yeah, okay. Fine. Perspective. Then he went on to say, “You know you have to keep writing. Stopping isn’t an option.” “What if I can’t sell anything?” I whined. “Nobody says you have to do it fulltime.” … Read more

The Journal: Four-Book Give-Away

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * A give-away * StreetLib * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “In Heinlein’s Rules, Product Focused writers have trouble with Rules #1, #2, and #3. Process focused writers have a horrid time with Rules #4 and #5.” Dean Wesley Smith, in his reply to my comment. Another of those gems I talk about. In honor of Dean’s previous two excellent posts, I’ve decided to do another give-away. For a limited time, you can get Quiet the Critical Voice (and Write Fiction) and Writing the Character Driven Story free. … Read more