Month: November 2024

In Today’s Journal * Happy Birthday, USMC * The Novel Wrapped * Forgetfulness—Blessing or Curse? * Of Interest * The Numbers Happy Birthday, USMC Later today I will pause briefly to raise a toast to my brothers and sisters in the Marine Corps and in the other armed forces, past and present. Today is the 249th anniversary of the birth of the United States Marine Corps in Tun Tavern (yep, a bar, go figure) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. And to everyone else, really: May your days be vibrant, your evenings calm, your heart safe and warm at home. Semper Fi My … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * A New Short Story * Reminder * Storytelling * The Writing * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “I’m surprised and happy to see the DITW comment is from me. I’ll continue to share epiphanies when I have them, I’m happy to be useful.” Emilia Pulliainen, writer and subscriber The Quote of the Day is spot-on. Imagine how many other writers we would help lift up if we all shared the epiphanies that come to us as we’re writing fiction. Any time you share an epiphany with me … Read more

In Today’s Journal * No New Electricity * The Vote Is In (No, not that vote) * Of Interest * The Numbers No New Electricity Well, it didn’t happen yesterday. All of this started back in September. Yesterday, the electrician showed up with a HUGE electrical panel—and I mean about 3 feet by 3 feet—to hang on the wall. Unfortunately, he’d brought the wrong part to connect it to the new meter the electric company has to install after they run new lines to the house. So he rescheduled himself and the electric company and the inspector to arrive next … Read more

In Today’s Journal * An ‘Electric’ Note * A Deep Dive on Cycling * A Note on Story Flow and WITD * Of Interest * The Numbers An ‘Electric’ Note Today, finally (if it doesn’t rain) our electricity will be off for a few hours. So no internet. The good news is that when the outage is over, our house electricity will be upgraded and I’ll have a lot more power in the Hovel. The downside is that if you email me, I won’t be able to repy for awhile. A Deep Dive on Cycling A writer and new subscriber, … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Little or Nothing * In the Meantime * The Numbers Little or Nothing to talk about today. I’ll add to the novel this morning. I suspect it will wrap in the next day or two or maybe three. Probably like most of you, I’ll check election results now and then. After all, it’s only every two or four years. This afternoon I have a doc appointment (routine). I’ll deliver a test sample, undergo a very minor procedure, and and be back in the TNDJ saddle tomorrow morning. In the Meantime a couple of things…… 1. I’m … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Election Day 2024 * A Cover Blurb Speaks for Itself * The Writing * A Reminder * Of Interest * The Numbers Election Day 2024 I will not tell you whom to vote for. That is neither my place nor the place of anyone else. But it is incumbent upon us all to urge others to vote. You vote anyway, either by casting a ballot or by not casting a ballot. Please do the former, and make your voice heard. That is the single most important activity you can achieve today. A Cover Blurb Speaks for … Read more

In Today’s Journal * The Bradbury Challenge Writers Reporting * An Encounter With Critical Voice * “The Breath Formed” * Christopher Fried * The Numbers The Bradbury Challenge Writers Reporting I really wish more of you guys would jump into this. C’mon, show us what you’ve got. The whole point is to have fun and grow as a writer. There is no cost. The only requirement is to write at least one short story per week. (I’m no longer keeping track of your longer fiction. Too erratic.) During the past week, in addition to whatever other fiction they’re writing, the … Read more

In Today’s Journal * More on Replacing “It” * A New ‘Down in the Weeds’ Newsletter? * About ‘Down in the Weeds’ * ‘Down in the Weeds’ Is Not a Done Deal. * Of Interest * The Numbers More on Replacing “It” A writer asked whether you should also guard against repetition when you replace vague pronouns (that is, pronouns whose antecedents are vague) with a noun or proper name. The answer is Maybe. It depends. (Yes, an example is coming.) The writer also reminded me that although I recommend AGAINST conscious-mind ‘revising,’ ‘rewriting,’ and ‘editing,’ I also hold that … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * A New Short Story * Over a Million Consumable Words * The Darling Members Club * The Writing * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” George Bernard Shaw “November, n. The eleventh twelfth of a weariness.” Ambrose Bierce in The Devil’s Dictionary A New Short Story “The Breath Formed” went live yesterday at 10 a.m. on my Stanbrough Writes Substack. Go check it out. Bring tissues. A note on the writing—If you want … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * First, a Caution * Welcome to November, and an Update * Writing Better Fiction * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “No big challenge has ever been solved, and no lasting improvement has ever been achieved, unless people dare to try something different.” Tim Cook, Apple CEO Note that Mr. Cook didn’t say ‘something hard.’ He said ‘something different.’ If you want to solve the challenge of writing fiction, dare to try writing into the dark. Just sayin’. First, a Serious Caution About the November Challenges As a … Read more