Month: August 2025

In Today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * The Bradbury Challenge * Write Your Book This Morning!… * Final Updated List of Books for Sale * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are and what you stand for, where you want to go and why you want to get there.” Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary-General The Bradbury Challenge As I told one writer this morning, Bradbury’s original advice to writers about writing short fiction was this: “Write a new short story every … Read more

In Today’s Journal * The Purpose of TNDJ * Occasionally in TNDJ * Of Interest * The Numbers The Purpose of TNDJ The whole purpose of TNDJ is to teach fiction writers it’s all right to believe in themselves. That you don’t need (or want, actually) critical input from critique groups or beta readers, and that you shouldn’t revise or rewrite as a result of any critical input you inadvertently receive. If you’re compelled to rewrite on advice of a beta reader or critique group member, then you should also rewrite every time a general reader points out something s/he … Read more

In Today’s Journal * A New Short Story * Bradbury Reminder * Writing Under a Persona or Pen Name * Great Comment and Question * The Numbers A New Short Story “One Hot Late Afternoon in June” went live yesterday at 10 a.m. on my Stanbrough Writes Substack. Go check it out. It’s free. If you enjoy the story, please click Like. Comments are welcome too. Both help with my Substack algorithms. Then tell Everyone else. Bradbury Reminder Today is Saturday. Just a reminder to get your Bradbury Challenge story info in to me before the Journal goes live on … Read more

In Today’s Journal * What Was I Thinking? * News Re the Journal Archives * Of Interest * The Numbers What Was I Thinking? One more book sold yesterday, and I’ve received one request from a writer for a book someone else had already claimed. That’s it. Four writers out of well over 200 subscribers. I’m a little stymied. I honestly thought these would all go in only a few days. This is an excellent opportunity for you to purchase and read like-new genre-specific writing books by accomplished fiction writers at a low cost. I’ve read most of them, but … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Remaining Writing Books for Sale * Almost Finished * Guest Posts Welcome * Of Interest * The Numbers Remaining Writing Books for Sale The first three stand-alone writing books and the Rusch series sold within minutes of yesterday’s post going live. Here’s an updated list of the books remaining and your cost: A Writer’s Companion—15.00 Becoming a Writer—5.00 Becoming a Writer | Staying a Writer—9.00 Character Naming Sourcebook—9.50 Conflict, Action & Suspense—8.00 How to Write Action Adventure Novels—7.00 How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy—7.50 Mystery Writer’s Handbook—10.00 Mystery Writing in a Nutshell—8.50 Now Write! Mysteries—22.00 … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Update on Writing and Other Stuff * Writing Books for Sale * Of Interest * The Numbers Update on Writing and Other Stuff Welp, I put the fencing project on hold for a few days (I designated it “good enough”) thanks to the fact that we’re currently anticipating rain and watching the skies expectantly. We’re even leaving our cloth cushions on our patio furniture in an attempt to entice the rain to fall. Out here, anticipating rain is almost as good as getting rain. But there’s always another project. For those who’ve never seen the Hovel—a 20′ long … Read more

In Today’s Journal * A Little Clarification re the Contest * Of Interest * The Numbers A Little Clarification re the Contest I told a couple of writers some of this yesterday: 1. None of you “disappointed” me with your stories. You’re all in various stages of learning. If you don’t fall short now and then, you don’t learn. 2. I’m proud of all of you for having the confidence to submit short stories to a contest, whether it was your first time or whether you’ve been doing it for a while. 3. If you’re thinking about purchasing a line … Read more

In Today’s Journal * The Bradbury Challenge * Echoes of Chandler Contest Results * Of Interest * The Numbers The Bradbury Challenge The whole point of the Challenge 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. Feel free to jump in at any time. During the past week, in addition to whatever other fiction they’re writing, the following writers reported these new stories: Erin Donoho “Knowing Is Enough” 2000 literary Vanessa V. Kilmer “What Roosevelt Felt” 3003 Speculative Christopher Ridge “The Roach … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Contest Results Are Coming Soon * How to Win a Short Story Contest * Progress Report * Of Interest * The Numbers Contest Results Are Coming Soon I’ve heard from a few writers who wonder why it’s taking me so long to get back to you with contest results. I did read the opening of every story the day after the contest closed. If I wasn’t hooked or pulled into the story and therefore wasn’t enticed to keep reading, I closed the story and put it into the Rejected folder. If I was hooked and pulled … Read more

In Today’s Journal * A New Short Story * Bradbury Reminder * Conveying Your Characters’ Emotions * Progress Report * Of Interest * The Numbers A New Short Story “But There Is No Corral” went live yesterday at 10 a.m. on my Stanbrough Writes Substack. Go check it out. It’s free. The story was excerpted from the novel Blackwell Ops 40: John Staple. It’s one of my favorite scenes of all time. Good description of characters and setting, and good dialogue. See what you think. If you enjoy the story, please click Like. Comments are welcome too. Both help with … Read more