In Today’s Journal
* A Brief Intermission
* For Recent Subscribers
* Of Interest
A Brief Intermission
Behind the scenes, I’ve been writing and compiling the Author Intrusion book each day. Where I’ve used previously published material, I’ve updated it so longtime subscribers will get the value of a reminder plus some new information.
Then I broke the longer chapters into two or three posts before posting them. But no doubt you’ve noticed the posts have been coming into your inbox pretty much day after day after relentless day. Today I thought I’d give you a break so I can ‘splain a couple of things:
As I reported a month or two ago, I meant to slow down and offer these posts more or less intermittently. Yeah. I had the intention, but apparently I didn’t have the ability. (grin)
Back in the day I would have felt fortunate to be deluged with information from a valid source on how to write fiction, what to avoid, and so on. Especially if that information was replete with examples.
But every writer’s different, and times have changed. So I find myself almost apologizing for not slowing or stemming the deluge as much as I thought I could.
I’ve always had a strong sense of urgency. Specifically, in the case of TNDJ, I’ve always wanted to publish today, right now, because circumstances might or might not allow me to publish tomorrow.
But that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. After all, you have my blanket permission to copy-paste and save or even print these Author Intrusion posts for your personal use as they come into your inbox.
That means you are free to peruse the posts at your leisure, so I see no reason to delay publishing them once they’re written.
So although my original intent was to insert a blank day or two between posts to field questions and comments, I’ll continue posting a chapter or partial chapter each day until the whole book is posted. That way the whole thing will be out there and you’ll have it if you want it.
For the record, I don’t expect the finished product to be significantly different from the posts. If it is, I’ll add a “sequel” post or two later to update you re any significant changes or additions.
But I seriously doubt that will happen. I’m in a hurry to have this thing behind me. I’ve delivered a lot of this stuff so many times in emails, blog posts, mentorships, writers’ conference presentations, and seminars that I’m repeating it in the book almost by rote. (grin)
Now if I could only make it required reading….
For Recent Subscribers
I appreciate you, but as I’ve reported more than once in the past few months, I feel the time approaching when I’ll cease publication of TNDJ, at least as the instructional newsletter it is today and as it has been for the past decade-plus.
But I don’t want to leave new subscribers high and dry. You can get the archives for the 2021-2024 TNDJ free in searchable PDF format. All you have to do is email me and request them.
Those four years of archives contain most of what I’ve posted about fiction writing over the past decade in either original posts or in repeats that I’ve dusted off and brought forward. And of course, you can peruse the 2025-2026 archives by scrolling back either at Substack or at the Journal website.
Of course, the offer is also open to longtime subscribers and even to occasional visitors who happen across this post.
I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say reading those archives from 2021 forward is like getting a master’s degree in fiction writing.
After all, this is the same stuff you would get from a knowledgeable instructor in any legitimate MFA program, albeit minus all the stuff on how to put off writing by outlining, character-sketching, and world-building, and how to put off publication and the ensuing possible rejection by revising ad nauseam, rewriting ad nauseam, or submitting work to critique groups or beta readers or other conscious, critical-mind piranhas.
But I digress. Sigh.
Anyway, also be sure to visit the Journal website and my author site to check out all the freebies and resources listed there. Use ’em, don’t use ’em, up to you, but isn’t it nice to have a choice?
Finally, if you want to get any of my own fiction or nonfiction at a discount, I recommend you check out my online discount store and save a buck.
Okay, that’s it for today. Back tomorrow with the Bradbury Challenge. On Tuesday I’ll post Chapter 6, Part 1 of the Author Intrusion book. Looks like we’ll finish with the book this week.
After that, I suspect I’ll give you some relief from TNDJ other than the weekly Bradbury Challenge Report on Mondays.
Of Interest
Dr. Mardy’s Quotes of the Week: Fame
Take a digital walking tour of Cannes, France Beautiful. Anybody been there? Is it as wonderfully old-world as it looks?
Case Study: 80-Year-Old Author Crushes It! What one guy did right.