In today’s Journal
* Quote of the Day
* A Good Day
* Of Interest
* The Numbers
Quote of the Day
My first reader commented on one doubt the conscious mind will try to push on you from yesterday’s post: “But maybe the story won’t be any good.”
“True, but maybe it will be . . . unless it never gets written. Not writing it absolutely guarantees it won’t be good, but writing it absolutely guarantees that it might be good. Remember that you’re not writing for those who aren’t going to like it, you’re writing for those who are, and you can’t possibly know how many of the former and how many of the latter there are unless you write and publish the story.” Russ Jones, on Fear
Note: Russ is not a writer of fiction. But he’s an avid reader. And he likes my stuff, so he obviously has excellent taste. (grin)
A Good Day
Yesterday was the best day of writing I’ve had in a very long while, and maybe ever (see Numbers). I am stoked. And I can’t wait to get back to the story this morning. So a short post today.
Just so you know, I did a lot of other things yesterday: going to the post office, wrapping Christmas gifts, visiting with my wife and the two kittens, and even a two-hour trip to the grocery and back.
My “secret” is
1. I keep coming back, and
2. When the characters and the story are runing, I run with them.
I wish the same for you, today and every day.
Not that you have to equal or surpass what I do — though I will be your loudest cheerleader if you do — but that you equal or surpass in publishable words of fiction today what you produced yesterday.
Talk with you again soon.
Of Interest
Hey, if you like snow, check out my buddy Vin Zandri (vinzandri.com) on the slopes
One organ in a person’s body can age faster than the rest Story ideas.
What to know about Hanukkah, which begins tonight This listing is one day old.
The Numbers
The Journal……………………………… 350
Writing of Blackwell Ops 15: Solana Garcia
Day 1…… 3034 words. To date…… 3034
Day 2…… 4389 words. To date…… 7423
Day 3…… 4327 words. To date…… 11750
Day 4…… 4058 words. To date…… 15808
Day 5…… 6103 words. To date…… 21911
Fiction for December…………………… 28400
Fiction for 2023…………………………. 429234
Fiction since August 1………………… 314689
Nonfiction for December……………… 6690
Nonfiction for the year……………… 262270
Annual consumable words………… 687997
2023 Novels to Date……………………… 9
2023 Novellas to Date…………………… 0
2023 Short Stories to Date……………… 7
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)…………… 80
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)…………… 9
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)…… 235
Short story collections…………………… 31
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Disclaimer: I am a prolific professional fiction writer. On this blog I teach Writing Into the Dark and adherence to Heinlein’s Rules. Unreasoning fear and the myths of writing will slow your progress as a writer or stop you cold. I will never teach the myths on this blog.