Daily Journal

In Today’s Journal * Just a Thought * The Basics * Of Interest * The Numbers Just a Thought Since long before I started writing fiction in earnest, I’ve been compiling my own satirical dictionary. My dictionary is kind of a mix between those of Samuel Johnson and Ambrose Bierce, irreverent and highly opinionated. Here’s my most recent entry: unalived, adj. [Frown. What?] Um, killed. Usage note: If you regularly use non-words like ‘unalived’ in any way other than in satire or comedy, you’ve been in school too long. Your brain’s filled beyond capacity. You’re overqualified for life in a … Read more

In Today’s Journal * I Get Enticing Emails * Of Interest * The Numbers I Get Enticing Emails I hadn’t planned to post anything today, but ss I was going through my inbox this morning deleting old stuff I don’t need anymore, I came across this: Back on 29 October 2025, I received the following email through my Stanbrough Writes direct email address: hi harvey, really enjoyed the set-piece in your recent post. the focus and the hit scenes were tight and instructive, srsly. i dont mean a cameo riff, more like a dedicated piece that unpacks technique from someone … Read more

In Today’s Journal * The TNDJ Challenges Report * On ‘Rules’ of Writing Fiction * Subscription News * Of Interest * The Numbers The TNDJ Challenges Report Participating in any challenge is a great way to have fun and grow as a writer. There is no cost. Feel free to jump in at any time. To do so, email me at harveystanbrough@gmail.com with your results anytime before TNDJ goes live on any Monday. Bradbury Challenge The requirement is to write at least one short story or short-short story per week. During the past week, the following writers wrote these new … Read more

In Today’s Journal * A New Short Story * Blogging * Of Interest * The Numbers A New Short Story “Family” 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. Gracias. Blogging A couple of days ago, a writer mentioned how difficult blogging can be. The context was her apparent wonder that I’ve been able to post a blog so often over such a long period of time. My response … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Doing Nothing and Loving It * Of Interest * The Numbers Doing Nothing and Loving It I’ve never been good before at doing nothing. But recently, I’m getting in some practice. And I’m finding out it isn’t a horrible gig. I’m not stuck in a malaise of any kind, and when I do write fiction I write ‘into the dark’—which only means I run through the characters’ story with them as it unfolds and write down what happens—so for me the so-called ‘writer’s block’ can’t (and doesn’t) exist. I’m just not writing fiction at the moment. … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Revisiting Alibi Syndicate Press * Other Recommended TradPub Sites * Now I’m Done * A Note on Heinlein’s Rules * The Numbers Quote of the Day “The soil of a man’s heart is stonier, Louis. A man grows what he can, and he tends it.” Gravedigger to Louis Creed in Stephen King’s Pet Sematary, one of my favorite Stephen King lines Revisiting Alibi Syndicate Press First, Troy Lambert commented with an exciting new link to Alibi Syndicate Press. Try it first. It opened fine for me. If you had trouble with … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Alibi Syndicate Press * On a purely personal note * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “I’m a full-time believer in writing habits, pedestrian as it all may sound. You may be able to do without them if you have genius but most of us only have talent and this is simply something that has to be assisted all the time by physical and mental habits or it dries up and blows away.” Flannery O’Connor Alibi Syndicate Press There’s a new traditional publisher on the horizon. I mean … Read more

In Today’s Journal * The TNDJ Challenges Report * An Apology * Of Interest * The Numbers The TNDJ Challenges Report Participating in any challenge is a great way to have fun and grow as a writer. There is no cost. Feel free to jump in at any time. To do so, email me at harveystanbrough@gmail.com with your results anytime before TNDJ goes live on any Monday. Bradbury Challenge The requirement is to write at least one short story or short-short story per week. During the past week, the following writers wrote these new stories: Erin Donoho “A Conversation About … Read more

In Today’s Journal * A New Short Story * Pausing Your Morning Serial * A Few Blasts from the Past * Of Interest * The Numbers A New Short Story “Ink” 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. Gracias. Pausing Your Morning Serial As I reported I might do earlier, I’ve decided to pause publication of Your Morning Serial, at least for now. The final installment of the … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Ghostwriting: Legal Ease (guest post) * The Numbers Note: Yesterday I sent out a subscriber-only post. If you didn’t receive it and believe you should have, please email me at harveystanbrough@gmail.com. And now…. Thinking about becoming a ghostwriter? Here are some practical tips from Dan Baldwin, a long-time ghostwriter as well as an award-winning novelist and short story writer in his own right. Ghostwriting: Legal Ease a guest post by Dan Baldwin Every situation and every relationship is unique, but an author/writer contract should at least cover the list below. Always listen to your lawyer, but … Read more