Daily Journal

In Today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * What’s Your Word (or Phrase) for 2026? * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “Don’t live the same year 75 times and call it a life.” Robin Sharma What’s Your Word (or Phrase) for 2026? It’s a new year! I know. Doesn’t your gut just sink when the writer of an article wastes your time telling you what you already know? But here we are. And we’re all fiction writers or would-be fiction writers. (Oops, there I go again.) Anyway, for some of us, me included, it’s time … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * December 31, 2025: That’s a Wrap! * Guest Posts Welcome * My Own 2025 in Review * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “You take people as far as they will go, not as far as you would like them to go.” Jeannette Rankin “The only reason for time is so that everything doesn’t happen at once.” Albert Einstein December 31, 2025: That’s a Wrap! First and foremost, I wish you all a safe and happy New Year’s Eve and a successful 2026. As I announced here awhile … Read more

In Today’s Journal * The Hierarchy of Sales * Fiction Lengths * Just a Reminder * Of Interest * The Numbers The Hierarchy of Sales Just in case anyone out there didn’t know this, there’s a hierarchy of sales in fiction. I’m talking about what individual readers buy, not what’s easier to sell (license) to publishers. That depends on the publisher. First so we’re on the same page, a couple of definitions: The Saga is a single, ongoing story about an individual that continues through several time-sequential novels, novellas, or short stories. Each installment of a saga features the same … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * The TNDJ Challenges Report * Dreams vs. Goals * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “Stephen King writes on Christmas because why not? If we eat and sleep and brush our teeth how is this different?” George Kordonis Note: If you received TNDJ twice in your email inbox yesterday, my apologies. Substack said they were having a ‘network issue’ and I should ‘try again later,’ so I did. As it turned out, they sent it both times. Shrug. The TNDJ Challenges Report Participating in any challenge is a … Read more

In Today’s Journal * My Quote of the Day * A New Short Story * Setting Goals for 2026 * Of Interest * The Numbers My Quote of the Day “Plot is a device that critics look for and take note of after a story is written. So the root of ‘plotting’ lies in the deconstruction of previously written works. In other words, plot is a result of the characters running through the story, not something to be planned and laid out in advance. Plot is none of our business as fiction writers.” Harvey A New Short Story “A Special … Read more

In Today’s Journal * My Quote of the Day * The Impetus For This Post * The Novel Wrapped * The Numbers My Quote of the Day “By their very nature, you can’t ‘craft’ spontaneity and surprise. Those can occur only in an authentic story that unfolds as you’re writing it.” H “No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.” Robert Frost The Impetus For This Post was an article I received in my inbox. I read the article out of curiosity, despite the lead-in, which read “Here’s … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Merry Christmas * The Numbers Merry Christmas Welp, whether the novel wrapped yesterday or will wrap this fine early Christmas morning or not, I’ll be taking today off after I post this and the sun comes up. (grin) I’ll be back in your inbox at least three more times before the new year: once to post Monday’s challenges report, once to post an article on Setting Goals, and once with an end of the year wrap up. At this point, I was gonna offer up my buddy Nick Spalding to write a holiday wish for you, … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Genre Envy * The Novel * Of Interest * The Numbers Genre Envy One fact that quickly becomes apparent to those who let go of the myths, take the leap, and begin writing into the dark is that a good story is a good story regardless of genre. In fact, unless we’re writing in a particular, genre-specific series or saga, we seldom have any clue which genre label to slap on a work until after it’s finished. Why? Because when we start with a character who has a a problem in a setting, we don’t have … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Discoverability Hacks * Last-Minute Christmas Gifts * Of Interest * The Numbers Discoverability Hacks If you actually want discoverability… 1. First, follow Heinlein’s Rules. I strongly recommend following all five: Write, Finish, Do Not Rewrite, Publish, and Leave It Published. Rules 1-2: If you don’t write and finish, there’s nothing to publish and nothing for readers to ‘discover.’ Rule 3: If you rewrite, chances are great you’ll make the work worse, not better, and move it farther from the authentic story. That said, do whatever you want. Even if you choose to omit Rule 3 and … Read more

In Today’s Journal * My Quote of the Day * The TNDJ Challenges Report * Last-Minute Christmas Gifts for Readers and Writers * Of Interest * The Numbers My Quote of the Day “There will be days when you write less fiction than you planned, or when you write nothing at all. Don’t get down on yourself. Learn to smile and say ‘So what?’ Because today is a new day.” Harvey 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 … Read more