Daily Journal

The Journal: The Question Rules

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Fairly good day * Topic: The Question Rules * Followup * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day I’ve talked here before about having a specific skill in mind when you sit down to write, for example pacing or dialogue or whatever. That’s how you practice and improve. Today’s topic will help you practice a particular technique. HS “Deliberate practice is what turns amateurs into professionals. … Deliberate practice means practicing with a clear awareness of the specific components of a skill we’re aiming to improve.” Farnam Street I … Read more

The Journal: Standard Manuscript Format, Sort Of

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Standard Manuscript Format (certain silly rules) * Yesterday * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.” Peter Marshall et al down through the ages “It’s easy enough to stand for something if you don’t have a personal stake.” Wes Crowley So anyway, awhile back I posted a link in the Journal to the new “standard” manuscript format. It’s what writers are supposed to follow now when they submit manuscripts to magazines for consideration. The basic format itself is … Read more

The Journal: Point of View

In today’s Journal * A lighter day * Topic: Whose Point of View Is It? * Of Interest * The Numbers Had a lighter day yesterday. I wanted to break 30,000 words but didn’t quite get there. I found a glitch I had to work out. This series has a cast of dozens of main characters, so I get confused with some of the names and assignments every now and then. (grin) When that happens, it’s better to slow down and work out glitches when I find them than to wait and hope for the best. But the story’s still … Read more

The Journal: It’s Good to Be Back

In today’s Journal * Quick Diary of Days * A Very Pleasant Surprise * Of Interest * The Numbers It’s good to finally be back. Incredible how being without the internet for a few days disrupts a schedule. Since I’ve been gone, I thought I’d toss out a quick diary of those few days. Monday: I wrote some (Day 5), messed around some, went to the grocery, wrote some more, moved the cactuses from the Hovel where they were stored for the winter back to their normal places in the yard, wrote a little more, and set up my portable … Read more

The Journal: Off for a Few Days

In today’s Journal * Thanks * Off for a Few Days * Of Interest * The Numbers First, thanks to Kelley for her amazing, candid comment on yesterday’s post. What a ringing endorsement of WITD! And congratulations to Kelley for her ability to set aside her fears and go for it. Bravo! Second, I’m writing this on Sunday evening. Cox internet, in their infinite wisdom, refused to believe my modem was going out despite me telling them over the past couple of months. Tonight, it went out permanently and we won’t get a replacement until sometime this week. So if … Read more

The Journal: Willie Nelson wrote a song

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Short announcement * Willie Nelson wrote a song * Topic: A Few Myths About Writing Into the Dark * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “If we take man as he is, we make him worse, but if we take him as he should be, we make him capable of becoming what he can be.” Viktor Frankl quoting Goethe A short announcement—Dean posted today that the surveys for the Return of the Fey Kickstarter should go out this week. So if you donated anything to that, you should … Read more

The Journal: Waxing Philosophical

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Waxing Philosophical * One more comment * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow men. True nobility lies in being superior to your former self.” Ernest Hemingway “When asked [by a journalist] about drinking while working, Hemingway once responded, ‘Jesus Christ! Have you ever heard of anyone who drank while he worked? You’re thinking of Faulkner. He does sometimes—and I can tell right in the middle of a page when he’s had his first one.’” Nicholas Mancall-Bitel at Thrillist … Read more

The Journal: On Writing “Fast”

In today’s Journal * Yesterday * An Epiphany from a Friend * Topic: On Writing “Fast” * Of Interest * The Numbers Well, yesterday morning I started writing Terra 2. But it still has to do with the future of humanity, so Terra 2 will be Book 10 in the FOH series. The covers going forward will be different, of course, depicting some view of the planet, but that’s all to worry about in the future. This book won’t go ‘live’ until July 15. (I’m releasing one novel every two weeks from now through then.) An Epiphany from a Friend … Read more

The Journal: Six Novels in 90 Days? Almost…

In today’s Journal * Six Novels in 90 Days? Almost… * Of Interest * The Numbers Yesterday, just before this Journal went live at 10 a.m., the last chapter of the novel wrapped. But something (that tiny little creative voice) was still nagging at me. So I decided to take a break. I went up to the house and announced the last chapter was finished, the novel was finished, and the series was finished. And the nagging voice welled up. The series was finished—but not quite. I’d always thought this would be at least a 10-book series, but it just … Read more

The Journal: Recognizing the Critical Voice

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * I expect the novel will wrap today * Topic: Recognizing the Critical Voice * Of Interest * The Numbers I had a pretty good day of writing yesterday once I pried my head out of my butt and realized what was screwing me up: the conscious, critical mind. It’s always the conscious, critical mind. Always. Every time. As an added bonus, I think the novel’s going to wrap today. All that was required was that I stop worrying about it. Can’t believe I made such a rookie mistake. (grin) I even … Read more