Daily Journal

The Journal: “Hallelujah” and Cover Art

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * If I may wax * I knew better * Someone asked me * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “I will be glad to see 2021 arrive so I can get back to getting back to being uninterrupted by all the crapfulessness going on.” Anonymous Me too, brother. Me too. “Yet another reason to prioritize writing: Probably nobody ever has broken an arm while at the keyboard.” My tongue-in-cheek version of being ‘supportive’ to a writer friend who broke her arm while doing something other than writing “I did my best, … Read more

The Journal: Finished the Novel, and “Hallelujah”

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Hallelujah * Finished the novel * The Numbers See “Hallelujah” at https://www.thepassivevoice.com/hallelujah-2/. There are many other beautiful short videos at The Passive Voice. You’ll see them it you click the link above and then (after “Hallelujah”) click the Home tab. Wishing you a beautiful, peaceful day. I finished the novel on Chrismas Eve. Woohoo! That’s 9 novels on the year and 54 overall. As it stands at this moment, I PLAN to take most of today off to spend with my wife, her sister Dori and my son Jason. Then I … Read more

The Journal: Catching Up

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Last night * More astute readers * Just a thought * Merry Christmas * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “It is inaccurate to say that I hate everything. I am strongly in favor of common sense, common honesty, and common decency. This makes me forever ineligible for public office.” H. L. Mencken Last night, one sister-in-law and one son from Indiana flew in to Las Vegas and then drove from there for a visit. We are fortunate that they will be with us during Christmas and as we begin the … Read more

The Journal: Not much today

In today’s Journal * Not much today * The Numbers Not much today. Nothing, really. I’m posting this mostly to get the items in “Of Interest” out to you. Especially the first item for you short fiction writers. In fact, it took me longer to make the links below “hot” than it did to write the rest of this. Talk with you again soon. Of Interest See “Making a Living With Short Fiction 2021” at https://www.deanwesleysmith.com/making-a-living-with-short-fiction-2021/. See “Abandoned Town of Cairo, Illinois” at https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/cairo-illinois. Story ideas. See “24 Creative Nonfiction Publishers…” at https://www.authorspublish.com/24-creative-nonfiction-markets-open-in-december-2020/. Any essayist or memoirists out there? See … Read more

The Journal: Creating a Series Bible

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Welcome * Topic: Creating a Series Bible * After taking the day before * The Numbers Quotes of the Day On a character seeing a shattered mug on the floor of the kitchen or bedroom: “How it wound up on the floor isn’t important (yet). What is important is that I’ve created conflict just by showing the shattered mug.” Sue Coletta “A funny thing happens while creating a story bible. Scene ideas flood the creative mind.” Sue Coletta Welcome to my new UK subscriber and to others who have recently subscribed. … Read more

The Journal: A Question on Writing Setting

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Topic: A Question on Writing Setting * The Numbers Quote of the Day “The settings you create, the characters you bring to life, the stories you imagine into existence—those are important! Most readers don’t care if you can do stylistic handsprings. What they want is story that grabs them, holds them, and moves them.” David Farland Topic: A Question on Writing Setting A writer (not a Journal reader, I think) wrote to ask me about writing setting. I thought my response would make a good topic for the Journal. He wrote … Read more

The Journal: The “Christmas Star”

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * The “Christmas Star” * Paper * A quick apology * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “A lot of what has happened this year — if it were a novel, I would say that it had a little too much plot,” Simon & Schuster CEO Jonathan Karp Anyone who says things like ‘it had a little too much plot’ doesn’t know anything about writing and should shut up and go back to selling books. Or something less important. “PG notes that the author of the OP managed to write the entire … Read more

The Journal: Quotes and “Of Interest”

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Nothing much * For those who are interested * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “I realized that coming up with writing topics did not require anything greater than an attunement to the everyday things around me….” Christine M. Estel “My barn having burned down, I can now see the moon.” Mizuta Masahide “The Delete button on PG’s keyboard will never gather dust, but the scope of its domain will remain limited to characters, words, the odd paragraph and an occasional draft version of a finished document saved in at least … Read more

The Journal: A Quick Note on Semicolons

In today’s Journal * A new first reader * Topic: A Quick Note on Semicolons * The Numbers I’m pleased to report I’ve added one new first reader, Tim W. in Virginia. Welcome aboard, Tim. And thanks! I’m still looking to add more female first readers. If you’re interested (male or female), email me at harveystanbrough@gmail.com. I like to get feedback from both a male and a female reader when possible. As politically incorrect as it is to say so, it’s been my experience that they have different sensibilities; therefore, different things pop out at them as they read. I … Read more

The Journal: On Comma Use

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * A writer friend in South Africa * A great new information site * Topic: On Comma Use * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “B&N’s new CEO, James Daunt, is designing the company’s phoenix-like rise from its ashes on the direct involvement of on-the-ground booksellers in the decisions on what books individual stores should stock. You know, the way booksellers used to do it before the superstores ran them out of business.” John Gilstrap “[A]s the [book] business fluctuates and expands and contracts, the one constant to all of it … … Read more