Daily Journal

In Today’s Journal * This Novel Is Kicking My Butt * A Free Ten-Point Guide to Writing Fiction * Of Interest * The Numbers This Novel Is Kicking My Butt But it isn’t what you probably suspect. Everyone knows I most often cycle back over what I wrote during the previous session as soon as I return from a break. Then when I get back to the white space, I’m in the flow again and I write the next session. The following morning, I also usually cycle back over everything I wrote the previous day (usually around 3000 words). And … Read more

In Today’s Journal * My Quote of the Day * A New Short Story * A Short Excerpt * A Few Pet Peeves * An Explanation of Passive Voice and… * The True Pulp Anthology * Of Interest * The Numbers My Quote of the Day “I never know (or care) what’s going to happen next in a story, and I never know or care what the characters are going to do or say next. I’m only the recorder. I just write it all down as it happens.” Harvey A New Short Story “A Shiny Life” went live yesterday at … Read more

In Today’s Journal * My Quote of the Day * Grouse, a Character * Of Interest * The Numbers My Quote of the Day “You’re a writer, not a character. Never stand between the reader and the story.” Harvey Grouse, a Character After the two previous excerpts (which occur in the novel back to back), over supper Sam asks about Dot’s Delta Force team. She reveals that one of them will stop by the suite the following morning. So this excerpt occurs a couple of chapters later when that character introduced herself to me. Both Sam and I expected the … Read more

In Today’s Journal * My Quote of the Day * Even More Nitty Gritty on Description * Of Interest * The Numbers My Quote of the Day “Why do I focus on character and setting? Because maybe 10% of a fiction is comprised of events and those take place in a setting. The other 90% is the characters’ reactions to that event, which also take place in a setting.” Harvey Even More Nitty Gritty on Description This is another long post. This scene is set in the suite in the hotel. The time runs from 3 to 6 a.m. They’ve … Read more

In Today’s Journal * My Quote of the Day * More on Description * Of Interest * The Numbers My Quote of the Day “Let the characters direct the reader. They, not you, are living the story. Never correct the maestro in how to wield the wand.” Harvey More on Description I keep saying “Take Your Time” when describing setting. Give the reader a chance to come into the scene with the characters. Much also depends on what the setting is and the situation. In this scene, Sam Granger and his contact, Major Dorothy Kincaid, are in a small private jet … Read more

In Today’s Journal * My Quote of the Day * The TNDJ Challenges Report * Of Interest * The Numbers My Quote of the Day “Fish are expert swimmers, but they can’t teach you how to tread water. The medium is the same, but the focus is different. An English teacher telling you how to write fiction is a like a fish telling you how to tread water.” Harvey The TNDJ Challenges Report The whole point of these challenges is to have fun and grow as a writer. There is no cost. Feel free to jump in at any time. … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * What Is Writing Into the Dark? * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “[The] reality is that the more you use your creative voice, the more it wants to be used. It never gets tired and you are the only thing that limits it.” Dean Wesley Smith “Fiction is about everything human and we are made out of dust, and if you scorn getting yourself dusty, then you shouldn’t try to write fiction. It’s not a grand enough job for you.” Flannery O’Connor What Is Writing Into the … Read more

In Today’s Journal * My Quote of the Day * A New Short Story * TNDJ Contests Reminder * A Flashback on Story Starters * The Numbers My Quote of the Day “That your writing will ‘more than likely’ need ‘changes and midcourse corrections’ is some nonsense that you (like all of us) were taught by non-writers and by other writers who have listened to other non-writers. “Actually, once you learn to trust your subconscious — once you learn to trust your characters to tell the story that they, not you, are living (and I’ll keep saying it until you … Read more

In Today’s Journal * My Quote of the Day * BO-49 Is in the Books * A Great Start to the Mentorships * Of Interest * The Numbers My Quote of the Day “I only write when I’m inspired, so I see to it that I’m inspired every morning at 3 a.m.” Harvey Stanbrough This quote used to appear in the signature line of my emails. It’s a takeoff on a quote widely attributed to Peter DeVries but probably first uttered by William Faulkner. I list it today in response to the second item in Of Interest. Blackwell Ops-49: Wesley … Read more

In Today’s Journal * My Quote of the Day * From Horror Writer Christopher Ridge * Update on Mentorship Policy * Nuances * Of Interest * The Numbers My Quote of the Day “Knowledge-in with the critical mind; story-out with the creative subconscious.” Harvey Stanbrough From Horror Writer Christopher Ridge I discovered an excellent website builder for writers: Tertulia.com. This is a great website builder. Amazingly easy to work with for those interested in their own author site. Just pick a template, complete your author profile and send in an ISBN [or ASIN] on one of your books and they’ll … Read more