Daily Journal

The Journal: Writer Fear

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Topic: Writer Fear * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “A good story is a good story no matter how you classify it.” Claire Langley-Hawthorne Topic: Writer Fear By now, anyone who follows this blog regularly or even irregularly knows I advocate Heinlein’s Rules and a technique called Writing Into the Dark (WITD). This is not original to me, nor is it original to Dean Wesley Smith, from whom I learned it. Nor was it original to whomever taught it to him. WITD is all about … Read more

The Journal: Change Is in the Wind

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Yesterday over at Pro Writers Writing * Topic: Change Is in the Wind * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “After the New Yorker piece I decided that I would never give another interview to anyone on any subject and that I would keep away from all places where I would be likely to be interviewed. If you say nothing it is difficult for someone to get it wrong.” Ernest Hemingway, emphasis added Yesterday over at Pro Writers Writing I shared a post on “The POV … Read more

The Journal: Big “Of Interest” Section

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Info-packed “Of Interest” today * Today and critical mind * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “That which horrifies me interests me, and those things that horrify me the most sometimes become a book.” Douglas Preston, suspense author (with Lincoln Child) I like to think what I pass along in “Of Interest” is good every day, but today is a little special. During some research yesterday I stumbled on Strand Magazine. They have a blog. Within that blog they have a “Writing Tips” category. A lot of the … Read more

The Journal: Tidbits and Thoughts

In today’s Journal * Putting this right at the top * The above is not something * On Amazon exclusivity * Clarification on critiques * I’m bone weary of listening * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Putting this right at the top. Probably a great opportunity for somebody. See “Collaboration Special Class” at https://www.deanwesleysmith.com/collaboration-special-class/. The above is not something I would personally be interested in for the simple reason that I can’t imagine collaborating on a short story. Though I do know a few novelists with whom I would welcome a collaboration if the genre and premise of … Read more

The Journal: Feeling Overwhelmed

In today’s Journal * Topic: Feeling Overwhelmed: A Process Post * In light of Dean’s post today * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Topic: Feeling Overwhelmed: A Process Post I’m feeling a little overwhelmed. Well, actually, not a little. Actually a lot. I have a pretty big goal, writing a short story every week and a novel every month. And I’m aiming at a streak, but I don’t really care about that. Even if I miss, I intend to pick back up and keep the same goals just as if I hadn’t missed. So my weekly and monthly … Read more

The Journal: A Sad Letter

In today’s Journal * Topic: A Sad Letter * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Topic: A Sad Letter I wasn’t planning to post the Journal today, but something came up that changed my mind. On Steven Pressfield’s site today, he posted “Writing is a Bad Idea” (see https://stevenpressfield.com/2020/02/writing-is-a-bad-idea/). After a brief introduction, he posts (with permission) a letter he received from a broken writer in Finland. I hope you’ll go read the post. Some of the comments are cruel. I left a comment too, but I’ve inserted it below, because this is important. It’s unfortunate that Kati was … Read more

The Journal: Inviting Critiqe

In today’s Journal * Topic: Inviting Critiqe * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Topic: Inviting Critiqe As most of you know, I’m dead set against running my work through critique groups. After all, I actively battle to keep my own critical mind out of my work, so why would I then turn around and actually invite criticism from others? That being said, in the “Of Interest” section of the Journal, I often include a link to a “first-page critique” post from one of The Kill Zone bloggers. In an email early this morning, one of my astute patrons … Read more

The Journal: Further Elucidation on Firearms

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Topic: Further Elucidation on Firearms * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people.” William Butler Yeats Topic: Further Elucidation on Firearms In my topic yesterday on authenticity I wrote that a clip is used to feed a magazine, the cartridge-feeding mechanism used to deliver cartridges to the chamber of a semi-automatic weapon. My intention was to explain that the device a shooter would manually insert into the underside of a semiautomatic rifle or the … Read more

The Journal: A Matter of Authenticity

In today’s Journal * Topic: A Matter of Authenticity * Wow. I was looking over my files * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Topic: A Matter of Authenticity Hey, folks, if you’re ever writing a Marine Corps character, officer or enlisted, use a 24-hour clock when you’re giving the time. For example, 3 a.m. is “0300” (not even oh-three-hundred) and 6 p.m. is 1800. Most people know that, right? It’s a matter of authenticity. And if you’re writing that Marine Corps character, NEVER add “hours” to the time. So 3 a.m. is zero-three-hundred (0300), not “0300 hours.” Adding … Read more

The Journal: On Reverse Outlines

In today’s Journal * Topic: On Reverse Outlines * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Topic: On Reverse Outlines A patron wrote to ask me, in part, to explain reverse outlines in more detail. While I’m writing a novel, occasionally I have to fact-check something that happened earlier in the novel. That might be a place name (name of a town or building, etc.) or an aspect of a character description (eye color, hair color, what they’re wearing, etc.) or a timeline item (what time they left the bar, etc.) if correct timelines are important to the story. Using … Read more