Daily Journal

The Journal, Friday, May 25

Hey Folks, To the writing in the Hovel at 9:30. I started Jimmy the Dope yesterday, so I figured I might as well finish it. Still not much in the mood, but after I looked it over I felt a little more like writing it. Definitely a short story, though. It doesn’t feel like it wants to expand larger than one event, and that’s fine. With the stand-alone short stories I wrote for my previous WIP, when this one’s finished I’ll have around 200 short stories. Okay, I just looked 193. All the numbers at the bottom are correct now. … Read more

The Journal, Thursday, May 24

Hey Folks, Only four days left on the Special Time of Great Forgetting Offer at https://www.deanwesleysmith.com/long-day/ (and scroll down to the second bold headline). I want to do this so badly I can barely stand it. Unfortunately, I’ve taken so many workshops there aren’t 4 left (currently) that I want to take. My loss. This is a great value and a great investment in yourself and your writing. $900 worth of training for $500. Check it out. *** Out to the Hovel late at 8:30. I spent some time looking through some of the stuff I started when I was … Read more

The Journal, Wednesday, May 23

Hey Folks, Happy birthday to my dad. He would have been 90 years old today. Taking the day “off” today for professional training. (grin) Yesterday I completed the “Cliffhangers” classic workshop. Mostly I learned that I already know cliffhangers (and I thought I did). That’s all right. The validation from a guy who has over three decades in the business and over 200 novels is more than worth the money. And besides, I DID pick up a few things I didn’t know and hadn’t considered. That felt like a bonus. If you believe a cliffhanger is only a physical thing, … Read more

The Journal, Tuesday, May 22

Hey Folks, Rolled out at 3:30 this morning and went straight to an online workshop. Finished that (6 weeks’ worth) around 9:15. Then I started my daily rounds of the Internet and putting this edition of the Journal together. Finally out to the Hovel at 10:30. I started cycling through the novel again from about the midway point, touching only the intermissions. I took a break around 11:20, then again around 12:15. In the final session I wrote very little and only changed a few names, mostly with a global search. Today actually felt more like work than fun. But … Read more

The Journal, Monday, May 21

Hey Folks, Well, I almost posted this Journal yesterday, but only for the “Of Interest” section. And it isn’t time-sensitive, so I waited until today. Had a great visit on Saturday and part of Sunday with my son Roy, Dana, Brandon, Lucas, and Joey (aka Fred, a linoleum salesman from Cincinnatti). Thanks for dropping by, guys. Rolled out at 3 this morning. The little girl and I were outside by 3:30, but an old owl screeched from somewhere closeby at a little before 4, so I ushered her back inside. There are several good items in “Of Interest” today. Chief … Read more

The Journal, Saturday, May 19

Hey Folks, Well, the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) takes effect on May 25, 2018. It affects me because I have a few subscribers who live in EU nations. There are half a boatload of requirements. I’m not going to worry about it too much, because everyone who reads this or my Pro Writers blog opted in to receive it. So if you reside in the European Union and you would prefer not to receive this Journal or my ProWriters Blog, please either let me know or click the Unsubscribe button at the bottom of this email. Thanks. … Read more

The Journal, Friday, May 18

Hey Folks, Rolled out a little after 3 this morning. I read until around 5, mostly on the Internet, mostly the stuff in “Of Interest” below, then wrote this edition of the Journal. I think I could finish the novel this morning, but I’m going to leave it until Monday. I don’t want to risk leaving a paltry, ragged edge today of maybe less than a thousand words and then have to come back and finish on Monday. I suspect I have another 3,000 to 5,000 words to the end. So given the choice, I’d rather leave the whole thing … Read more

The Journal, Thursday, May 17

Hey Folks, Topic: How Do You Know You Won’t Like It If You Don’t Try It? Parents? Sound familiar? Well, we’re in the same boat here. I received a very congenial email from a friend and one time editing client that contained a link to an article titled “I Copied the Routines of Famous Writers and It Sucked.” As it turned out, the article was more humorous than serious. I’ve included the link (last) in “Of Interest” below. And just so you know, the author of the article is not a novelist. He’s a columnist and/or contributor to several online … Read more

The Journal, Wednesday, May 16

Hey Folks, First session today, I hit only a little over 1200 words. If I didn’t have an edit to do, I might finish my WIP today, but I think I’ll stick to the schedule of switching from one to the other. One problem with writing my own stuff while I’m editing for someone else is that I’m tempted to stay in the chair longer than I should when I’m writing. I feel pressured (a little) to get as much writing done as I can. That was the case this morning. This morning I got to the Hovel at 8:30 … Read more

The Journal, Tuesday, May 15

Hey Folks, Tom Wolfe once said, “I do novels a bit backward. I look for a situation, a milieu first, and then I wait to see who walks into it.” May he rest in peace. Be sure to see today’s “Of Interest.” A lot of good stuff there. Another copyedit came in, and from a writer for whom I’ve copyedited before. It’s great fun watching a writer improve at storytelling. I’m looking forward to the story. So I’ll be doing that for awhile in addition to finishing the novel/story collection. Topic: An Update on Process Writing my own current WIP … Read more