Daily Journal

In Today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * A New Short Story * Bradbury Reminder * Fiction Lengths * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “The secret to staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age.” Lucille Ball For example, I am currently 26. Of course, I have 46 years’ experience at being 26. A New Short Story “Conspiracy to Commit” went live yesterday at 10 a.m. on my Stanbrough Writes Substack. Go check it out. It’s free. If you enjoy the story, please click Like. Comments are welcome too. Both … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Nothing * Oh, Today’s Friday * And Also * Finally * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “Become so wrapped up in something that you forget to be afraid.” Lady Bird Johnson (Thanks to Carrie for the quote.) Nothing to talk about today other than the novel and you’re probably getting bored with that. It didn’t wrap yesterday but it was a good day of writing and it will almost certainly wrap today unless something really strange happens. So happy Friday and I’ll talk with you again tomorrow. … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * A New Section on the Journal Website * The Writing * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “To have ego means to believe in your own strength.” Barbra Streisand A New Section on the Journal Website Yesterday, I added a new section of Quick Links on the Journal website. Click the link, direct your attention to the sidebar, then look for Quick Links. Great stuff there. I’ll be adding more important links as I find them. The Writing The story continues to race ahead. It’s running so well … Read more

In Today’s Journal * A Note from Aspen Delaney * Yeah * Of Interest * The Numbers A Note from Aspen Delaney “Hey there, ya’ll. Harvey was gonna share another excerp’ with you? Only it would’a been a complete spoiler? So I wouldn’ let him do that? He ain’t much, but he listens good? “Anyway, ya’ll can see the whole story when he puts it on that Mornin’ Serial thang startin’ on the first’a May? So ya’ll stop by there an’ subscribe, okay? You can find that right here. “Thanks. I’ll see ya’ll there?” Yeah I’ve long preached that all … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Let the Characters Be Who They Are * A Little Poem * The Writing * Of Interest * The Numbers Let the Characters Be Who They Are What follows is a mini-scene, part of a conversation between Sam Granger and his grizzled first contact for this job, Federico Cantán. Just thought I’d share. Always let the characters be who they are and say what they say. Federico’s cigar had gone out the window a few miles back. I looked at him. “How long ‘til we get there?” The near corner of his mouth curled into a … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * The Bradbury Challenge * You Know I’m a Copyeditor Too, Right? * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “Consider again that dot. That’s here, that’s home, that’s us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives … on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.” Carl Sagan’s comment on Voyager 1’s image of Earth The Bradbury Challenge The whole point of the Challenge is to have fun and grow as a writer. … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Happy Easter * Last Day of the Easter Sale * The Writing * Of Interest * The Numbers Happy Easter Whatever the day means to you, whether sunrise or other church services, or hiding eggs for the children or grandchildren or for other adults, or picnics or cookouts or any or all of the above, I hope it’s a peaceful day for you and yours. Last Day of the Easter Sale Writing Better Fiction is 33% off until midnight, April 20. At checkout, add coupon code VCP2YKDNDD. Any Omnibus Novel Collection is 33% off until midnight, … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * People Are Always Saying * A New Story * The Writing * Re the Attitude of a Fiction Writer * Two Days Left on the Easter Sale * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “I look forward to every Wednesday when I sit down and just start a story of some sort. And please believe me when I say that I often don’t know where a story is going.” Actor James Woods, excerpted from his newsletter, The Road Back People Are Always Saying I ought’a stick a picture … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Know Where the Story’s Going? Grousing a Little * Of Interest * The Numbers Know Where the Story’s Going? Grousing a Little Yesterday I was blessed with a visit from a dear cousin/brother’s son. I would adopt him in a heartbeat. The guy’s a modern-day real cowboy and horseman. He works for a railroad, but during his weeks off, he serves as a guide and hunter in the Sacramento Mountains in New Mexico. Livin’ the life. At one point during our conversation, he asked how I started writing fiction. Between the two of us, we wandered … Read more

In Today’s Journal * The Stages of Any Story, Part 2 * How I Start and Write Any Story * About Your Morning Serial * Of Interest * The Numbers The Stages of Any Story, Part 2 This is the second of two posts in which I’ll talk about the stages of any story. Yesterday, because I’m deep in the Blackwell Ops world and writing the 42nd novel in that series, I focused down on that as an example. There are probably gems for you in these two posts, so read them with an open mind but with an eye … Read more