Daily Journal

In Today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * The Bradbury Challenge * Recommendation * A Glitch * The Anthology Is Shaping Up * The Writing * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “In case you were wondering what these titles are all about, I recently read a book by a well known flash fiction writer [in] which she includes a few exercises. One exercise caught my attention where she challenges you to write a terrible story. Break rules, screw up setting, write out of the regular format or whatever comes to mind. “This led me to … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Addressing Unreasoning Fear * The Value of Openings * Of Interest * The Numbers Addressing Unreasoning Fear So this excellent fiction writer hadn’t written any fiction for several months before s/he wrote a story for the Echoes of Hemingway contest. I emailed the writer recently to suggest s/he could keep the fiction flowing by jumping into the Bradbury Challenge and writing at least one short story every week. S/he responded with “Thanks, good suggestion. The thought excites and scares me simultaneously.” Here’s my response. I suspect several other writers out there need to be reminded of … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Echoes of Hemingway Reminder * A New Short Story * Bradbury Reminder * The Journey Home Saga Continues * The TRUE PULP Kickstarter Push * Of Interest * The Numbers Echoes of Hemingway Reminder If I accepted your story(ies) for the EOH anthology, please get your final version of you story(ies) back to me in the next few days. I want to get this thing put together and get it published. A New Short Story “Freddie Salomar” went live Friday at 10 a.m. on my Stanbrough Writes Substack. This is an odd short story that just … Read more

In Today’s Journal * About Copyedits * Of Interest * The Numbers About Copyedits A few writers who entered the contest (and whose work was accepted) emailed me to say things like “Sorry, but I didn’t really accept ALL your edits.” Don’t apologize. Good on you for defending your work. I’m completely unattached to outcome on anyone’s fiction other than my own. I try to help other writers when I can, but whether they accept my suggestions is completely up to them. The stories are theirs, after all. To lay one fear to rest, when I edit for a contest, … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Anthology? * I Get Emails * Valuable Links * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “The greatest gift is not being afraid to question.” Ruby Dee I’ve long said the most important group of words in the English language is the question. Not because it leads to an answer, but because it leads to more questions. Yer Uncle Harv Anthology? Today I’ll conduct the final copyedit of an excellent story that was submitted for the Echoes of Hemingway contest and anthology. Then I’ll probably begin putting the anthology … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * The Novel Wrapped * Writing Publishing Streak Extended * Echoes of Hemingway * The Numbers Quote of the Day “What the herd hates most is the one who thinks differently. It is not so much the opinion itself, but the audacity of that one wanting to think for himself, something the members of the herd do not know how to do.” after Arthur Schopenhauer The Novel Wrapped The novel wrapped yesterday at a little over 37,000 words with what my first reader called “a very pleasantly surprising ending.” I’m pleased to … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Writing Sex * Of Interest * The Numbers Writing Sex First, I’m not talking specifically about writing porn or erotica here. I’m talking about writing sex even in a family friendly novel. But if your genre is erotica or even something stronger, the following will apply for you too. Read on. Second, know that less is always more. In sensual scenes, the goal is to entice the reader and keep him or her reading. Third, know that focusing down matters. Less is more, but focusing down on what you DO put on the page makes it … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * The Bradbury Challenge * A New Bonus for the TRUE PULP Kickstarter * The Writing * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection. Excellence, I can reach for; perfection is God’s business.” Michael J. Fox The Bradbury Challenge During the past week, in addition to whatever other fiction they’re writing, the following writers reported these new stories: Loyd Jenkins “The Long Walk of Deck Nine” 4600 Space Western Vanessa V. Kilmer “Gold-Tipped Feathers” 2999 Mystery Christopher Ridge “Whiplash” 1487 thriller … Read more

In Today’s Journal * A New Short Story * Bradbury Reminder * Shopify vs. Payhip and More * More on Dialogue * Only for Readers of TNDJ! * Of Interest * The Numbers A New Short Story “Down to the Wire” went live Friday at 10 a.m. on my Stanbrough Writes Substack. This is an odd short story. Go check it out. It’s free. If you enjoy the story, please click Like. Comments are welcome too. Both help with my Substack algorithms. Then tell Everyone else. Bradbury Reminder Today is Sunday. Just a reminder to get your Bradbury Challenge story … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Only for Readers of TNDJ! * More on Description * Of Interest * The Numbers Only for Readers of TNDJ! If you missed it, in yesterday’s issue of TNDJ, I published an off-the-grid stretch goal just for readers of TNDJ. You don’t even have to be a TNDJ subscriber. Be sure to take a look at that special offer. You can find it On Substack Or at the Journal website Support the TRUE PULP Kickstarter today! Thanks! More on Description I consider myself a studying master of setting and scene description. I have a good mastery … Read more