In today’s Journal
* Info on Facebook and Twitter
* About First Readers
* Of Interest
* The Numbers
As you will see from the content below, it is a slow news day.
Also, I got a good start on the next novel yesterday.
Info on Facebook and Twitter
Those of you who sent me “friend” requests on my new Facebook personal page, thanks. Unfortunately, over two weeks in, I’m still not “allowed” to originate friend requests or even create a username for that page.
Fortunately, my wife was able to make me Admin on an author page she’s been running for years. I will occasionally post Journal entries (free, even after May 31) on that page. You can find it here.
I’ll also post occasionally after May 31 on Twitter (X). Catch me there if you want, or you can always visit HEStanbrough.com, HarveyStanbrough.com, or StoneThreadPublishing.com to keep up with me and/or my writing.
What if I can’t find a first reader?
I got this question yesterday from a writer. I thought I would share my response here.
Primarily she wanted a “second set of eyes” to look over her manuscript before publishing.
I explained that
“All a good first reader should do is read for pleasure, and point out to you whatever pope-out at him or her as s/he reads.
“I advise against a “second set of eyes” for any kind of editing.
“However, when my first reader is out of commission for whatever reason, I give the book a day to rest, and then I start at the beginning (at my computer) and read the whole thing aloud, either to someone (if they will listen and keep quiet) or to myself. When you read aloud, you’ll find things you don’t find when you read silently.”
Talk with you again soon.
Of Interest
Nada. Unless you want to go here to hear C.Nathan Chavez read one of my poems from an obscure chapbook collection titled “In Your Face.” Fun, and a little flattering.
The Numbers
The Journal……………………………… 330
Writing of Blackwell Ops 24: Buck Jackson Returns (tentative title)
Day 1…… 3724 words. To date…… 3724
Fiction for April…………………….….… 39985
Fiction for 2024…………………………. 265777
Fiction since October 1………………… 568833
Nonfiction for April……………………… 12260
Nonfiction for 2024……………………… 140980
2024 consumable words……………… 406757
2024 Novels to Date……………………… 7
2024 Novellas to Date…………………… 0
2024 Short Stories to Date……………… 1
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)……………… 89
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)…………… 9
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)……… 239
Short story collections…………………… 29
Disclaimer: I am a prolific professional fiction writer. On this blog I teach Writing Into the Dark and adherence to Heinlein’s Rules. Unreasoning fear and the myths of writing will slow your progress as a writer or stop you cold. I will never teach the myths on this blog.
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