In Today’s Journal
* Quote of the Day
* Please Use ‘Like,’ ‘Share,’ and ‘Leave a Comment’
* Jupiter
* How to Learn Fiction-Writing Techniques
* The Writing
* Of Interest
* The Numbers
Quote of the Day
“Today’s TNDJ forgetfulness topic hit home for me. Before I started doing any writing except for book reviews, my memory of the stories & books I had read was very good. I could easily write a review maybe five days after reading the book and reading another book. Now [that I’m writing], I must write the review when I finish reading the book. If I wait … I have to look at the book description to refresh my memory.” Dave Taylor, writer and subscriber, in an email
Please Use ‘Like,’ ‘Share,’ and ‘Leave a Comment’
(Thanks to Dr. Mardy Grothe for the idea to post this.)
It’s easy to take for granted or skip over things you see all the time.
Toward the end of every TNDJ post in both your email inbox and on Substack you will find convenient options to ‘Like’ and ‘Share’ the post and to ‘Leave a Comment’.
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Jupiter
Has anyone ever wondered about (and written a story about) what it would be like to live on the surface of Jupiter below all the swirling clouds? The conflicts that would be inherent in such an existence, and how those conflicts might resolve?
(Yeah, I know Jupiter is allegedly a ‘gas giant’ and therefore doesn’t have a surface, but you write fiction, right? So go with me on this. Besides, as far as I know, no human has ever landed on or in Jupiter, so….)
Maybe the storms go all the way to the surface. (Given a surface, that would be normal thinking.)
But ‘what if’ the storms don’t go all the way to the surface? How’s your imagination IQ?
Any denizens or colonists would still see and experience the effects of the storm clouds swirling above them pretty much 24/7 (or however many hours/however many days).
For a few striking visual aids, see Stunning New Images of Jupiter.
There’s your story idea and your fictional world. If it appeals to you, write it.
How to Learn Fiction-Writing Techniques
I first published this in a slightly different form in April, 2021.
If you want to learn new fiction-writing techniques and improve your craft,
1. Take in-person or online video or audio courses.
But vet the instructor. Look for writers with a proven track record. Writers who have been (and are) writing fiction successfully. Like Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch. And me. (grin)
2. Read nonfiction books on writing.
But again, only after vetting the author.
Lawrence Block springs to mind, as does Stephen King, DWS, and Rusch. And me. You can find all of my nonfiction books at my discount StoneThread Publishing store.
3. Read widely for pleasure.
Read in your genre, but also read stories that interest you outside your genre. Good storytellers use the same techniques to tell good stories despite the genre.
As you read for pleasure, if a particular passage blows you away, mark it with a sticky note or a gum wrapper or by virtually dog-earing the page or something.
Then, after you’ve finished reading the book for pleasure, go back to the places you marked and study them (even type them in if you want, to absorb the rhythm and flow of the passage) to learn what that writer did to blow you away and how s/he did it.
And just a thought—
If you’re considering learning from a particular writer—if you’re considering taking an in-person or online course or reading a nonfiction book on writing or even asking a writer to mentor you—as a final way of vetting that writer, read some of his or her fiction.
Nothing speaks to a writer’s knowledge of the craft of storytelling like being absorbed in a story you don’t want to put down.
And of course, all of my own fiction is also available at the discount store I mentioned above.
Or if you’re in the November Challenge, you may ask for any of my books, fiction or nonfiction, free when you report your weekly numbers. Just sayin’.
Barring Any Complications
Just a reminder—With any luck, tomorrow I’ll be without electricity for much of the day. I’m hopeful the electrician and the electric company will finish up.
If they do, the house will be safer, and in the Hovel I’ll be able to turn on my overhead light without blowing a fuse. (grin)
So if you email me tomorrow and don’t hear back within an hour or so, that’s why.
The Writing
Well, a bad day happens now and then. Too much life stuff.
Yesterday I started a new short story but didn’t finish it. That dropped my average words per day for November below 3000 again.
So see? When you miss a day or have a day of writing that could have been better, just know that it happens to everyone.
But that’s all right. Today your daily goal resets to zero and you get to run and play with your characters again. (grin)
So I’m totally stoked! (Yeah, we used to say that.) How about you?
Talk with you again soon.
Of Interest
Announcing the 2024 Kobo Writing Life Indie Cover Contest
The Numbers
The Journal……………………………… 950
Writing of “Conspiracy to Commit—”
Day 1…… 1494 words. To date……. 1494
Fiction for November…………………. 32819
Fiction for 2024……………………….. 869951
Nonfiction for November…………….. 11220
Nonfiction for 2024……………………. 345640
2024 consumable words……………… 1,039,630
Average Fiction WPD (November)…… 2984
2024 Novels to Date…………………….. 16
2024 Novellas to Date…………………… 1
2024 Short Stories to Date……………… 18
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)…………..… 98
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)…………… 10
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)……… 255
Short story collections……………………. 29
Disclaimer: Whatever you believe, unreasoning fear and the myths that outlining, revising, and rewriting will make your work better are lies. They will always slow your progress as a writer or stop you cold. I will never teach the myths on this blog.
Writing fiction should never be something that stresses you out. It should be fun. On this blog I teach Writing Into the Dark and adherence to Heinlein’s Rules. Because of WITD and because I endeavor to follow those Rules I am a prolific professional fiction writer. You can be too.
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