Big Changes at StoneThread Publishing

In today’s Journal * Thought of the Day * “Buy Now” Links * The Difference Between Direct Sales and Selling Elsewhere * Free Books at StoneThread Publishing * Of Interest * The Numbers Thought of the Day A friend and writer who’s an interim pastor and who struggles with critical voice handed me an excellent analogy. He wrote “My best sermons come when I set aside the critical mind. I can really tell the difference.” I responded, “In a sermon, God is your main character. You trust Him and let Him speak through you. You’re only a vessel, interpreting his … Read more

More on Using Personas

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * I Make Mistakes * More on Using Personas * One More Major Revision to Writing Better Fiction * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.” Max Depree I Make Mistakes I know. News flash, huh? Who knew? But yesterday a reader and writer who bought the Soleada Garcia subseries of Blackwell Ops wrote to say he hadn’t received Blackwell Ops 20. I had sent him the series before 20 was published, and then I forgot. If … Read more

Personas vs. Pen Names

In today’s Journal * New Stories on Stanbrough Writes * Personas vs. Pen Names * My Chair Arrived: Review * Of Interest * The Numbers New Stories on Stanbrough Writes No writing yesterday, only a little cycling. My chair came in, so I had to build that, and we went grocery shopping and out to lunch, and I did some other stuff. I spent a few hours of admin time posting a dozen more short stories to my Stanbrough Writes substack. But as I was posting a “new” story, I seemed to remember that I’d posted it before. That’s a … Read more

“All Promo All the Time”

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * A Hastily Offered Correction * “All Promo All the Time” * Clarified Ordering Instructions for Writing Better Fiction * Seeking Blurbs and Reviews * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “A rising tide lifts all boats.” Attributed to John F. Kennedy in an October 1963 speech A Hastily Offered Correction In yesterday’s Journal, for some reason I reported the wrong title of my own book. The correct title is Blackwell Ops 20: Soleada Garcia: Into the Future. Not “Looking to” the Future. Not a major difference, but Soleada … Read more

Bradbury Challenge, and Soleada Garcia

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * The Bradbury Challenge Writers Reporting * Writing Better Fiction * The Novel’s Dragging * In Other News * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “”You take people as far as they will go, not as far as you would like them to go.” Jeannette Rankin “I ended up selling a story which was written because of this challenge. I encourage anybody that may be thinking about doing this but may be afraid for various reasons to do themselves a favor and do it. Ray Bradbury is right. It … Read more

Tools Are Important

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Reminder * Tools Are Important * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “Committee: A cul-de-sac down which ideas are lured, and then quietly strangled.” Sir Barnett Cocks, New Scientist Magazine (as reported by Dr. Mardy Grothe in his newsletter) Reminder All you folks in the Bradbury Challenge get your story info in to me sometime before the Journal goes live tomorrow morning. The correct format is Title of Story 1234 Name of Genre Thanks. Tools Are Important Writing Surface For me, the ideal height for a writing surface … Read more

A New Word, a New Story, and I Love Comments

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Thought of the Day * Correction (the Case of the Missing Photo) * A New Word for My Personal Dictionary * A New Story * I Love Comments * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “Everything is habit-forming, so make sure what you do is what you want to be doing.” Wilt Chamberlain Thought of the Day When I read work that’s new to me, I don’t expect anything but to be entertained. That’s up to the writer. If s/he doesn’t pull me into the story, I stop … Read more

On Style, and an Affidavit

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Note on Heinlein’s Rules Free Download * Addendum to Writing Fiction * Affidavit * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “My concern with this opening is that it feels a bit choppier than it needs to because information and context is dribbled out rather than just situating us cleanly the first time a concept is described. There’s not much to be gained by forcing the reader to piece everything together. Err on the side of being clear the first time around.” Nathan Bransford Note on Heinlein’s Rules Free … Read more

On Heinlein’s Rules 4 & 5

In today’s Journal * Short Post * On Heinlein’s Rules 4 & 5 * Of Interest * The Numbers Short Post Only a short post today, mostly to pass along the stuff in Of Interest. I started a new novel a couple days ago, but I didn’t add to it yesterday. Did other things, and then a rare big thunderstorm came up so I went up to the house early. On Heinlein’s Rules 4 & 5 What Robert A. Heinlein called his “Business Habits for Writers” was first published in 1949. Rules 4 & 5 read 4. You must put … Read more

How to Continue Learning Craft

In today’s Journal * Thought of the Day * How to Continue Learning Craft * On Pacing * Of Interest * The Numbers Thought of the Day If any of you who read and enjoy or learn from Writing Fiction have a blog, please share the news about the book. It never hurts to help your fellow writers. As someone once said, a rising tide lifts all boats. If you want to write a review on your blog or leave a review at Amazon or Goodreads or wherever, I appreciate that too. Gracias. How to Continue Learning Craft As I’ve … Read more