In Today’s Journal * Why We Don’t Read Poetry 3 * Of Interest * The Numbers Why We Don’t Read Poetry 3 Well, I’ll tell you something. As I wrote earlier, the knot-headed notion that good poetry must be “interpreted” to be understood is self-centered, haughty, and self-defeating. It’s also foolish. That and the complicity of the “publish or perish” English-Literature tenure-seeking crowd of the 1970s is what drove away the poetry audience. To that end, you’ll never hear novelists or short-story writers say the reader must interpret their work in order to understand it. In fact, you’ve never heard … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * A Brief History of Poetry in America * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “Poetry, which before had been words and emotion which I love, was suddenly presented as a puzzle to be decoded—one that a peon kid like me could not possibly understand.” Violet, in a comment on yesterday’s post. (She absolutely nailed it.) A Brief History of Poetry in America To lay a foundation of sorts, let me provide a brief history of which many are unaware. I should say up front that I admire well-written … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Why We Don’t Read Poetry * Of Interest * The Numbers “I urge you to give me the few minutes necessary to read these posts even if you don’t typically read poetry.” Harvey Why We Don’t Read Poetry Pre-Introduction If you stop a hundred people on the street and ask them whether they read poetry—not including the occasional greeting card—most or all of them will say No. If you ask them why, most will say they can’t understand it. There’s a concrete reason for that. First, notice they won’t say they “don’t” understand it. They say … Read more

In Today’s Journal * I Fix Flats * Guest Posts Welcome * Of Interest * The Numbers I Fix Flats An AI-Generated Opportunity for Ghostwriters A guest post by Dan Baldwin You’ve seen those side-of-the-road square white placards with crudely-scrawled words in red: “Flats Fixed.” Savvy “authors” who “wrote” their book using AI-generation are now seeing red with the discovery that the book they’re so proud of is not a real book. Instead it’s a dry, flat, tedious assembly of words and phrases very unlikely to produce the emotional impact needed to inspire or motivate readers. “Authors” who only want … Read more

In Today’s Journal * My Quote of the Day * The Bradbury Challenge Report * A New Short Story * Story Idea? * A Couple of Reminders * Of Interest * The Numbers My Quote of the Day “We who write into the dark abstain from conscious mind revision and rewriting, not because our words and stories are precious, but because we prefer to present the character’s true, authentic story instead of our own ego-driven fabrication.” You didn’t miss anything yesterday. I didn’t post an issue of TNDJ. The Bradbury Challenge Report Participating in any challenge is a great way to … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * In an Email * Becoming the Character * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “Bobby has an invisible process. He becomes the character.” Sissy Spacek on Robert Duvall (Sound familiar?) In an Email One accomplished writer said she “just finished listening to Fahrenheit 451 on Audible. Wow. I’ve read it several times but probably the most recent was 10 years ago. What I listened to was the 60th anniversary edition. At the end of the audible version they included an afterword and coda of his. Both are gems. I … Read more

In Today’s Journal * What Is a Story Idea? * Of Interest * The Numbers What Is a Story Idea? Note: This is a much deeper take on a topic I originally posted on March 6, 2020. Some would-be writers believe story ideas are rare and wonderful things, that they arrive on the wings of a muse as the result of some kind of quasi-magical “inspiration” that only visits the gifted. And even some who consider themselves gifted believe that so-called inspiration strikes rarely, with roughly the frequency of thunderstorm driven lightning bolts in the Sahara Desert in the midst … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Be Sure to Check This Out * Smashwords’ “Read an Ebook Week” * Of Interest * The Numbers Be Sure to Check This Out As promised, Dean Wesley Smith is publishing an updated version of Killing the Top Ten Sacred Cows of Indie Publishing. He posted the Introduction today. This is too big a deal to put in Of Interest. Be sure to check it out. Smashwords’ “Read an Ebook Week” As anyone with a D2D account already knows, Smashwords is doing a site-wide promotion with its annual Read an Ebook Week. This is an advance notice. … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * On Character and Setting * The Numbers Quote of the Day “The day will come when you have to call it quits. So whenever that comes, it comes. But until that time comes, live life to the fullest.” Robert Duvall On Character and Setting This post first appeared in different form in TNDJ on February 18, 2023. Even if you remember it from back then, you should read it today. One day I was exchanging emails with a fairly prominent writer about my nonfiction book, Writing the Character-Driven Story. (Note: That … Read more

In Today’s Journal * My Quote of the Day * Robert Duvall * Stanbrough Writes * That Isn’t to Say * Of Interest * The Numbers My Quote of the Day “The fundamental component necessary for success is believing in yourself, believing yourself capable.” Harvey Robert Duvall Character actor Robert Duvall has passed away. I always hoped to meet him, specifically to thank him for his portrayal of Texas Ranger Augustus McCrae in Lonesome Dove. That character was in my mind with every novel and short story I wrote in the Wes Crowley saga. He called the role his personal … Read more