In Today’s Journal * Writem et al (Part 1) * Yesterday * Of Interest * The Numbers Writem et al, Part 1 As a subscriber, I was very surprised to receive a post from Writem in my inbox touting the benefits of outlining. Which is to say touting the benefits of bowing to unreasoning fear and letting the conscious, critical mind not only to dictate your fiction, but allowing it to lead the way into your fiction. I’ll say up front, if outlining and following the other myths of writing “works for you” in some undefined way, more power to … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * A New Short Story * Reminder * So My Character Said “Hold My Beer and Watch This!” * The Numbers Quote of the Day “I outlined one novel. Took well over a year. Never wrote it. I lost interest, because I’d already written the novel in outline form. [Why tell a story I already know?] [But] I’m not a ‘pantser’ anymore than you’re a ‘plodder.’ I simply run through the story with the characters as it unfolds around us. Youi know, like we [all] do in our own story in everyday … Read more

In Today’s Journal * More Gift Subscriptions * I Decided to Try Something New * Name Changes? * Call for Entries * The Writing * Of Interest * The Numbers More Gift Subscriptions For whatever reason, Jake at Writem has authorized me to give away three more 1-month gift subscriptions to Writem. I have no way of knowing your level of interest or whether you’re already a Writem subscriber, so if you’d like one, email me at harveystanbrough@gmail.com. I Decided to Try Something New Even as outspoken as I’ve been about generative artificial intelligence (generative AI), I decided I was … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Writem Gift Subscription * What to Do When a Story Goes Blue? * Of Interest * The Numbers Writem Gift Subscription I still have one gift subscription left. Email me at harveystanbrough@gmail.com if you want one. Great things coming at Writem! What to Do When a Story Goes Blue? When you teach transparently, sometimes it becomes necessary to talk about topics or methods that some might find a little unsettling. This is one of those times. Other than reporting my progress in The Numbers below, I very seldom talk about a work in progress. But my … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Selfish and Stupid Is a Bad Mixture * The December ‘Run With Harvey’ Challenge * Goals vs. Dreams * The Numbers Selfish and Stupid Is a Bad Mixture Fifty-six people die in southeast Guinea from violence and crowd surge following a controversial call made by a referee at a soccer match. What? 56 people died and 56 families were devastated over a ‘controversial call…at a soccer match’? Yeah, I know it’s happened before. So why was anyone at that soccer match in the first place? I can only hope those 56 … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * The Kris & Dean Show * A Personal Challenge for You * A Thundering Success! * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “Thanks for sponsoring [the November Stephen King] challenge. It really helped me get words on to the page. “I have wasted a lot of time tinkering with my writing set up from hardware to apps etc. All of this wasted tinkering was a product of the critical mind. What gear was best? “But as the challenge wore on, I had no time to spend on the … Read more

In Today’s Journal * The Bradbury Challenge Writers Reporting * Gift Subscriptions to Writem * 1,000,000 Words in the Bag? * Re “Adventures” * Of Interest * The Numbers The Bradbury Challenge Writers Reporting The whole point of the Challenge is to have fun and grow as a writer. There is no cost. The only requirement is to write at least one short story per week. During the past week, in addition to whatever other fiction they’re writing, the following writers reported these new stories: Vanessa V. Kilmer “Criss Cross” 4009 Mystery Adam Kozak “The Brothers Norris” 6632 Detective Fiction … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Important * Writing Prompts Work * It’s December First! * Upping Your Game * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “The biggest mistake you can make is to play it safe; a life without adventure is like a meal without seasoning, bland and forgettable.” Dr. Mardy Grothe Important Yesterday I subscribed to the Writem substack as a paid subscriber for a year. Most notably, Writem is known for providing valuable marketing tips to writers. As a result of my paid subscription, Jake graciously gave me five one-month free … Read more

In Today’s Journal * A New Short Story * Reminder * Boring Stuff Re the Ongoing Drama… * Copyediting * The Numbers A New Short Story “Dave” went live yesterday at 10 a.m. on my Stanbrough Writes Substack. Go check it out. As always, if you enjoy this strange story, please tell Everyone. If you don’t, shh! (grin) Reminder Today is Saturday. Remember to get your Bradbury Challenge story info in to me before the Journal goes live on Monday. Also, if you’re in the November or Stephen King Challenge of 1000 words per day, tomorrow is the last day … Read more

In Today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * The Myths of Fiction Writing * Of Interest * The Numbers Yesterday, after the first 8 hours, I decided around 10 a.m. to take the rest of the day off. So no writing, checking emails only occasionally, and spending time with my bride. I hope you all had a similarly great Thanksgiving Day. Quote of the Day “Anyone who stops learning is old, at 20 or 80. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.” Henry Ford The Myths of Fiction Writing Yesterday I wrote “Not knowing the authentic story scares me more … Read more