In today’s Journal * The Passive Voice Site * Punctuation for Writers * Of Interest * The Numbers The Passive Voice Site which I visit every morning to find items for Of Interest, is currently down. I suspect the security certificate for the site has expired. I also suspect PG and his webhost are working to correct the situation. In the meantime I’ll check a couple times each day to see whether the problem has been rectified. Punctuation for Writers Punctuation is the least-understood tool in the writer’s toolbox. But despite its seeming insignificance, it is also among the most … Read more

In today’s Journal * Seeing Oneself “Represented,” or… * A Further Note on Copyediting * New Novel * Of Interest * The Numbers Seeing Oneself “Represented,” or Write Fiction for Fiction’s Sake There has been a great deal of talk in recent years about people with various surface differences seeing themselves “represented” in fiction. The other side of the same coin is a great deal of talk about “cultural misappropriation.” Representing any one group or sub-group is not the fiction writer’s job. The fiction writer’s job is only to tell a story. Hopefully s/he will tell it well enough to … Read more

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Bradbury Challenge Writers Reporting * I’m Copyediting Again * Subscription Reminder * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “[Y]our Opening Critiques offer … was the best 15 bucks I’ve ever spent, bar none.” Peter Armstrong, writer and Journal reader, in a comment Thanks for the endorsement, Peter. “Anyone who stops learning is old, at 20 or 80. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.” Henry Ford as reported in 1440 Daily Digest The Bradbury Challenge Writers Reporting To take part, write at least one short story per week (or … Read more

In today’s Journal * Curtailing the Opening Critiques Offer * Bradbury Challenge Reminder * I Take My Lessons * Of Interest * The Numbers Curtailing the Opening Critiques Offer My offer to critique your opening is something that could leap your writing ahead. That’s why I offered it. But I’ve changed the rules a bit. I overextended myself, and I have to get back to my own writing. So— 1. Please send only one opening for critique. What you learn from it will sink into your creative subconscious, and you will be able to apply it to other openings. 2. … Read more

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * A New Short Story * Why I’m Charging a Fee for the Openings Critiques * Let’s Talk Genre * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “[A]ll roads lead back to just keep writing and having fun. That really is the key.” Dean Wesley Smith (see the second item in Of Interest) A New Short Story “A View to the Curious” went live yesterday on my Stanbrough Writes Substack. If you’re curious, go check it out. (grin) Why I’m Charging for the Openings Critiques Nobody brought this up. I … Read more

In today’s Journal * Short Story Contest Winners * Openings Critique Offer * An Updated Look at Free Writer Resources * Of Interest * The Numbers Short Story Contest Winners I mentioned before that I received only ten entries in the recent contest, but every one of them was a good story. And I do not blow smoke. Consider… Some were first-ever short stories by brand new writers or folks who usually write novels. In one short story by a new short-story writer, I found one of the most excellent turns of phrase I’ve ever seen. Her story was also … Read more

In today’s Journal * Short Story Contest: The Debrief * Of Interest * The Numbers Short Story Contest: The Debrief The short story contest, which ran for two weeks, was FREE to enter, offered cash prizes, and closed last night at midnight. I’m still scratching my head wondering why I wasn’t deluged with entries. [Tapping the microphone] Is this thing on? Maybe I’m delusional. I thought fiction writers would leap at the chance to enter their story in a contest that cost nothing to enter and offered (small, but still) cash prizes: $50, $40, $30, $20, and $10. But as … Read more

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Reminder: The Short Story Contest * End Your Writing Session With A Hook * Every Story and Every Time Period Boils Down to One * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “An essential aspect of creativity is not being afraid to fail.” Edwin H. Land Reminder: The Short Story Contest submission period ends tonight at midnight. If you want to send an entry, send it before midnnight tonight Arizona time (3 a.m. in New York). You can read the submission requirements here. End Your Writing Session With A … Read more

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Laugh of the Day * Expansion of a Novel * Cycling Isn’t Only to Check Your Work * If I Haven’t Mentioned It * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “The original is unfaithful to the translation.” Jorge Luis Borges Put another way, don’t translate what happens in your characters’ world. Write the authentic story. “Writing Into The Dark scares many writers, and I believe 99 times out of 100 those are the writers who haven’t tried it. … It’s natural to fear the dark at first [but] … Read more

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * The Bradbury Challenge Writers Reporting * The Value of Challenges * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “The intellect has little to do on the road to discovery. There comes a leap in consciousness, call it intuition or what you will, and the solution comes to you and you don’t know how or why. All great discoveries are made in this way.” Albert Einstein, Forbes Quotes: Thoughts on the Business of Life (Thanks to Dan Baldwin for the quote) The Bradbury Challenge Writers Reporting To take part, write … Read more