In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Missing Links * An Addendum * A Timely Irony * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “[W]e need to be careful that we don’t send the message to beginning writers (who have families to care for, day jobs to keep bread on the table, and some days they just can’t squeeze in a couple hours to write) that they are not ‘real’ writers if they don’t write every day. I know of no other profession that works in their profession every single day.” Steve Hooley “Finally, maybe you’re … Read more

In today’s Journal * If You Missed It * A New Story * Turning Fear Upside Down * Of Interest * The Numbers If You Missed It Yesterday I published a Journal post titled “Finding Time to Write”. It contains an exercise that will help you carve out time for writing fiction. If you have difficulty with making time for your writing, I strongly recommend you read it. A New Story “Normal Louisiana Ladies Club” published yesterday on my Stanbrough Writes Substack. I must have scheduled it to come out a day early. Usually they come out on Friday each … Read more

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Happy Thanksgiving * Finding Time to Write * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “A champion is afraid of losing. Everyone else is afraid of winning.” Billie Jean King “[I]t is … important for me to write in tranquility, trying to write as well as I can, with no eye on any market, nor any thought of what the stuff will bring, or even if it can be published….”Ernest Hemingway Happy Thanksgiving My wife reminded me yesterday that today is Thanksgiving. (grin) I hope it will be a … Read more

In today’s Journal * Carving Out Time for Writing * Yesterday * Of Interest * The Numbers Carving Out Time for Writing Sometimes, some folks who are fiction writers or who aspire to be fiction writers complain that they just can’t find the time. I understand. Once upon a time, that was even a problem for me. Sort of. In my case, I learned to prioritize. You have seen the results. Years ago, somewhere in his blog, Dean Wesley Smith mentioned a great way for you to see where your time goes each day. Sometime in the past 9 or … Read more

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * In Case You’ve Wondered * Writing in Public: The Saga of Maldito * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “90 percent of design is typography. And the other 90 percent is whitespace.” Jeffrey Zeldman In Case You’ve Wondered I haven’t started a new novel yet because I’m up to here in another project. Once I get my teeth into something, it’s difficult to let go until I’m finished. (grin) Especially when I enjoy it. I’m having fun and I’m increasing my inventory. Those are the only two requirements … Read more

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Correction * Crossing Genres * Bradbury Challenge Writers Reporting * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day Thanks to Bob B for the first three quotes below: “The more [the writer] learns from experience the more truly he can imagine. If he gets so he can imagine truly enough people will think that the things he relates all really happened and that he is just reporting.” Ernest Hemingway in Monologue to the Maestro: A High Seas Letter (Esquire, 1935) “After you learn to write your whole object is to … Read more

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * A Note on Pacing * Hmm. Writing in Public * Yesterday * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “I find ideas are the most ubiquitous things in human nature, besides the desire to procreate which starts as an idea anyway.” Michael Grant, POV character in the forthcoming Alibi: Lesson for Elsewhere by Robert J. Sadler “Ants are so much like human beings as to be an embarrassment. They farm fungi, raise aphids as livestock, launch armies into wars, use chemical sprays to alarm and confuse enemies, capture slaves. … Read more

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Welcome * A New Story * Yesterday * A Rant: Faux Instructors * Passive Constructions * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “You should go to your doctor and have your mouth sewn shut rather than hold forth to other writers on a topic you don’t know intimately.” Me, in a post about five years ago Welcome Welcome to Brien C and any other new subscribers or readers of the Journal. I hope you will find it useful. Get the Archives and other free downloads at the Journal … Read more

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * A Friend Is Writing in Public! * Recount, Promo, and a Cover * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “I continue to be mystified by Chat GPT, because bullshitting vaguely plausible sounding answers based on no understanding of the question is something humans do exceedingly well, and will do free.” Falling Diphthong (username) in a reply on Askamanager.org Thanks to Gary for the tip. A Friend Is Writing in Public! Hey, if you’re a fan of those who have enough belief in themselves to write in public, you’re … Read more

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Finished the Novel * An Excellent Question * Time Travel for Writers * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “Only human beings, in an effort to soothe their collective insecurity, is haughty enough to put forth the assertion that they are ‘better than’ instead of ‘different from’.” Yer Uncle Harv “Being equal does not equate to being the same. And being unequal does not render either side less important.” Same source Finished the Novel Well, the novel wrapped yesterday at 3:20 p.m. Also, the real title of the … Read more