Dean Wesley Smith

The Journal, Wednesday, August 22

Hey Folks, In response to my post at harveystanbrough.com about “Reviews,” I received an email from a guy who agreed with me. Sort of. Then he launched into a heated rant about “rich people” and then politics. Specifically, American politics, specifically at the national level. I strive to keep politics out of my blogs. It isn’t always easy because on the one hand, they’re my personal blogs. But on the other, my stated purpose for them is to help other writers cut the learning curve in the craft of writing. That’s regardless of the writer’s race, skin tone, nationality or … Read more

The Journal, Tuesday, August 21

Hey Folks, A lot in “Of Interest” today from the somewhat sublime to the outright silly. Enjoy. The plan for today was to get to the Hovel early to begin writing New Words on my WIP. Yesterday I got out there a little late and still had some cycling to do, so I ran out of time before I had to return to the copyedit. For various reasons, I didn’t get out there early. When I do get back (some time or other, and I hope it’s today) I’ll roll straight off the edge into the trenches of the story … Read more

The Journal, Monday, August 20

Hey Folks, No Journal for yesterday. We did a lot of yard work and other necessarys, and I did some editing but that’s it. There was nothing even for the “Of Interest” section. I did receive an email yesterday from Kris Rusch. Her website is being migrated from one ISP to another and the RSS subscriptions didn’t migrate with it, at least not yet. That just means for now it’s better to check the site manually. Which you can do at http://kriswrites.com. *** If you use dictation for your writing, PLEASE be sure to read it over afterward (preferably aloud) … Read more

The Journal, Saturday, August 18

Hey Folks, A few days ago, for some reason, the RSS feed for Kristine Kathryn Rusch failed, on my end or on hers. You’ll remember I referenced this in “Of Interest” when Dan Baldwin told me of a great new post. This morning I explored her site a little more. Finally, on the Contact Kris page (https://kriswrites.com/contact-kris/) I scrolled down and found two subscription forms. One is to “Subscribe to Blog via Email” and the other is to “Subscribe with RSS.” (Both of these are only for the overall blog. She also writes several smaller occasional newsletters to which you … Read more

The Journal, Thursday, August 16

Hey Folks, I’m writing this early (around 6), but probablly a non fiction-writing day today. It’s a half-day anyway, and a laundry day and I have a copyedito to work on. Some of you probably are rolling your eyes, but the plan “this time” is to write first in the morning on most days (beginning tomorrow, I hope) and to edit in the afternoons until the copyedit is finished. I know. Been there before, but my mindset is a little different this morning. As I was telling a friend earlier, I’m in a Hemingway-esque state of mind. I wrote the … Read more

The Journal, Wednesday, August 15

Hey Folks, Well, first an update: A prolific young writer who was certain his blog post was the catalyst for my Journal post yesterday (maybe it was, maybe it wasn’t) emailed me to say he’s back on track and committed to writing again. Also he won’t be starting a Patreon account for a good while, if ever. His plan all along was to wait until he had plenty to offer subscribers. He also wrote that the “Time for excuses is over. Now is the time for me to put up or truly fade away and realize that [I] dont have … Read more

The Journal, Monday, August 13

Hey Folks, I wish I’d found me before I started writing novels. I mean, if I were not me, I wish I’d found me. Something like that. I did rediscover Dean Wesley Smith after a long absence. And I learned a lot from him, often plucking free gems from his blog posts. But most of the in-depth stuff that I learned from him came at $300 a whack. Not that I regret any of it. Knowledge is priceless, and paying $300 for a huge shortcut in the learning curve is pretty inexpensive really. You know, depending on what’s important to … Read more

The Journal, Saturday, August 11

Hey Folks, Topic: How to Write Like I Do Recently I received an email in which a writer wrote (toward the end of some lengthy praise of my “process”) “I only wish I could write like you.” During an exchange of emails, I eventually determined the writer was talking about my ability to turn out a lot of quality short stories and novels fairly quickly (though I’m pretty much a slug by old pulp standards). And what the writer really meant was that s/he wished s/he could write, period. I explained that a short four years ago (2014) I too … Read more

The Journal, Friday, August 10

Hey Folks, Okay, first up, I recommend you visit Reedsy.com and subscribe to their free newsletter. Seriously. If there’s more than one, subscribe to the one by Ricardo Fayet. Extremely informative articles, but they come only via email. Topic: Take Your Time Most of you know I enjoy reading thrillers and action-adventure novels. (What are called “thrillers” today were called “men’s action-adventure” back in the ’60s and ’70s.) When I find something that blows my socks off, I finish reading for pleasure, then go back and find that place and study it to see how the guy (or gal) did … Read more

The Journal, Thursday, August 9

Hey Folks, Long post today. Get a beverage. Settle in. Wow. Stayed up too late last night. It was a great night, with almost constant low-level rumbling thunder and distant flashes of lightning through the window. Not a lot of rain, but a great, soothing (and cool) light and sound show. But as a result I stayed up far too late, enjoying the breeze through the door. And as a result of that I got up late this morning. If I’m not careful, that late rising will throw off my whole day. *** Topic: Prejudice and Discrimination Anyone else ever … Read more