DeanWesleySmith.com

Tossing Around Some Numbers

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Topic: Tossing Around Some Numbers * Of Interest Quote of the Day “Knowledge is proud that he has learned so much; Wisdom is humble that he knows no more.” William Cowper Topic: Tossing Around Some Numbers I wasn’t going to post a Journal entry today, but a conversation with a student this morning spurred some thoughts. The fiction-writing myths are deeply ingrained in our society. They’re inadvertently taught in junior high, high school, and college English and Literature classes by teachers and professors who are only teaching what they themselves were … Read more

The Top 7 Mistakes Writers Make

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Topic: The Top 7 Mistakes Writers Make * Up Next * Of Interest Quote of the Day “When you think you’re pregnant, and you’re not, what happens to that child that has already formed in your mind? You keep it filed in a drawer of your consciousness, like a short story that wouldn’t work after the opening lines.” Hilary Mantel Topic: The Top 7 Mistakes Writers Make Very long post today. This is an update on an article I first posted over on my author site way back in 2013. It … Read more

I Can Write Anywhere. Wheee!

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Oops * I Can Write Anywhere. Wheee! * Trust the Characters; Write the Next Sentence * Of Interest Quotes of the Day “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” T. H. Huxley “You better live every day like your last because one day you’re going to be right.” Ray Charles “Live your life so that when you’re all alone you’re in good company.” Anonymous, Lubbock (TX) Avalanche-Journal, c.1969 Oops Sorry about that dangling PS in yesterday’s post. I had added a brief post script, then found I didn’t … Read more

Every Novel Writes Differently

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Every Novel Writes Differently * PS: * Of Interest Quotes of the Day From the Give Me a Break Department: “Can you become sick through social media? New research says it might be possible, as vulnerable people fall prey to mass psychogenic illnesses via the internet.” Kite & Key staff (I’m guessing mask mandates will come next.) “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” Yogi Berra Topic: Every Novel Writes Differently The title is a maxim I first heard from Dean Wesley Smith. Now, as I write … Read more

Yesterday, and Why Again

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Oops. * Yesterday * Why Again * Of Interest Quote of the Day “When writing, it’s often just as important knowing what not to say, as it is knowing what to include… but … it’s easier to perceive when expressed through the eyes of my fictional characters” [emphasis added]. Vincent Berg at Writer’s Nook Well, the eyes, ears, nose, and taste and touch sensors. Oops. First, a quick apology. My post of the 18th (“If You REALLY Want to Write Into the Dark”) posted again yesterday, on the 19th. I suspect … Read more

If You Really WANT to Write Into the Dark

In today’s Journal * Topic: If You Really WANT to Write Into the Dark * Of Interest Topic: If You Really WANT to Write Into the Dark If you Really WANT to let go of all the BS and just write into the dark, please read this post. I’m not saying anything new, but I’m saying it in a new way that some of you might “get” even if you didn’t before. (Note: If you DON’T want to WITD, I’m not trying to convince you. Feel free to skip down to “Of Interest” or come back tomorrow.) Of all the … Read more

The Reverse Outline Shines Again

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Topic: The Reverse Outline Shines Again * Sigh… More Controversy * Of Interest Quote of the Day “October 1st… Climb back on. That’s what I will be doing.” Dean Wesley Smith “I finally get it now. There really is no danger of over-describing. If it’s coming from the [POV] characters instead of my own brain, it makes sense for the story because it’s what they’re feeling, sensing, experiencing.” Chynna Pace, mentoring student Topic: The Reverse Outline Shines Again I can’t forcefully enough express the importance and usefulness of the reverse outline. … Read more

Dr. Jerry Pournelle on Writing and Heinlein

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Welcome * Topic: Dr. Jerry Pournelle on Writing and Heinlein * The Magnetic Drive * Of Interest Quotes of the Day “The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life.” Muhammad Ali “Unless you wrote your book exclusively for your own satisfaction, once your creative vision is on the page, it’s time to zoom in on how the book works for readers.” Lisa Poisso, Resident Writing Coach at Writers in the Storm (Um, I suggest asking how the … Read more

Why I Talk About WITD So Often in the Journal

In today’s Journal * Why I Talk About WITD So Often in the Journal * Abandoning the Experiment * Of Interest Why I Teach WITD So Often in the Journal Bob Calverley, a long-time reader and writing friend, commented on yesterday’s post. You may read his comment before you continue below to read my response, but the response also stands alone. My apology in advance for this lengthy post: First, overall, I can guarantee this Journal will never exceed in value the price of a subscription. But that’s all right. It’s my thoughts on writing, nothing more. I have been … Read more

A Looking-Back Fairy Tale

In today’s Journal * A Looking-Back Fairy Tale * Threatened? Really? * Topic: Expect to Sweat * Of Interest A Looking-Back Fairy Tale Once upon a time I hosted a site called Pro Writers Writing (PWW). The idea was to do something similar to what they’re doing over at KillZone blog. At PWW, a bevy of professional writers, in rotation, would hold forth on writing, publishing, and marketing topics that interested them. To skip over the details, PWW ran successfully for about a year. Then, out of the blue, one of my weekly contributors quit. She cited her own weekly … Read more