Lee Lofland

The Journal: More on Rejections

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Definition of the Day * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “[K]eep rejections, print them off when electronic, for tax purposes. Just a friendly reminder.” Dean Wesley Smith Definition of the Day (for fun) I enjoy writing definitions. They’re usually snide, ironic, or otherwise sideways. So sue me. (grin) cliché … n. a word, phrase or clause that’s been around so long it’s built up an unusual, unnatural level of gravity, which in turn causes it to Suck. Perpetuation or repetition of a cliché has the … Read more

The Journal: Quotes of the Day and Where Did It All Go?

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * It’s December 1—2019! * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “Mail your first draft. Publish your first draft. That book you’ve rewritten 15 times? Go back to the first draft. Publish that one. Because that’s your authentic voice. That’s the one you haven’t interfered with at all.” Kristine Kathryn Rusch at the 20BooksTo50K conference “Behavior presents as it does for a reason. It’s more than complex. It’s the way a life goes.” Mauro Altamura, an extra on the set of the Netflix original, The Irishman, a … Read more

The Journal: Sorry to have been away

In today’s Journal * Sorry to have been away * Update on the Master Business Class * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Sorry to have been away for a couple of days. Honestly, there just wasn’t much to report, even in “Of Interest.” I’ve been working mostly on a lengthy copyedit and doing some things for my mentoring student, as well as working on the bible for the shared world I’ll reveal around the first of the year. Update on the Master Business Class Kris Rusch let slip in her most recent Patreon post (I’ll link to the … Read more

The Journal: A Reminiscence

In today’s Journal * Happy Veterans’ Day * If you’ll allow me a reminiscence… * Of Interest * The Numbers Happy Veterans’ Day, or as Marines call it, Recovery Day. (grin) We often joked that if an enemy of the United States ever wanted to attack this nation, they should do so on November 11 while the Marine Corps was nursing a collective hangover. Yesterday I spent the day with my wife, my youngest son and eldest grandson and with my friends (many in memoriam) from the Corps. For the first time since I joined, I didn’t toast my fellow … Read more

The Journal: Rethinking, Rethinking

In today’s Journal * Rethinking ways to rethink the future * I’m also rethinking * Some days are downers * Of Interest * The Numbers Part of the creative person’s ongoing task is to experiment, plan, rethink, and adjust. Regrettably, I’m rethinking a couple of things today. The first is rethinking ways to rethink the future of our business. Only yesterday, I was certain I wanted to attend the Master Business Class in Vegas next October. Today, not so much. It would be an invaluable investment in our business. What we could learn there — if the instructors and students … Read more

The Journal, Wednesday, October 9

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * I’m very excited * Topic: Pro, Hobbyist, or …? * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day Finn (Thanks, Finn!), a reader of this Journal, wrote, “How do I get better if I don’t allow myself to critique my own work?” For writers, how’s that for a quote of the day? First, it’s a really great question, one we all ask at least ourselves from time to time. My response was simple: That question itself comes from the critical mind. If you’re going back and critiquing (critical … Read more

The Journal, Monday, September 30

In today’s Journal * Today, I hope * Unfortunately * Of Interest * The Numbers Today I hope to read my novel/novella and recognize what it is. I say “recognize” because this will be a subconscious reading and recognition (or not). Either way, I won’t evoke the conscious mind to “decide” what to do next. Not my job. If you don’t understand the difference, email me and I’ll try to explain further. Awhile back I wrote and published (right here in a series of topics first) what I commonly call The Critical Voice Book: Quiet the Critical Voice (and Write … Read more

The Journal, Wednesday, September 25

In today’s Journal * I haven’t featured * Rambling * The numbers I haven’t featured Lee Lofland for awhile in this Journal despite regularly receiving his posts in my inbox. Lee is a retired detective with about a million years’ experience. I feel fortunate to have his inadvertent input for my crime and detective novels. His most recent offering, “Shooting Fish in a Barrel: Repeat Offenders,” is worth a look. See https://www.leelofland.com/shooting-fish-in-a-barrel-repeat-offenders/. *** Goodreads ticks me off. There, I said it. I’ve had an account with them for several years, but when I tried to log in today they said … Read more

The Journal, Wednesday, August 28

In today’s Journal * On vacation * Topic: What Is “Sexual” Violence? * I’m not sure I added * Of Interest * The numbers After I sent the previous edition of the Journal, I realized I was exhausted. Yesterday for the first time in a few years, I didn’t write anything at all. No Journal entry, no other nonfiction. I haven’t even added anything to the novel (to speak of). I told my wife (grinning), “Y’know, I think I’m gonna take a few vacation days.” She thought that was a good idea. So that’s what I’m doing. Yesterday I headed … Read more

The Daily Journal, Friday, August 23

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Happy much-belated 90th birthday, and welcome * Topic: How Long It Takes to Write a Novel * Daily Diary * Of Interest * The numbers Quotes of the Day “I don’t get writers’ block— …however, I do have lots of bad writing days. [But a] bad writing day is a million times better than a no-writing day.” Stephanie Feldman (short story writer and novelist) “Taylor Swift says she will be rerecording her early work. If she does this the right way, she will probably destroy the market value of the Big … Read more