Professional Writer Series

The Journal: How to Manage and Expand Your Business

In today’s Journal * Kris Rusch’s Patreon page * Topic: How to Manage and Expand Your Business * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers I’m fortunate that I support Kris Rusch’s Patreon Page (at a lowly $5 per month). She posted two back-to-back posts today re the current Black Swan (herein after referred to as BS, no joke intended) event. They were extremely helpful. I’ll be posting them here in “Of Interest” when they go live on her site next Thursday (or at least that’s been her pattern). Topic: How to Manage and Expand Your Business Like any other … Read more

The Journal: A Lesson on Short- and Long-Term Goals

In today’s Journal * Had a great visit * Topic: A Lesson on Short- and Long-Term Goals * Lost a subscriber * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Had a great visit with some of my extended family over the past two days during a whirlwind trip to New Mexico. We even got a five-generation pic. That was fun. I also learned I’m no longer able to work while on the road. So in the future, when I have to go somewhere for a specific reason, I’ll focus on that without stressing over it. The writing etc. will necessarily … Read more

The Journal: Barely a Post at All

In today’s Journal * Thin today on fact, fat with opinion * Of Interest * The Numbers Today’s post is admittedly very thin. I’m posting it mostly to give you the opportunity to read the items in “Of Interest.” Thanks to Robert Sadler for the nod in his post on PWW today. Unfortunately, by the time his post goes live at five, I’ll be on the road, or close to it. So I won’t comment until later today, IF I have wifi at the hotel and it’s working, etc. In my humble opinion, I suspect anytime now wifi will be … Read more

The Journal: Life Rolls Happen

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Life rolls happen * Hey Media, shut up already * Be Sure to Check “Of Interest” * Yesterday * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “Even the pandemic flu of 1918 only killed one to two percent of the people who were infected.” Anthony Fauci, via The Passive Voice Life rolls happen. I’ll be headed out of town tomorrow morning (Friday) for up to a few days. How fortunate am I, to be able to love my day job and take it with me? Thanks to … Read more

The Journal: A Medium-Length Post and Mentoring

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * I’m time-limited today, but in a good way * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “This is what Stephen King would write like if Stephen King could really write.” A review from an anonymous (and clueless) reviewer of a Richard Bachman novel Not a lot to write about today, or much time. I started the day with a session with a new mentoring student, one I think I’m going to enjoy a great deal. The guy seems honest to a fault and forthright and one who … Read more

The Journal: A Very Short Post Today

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * A Question answered re FWIW * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers I received a question via email. What do I mean or what am I implying when I add FWIW (for what it’s worth) to the end of a link in “Of Interest”? First, I’m implying nothing. If I don’t think a link might be valuable to any of my subscribers, I simply don’t include it in “Of Interest” in the first place. I use FWIW when I don’t actually read the whole post before I add it to … Read more

The Journal: What the Journal Is All About

In today’s Journal * I lost a whole day * What the Journal is all about * A new comment policy * About Atlas Obscura * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers I lost a whole day yesterday, but I brought it on myself. I’m out here in public, an easy target for anyone who wants to snipe, but that doesn’t mean I have to belabor you with the specifics. You might take a lesson from all of this though: People who don’t know you will hear whatever they want to hear, whatever suits their purpose and gives them … Read more

The Journal: A Free Short Story

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * A new free short story * Please continue to spread the word * Sigh… the lies continue * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day From The Passive Voice, “No publisher should ever express an opinion on the value of what he publishes*. That is a matter entirely for the literary critic to decide. I can quite understand how any ordinary critic would be strongly prejudiced against a work that was accompanied by a premature and unnecessary panegyric from the publisher. A publisher is simply a useful … Read more

The Journal: More Boredom with Time Management

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Topic: More Boredom with Time Management * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “I write high-standard, quality fiction, not slop. Why the hell would I spend even one hour writing slop? I wouldn’t do that even to ‘just get it on the page’ so I could rewrite it later.” Harvey Stanbrough Topic: More Boredom with Time Management Yep, I screwed up big time so here I am again to try to fix it. A 30-day month has 720 hours (not 1800). Duh. I had a senior … Read more

The Journal: What Is a Story Idea?

In today’s Journal * Correction * Quotes of the Day * Over the next few months * Topic: What Is a Story Idea? * I talk too much * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Correction Yesterday, I really screwed up the math in my post on time, as pointed out by Céline in a comment. I’ll re-address the time thing in a future post. And I’ll double-check my math. Quotes of the Day “Every accomplishment begins with the decision to try.” Brad Cook, professional fiction writer, St. Louis Writers Guild (Wow. Is this appropriate for writing into the … Read more