Professional Writer Series

The Journal: A Sad Letter

In today’s Journal * Topic: A Sad Letter * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Topic: A Sad Letter I wasn’t planning to post the Journal today, but something came up that changed my mind. On Steven Pressfield’s site today, he posted “Writing is a Bad Idea” (see https://stevenpressfield.com/2020/02/writing-is-a-bad-idea/). After a brief introduction, he posts (with permission) a letter he received from a broken writer in Finland. I hope you’ll go read the post. Some of the comments are cruel. I left a comment too, but I’ve inserted it below, because this is important. It’s unfortunate that Kati was … Read more

The Journal: Inviting Critiqe

In today’s Journal * Topic: Inviting Critiqe * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Topic: Inviting Critiqe As most of you know, I’m dead set against running my work through critique groups. After all, I actively battle to keep my own critical mind out of my work, so why would I then turn around and actually invite criticism from others? That being said, in the “Of Interest” section of the Journal, I often include a link to a “first-page critique” post from one of The Kill Zone bloggers. In an email early this morning, one of my astute patrons … Read more

The Journal: Further Elucidation on Firearms

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Topic: Further Elucidation on Firearms * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people.” William Butler Yeats Topic: Further Elucidation on Firearms In my topic yesterday on authenticity I wrote that a clip is used to feed a magazine, the cartridge-feeding mechanism used to deliver cartridges to the chamber of a semi-automatic weapon. My intention was to explain that the device a shooter would manually insert into the underside of a semiautomatic rifle or the … Read more

The Journal: A Matter of Authenticity

In today’s Journal * Topic: A Matter of Authenticity * Wow. I was looking over my files * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Topic: A Matter of Authenticity Hey, folks, if you’re ever writing a Marine Corps character, officer or enlisted, use a 24-hour clock when you’re giving the time. For example, 3 a.m. is “0300” (not even oh-three-hundred) and 6 p.m. is 1800. Most people know that, right? It’s a matter of authenticity. And if you’re writing that Marine Corps character, NEVER add “hours” to the time. So 3 a.m. is zero-three-hundred (0300), not “0300 hours.” Adding … Read more

The Journal: On Reverse Outlines

In today’s Journal * Topic: On Reverse Outlines * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Topic: On Reverse Outlines A patron wrote to ask me, in part, to explain reverse outlines in more detail. While I’m writing a novel, occasionally I have to fact-check something that happened earlier in the novel. That might be a place name (name of a town or building, etc.) or an aspect of a character description (eye color, hair color, what they’re wearing, etc.) or a timeline item (what time they left the bar, etc.) if correct timelines are important to the story. Using … Read more

The Journal: The Value of Challenges (and the Attendant Deadlines)

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day: A Masters Course * Topic: The Value of Challenges (and the Attendant Deadlines) * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day: A Masters Course These quotes are gleaned from Dean Wesley Smith’s inteview (in “Of Interest” below) with 6 Figure Authors. “At a certain level in this business, you quit listening to other people about your work. You become an artist. I wish writers would get to that spot sooner rather than later. You keep learning…, but don’t let other people mess with it.” Dean Wesley Smith “I’m … Read more

The Journal: Just a Reminder

In today’s Journal * Just a reminder to my patrons * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Just a reminder to my patrons, please don’t forget to let me know what you’d like from your reward tier. You can see the tiers by clicking https://harveystanbrough.com/be-a-patron/. To read descriptions of novels, novellas, nonfiction books and short story collections (and make your selections), visit StoneThread Publishing at https://stonethreadpublishing.com/. Today is a day of book shifting, business planning, reading, studying and a trip to Sierra Vista. No fiction writing. (But I have a sneaking suspicion Algae Prime might be coming back.) Talk … Read more

The Journal: Using the Senses

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the day * DWS Announcement * The Prolific Writer podcast * In the first link below, Dave Farland * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “Writing is not magic. It’s a combination of art and craft.” Laura Benedict “For most of Earth’s history, Venus may have been the nearest habitable planet and possibly even home to a thriving biosphere. … They may even have very occasionally exchanged life….” David Grinspoonin an article for Nautilus In the February 5 post on his website, Dean Wesley Smith announced, “[I]f you are … Read more

The Journal: On Process

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the day * On Process * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day Via the Passive Voice, “A classic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say.” Italo Calvino “Wayne Gretzky said, ‘You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.’ The core of any unusual profession … is embodied in that quote: You can’t succeed if you don’t try.” Kristine Kathyrn Rusch On Process Yesterday I mentioned I thought the WIP was stalled. I opened it this morning, looked it over, and realized it … Read more

The Journal: The Good and Bad of Critique

In today’s Journal * Quote of the day * Today’s “Of Interest” * Today and tomorrow * Of Interest * The Numbers Most of the items in today’s “Of Interest” are all about selling ebooks. Don’t miss those. There’s a ton of good information at those links. The last item in “Of Interest” illustrates why inviting critique on your work can be a bad idea. In fact, it can be detrimental to your work. The simple fact is, some critiquers go too far, and how screwed-up your work can become depends on how much you trust your critiquer. I recommend … Read more