Professional Writer Series

The Journal, Wednesday, December 5

Hey Folks, Topic: A Realization or Epiphany Dangerous as it sounds, sometimes I feel as if I’ve been through it all as a writer. “Dangerous” because such a feeling is the surest way to stop learning and reach a plateau. Which is to say it’s the surest way to death as a writer. When we reach a plateau, a flattening-out of the attempt to keep learning, little things we’ve learned but haven’t yet tried tend to sift down through the holes and cracks in our knowledge. Without having practiced them, we forget them and have to be reminded. That’s the … Read more

The Journal, Tuesday, December 4

Hey Folks, I think, having gone to bed early last night and risen early again this morning, I’m finally over whatever funk has mastered me during the past few days. Today should be a good one. *** Paraphrasing Dean Wesley Smith from “Of Interest” today, “We need to make our writing process like our reading process. When you’re reading and you reach the end of a chapter, do you put the book down and try to figure out where the story’s going next? Or do you just keep reading to entertain yourself. Do the same thing with your writing.” From … Read more

The Journal, Monday, December 3

Hey Folks, Another good quote: “I am what I am. To look for reasons is beside the point.” — Joan Didion And another one from Chandler: “I have a sense of exile from thought, a nostalgia of the quiet room and balanced mind. I am a writer, and there comes a time when that which I write has to belong to me, has to be written alone and in silence, with no one looking over my shoulder, no one telling me a better way to write it. It doesn’t have to be great writing, it doesn’t even have to be … Read more

The Journal, Sunday, December 2

Hey Folks, This morning (to my delight) I was pleased to note James Scott Bell mentioned yours truly in the Kill Zone blog (in “Of Interest”). The article is all about Heinlein’s Rules (Heinlein’s Business Habits for Writers). Of course, I replied. Couldn’t help myself. (grin) Not a lot else to talk about this morning. It’s Sunday, and the outside temperature is perfect. It’s in the mid-40s, so cold enough to stand-up your nerve endings and make you feel very much alive, but not so cold that a grave, by comparison, might feel warm. Yet another quote: “Had my books … Read more

The Journal, Saturday, December 1

Hey Folks, Well, I’m a little under the weather today. Blah. New Quote of the Day: “Like all great travellers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen.” ~ Benjamin Disraeli Isn’t that what we, as fictionists, do? Remember more than we’ve seen? *** Topic: He Knew Anytime I see that phrase in a book (or “she knew” or “they knew”) it jerks me straight out of the story. It ruins the story for me and shatters any suspension of disbelief. That phrase is a direct result of the author’s voice coming through the … Read more

The Journal, Friday, November 30

Hey Folks, Last day of the month already! In November! In 2018! What in the world happened? How is it not still the 1980s? Okay, long post today. But I think you’ll find it interesting. My new favorite quote: “Stages of development’ are for people who write one book a year.” — Robert J. Randisi (who is one year older than I and has written over 600 novels). Topic: Genre Structure Recently my first reader made a few recommendations that, had I applied them, would have switched the first two genre tags of my novel Consequences. The genre tags are … Read more

The Journal, Thursday, November 29

Hey Folks, Well, yesterday was a very productive day, though not in writing. The trip to Sierra Vista took only a couple of hours. When I got back I activated my new phone, which is about the size of the flight deck on a small aircraft carrier. (grin) Then I played around with it for a little while. Afterward I read over the very valuable comments of my first reader on Nick 4 (Consequences) and applied most of them. Finally I uploaded the document to D2D, Amazon and Smashwords. It’s available at all three places for pre-ordering, and it will … Read more

The Journal, Wednesday, November 28

Hey Folks, This might be the earliest I’ve ever posted an edition of the Journal. Today will be a non-writing day. I wasn’t able to go to Sierra Vista yesterday, so I’m going this morning while it’s too cold for my babies to go outside and play. When I get back, in addition to setting up my new phone, I’ll return to Nick 4 for awhile. My wonderful first reader got her input back to me this morning. So I want to finalize Nick 4 and upload the finalized document to all the right places. That novel doesn’t release until … Read more

The Journal, Tuesday, November 27

Hey Folks, A new favorite quote: “Don’t ever write anything you don’t like yourself and if you do like it, don’t take anyone’s advice about changing it. They just don’t know.” — Raymond Chandler And another one: “The more you reason the less you create.” — Raymond Chandler Topic: Learning and Being Remminded Professional athletes, first responders and others work in occupations where strength and flexibility are necessary. For those who are conscientious in those jobs, training and exercise never stop. If they do, strength and flexibility reach a plateau, then begin to decline. Muscles begin to atrophy as they … Read more

The Journal, Monday, November 26

Hey Folks, I thought I’d found a new writers resource in an “author and writing teacher” named Marilynn Byerly. So I went to her blog. No books were listed, so I did a search for her name on Amazon. I found only 6 novels listed. That kind of put a damper on things. I returned to her blog and read a few articles. Frankly, I was hoping lightning would strike and that I would find it a valuable resource. Umm, nope. Just regurgitation of the same old stuff I’ve heard for years in public school, stale writers’ groups, etc. Nor … Read more