The Journal: Post 4 on Heinlein’s Rules

In today’s Journal * Topic: Post 4 on Heinlein’s Rules * Not a great day * The Numbers Topic: Post 4 on Heinlein’s Rules A lot of this one is about the most controversial of Heinlein’s Rules: Rule 3. Q: Ok, my next question is about Rule #3: Refrain from rewriting except to editorial order. So, if a story is good enough to be accepted by a publisher, and they give you feedback on what needs to be changed, you should make those changes (within reason). But you shouldn’t do revisions on your own. Q (cont.): I agree with the … Read more

The Journal: Focus Down and Mentorships

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Topic: Focus Down and Mentorships * Update on my writing * WMG Workshops Half-Price Sale * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “Fiction is a lie, and good fiction is the truth inside the lie.” Stephen King in On Writing “Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isn’t.” Mark Twain in Following the Equator “On the focus of a story, she writes ‘…the only remedy is resolutely to abandon the larger for the smaller field, to narrow one’s vision to one’s … Read more

The Journal: Better Than Usual

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Update on my construction woes * Better than usual * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “A successful runner doesn’t see the finish line in a race; he sees ten yards beyond it. That’s his goal and the visualization keeps him moving beyond the expected end. A good writer does the same thing – pushes beyond the obvious limit to ensure a successful conclusion.” Dan Baldwin in “The Long and Short of Endings” (To subscribe free email baldco@msn.com.) “Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let … Read more

The Journal: Dare to Be Bad and a Lot More

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * There’s a link * If you hadn’t noticed * I have a really cool problem. * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “[T]here are no real repercussions of mailing a story that fails. No editor reads anything that doesn’t work and no editor will remember your name if your story doesn’t work. … The reality is that no one notices, which I suppose for some people is worse. But there are no real risks.” Dean Wesley Smith “I would also turn every story in to a workshop [critique … Read more

The Journal, Thursday, November 1

Hey Folks, Happy November, everyone! After I published the Journal yesterday, I went ahead and published the novella. You can see all of my mystery/noir/PI things at http://harveystanbrough.com/mystery/. To see the most recent cover and description, visit http://harveystanbrough.com/stern-talbot-disappearing-worm/. (grin) I have a doc appointment I’d forgotten about early this afternoon. Just a followup with the cardio-plumber. I’ll see the electrician on the 13th. I’m happy to report that will not be a Friday. I almost wish I’d gone ahead and written more yesterday, when my fingers were jonesing for the keys. But it isn’t all bad today either. I just … Read more

The Journal, Wednesday, November 15

Hey Folks, I started the day (and this Journal) with a brief write-up about an interview with Andy Weir, best-selling author of The Martian and now Artemis. Some of his responses in the interview put me in mind of the film Idiocracy. If you haven’t seen it, I strongly recommend it. More of the world that’s conveyed in it becomes real every day. But the write-up sounded curmudgeonly even to me, so I replaced it with this. Frankly, I thought the guy sounded like a moron, and I decided I probably don’t want to risk buying his books. But you … Read more

The Journal, Saturday, 9/30

Hey Folks, Rolled out slightly after 3 this morning and went straight to email and then Facebook. As a result of one article in one of the several e-newsletters I receive each morning, I found a topic. My reading and then writing the topic below formed the start for the day. We have a trip planned to Sierra Vista a little later this morning. Between now and then, I hope to write a bit of fiction. Topic: Try And vs. Try To First, a disclaimer — When people are speaking in real life (or characters in dialogue in a fiction) … Read more