The Passive Voice

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

The Journal: Whom Should I Trust?

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * My conscious, critical, teacher mind * Topic: Whom Should I Trust? (and on “getting” concepts) * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day Via The Passive Guy, “Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of, but do it in private and wash your hands afterwards.” Robert A. Heinlein “In the creative mind, the story and the characters are controlling the writer. In the critical mind, the writer is controlling the characters and the story.” Harvey Stanbrough My conscious, critical, teacher mind is almost swimming. I had … Read more

The Journal: You Want to Read This

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Yesterday * A great mentoring student * Topic: How Specifically to Write Into the Dark * My mentoring student also asked * Because I know * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “To move past obstacles you need to move. The hardest obstacles to do that with are the ones you create yourself.” Colin Mobey Yesterday, as promised, I read over the 3000 words I’d written on The Others. It was gibberish. I threw it out. I kept only the idea. Sometime today I’ll write a … Read more

The Journal: A Smattering of Thoughts and Self-Hypnosis

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Thus ends the current string * Correction * Topic: Self-Hypnosis * I love to write * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “If you make people think they’re thinking, they’ll love you; but if you really make them think, they’ll hate you.” Harlan Ellison “The only thing worth writing about is people.” Harlan Ellison “The trick is not becoming a writer. The trick is staying a writer.” Harlan Ellison “I was the green monkey, the pariah. And I had no friends. Not just a few friends, … Read more

The Journal: More Quotes and On Teasing a Piranha Tank

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * If you read James Scott Bell’s * As seems to be becoming my habit * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “When you’re all alone out there, on the end of the typewriter, with each new story a new appraisal by the world of whether you can still get it up or not, arrogance and self-esteem and deep breathing are all you have. It often looks like egomania. I assure you it’s the bold coverup of the absolutely terrified.” Harlan Ellison “It is not my job … Read more

The Journal: A Short Story Contest

In today’s Journal * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers This morning I was handed a theme for my upcoming short story: People are strange. It’s a contest prompt, and the deadline is midnight EST, 1 March. That’s TOMORROW. Just in case you want to and can pound out a short story in that time, I’ve included the link in “Of Interest” below. Apparently the opening date was Feb 10, but I didn’t learn of it until today. Probably due to my own inattention. Anyway, I turned-to. Wrote a short story to meet my own deadline and then submitted … Read more

The Journal: Dean Wesley Smith and Exciting News

In today’s Journal * About Dean Wesley Smith * New Patronage Tiers * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers I have a feeling (I hope I’m wrong) that Dean Wesley Smith is moving away from sharing writing tips in his daily blog. That’s why I haven’t linked to his posts much lately in “Of Interest.” He’s a great teacher, which in my mind, for my way of learning, means he drops gems of information that I can glean, figure them out on my own, and learn from them. But it seems to me he isn’t doing that as much … Read more

The Journal: A Cover Reveal and On Being Prolific

In today’s Journal * Clive Cussler * Topic: A Cover Reveal and On Being Prolific * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Clive Cussler, one of our better authors, passed away today at the age of 88. May his family and friends heal quickly and well. Topic: A Cover Reveal and On Being Prolific Part 1 I’m taking a day off today, sort of. Early this morning, I was tempted to let Heinlein’s Rule 4 slip. But not from fear of what readers might think of my story. I was tempted to let it slip because publishing just isn’t … Read more

The Journal: When Rewriting Is (Maybe) Appropriate

In today’s Journal * Getting close * Topic: When Rewriting Is (Maybe) Appropriate * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers At almost 52,000 words, I finally have a sense that I’m nearing the final scenes of my WIP. The end isn’t in sight (thankfully) but probably within another 10,000 words or so. So it looks like I’ll finish it in February. Woohoo! Topic: When Rewriting Is (Maybe) Appropriate Yeah, I actually said the R word. But I didn’t really mean it. What I actually meant was Cycling After the Fact (after a book is published). I actively teach (and … Read more

The Journal: A Quick Lesson on Openings and Hooks

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Topic: A Quick Lesson on Openings and Hooks * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “I’m letting the story and characters unfold… and writing whatever comes. It’s definitely faster. It’s not at all exhausting. I’m not feeling the ‘brain drain’ I get when I try to craft a story from the outside in. And I’m eager to pick [the story] up again tomorrow.” Patrick Dorn, a new proponent of writing into the dark Topic: A Quick Lesson on Openings and Hooks One of my patrons emailed … Read more