the writing life

The Daily Journal, Thursday, August 1

In today’s Journal * Straight to it today * Topic: Every Story Needs an Editor…. * Daily diary * Of Interest * The numbers Straight to It Today No lollygagging about. It’s time for a little tough love. Topic: Every Story Needs an Editor (and Other Stupid Blanket Statements) I read a blog post yesterday by a writer who has stopped learning because she apparently believes she knows enough. She even wrote, point blank, if you believe your story doesn’t need other eyes on it, you must believe your words are “precious.” Ugh. I really wish I hadn’t read that. … Read more

The Daily Journal, Wednesday, July 31

In today’s Journal * Wow * I might have mentioned * Topic: Update—Keep Abreast of Your IP * Daily diary * Of Interest * The numbers Wow. Already July 31. How’d that happen? We accomplished a lot at StoneThread Publishing in July with learning about licensing (and a ton of other things). Personally, as a fiction writer, not so much. I wrote upward of 40,000 words this month, but only around 7,000 of those were fiction. (A very far cry from my 110,000-word fiction months, eh?) We at STPublishing also made huge strides on getting my IP inventory under control … Read more

The Daily Journal, Tuesday, July 30

In today’s Journal * I almost * Topic: A Good Problem to Have (and More on My Process) * Daily diary * Of Interest * The numbers I almost gave you another two-fer of topics today. At the last moment, I decided to save one for tomorrow. I think the recent surge of topics is a result of my having been away from fiction writing for so long. I think my subconscious wants so much to play that it keeps coming up with topics, which I then write on the spot and post here. (grin) So today, “A Good Problem … Read more

The Daily Journal, Monday, July 29

In today’s Journal * Your eyes * Topic: How to Get More Sales * Topic: Writing and Publishing * Daily diary * Of Interest * The numbers Your eyes do not deceive you. Today is a two-topic day. Both are essential. (Well, if I didn’t think so, I wouldn’t have written them. Duh) So let’s jump right in. Topic: How to Get More Sales I started to add “at Amazon” to the title of this topic, but it will help improve your sales in all venues. I’m taking a free Reedsy lessons-by-email course on Amazon algorithms. Not that I’ll try … Read more

The Daily Journal, Sunday, July 28

In today’s Journal * Thanks * Quote of the Day * Another Recommendation * Topic: Why Google Play, Why All the Emphasis on Spreadsheets, and What About Length? * Daily diary * Of Interest * The numbers Thanks for all the comments over the past couple of days. I appreciate knowing you’re out there. Besides, you guys offer up some valuable advice! You can always share here through comments. Quote of the Day “If you capture the right beginning, you’ve written a small version of the whole.” Les Edgerton Another Recommendation In case you missed it in yesterday’s comments, Bob … Read more

The Daily Journal, Saturday, July 27

In today’s Journal * Because * Quotes of the Day * Topic: A Recommendation * Daily diary * Of Interest * The numbers Because (according to MailChimp) so few of you click-through to items in “Of Interest,” I’m putting this early in the body of this post: See “Day Job Thinking” at https://www.deanwesleysmith.com/day-job-thinking/. This is a great, extremely important post. Please read it carefully, maybe a couple of times. By the way, I’m not complaining about the click-throughs. I like to believe you aren’t clicking through on “Of Interest” items because you’re already checking them on your own. But I … Read more

The Daily Journal, Friday, July 26

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Someone unsubscribed (not a bad thing) * Topic: A Proposed Inventory for Short Fiction * Daily diary * Of Interest * The numbers Quotes of the Day “I like to hope that because stuff’s surprising me along the way, maybe it has the same surprise and spontaneity for readers. … It’s all about following it wherever it may lead.” Tana French (Thanks to Phillip McCollum for pointing me to this quote) “Is there a lesson here for self-pubbers? … to be a success, you have to publish well and often.” Kristy … Read more

The Daily Journal, Thursday, July 25

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Correction * Topic: A Reminder of What It Takes… * Daily diary * Of Interest * The numbers Quote of the Day “[M]y creative voice is barely verbal. Maybe two [years old]. … [S]he whined, ‘I don’t wanna spend the rest of my life doing stinky licensing.’” (grin) Kristine Kathryn Rusch Correction While putting together my novel and novella inventory, I found what I thought was an error. I seemed to be missing a novel. But I added every new thing I wrote to my New Fiction spreadsheet as I finished … Read more

The Daily Journal, Wednesday, July 24

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Topic: Start An Inventory. Start It Now. * Daily diary * Of Interest * The numbers Quotes of the Day “The more you reason the less you create.” Raymond Chandler “The faster I write the better my output. If I’m going slow, I’m in trouble. It means I’m pushing the words instead of being pulled by them.” Raymond Chandler “[R]eaders don’t really care who published a book, but mostly just care about the story….” Laura Benedict “I’m not a young man. I’m old, tired and full of no coffee.” ― Raymond … Read more

The Daily Journal, Tuesday, July 23

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Topic: A Review of Google Play Books * Daily diary * Of Interest * The numbers Quotes of the Day “The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” Sylvia Plath “Don’t rewrite, except to editorial order. (And then only if you agree.)” Robert A. Heinlein (Harlan Ellison) See? If you rewrite, it’s because of self-doubt. The self-doubt instilled in you by nonwriters over years and years of so-called education. “An English teacher teaching you how to write fiction is like a fish teaching you how to ride a bicycle.” Harvey Stanbrough Topic: … Read more