Hey, You Do You

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Attitude of a Fiction Writer * My Goals * Hey, You Do You * Of Interest Quotes of the Day “I write one draft, done, and I never look at it again. Why would I look at it again? I know how it ends.” Dean Wesley Smith “Nothing will stop you from being creative so effectively as the fear of making a mistake.” John Cleese “Don’t write the book you think might sell. … [W]rite the book that is tearing at your insides to get out. Write the book that keeps … Read more

I Celebrate Beginnings, But I Mourn Endings

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Today or Tomorrow * Topic: I Celebrate Beginnings, But I Mourn Endings * Of Interest Quotes of the Day “You never learn by turning around and going backwards. Learning in writing is practice, working on the next new story and applying the knowledge your creative voice has gained from the last stories.” Dean Wesley Smith “Don’t compromise yourself. You are all you’ve got.” Janis Joplin Today or Tomorrow Over the past three days, I’ve managed to lose two subscribers. One was with us for only a month. The other, since January … Read more

Yes, Whatever Works For You Is Fine

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * The Novel * Topic: Yes, Whatever Works For You Is Fine * Of Interest The Novel As you can see from the numbers below, yesterday was not a good writing day. It was barely a writing day at all. We had a great visit with our son, though, so no biggie. I’m also notorious for slowing my writing toward the end of a novel because I hate to see it end. But last night I realized I’ve been pressuring myself too, and that’s just stupid. Because I felt I was closing … Read more

The Invaluable Daily Word Count Goal

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * The Novel * Topic: The Invaluable Daily Word Count Goal * Of Interest Quote of the Day “Do you have a rough idea what the novels will be?” comment on Dean’s post from yesterday “No clue. I’ll write what strikes me when I sit down on the first day. That’s as much planning as I ever do.” Dean Wesley Smith The Novel Welp, the story didn’t wrap yesterday, and here we are in a brand new month and a brand new quarter. This day has never happened before, so we can … Read more

Challenge Time?

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * The Novel * Topic: Challenge Time? * Of Interest Quotes of the Day “So [my] new challenge, starting October 1st, is two novels a month for the last three months of the year.” Dean Wesley Smith Ahem. I’d like to note for the record, I set my adjusted goal for the rest of this year before I read what you see above in Dean’s post for today. (grin) “Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor.” Truman Capote (born on this date, 1924) “New robotic drug capsule drills through mucus … Read more

Tossing Around Some Numbers

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Topic: Tossing Around Some Numbers * Of Interest Quote of the Day “Knowledge is proud that he has learned so much; Wisdom is humble that he knows no more.” William Cowper Topic: Tossing Around Some Numbers I wasn’t going to post a Journal entry today, but a conversation with a student this morning spurred some thoughts. The fiction-writing myths are deeply ingrained in our society. They’re inadvertently taught in junior high, high school, and college English and Literature classes by teachers and professors who are only teaching what they themselves were … Read more

10 Lesser Mistakes Writers Make

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Topic: 10 Lesser Mistakes Writers Make * Up Next * Of Interest Quotes of the Day “[W]here there is fun, there’s no panic to do something a certain ‘correct’ way, or fear that certain mistakes will ruin the book. It’s just about having fun telling stories, and not worrying about the rest.” Chynna Pace “The writer who is a real writer is a rebel who never stops.” William Saroyan “Know what you believe, and be bold with it in your fiction.” James Scott Bell Topic: 10 Lesser Mistakes Writers Make Back … Read more

The Top 7 Mistakes Writers Make

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Topic: The Top 7 Mistakes Writers Make * Up Next * Of Interest Quote of the Day “When you think you’re pregnant, and you’re not, what happens to that child that has already formed in your mind? You keep it filed in a drawer of your consciousness, like a short story that wouldn’t work after the opening lines.” Hilary Mantel Topic: The Top 7 Mistakes Writers Make Very long post today. This is an update on an article I first posted over on my author site way back in 2013. It … Read more

Every Novel Writes Differently

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Every Novel Writes Differently * PS: * Of Interest Quotes of the Day From the Give Me a Break Department: “Can you become sick through social media? New research says it might be possible, as vulnerable people fall prey to mass psychogenic illnesses via the internet.” Kite & Key staff (I’m guessing mask mandates will come next.) “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” Yogi Berra Topic: Every Novel Writes Differently The title is a maxim I first heard from Dean Wesley Smith. Now, as I write … Read more

If You Really WANT to Write Into the Dark

In today’s Journal * Topic: If You Really WANT to Write Into the Dark * Of Interest Topic: If You Really WANT to Write Into the Dark If you Really WANT to let go of all the BS and just write into the dark, please read this post. I’m not saying anything new, but I’m saying it in a new way that some of you might “get” even if you didn’t before. (Note: If you DON’T want to WITD, I’m not trying to convince you. Feel free to skip down to “Of Interest” or come back tomorrow.) Of all the … Read more