Topic

The Journal: Don’t Be Dismayed. Have Fun.

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Topic: Don’t Be Dismayed, Be Determined. And Have Fun. * Yesterday by 9 a.m. * Today * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “Every day is another chance to make it happen. That’s why I don’t wait until Monday.” a United Parcel Service (UPS) ad “Execution beats luck.” from the FS.blog newsletter “Nothing other people do is because of you. It is because of themselves. All people live in their own dream, in their own mind; they are in a completely different world from the one we live … Read more

The Journal: Take Your Time

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Topic: Take Your Time * “That” and other words of interest * Great writing day * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.” Pablo Picasso “My goal is to live my life in such a way that when I die, someone can say, she cared.” Mary Kay Ash (thanks to Sam T. for the tip) “In 1977, I wrote my autobiography. Since I was dealing with my favorite subject, I wrote at length and I ended with 640,000 words.” Isaac … Read more

The Journal: Find Your Passion

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Farewell and welcome * Topic: Find Your Passion * Goal talk * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “When you’re too focused on making money you lose touch with the person you want to be.” Anonymous from an article I read “Staying home for the entire year was sort of a vacation for me, and I had more time to write.” Kay DiBianca Farewell to subscriber “canyonwhispers” and welcome to Ellen in the Phillipines. Glad to have you with us. If I can ever help in any way … Read more

The Journal: Maybe A Valuable Lesson on Writing Series Novels

In today’s Journal * Maybe A Valuable Lesson on Writing Series Novels * On Writing * My own writing * Of Interest * The Numbers Maybe A Valuable Lesson on Writing Series Novels In fact, this might be a good lesson for writing short stories in series too, if you’re into that. I haven’t published The Ark yet. I’m waiting for all the input to get back from my first readers. But I discovered a valuable lesson on writing series novels yesterday. Around 23,000 words into the first sequel (The Journey Home: Part 1), one of my characters thought it … Read more

The Journal: One Writer’s Process

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Topic: One Writer’s Process * Yesterday, I stopped writing * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “In Greek tragedy, they fall from great heights. In noir, they fall from the curb.” Dennis Lehane (via The Passive Voice) Topic: One Writer’s Process A few days ago, bestselling thriller writer and author John Gilstrap talked in the KillZone blog about his process. It was very informative. Dean Wesley Smith often also talks about his process, or his day, mostly to keep his blog streak alive. On John’s post, I was … Read more

The Journal: A Note About Consistency

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * Today (a forewarning regarding content) * Yesterday * Topic: A Note About Consistency * A Personal Note (this is the content I warned you about) * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “Repetition does not transform a lie into a truth.” Franklin D. Roosevelt “No writer I know thinks they write enough on any given day or week or month or year. It is a broken record almost every writer repeats over and over and over and over and over.” Dean Wesley Smith “Characters are not created by … Read more

The Journal: One Reverse Outline Template

In today’s Journal * Quotes of the Day * In response to John Gilstrap * Yesterday * Topic: One Reverse Outline Template * Of Interest * The Numbers Quotes of the Day “It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled.” Mark Twain “If I’ve started a story in the wrong spot, I generally won’t realize it until I’m around page fifty or so.” John Gilstrap “I do not romanticize the act of writing. I don’t talk about the anguish I suffer in creating. I do not have a fear of the blank page, writer’s … Read more

The Journal: A Diary of Days and an Epiphany That Might Help

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Topic: A Diary of Days and an Epiphany That Might Help * Why I’m telling you all of this * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “And that’s why I don’t outline and plot novels in advance. My characters and their stories don’t like to be forced into submission.” me Topic: A Diary of Days and an Epiphany That Might Help You know the slump I was in? Totally my fault. It had nothing to do with CovID-19 or the political season or me quitting cigars, though mostly … Read more

The Journal: The Essential Elements of a Story

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Topic: The Essential Elements of a Story * Hit another minor snag * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “The greatest threat to freedom is the absence of criticism.” Wole Soyinka (the first African writer to win the Nobel Prize in Literature) How very apt. Thanks to PG for the quote. Topic: The Essential Elements of a Story Disclaimers 1. In the following, when you see “story,” know that the advice applies to a short story, novella, or novel. A short story is about one event. A novella … Read more

The Journal: A New Use for Reverse Outlines

In today’s Journal * Quote of the Day * Happy Birthday * Topic: A New Use for Reverse Outlines * The Value of Cliffhangers * Tomorrow * Of Interest * The Numbers Quote of the Day “The faster the action, the more the writer should slow down the description.” Debbie Burke Yes. In the heat of battle, the POV character will notice far fewer aspects of the setting, but he will focus on that one aspect (or those few aspects) with a heightened sense of awareness because those aspects are crucial, as if time has slowed almost to a crawl. … Read more