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 hope you’ll still at least peruse them. Now and then I’ll toss you some fresh meat. (grin)

Quotes of the Day

“Structure should not form a prison, but allow the story to peer through and come free.” Michaele Lockhart

“Always begin as close to the moment your hero’s life changes as possible.” Jackson Dean Chase

Topic: A Recommendation

I can’t strongly enough recommend Writing Dynamite Story Hooks by Jackson Dean Chase. This is hands-down the best opening-textbook I’ve ever seen. (Including my own Writing Great Beginnings.)

I bought my copy almost a year ago, but I hadn’t started reading it until yesterday. I wish I’d started much sooner.

As Mickey Spillane once wrote, “Your first line sells the book. Your last line sells the next book.”

That’s true enough.

Now consider, you should write a great opening hook not only at the beginning of your story or novel, but at the beginning of every major scene and every chapter. The hook/cliffhanger/hook combo is how you keep the reader turning pages.

If you’re serious about learning the craft of writing, buy this book. Not only is it a master-level course in writing openings, but it’s chock full of other gems as well.

You can visit Jackson Dean Chase’s website at https://www.jacksondeanchase.com/.

Rolled out at 4 this morning after being up late last night. I was working on a spreadsheet. (grin)

Today and tomorrow I’ll work on spreadsheets too (and other business-side things) and do some more learning. I hope to be finished-enough to start writing on Monday instead of waiting for the first day of the month.

For just one example, tody I’ll finish reading my PDF copy of Writing Dynamite Story Hooks. Then I’ll read it again, more carefully.

If you follow my example, remember to read for pleasure (yes, even nonfiction), then read again consciously. You learn with the conscious mind.

But when you start writing, don’t think about it. What you need will seep through into the subconscious while you’re reading and studying. (Just like the placement of periods and question marks did back in the day.)

What you’ve learned from your reading will come out through your fingertips into the keyboard as you’re writing.

See the second item in “Of Interest.” If you’re “thinking” anything about your writing, that’s your conscious, critical mind horning in where it doesn’t belong.

Talk with you again tomorrow.

Of Interest

For additional spreadsheet heading tips, see Topaz’ comment on yesterday’s Journal post at https://hestanbrough.com/the-daily-journal-friday-july-26/#comment-1255.

If you’re still having trouble quieting your critical voice, see Finn’s comment on yesterday’s Journal post (and my response) at https://hestanbrough.com/the-daily-journal-friday-july-26/#comment-1257.

See “youBooks?” at https://killzoneblog.com/2019/07/youbooks.html.

See “A Strange Thing Happened…” at http://prowriterswriting.com/a-strange-thing-happened/.

For some great photos of bookmobiles and book wagons, see The Passive Guy’s posts at

https://www.thepassivevoice.com/this-tiny-traveling-bookstore-wanders-the-french-countryside/,

https://www.thepassivevoice.com/yes-bookmobiles-are-still-a-thing/, and

https://www.thepassivevoice.com/mobile-libraries-part-2/.

Fiction Words: XXXX
Nonfiction Words: 520 (Journal)
Total words for the day: 520

Writing of ()

Day 1…… XXXX words. Total words to date…… XXXXX

Total fiction words for the month……… 7399
Total fiction words for the year………… 358737
Total nonfiction words for the month… 29750
Total nonfiction words for the year…… 213950
Total words for the year (fiction and this blog)…… 572687

Calendar Year 2019 Novels to Date…………………… 7
Calendar Year 2019 Novellas to Date……………… 1
Calendar Year 2019 Short Stories to Date… 1
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)…………………………………… 43
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)………………………………… 8
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)………………… 194
Short story collections……………………………………………… 31