In today’s Journal
* Quote of the Day
* David Farland
* Dan Baldwin
* The end of the novel
* Of Interest
* The Numbers
Quote of the Day
“It’s been my belief from the beginning that there is virtually nothing an author can do to significantly impact sales. The best way for an author to sell books is to write more books.” John Gilstrap
David Farland
I’ve been linking to a series of posts by David Farland in “Of Interest.” So far he’s posted ten lessons. There might be more.
I don’t agree with everything Farland says about writing and especially publishing, but the man is a bestselling fantasy writer. So if you write fantasy (or if want to) I strongly recommend you read his series on “Making Better Magic Systems.” Couldn’t hurt, right?
Dan Baldwin
My friend and professional writer Dan Baldwin has an interview coming up on the program Midnight Society with Tim Weisberg. It will air live on June 2 from 7 – 9pm Pacific Time (10pm – 12am EST).
Dan and Tim will be talking about the paranormal, so if that interests you, email Dan at baldco@msn.com for more information. I assume the interview will be recorded. If so, I’ll share that link in “Of Interest” after the fact.
Dang. I graduated high school in Tatum, New Mexico fifty-one years ago today. Well, actually yesterday, but I forgot to mention it. And tomorrow my dad would have been 93. I only mention it because 51 years ago he called my graduation a birthday present.
The end of the novel and personally significant dates, apropos of nothing
The end of the novel is drawing nigh. If anyone wants a free copy of Rise of a Warrior, email me at harveystanbrough.com. This offer ends when the current book ends.
Fifty-one years ago yesterday I graduated high school in Tatum, New Mexico with about 38 other students.
Tomorrow, my dad would have been 93 if he had lived past 59. I mention this only because 51 years ago my graduation was a birthday gift to my father.
Talk with you again soon.
Of Interest
See “Making Better Magic Systems, Lesson 10” at https://mystorydoctor.com/making-better-magic-systems-lesson-10/.
See “The Super Flower Blood Moon lunar eclipse is coming May 26” at https://www.space.com/super-flower-blood-moon-lunar-eclipse-2021-coming-soon.
See “How Can a Star Be Older Than the Universe?” at https://www.space.com/how-can-a-star-be-older-than-the-universe.html. Now that’s some SF story fodder if ever I saw any. What might be going on in the planetary system around the oldest star in the universe?
See “TKZ Marketing Survey” at https://killzoneblog.com/2021/05/tkz-marketing-survey.html.
See “Amazon Publishing, DPLA Ink Deal to Lend E-books in Libraries” at https://www.thepassivevoice.com/amazon-publishing-dpla-ink-deal-to-lend-e-books-in-libraries/. Another reason not to go exclusive. My ebooks, which are “also” available at Amazon, have been available at around 1200 libraries around the world since 2011 through Smashwords and D2D.
See “Who deserves a book deal?” at https://www.thepassivevoice.com/who-deserves-a-book-deal/. One more reason to indie publish. The day someone else can dictate what I write is the day I stop writing.
The Numbers
The Journal…………………………………… 480 words
Writing of Wes Crowley (novel, tentative title)
Day 10… 4022 words. Total words to date…… 36567
Day 11… 4477 words. Total words to date…… 41044
Day 12… 2356 words. Total words to date…… 43400
Day 13… 3634 words. Total words to date…… 47034
Total fiction words for May……… 68690
Total fiction words for the year………… 439969
Total nonfiction words for May… 15220
Total nonfiction words for the year…… 100080
Total words for the year (fiction and this blog)…… 540049
Calendar Year 2021 Novels to Date…………………… 8
Calendar Year 2021 Novellas to Date……………… 1
Calendar Year 2021 Short Stories to Date… 3
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)…………………………………… 61
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)………………………………… 8
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)………………… 217
Short story collections……………………………………………… 31
Disclaimer: In this blog, I provide advice on writing fiction. I advocate a technique called Writing Into the Dark. To be crystal clear, WITD is not “the only way” to write, nor will I ever say it is. However, as I am the only writer who advocates WITD both publicly and regularly, I will continue to do so, among myriad other topics.