In today’s Journal
* Quotes of the Day
* Happy New Year
* Thanks
* Topic: Yesterday, Cycling, and the Two Days Before
* Yesterday too, an article
* Heinlein’s Rules
* Annual Recap
* The Numbers
Quotes of the Day
“It’s never too early to start something new, and it’s never too late to fix what’s broken for next time.” Wes Crowley
“Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365-page book. Write a good one.” Brad Paisley (thanks to Sam T for sharing this)
For those of you who wait to begin a new year on January 1, Happy New Year. I’ve also found it useful to remember that (as Brad Paisley said above), a year is only 365 days in a row, and a new series of days begins with each dawn.
That’s how my old buddy Wes Crowley looks at it too (see the first Quote of the Day above). (grin) However you count the beginning of a new year, make it what you want it to be.
I didn’t have much to say yesterday, so I skipped publishing an edition of the Journal. Thanks for hanging in there with me.
Topic: Yesterday, Cycling, and the Two Days Before
I had a good writing day on Wednesday even though I temporarily lost my way in the story on Tuesday.
So on Wednesday I cycled back through pretty much the whole novel (just reading for pleasure and allowing my characters to touch the story as I went. That got me back on track, and even with all the cycling I still had a pretty decent day with slightly over 4000 words.
However, the characters also introduced a new major problem, a complete surprise and a very emotional one. We (the characters and I) ended up with three new chapters that hadn’t been there before. Which of course meant I had to then cycle through a few of the other chapters yet again with the new information in mind.
But as always the characters took over and ran with the story. Still, I had a smaller day Thursday than I would have liked. If “difficult” is a word that can be applied to writing fiction, yesterday was a difficult day. I had to let the characters adjust the story here and there while simultaneously keeping my own critical, conscious mind (the author) out of it.
But it’s all good. And I LOVE the new curve ball the characters threw into the mix. Later on Thursday (around 11 a.m.), I got back to the white space (where I hadn’t written yet) and the characters continued to let the story unfold.
With the additional cycling on Thursday (yesterday) my numbers are low, but at least they’re there. (grin) And tomorrow on my new goals kick in. Should be interesting.
Yesterday too I saw an article titled “What to Do While You Are Waiting for Publication.” I did not link to it in “Of Interest” because it mentioned nothing about indie publishing and assumes all authors are dumb enough and insecure enough to sell all rights to traditional publishers.
I mention this only because my immediate, unsolicited response when I first saw the title was “Write the next book.” That’s what I do while I’m “waiting for publication” even though I’m an indie publisher.
At this moment I have 54 finished novels, but only 52 of them published. I’m still “waiting for publication” on 53 and 54. And I’m what, around 19,000 words into 55? (grin)
I’m a writer, so I write (Heinlein’s Rule 1). And when I feel like I can afford a day away from writing, I publish.
Heinlein’s Rules
If you want to be a successful professional writer, Heinlein’s Rules (officially “Heinlein’s Business Habits for Writers”) consists of only five rules. They are the simplest rules of writing you’ll ever find, yet owing to human nature, they’re also the most difficult you’ll ever try to follow. Consider this a dare. (grin)
By the way, if any of you out there don’t yet have a copy of Heinlein’s Rules and would like to see what all the fuss is about, click https://harveystanbrough.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Heinleins-Business-Habits-Annotated-2.pdf. A PDF document will be downloaded to your computer.
Annual Recap
In December I wrote 115,940 words of fiction and 20,900 words of nonfiction (all in this blog, I believe). In 2020 I wrote 568,471 words of fiction—spread over 9 novels and 13 short stories—and 206,200 words of nonfiction.
It was not a good year. I can never know what I might have written during those 4+ lost months. Which brings me full circle back to “It’s never too early to start something new, and it’s never too late to fix what’s broken for next time.”
Talk with you again soon.
Of Interest
See “When my first novel was published” at https://www.thepassivevoice.com/when-my-first-novel-was-published/. How great is this guy?
See “New Year Starting” at https://www.deanwesleysmith.com/new-year-starting/. Tips on goals and streaks and starting.
See “Ray Bradbury at 100” at https://www.thepassivevoice.com/ray-bradbury-at-100/.
See “Here She Comes Again: Reading Dolly Parton” at https://www.thepassivevoice.com/here-she-comes-again-reading-dolly-parton/.
See “Murder, It Sucks The Air Out Of Living” at https://leelofland.com/murder-it-sucks-the-air-out-of-living-2/.
The Numbers
The Journal…………………………………… 860 words
Writing of The Journey Home: Part 5 (novel)
Day 1…… 4179 words. Total words to date…… 4179
Day 2…… 4825 words. Total words to date…… 9004
Day 3…… 2746 words. Total words to date…… 11750
Day 4…… 4032 words. Total words to date…… 15782
Day 5…… 2873 words. Total words to date…… 18655
Total fiction words for December……… 115940
Total fiction words for the year………… 568471
Total nonfiction words for December… 20990
Total nonfiction words for the year…… 206200
Total words for the year (fiction and this blog)…… 774671
Calendar Year 2020 Novels to Date…………………… 9
Calendar Year 2020 Novellas to Date……………… X
Calendar Year 2020 Short Stories to Date… 13
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)…………………………………… 54
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)………………………………… 8
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)………………… 214
Short story collections……………………………………………… 31