The Journal, Thursday, March 8

Hey Folks,

No writing today. In fact, over yesterday and today, when my wife is home after work, I’m reading my latest novel to her aloud. Amazing some of the little things I’m finding and correcting as I go.

For goodness’ sake, READ YOUR WORK ALOUD.

I’m also formatting and proofing my wife’s recently finsihed memoir of her childhood, titled A WonderFull Life. Great fun, and well into our 33rd year of wedded bliss, I’m learning things I didn’t know. (grin)

***

I chatted via email with my friend Robert Sadler earlier today, and the matter of Heinlein’s Rules came up. As a result, I copied (word for word) the last bit of an essay Heinlein wrote in which those rules, which he called “business habits,” first appeared.

I thought I’d share that here with you. The paragraphing, every word, and the italics are original to the author.

Topic: The Original Heinlein’s Rules

The whole essay is in a little book titled Of Worlds Beyond: The Science of Science Fiction Writing (c. 1947 Fantasy Press), edited by Lloyd Arthur Eshbach. It has essays by Robert A. Heinlein, John Taine, Jack Williamson, A. E. van Vogt, L. Sprague de Camp, Edward E. Smith and John W. Campbell.

When Dean first mentioned the book a couple of years ago, i searched and found a first edition for about $35.

Fascinating little book.

Toward the end of a 7-page essay titled “On the Writing of Speculative Fiction,” Heinlein wrote

“I’m told that these articles are supposed to be some use to the reader. I have a guilty feeling that all of the above may have been more for my amusement than for your edification. Therefore I shall chuck in as a bonus a group of practical, tested rules which, if followed meticulously, will prove rewarding to any writer.

“I shall assumed that you can type, that you know the accepted commercial format or can be trusted to look it up and follow it, and that you always use new ribbons and clean type. Also, that you can spell and punctuate and can use grammar well enough to get by. These things are merely the word-carpenter’s sharp tools. He must add to them these business habits:

“1. You must write.
“2. You must finish what you write.
“3. You must refrain from rewriting except to editorial order.*
“4. You must put it on the market.
“5. You must keep it on the market until sold.

“The above five rules really have more to do with how to write speculative fiction** than anything said above them. But they are amazingly hard to follow–which is why there are so few professional writers and so many aspirants, and which is why I am not afraid to give away the racket! But, if you will follow them, it matters not how you write, you will find some editor somewhere, so unwary or so desperate for copy as to buythe worst old dog you, or I, or anybody else, can throw at him.”

I love his smug sense of humor. (grin) Now a few notes from yours truly:

*In later years, to Rule 3, Harlan Ellison added “And only if you agree.”

**I wish Heinlein had omitted “speculative” and just wrote “fiction.” I can’t tell you how many times young writers refuse even to read these five business habits because they “don’t write science fiction.”

Finally, if you’d like a copy of the annotated (by me) rules, click http://harveystanbrough.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Heinleins-Business-Habits-Annotated.pdf. It will download a PDF file directly to you.

Be back soon.

Of Interest

See “Insider’s Guide Webinar Workshops” at http://deanwesleysmith.com/.

See “Re-reading your work” (especially #1 in light of my topic on Reverse Outlines from yesterday) at https://killzoneblog.com/2018/03/re-reading-your-work.html.

See “When A Thing Becomes a Motif” at https://killzoneblog.com/2018/03/when-a-thing-becomes-a-motif.html.

Fiction Words: XXXX
Nonfiction Words: 600 (Journal)
So total words for the day: 600

Writing of (working title)

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

Total fiction words for the month……… 20463
Total fiction words for the year………… 71768
Total nonfiction words for the month… 2670
Total nonfiction words for the year…… 22000
Total words for the year (fiction and this blog)…… 99118

Calendar Year 2018 Novels to Date………………………… 2
Calenday Year 2018 Novellas to Date…………………… 0
Calendar Year 2018 Short Stories to Date……… 0
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)………………………………………… 29
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)……………………………………… 4
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)……………………………… 182