In today’s Journal
* Quotes of the Day
* A Rare Advertisement
* The Writing
* Of Interest
* The Numbers
Quotes of the Day
“You write something and it can cause you to take pause. Or at the very least, you need to catch your breath and get some air because it’s then you realize you are not in control of your art. Something very spooky and invisible is. You’re just the conduit.” Vin Zandri
“There’s no such thing as writer’s block. That was invented by people in California who couldn’t write.” Terry Pratchett
Ridiculous, inane, stupid statement of the day: “Writers not only don’t work alone: they can’t.”
Um, yes, we do. And we love it. “Visiting” in “little packs” of “book culture” and all that other crap are ways to avoid writing.
A Rare Advertisement
I very seldom announce releases of even my own books, here or anywhere else. But this is such a great value, I couldn’t help myself.
Right now for a ridiculously low 99 cents, you can grab Vin Zandri’s American Crime Story: The Complete Saga. Don’t miss your chance.
The Writing
To see my goals for 2024 and two new mentorships I’m considering offering, read this post. If you’re interested, email me at harveystanbrough@gmail.com.
Day before yesterday, I thought the novel would probably wrap in another chapter and a half. But I stopped and went to lunch, then didn’t really feel like writing afterward. I think I mentioned that in yesterday’s post.
Yesterday morning, I returned to the novel, still expecting it to wrap in a chapter and a half.
Um, as I’m writing this entry (yesterday afternoon shortly after 1 p.m.) I just returned from a short break at the house. I wrote three chapters before that break. Now I expect the novel to wrap today (Dec 26), probably in one more chapter, but I’m not placing or taking bets.
During the break, I told my wife I expect the novel to wrap after one more chapter, but if it doesn’t, I would stop writing anyway and the novel would wrap tomorrow (Dec 27).
And no, I’m not complaining. Just explaining how things go.
Anyway, that isn’t the big news. The big news is this:
This morning, in what will be my 82nd novel, I wrote the strongest, maybe best individual chapter I’ve ever written. It was so strong that I recognized it as being strong and momentarily wondered where it the world it came from.
I’m not talking here about being surprised or amazed at characters doing things I don’t expect. That’s routine.
Because I trust the characters and am writing-down their story as it unfolds around them, that’s an everyday occurrence. I’ve known for a very long time it’s the characters’ story, not something I’m making up.
But this time, in that one chapter, one character surprised me (and the other character) SO much and affected us SO strongly that it rattled both of us to the core of our being.
That’s the sort of thing that can happen when you write what actually occurs in a story and what the characters do and say in response as you run through the story with them. I am blessed to have learned that lesson long ago, and today I was rewarded for knowing it and trusting it.
When I finished that chapter, I couldn’t continue writing. I had to get up and take a break, if only to let the event settle in my head or heart or wherever such things settle. What a great feeling.
I wish the same for all of you.
Okay, now back to the writing ‘puter to see whether the novel will wrap today or will be continued tomorrow. I don’t really care. I only wish I could invite these characters into my world, not only in a novel, but in real life.
Update — The novel did not wrap today. And I’m actually glad. I can only barely wait until tomorrow to see what happens next.
I also added a little over 1100 words to the short story. The day gave me a little over 5600 words of fiction.
Of Interest
Targeted Sale to Get Ready for 2024
Hemingway’s Parlay! On December 23, Vin Zandri “had the great pleasure and honor of being the very first guest on John Hemingway’s new podcast, Hemingway’s Parlay. We talk about all sorts of great stuff including the state of modern publishing.”
10 great openings to romantic novels
The Numbers
The Journal……………………………… 740
Writing of Tarea-Garcia 1
Day 11…. 3771 words. To date…… 39612
Day 12…. 4366 words. To date…… 43437
Day 13…. 4533 words. To date…… 47970
Writing of “The Love of Soleada”
Day 1…… 1079 words. To date…… 1079
Day 2…… 1444 words. To date…… 2523
Day 3…… 0225 words. To date…… 2748
Day 4…… 0747 words. To date…… 3495
Day 5…… 1105 words. To date…… 4600
Fiction for December…………………… 103423
Fiction for 2023…………………………. 504257
Fiction since August 1………………… 389033
Nonfiction for December……………… 20920
Nonfiction for the year……………… 276500
Annual consumable words………… 777250
2023 Novels to Date……………………… 10
2023 Novellas to Date…………………… 0
2023 Short Stories to Date……………… 8
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)…………… 81
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)…………… 9
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)…… 236
Short story collections…………………… 31
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Disclaimer: I am a prolific professional fiction writer. On this blog I teach Writing Into the Dark and adherence to Heinlein’s Rules. Unreasoning fear and the myths of writing will slow your progress as a writer or stop you cold. I will never teach the myths on this blog.