An Informal Announcement

Hey Folks, Last week, for the first time since I started this blog, I failed to put up a post. My apology, but there was a reason for that. I’ve been working on an exciting new project. I’m not ready to announce it officially yet, but I want to whet some appetites. I’ve written over 50 novels and novellas and almost 200 short stories, many in very specific fictional worlds. Recently, it struck me that I … Read more

A Time for Challenges

Hey Folks, Well, I’m leaving this post up for another week. Not because I don’t have plenty else to write about, but because… It’s that time of year again. The new year is rapidly approaching, and with it comes new opportunities and new resolutions. A time to reset writing goals and maybe jumpstart our writing. What better way to start than with a personal challenge? We use challenges to stretch ourselves just a bit beyond what … Read more

Practice Is Important

Hi Folks, Note: This is a time-sensitive post, so I put off the post on bad writing instructors until July 10. Practice Is Important Part I — Rationale and a Harsh Truth About Hovering As it is in all art, practice in writing is important. Without practice, the writing craft and the writing itself goes stale. And as it is in all art, practice in writing is fun, if uncomfortable. Many writers still feel more comfortable … Read more

On Challenges, Part 2

Hi Folks, Note: This follows on a topic I wrote for The Daily Journal. If you haven’t read it, you can find it at http://hestanbrough.com/the-journal-friday-915/. At the beginning of the calendar year, I challenged myself to write 15 novels during the year. Later, after an intended novel fell short and ended as a novella, I adjusted the goal to 16 novels or novellas. That should have clued me I was in trouble. It didn’t. I plunged … Read more

Rebuilding, and an Exciting Announcement

Hey Folks, I’m sending this to all subscribers to the Pro Writers blog and the Free Story of the Week posts. The Pro Writers posts will resume on Tuesday, June 27. This is a special post to notify you of updates and some exciting news. The Free Story of the Week will be supplanted with the challenge I outline below. Basically, I’m decluttering and revamping my websites, and I’m prepping to begin a new long-term writing … Read more

A Personal Challenge and an Invitation

Hi Folks, I set myself a personal challenge. For the month of June, I want to write a new short story every day. That’s tough enough. But in addition to that, I want to write those stories truly “in public.” I want the public to be able to watch virtually as the stories grow, scene to scene. To that end, in the original challenge, I was going to paste each scene to a Facebook page I … Read more

The Journal, Tuesday, 5/9

Hey Folks, Today should be the last day of settling into my office. I think the more difficult task will be getting used to writing in here. I almost look forward to winter, short as it is, so I can move my writing back to the Hovel. I put a lot of stuff through my writing ‘puter out there. Speaking of the writing ‘puter, it’s back. (grin) I had nothing to lose so I plugged in … Read more

The Journal, Tuesday, 5/2

Hey Folks, A few more thoughts on the forthcoming challenge— I won’t write a novel in public. There’s no realistic way to do so. Also, I’ve decided on a dedicated Facebook page as the venue for this challenge. Might as well make it truly “in public.” To that end, here’s the post I added to Facebook this morning. I also shared it with several major writers’ groups around the nation: ANNOUNCING A NEW CHALLENGE A few … Read more

The Journal, Monday, 5/1

Hey Folks, Hey, a new month and a new week! Does it get any better than that? I don’t think so. After I finished here yesterday, I set up my formulas for my May spreadsheet, then went in to cook supper. *** May I just say I don’t like people who are ignorant? I’m not talking about intellectual capacity or the lack thereof. I’m talking about a willingness to assert assumptions despite a complete lack of … Read more

The Journal, Saturday, 1/21

Hey Folks, Back to writing this morning. Even though I still don’t know how the novel will end, I’m looking forward to finishing so I can start the next one. Rainy and drizzly overnight and this morning, with a little sleet tossed in for good measure, so I’ll be in the Hovel soon probably. For now I’m outside. Probably I’ll hang around the house until everyone’s awake. Topic: Challenges One reason I’m looking forward to this … Read more