The Journal, Friday, 6/9

Hey Folks,

One astute reader noticed I wrote that the files I was waiting for were mailed on June 30. So, um, that would be almost a year ago.

They were mailed on May 30. In this situation, it still feels like a year ago. I corrected it. (Thanks, JGV)

Topic: End of the Challenge

Unfortunately, yesterday was the last day of the challenge.

Another friend (Thanks, RS) mentioned privately I could write a couple of flash fiction stories (up to 99 words) or short shorts (up to to 1999 words) to keep the challenge going.

I don’t want to use flash fiction. That would feel like cheating to me. I understand that most readers probably wouldn’t mind, but I’d mind. For me, using flash fiction breaks the spirit of the challenge.

And as for writing short shorts, that would be fine. But once I start writing, I can’t predetermine a story length. The characters take it to where they want it to go. It simply is what it is.

Spoiler alert: You’ll see a much longer version of this topic over on Pro Writers on Tuesday, June 20.

I’ll be back with another similar challenge before too long.

I found this challenge extremely beneficial to my work. Even abbreviated, this challenge

● dramatically increased my production. I now have 8 new short stories I wouldn’t have had without the challenge. Also, I’ve averaged just under 4,000 words of new fiction per day.

● increased my proficiency. Because I was posting the stories “live” scene by scene, I felt a sense of urgency to write them cleanly and get them out there.

● actually decreased the harmful influence of my critical mind. Again, because I was posting the scenes “live,” I cycled back through them one time to add any obvious omissions. Then I spell-checked them, and then I published them. The sense of urgency kept me from getting mired in the process. (No rewriting, remember?)

● enabled me to learn and practice new techniques more quickly and more cleanly, again because of the sense of urgency that was attached to it.

● handed me 2 new novel starts. That’s right. Out of only 8 new stories, 2 of them will be developed and expanded into novels.

I’ll use the rest of this month to gather story ideas (story starters), finish my novel and maybe write a second one, and create covers for and publish the stories I wrote this month.

Today, and Writing

Rolled out a little before 4. Did little the first few hours but write the stuff above and another blog post.

I probably won’t even write on the novel today, though I might, later.

Right now I’m switching Internet browsers from Firefox (been with them for years) to Microsoft Edge. Firefox updates every few days and it still crashes regularly. Enough is too much.

So logging into sites I use often, saving passwords on the new browser, all that.

I’m also putting together the dedicated website I’ll use when I start the next writing in public challenge. Slowly. But still fun.

Well, I called Job Corps. Despite their saying earlier that today was the deadline, we’re still up in the air. The lady said they’re re-reviewing his package, so I guess that’s good. We’ll see.

In the meantime, I had already called off the challenge. It’s already after 2 p.m. With all that’s happened today I’m just gonna make this a nonwriting day for fiction.

Back tomorrow.

Of Interest

Just this morning in The Digital Reader I learned of a place called Reedsy. Among many other things, Reedsy offers free courses on various aspects of writing, publishing, marketing etc. Check them out at https://blog.reedsy.com/learning. As always, take what you learn there with a grain of salt.

Fiction Words: XXXX
Nonfiction Words: 580 (Journal) 1130 (blog)
So total words for the day: 1710

Writing of June Novel

Day 1…… 2248 words. Total words to date…… 4925
Day 2…… 0505 words. Total words to date…… 5430
Day 3…… XXXX words. Total words to date…… XXXXX

Total fiction words for the month……… 31504
Total fiction words for the year………… 324411
Total nonfiction words for the month… 7270
Total nonfiction words for the year…… 97250
Total words for the year (fiction and this blog)…… 421661

The Daily Journal blog streak……………………………………… 561 days
Calendar Year 2017 Novel Goal (15 novels)………………… 5 novels
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)………………………………………… 25
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)……………………………………… 3
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)……………………………… 175