Getting Ideas (and other stuff)

This content was previously posted on June 26, 2016 in the Daily Journal. I posted it here because of the valuable topic included below. Soon I might begin posting the Daily Journal here every day. Hey Folks, Probably today will be another non-writing day for me. Despite the fact that when I take a day away from writing fiction I feel itchy and annoyed. I gave my word to a couple of folks who quickly took … Read more

Story Starters, Openings and How to Write Fiction

This is a topic of the day from my Daily Journal yesterday. I’m considering moving the Daily Journal over here and posting it to my Pro Writers list every day. If you’re reading this, you’re on that list. Anyway, here’s a topic of the day for you. Story Starters, Openings and How to Write Fiction One person asked me in an email yesterday where I get ideas and how I can move from story to story. … Read more

Workshop Report

Hi Folks, Because many of you still haven’t made the switch to my Daily Journal, I decided to post this over here as well. This is for you, not me. Workshop Report I finally watched and listened to the Week 1 videos from Dean Wesley Smith’s Teams in Fiction workshop at about 6:30 last night. I expected them to be bland and boring in the first week. Nature of the beast. In the first week, because … Read more

Good Stuff for Writers

Hey Folks, I almost forgot to post something for today. This probably will be brief. First, my apologies for allowing two short stories to post yesterday. On the home page of my website at HarveyStanbrough.com you can scroll down to see both of them below this post. Or you can click the Free Short Story tab and see both of them there. I’m finally on the verge of writing again after a very long (for me) … Read more

Creating a Reverse Outline

Hi Folks, In the interest of full disclosure, I first posted this as a blog entry on April 2 in my Daily Journal at HEStanbrough.com. To continue the discloure, this is a technique I learned from Dean Wesley Smith. I find his openness and instruction (inadvertent and otherwise) pretty much invaluable. But to the topic at hand. Anyone who knows me or has talked writing with me for more than five minutes knows I don’t outline. … Read more

Interim, Interim Post

Hi Folks, If you’re a reader, I have some great news for you. If you’re a writer, I have some even greater news. There’s a new book bundling service called BundleRabbit. If you aren’t familiar with book bundles, let me explain. If you’re a reader, you can sign up to receive their newsletter. Each time a new book bundle is ready, they’ll send you an email. Then you read the email and, if you’re interested, go … Read more

Appendix C—Rules for Writers and Writing

I’m not going to spew a bunch of extra stuff here. It should go without saying that I believe the “rules” in this appendix are good ones to follow. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have included them. One note—please don’t be so closed minded that you see (for example) Robert Heinlein’s name and automatically assume the rules that follow apply only to science fiction. They don’t. I’m not joking. Seriously, if that’s who you are, please … Read more

Appendix B—The Two Most Important Writing Exercises You Will Ever Do

What follows are two of the more important writing exercises I have ever learned or taught. I hope you will take advantage of them. First, an exercise to get you started actually writing. 1. On a sheet of paper, write down three character names. They can be full names or first names or last names or nicknames. Whatever comes to mind is fine. But nothing else, just names. Do that now. Don’t think about it, just … Read more

Chapter 6—Writing Setting, and Notes on Writing the Scene: Part II

Just a quick announcement—I’m restarting my business as a copyeditor, ebook formatter and cover designer. I’ll take on only a few clients. If you’re interested in any of the above, even if not right at the moment, please let me know that via email. Details to come soon on my website under Writer Services. Now to continue with Chapter Six. If you missed the previous post or would like a refresher, you can find Chapter Six, … Read more

Chapter 6 — Writing Setting, and Notes on Writing the Scene: Part I

As I mentioned in the Introduction, the setting is the location in which the scene takes place. Simple, right? Not really. The inability to write the setting is where a lot of writers lose readers, and even the readers don’t know why. If nothing in the first few hundred words pulls them down into the story, they simply drift away. Readers must be grounded in the setting. The more firmly they are grounded in the setting, … Read more