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 decades ago, a writer named Harlan Ellison set up a desk in a storefront window and wrote short stories, one after another, on a manual typewriter.

As he finished each page, he stood and taped it face-out to the window so those interested could read his stories as they were being produced.

No editing, and (OMG!) no rewriting. It’s called “writing in public”.

I’m thinking of doing the same thing on a special, separate Facebook page I will set up in the near future specifically for this purpose.

I will also combine this with a personal challenge to write at least one short story per day for a month straight (in either June or July), mimicking my unintentional mentor, Dean Wesley Smith.

I’ll post the pages of the story as they come out on the FB page so readers can follow along as the story progresses. I wll neither request nor accept comments on the pages/stories. (Trust me, that would kill the impetus.)

Just to be sure you understand, I’m NOT challenging anyone else to do this. Only myself. I’m a masochist, not a sadist. 🙂

Thoughts? 🙂

Today, and Writing

Rolled out right at 3. Checked email and found Gnondpom’s comment awaiting approval. That led me to writing the first long bit above about the challenge. Which I later replaced with the Facebook post.

Around 3:30 I went to CreateSpace again to do the final proof of The Right Cut.

I seem to be taking a leisurely stroll into the day. That feels good. Around 8 a.m. I went to the Hovel, revised some of the above.

Around 8:30 I created a cover for the story I wrote a day or two ago and did the other prep work (formatting, promo doc, etc.). I saved it to my flash drive. Later today I’ll upload it.

Around 9 I went back to the house to get my sunglasses (prevent too much glare from the computer screen). I ended up creating the FB page for my forthcoming endeavor.

10 a.m., finally back to the Hovel and the novel.

Worked on the novel off and on much of the day, interspersed with too much playing on FB with my new page, etc.

If you’d like to see the new page where the magic will happen (grin) check out https://www.facebook.com/HarveyStanbroughWritingInPublic/. Again, comments are welcome.

Back tomorrow.

Of Interest

Some great comments on “Challenge Hit!! 30 Stories in 30 Days” at http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/challenge-hit-30-stories-in-30-days/.

And some sheer excitement at “Wrap Up and Start New” at http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/wrap-up-and-start-new/.

Fiction Words: 3366
Nonfiction Words: 490 (Journal)
So total words for the day: 3856

Writing of The Storm (tentative title, novel)

Day 1…… 3227 words. Total words to date…… 3227
Day 2…… 3366 words. Total words to date…… 6593

Total fiction words for the month……… 6593
Total fiction words for the year………… 254187
Total nonfiction words for the month… 1510
Total nonfiction words for the year…… 76200

Total words for the year (fiction and this blog)…… 330387

The Daily Journal blog streak……………………………………… 524 days
Calendar Year 2017 Novel Goal (15 novels)………………… 4 novels
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)………………………………………… 24
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)……………………………………… 3
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)……………………………… 167