Hi Folks, This is to introduce a new series of posts. Two of my recent posts have been about learning, but many others (especially those on FrostProof808) have been about writing into the dark, a function of the subconscious mind. The thing is, you LEARN with the conscious (critical) mind. You WRITE with your subconscious, creative mind. So this series will be nuts and bolts stuff to feed your conscious mind. What is important will sift … Read more
Hi Folks, Note: I’m not sure why this post missed going out on June 1, but I’m looking into it. In any case, here it is a day late. Harvey This is an important blog post. I first posted it over on The Journal in slightly different form. I encourage you to sign up for that blog. It is the more important of the two, and if this one goes away, that one will continue. As … Read more
Note: Please forgive, but I just realized MailChimp did not send out this post the first time. For that reason, I’m reposting it today, 9 May. After that, we’ll be back on schedule with two final posts to close out the Microsoft Word for Writers series. My apologies for any confusion. Thanks. Hey Folks, Learning. One thing that’s common to all of the professional writers I know is that they never stop learning. It’s why I … Read more
Hi Folks, I was just looking at my site stats. Shouldn’t do that, I know, but I did. Ugh. Seeing those stats prompted me to write this interim post concerning a pair of curiosities. Curiosity Number One Of 500+ subscribers to this blog, I typically get around 80 views. Oddly, that’s on the in-between posts, like this one. The “big” posts in the Microsoft Word for Writers series that I’m doing right now generally get around … Read more
Hi Folks, This is another in the non-series series of posts that I hope you might find useful. This morning I rolled out of bed right at 2 a.m. I’ve been getting up between 2 and 3 for quite awhile now. I consider it working the morning shift. Quiet time. Writing time. And on this particular morning, I awoke realizing I had a short story due. In April 2014, I challenged myself to write at least … Read more
Hi Folks, Well, here we are with another post that isn’t part of the usual series. Still, even with these that are not part of the normal series, I try to pass along what I’ve learned as a writer. This post is the result of an email I received in response to a recent short story of the week. The respondent (also a writer) writes, [H]ow do you manage to get all these stories edited? Congratulations … Read more
Hi Folks, This post and the next seven are excerpted and expanded from a seminar I put together awhile back titled “Microsoft Word for Writers.” I also posted this series before, a couple years ago, on this blog. However, I have updated the information where necessary. I encourage you to comment and share new information, but please question, comment or expand only on the topic of the current post. Today’s post briefly introduces Microsoft Word and … Read more
Hey Folks, This is another “extra” post, not part of the regular 10-day cycle. If I could assume the attitude of any other writer, it would be that of Ray Bradbury. There are a lot of quotations about him and from him, but the one biggie I always associate with him is, “I love to write. It’s all I do.” It’s very easy for me to allow myself to slip into living in the past. Had … Read more
Hi Folks, The guidelines below are truisms, facts, not opinions. They will work for hobby writers, part-time writers and professional writers. If you are not a writer or if you believe you have to “suffer” for your art or any of that, they won’t work for you. Note: I’m all about intentions and facts, not perceptions. If you disagree with any or all of this post, please don’t email me. I’ll just smile, shrug and say, … Read more
Hi Folks, This is a personal aside. It isn’t part of the regular series, which comes out every ten days. There’s some humor here, so I hope you’ll enjoy it. If you take it seriously… well, that’s a function of your perception of yourself, not my intent. Here’s the thing: People keep talking about me having found “my way” to be a writer. Then most often they congratulate me, as if I’d been out in the … Read more