Bradbury, Play vs. Work, and Humans Are Mortal

August 5, 2024 by Harvey

In today’s Journal

* Quote of the Day
* The Bradbury Challenge Writers Reporting
* Notes on Play vs. Work
* A Note Re Subscriptions
* Humans Are Mortal (Who Knew?)
* Of Interest
* The Numbers

Quote of the Day

“It is difficult to be afraid of anything about which enough is known.” Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (again, via Dr. Mardy’s Quotes of the Week on “Overcoming Fear”

Yes. “…about which enough is known.” This is exactly why I write this Journal. So you will know enough to overcome your fear of WITD.

The Bradbury Challenge Writers Reporting

To take part, the only requirement is to write at least one short story per week. Then, if you want to share your success, submit the story title, word count, and genre to me each week for publication in the Journal on Monday. (Yes, you can also write a longer story and submit your progress each week.)

The whole point is to have fun and grow as a writer. You can join or rejoin the challenge at any time.

There’s no cost. You can even do it on your own, without reporting numbers to me or anyone else.

During the past week, in addition to whatever other fiction they’re writing, the following writers reported these new stories:

• Vanessa V. Kilmer “Black Licorice” 5555 Murder Mystery

• Adam Kozak “The Hard Way” 2450 General Fiction

• JP Maulgue “The Intruder” 1345 words suspense

• Dave Taylor “The Quant” 4941 SF

• Alexander Teut “A Cadet Girl” 2029 Erotic

Longer Works

• Christopher Ridge “The Cruise” Horror 8000

Congratulations to each of them for kicking that rabid critical voice dog to the curb.

Notes on Play vs. Work

As I’ve mentioned before, my sheer play time is writing fiction. But I also work long hours, typically 12 to 14 hours per day, 7 days a week. I’m not complaining.

I enjoy my work too. The most enjoyable part of my work is writing and publishing TNDJ every morning. I love passing along what I know.

Opening Critiques

I also enjoy doing Opening Critiques for other writers, mostly because it’s such a tightly focused area and a writer can learn so very much from a good, valid (non-story-content) critique. So again, I get to pass along what I know.

I even offered free critiques for awhile, but so few took advantage of them that I’m now charging a flat fee of $15 for all critiques. Trust me, that’s a bargain. To read about how to get a critique, click here.

Note: As I read your manuscript, if I feel a copyedit is warranted and will help you understand the critique better, I’ll throw that in at no extra charge.

Copyedits

I even enjoy doing copyedits for writers of all levels, again because I love teaching what I know. And with a copyedit, you can see a technique in action in your own writing. There’s no better way to learn than a real-time example in your own writing.

Like other copyeditors, I edit via insertions and deletions. Unlike most copyeditors, I also teach as I go, commenting on why I did what I did so you can learn.

Each copyedit I do is a masters class in writing fiction, replete with instructional comments. Each is also thorough, so that if you learn the techniques, you won’t need a copyedit on future works from me or anyone else.

If I accept your story or novel for a copyedit, my rate will vary between .005 cent (1/2 cent) per word to .015 cents (1.5 cents) per word. Everything depends on the quality of the manuscript and the depth of copyedit needed.

Regardless, it will be the best money you’ve ever spent, and you’ll learn a lot more than you would by attending a writer’s conference or workshop.

To explore submitting a manuscript for consideration for a copyedit, click here. The page isn’t very long. Please read it carefully.

The Essential Facts

With my recent rate change, this is a new beginning. So regardless of whether I’ve copyedited for you before,

• you must send the full manuscript (.doc, .docx, or .rtf via email attachment), which I will look over.

• The manuscript and the writing will determine whether I will accept or decline to do a copyedit.

• If I accept, I’ll reply with your particular per-word cost and your total cost. (I don’t like carrying spare change in my pocket, so I usually round down.)

Then you will decide whether you want to hire me. It’s just that simple.

A Note Re Subscriptions

I’m glad you find the Journal (TNDJ) of value. If you’re a paid subscriber, thank you.

If you’re a comped subscriber,

and if you can afford a paid subscription now, please consider getting a paid subscription. It’s only $5 per month or $60 per year.

To do so, click Donate Here and set up a recurring donation of $5 per month OR a one-time (annual) donation of $60 via PayPal.

Thank you! That will free-up a comped subscription for another writer who needs it but can’t afford it.

If you’re a free subscriber,

you will receive The New Daily Journal only occasionally. To receive every valuable issue, please click the Subscribe button below to subscribe through Stripe.

As an alternative, you also may click Donate Here and set up a recurring donation of $5 per month OR make a one-time (annual) donation of $60 via PayPal. Thank you!

Humans Are Mortal (Who Knew?)

Yeah, even me. Much as I despise even the thought of it (grin), I’m human and therefore mortal. Fortunately, because I love writing fiction so much, I seldom think about it.

But the fact remains (pun intended), although my fiction will live on in perpetuity, TNDJ, my unique opening critiques, and my unique copyedits won’t be around forever.

Of necessity, they will continue only for a limited time. I urge you to take advantage of them while you can.

A fiction writer’s toast: May your day, week, month and year be filled to the brim with fun and with the feel of your fingers moving over the keyboard as you convey the stories of your characters.

Talk with you again soon.

Of Interest

You have to suck at something before you can be good at it. PLEASE look at this. It isn’t long.

The Numbers

The Journal……………………………… 1030

Writing of Blackwell Ops 27: Sam Gentry

Day 1…… 3004 words. To date…… 3004

Fiction for August…………………….….… 3004
Fiction for 2024…………………………. 474408
Fiction since October 1………………… 735054
Nonfiction for August……………………… 5560
Nonfiction for 2024……………………… 252570
2024 consumable words………………… 684567

2024 Novels to Date……………………… 11
2024 Novellas to Date…………………… 0
2024 Short Stories to Date……………… 4
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)……………… 93
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)…………… 9
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)……… 241
Short story collections…………………… 29

Disclaimer: I am a prolific professional fiction writer. On this blog I teach Writing Into the Dark and adherence to Heinlein’s Rules. Unreasoning fear and the myths of writing are lies, and they will slow your progress as a writer or stop you cold. I will never teach the myths on this blog.

If you find this blog of value, please support it with a paid subscription. You may click the Subscribe button below, or you may click Donate Here and set up a recurring donation of $5 per month OR make a one-time (annual) donation of $60 via PayPal. Thank you!

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