cj Sez: Labor Day this year is on September 7. Applause,
applause for all U.S. workers.
Did you know? Labor Day is a creation of the labor movement
and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers.
It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made
to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. Sa-lute! I wish all
of you guys a safe and enjoyable Labor Day.
For writers and readers:
 |
| Buy The Madness |
Writers, here are some words of encouragement from Author DJ
Adamson’s Just Thinking July Newsletter:
“The journey: Every writer can point to a moment when
writing changed from a pastime into a calling.
For me, that moment wasn't dramatic. There wasn't a bolt of lightning or an overnight success. It was simply a decision—a quiet promise to myself that I wanted to write novels, not merely dream about writing them.
I discovered that writing a novel isn't something you squeeze into the leftover moments of the day. It demands time, discipline, and persistence. It asks you to show up when the words refuse to come. It asks you to keep believing in a story long before anyone else ever reads a page.
There were manuscripts that never saw publication. Characters who didn't work. Plots that collapsed halfway through. Chapters that were rewritten so many times they barely resembled the originals. Yet every failure taught me something the successful pages never could.
Eventually I realized I wasn't simply writing books. I was becoming a novelist. Whether on a bestseller list or not.
Being a novelist isn't defined by a publishing contract or the number of books on a shelf. It's defined by returning to the keyboard day after day, year after year, because stories still matter to you. It's learning to trust revision as much as inspiration. It's understanding that every novel makes you a better storyteller than the one before.
If you're standing at the beginning of your own writing journey, wondering whether you have what it takes, know this: every published novelist once faced the same blank page. The difference wasn't talent alone. The difference was making the decision to keep writing.
Everything else grew from that one choice...JUST THINKING”
For me, that moment wasn't dramatic. There wasn't a bolt of lightning or an overnight success. It was simply a decision—a quiet promise to myself that I wanted to write novels, not merely dream about writing them.
I discovered that writing a novel isn't something you squeeze into the leftover moments of the day. It demands time, discipline, and persistence. It asks you to show up when the words refuse to come. It asks you to keep believing in a story long before anyone else ever reads a page.
There were manuscripts that never saw publication. Characters who didn't work. Plots that collapsed halfway through. Chapters that were rewritten so many times they barely resembled the originals. Yet every failure taught me something the successful pages never could.
Eventually I realized I wasn't simply writing books. I was becoming a novelist. Whether on a bestseller list or not.
Being a novelist isn't defined by a publishing contract or the number of books on a shelf. It's defined by returning to the keyboard day after day, year after year, because stories still matter to you. It's learning to trust revision as much as inspiration. It's understanding that every novel makes you a better storyteller than the one before.
If you're standing at the beginning of your own writing journey, wondering whether you have what it takes, know this: every published novelist once faced the same blank page. The difference wasn't talent alone. The difference was making the decision to keep writing.
Everything else grew from that one choice...JUST THINKING”
D. J. Adamson
Always love hearing from you, whether to just say hello or to offer comments! Email me at dj@djadamson.com
Always love hearing from you, whether to just say hello or to offer comments! Email me at dj@djadamson.com
§§
This August 12, 2026, Friedman guest post is excerpted
from The Blurb Puzzle by Morgan Lee Clasper Clasper says: “Every
good blurb takes readers on an emotional journey—a sort of miniature version of
your story.”
§§
Writerly/Readerly quote:
“The greatest part of a writer’s time is spent in reading in
order to write. A man will turn over half a library to make a book.” – Samuel
Johnson
§§
Teaser
cj Sez: Here’s a brief excerpt from my novel A Time to Die:
“Let’s say five o’clock at Magnolia Cemetery in Mobile.”
She looked out the window. It was four o’clock, and February’s dim daylight was already waning.
Doesn’t matter if this guy is legit or not, there’s no way I’m going to meet a stranger in a cemetery after dark. Even if it is located across the street from the Mobile Police Academy.
§§
Thank you to the readers of my books and other authors'
books! Thank you to book groups, book reviewers, too. THANK YOU.
§§
That’s it for this month’s post. You-all guys keep on
keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.
cj
My novels are available at these ebook sites:
https://books2read.com/u/bxL9xv
And in paperback wherever books are sold.
https://books2read.com/u/bxL9xv
And in paperback wherever books are sold.
(By the way, remember that you can support independent
bookstores by ordering from bookshop.org.)
Stop by my Amazon author page for a listing of all my books:
Amazon Central Author Page
Just a reminder: Lyrical Pens blog for readers and writers
is a monthly issue, kind of like a newsletter. I’m aiming for the first of the
month, whatever day that is, so watch for it please. That said, thank you for
stopping by Lyrical Pens today. I really do appreciate every one of my
visitors. Drop me a comment or a question, and we’ll talk.
➜ Follow me on
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