Category Archives: Writing

Writing Tips: Writing Is Hard

Posted on February 21, 2012 by dbjackson

Sounds sort of weird, I know.  I mean, what kind of tip is “Writing is hard?” In all honesty, it might be the most important tip I ever post to this site. Let me start by saying that this is … Continue reading →

Posted in Business of publishing, Character, Friendship, Novels, Publishing, Short Fiction, Writing, Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

DragonCon, Here I Come

Posted on February 16, 2012 by dbjackson

Writing under a pseudonym is weird.  It’s also fun, and I’ll get to that in a minute.  But let’s focus on the weird for a moment.  It’s weird in big ways — I’m promoting myself, but it’s not me.  I’m … Continue reading →

Posted in Appearances, Business of publishing, Publicity, Publishing, Thieftaker, Writing, Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Writing Tips: Trusting Your Reader

Posted on February 14, 2012 by dbjackson

Recently, while reading through a wonderful short story written by a Master’s student with whom I’m working, I found myself writing a comment in the page margin that rang all too familiar.  The student had just had one of her … Continue reading →

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Web Site Update and News!

Posted on February 11, 2012 by dbjackson

So, I have updated the D. B. Jackson website to reflect a few recent developments.  First of all, I have been invited to be a special guest at a couple of upcoming conventions — Con*Stellation, in Huntsville, Alabama (October 2012) … Continue reading →

Posted in Appearances, Business of publishing, History, Novels, Publicity, Publishing, Thieftaker, Writing, Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Web Site Update and News!

Writing Tips: The Taxman Cometh

Posted on February 9, 2012 by dbjackson

As it happens, I’m doing my taxes today (I’m expecting a refund, so there’s no reason to wait for April), and so I thought I would share a bit of information about professional writers and their tax process.  For those … Continue reading →

Posted in Business of publishing, Publishing, Writing, Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments

Writing Tips: Character Development Starting Points

Posted on February 7, 2012 by dbjackson

Aspiring writers are often told that they should “write what they know,” which I’ve always felt is a strange bit of advice for people trying to make their way in a profession founded upon feats of imagination.  And to my … Continue reading →

Posted in Character, Novels, Short Fiction, Writing, Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Ethan Kaille’s Diary: 3 February 1765

Posted on February 3, 2012 by dbjackson

On Monday and Wednesday, I shared with you the first two in a series of entries from a day journal belonging to Ethan Kaille, thieftaker and conjurer, whose life and work in Colonial Boston are the subject of the upcoming … Continue reading →

Posted in Boston, Character, Ethan Kaille, History, Mystery, Short Fiction, Thieftaker, Urban Fantasy, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Ethan Kaille’s Diary: 1 February 1765

Posted on February 1, 2012 by dbjackson

On Monday, I shared with you the first in a series of entries from a day journal belonging to Ethan Kaille, thieftaker and conjurer, whose life in Colonial Boston is the focus of the upcoming Thieftaker books (beginning with Thieftaker, … Continue reading →

Posted in Boston, Character, Ethan Kaille, History, Mystery, Short Fiction, Thieftaker, Urban Fantasy, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Ethan Kaille’s Diary: 30 January 1765

Posted on January 30, 2012 by dbjackson

As I noted in a post on the first of this year, I recently came across a day journal belonging to Ethan Kaille, thieftaker and conjurer, whose many adventures in Colonial Boston are the subject matter for the upcoming Thieftaker … Continue reading →

Posted in Boston, Character, Ethan Kaille, History, Mystery, Short Fiction, Thieftaker, Urban Fantasy, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Writing Tips: More on Dialogue — Conversations As Narrative

Posted on January 27, 2012 by dbjackson

The other day, in my first Writing Tips post, I wrote about said-bookisms and the challenges of dialogue attribution.  Just to reiterate, the key to effective dialogue attribution is showing readers the emotions and thoughts of those characters who speak … Continue reading →

Posted in Character, Ethan Kaille, Friendship, Novels, Publishing, Short Fiction, Thieftaker, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments