Category Archives: Business of publishing

Professional Wednesday: Trust Yourself. No, Really.

Posted on May 10, 2023 by dbjackson

Trust your reader. This is editor speak for “trust yourself.” It is something I say often to many of the writers I edit. But what does it mean? I have had my own lesson in “trust your reader” in recent … Continue reading →

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Monday Musings: This Blog, My Books, Your Support

Posted on May 1, 2023 by dbjackson

This Blog: I want to say from the outset that I love maintaining this blog. I write my twice-weekly posts because I enjoy sharing my thoughts (on Mondays) and my writing tips (on Wednesdays). Writing on demand in this way … Continue reading →

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Monday Musings: My Favorite Babies

Posted on April 24, 2023 by dbjackson

This post is not about my daughters. I swear. I love my girls exactly the same amount. Except maybe around my birthday, when my love for them is directly proportional to the quality of the presents they give me. Other … Continue reading →

Posted in Angry Robot Books, Bell Bridge Books, Belle Books, Business of publishing, Falstaff Books, Fantasy, Invasives, Islevale Cycle, Novels, Publishing, Radiants, The Chalice War, Thieftaker, Writing, Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Monday Musings: My Favorite Babies

Professional Wednesday: 2023 Is 1/4 Gone — What Have You Done?

Posted on March 29, 2023 by dbjackson

Spring is here. April is knocking on the door. 2023 is just about one quarter gone (a thought that sends me into a frenzied panic) and with the first three months of the year nearly over, I felt this would … Continue reading →

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Professional Wednesday: What Holds Me Back, part III — Imposter Syndrome and Other Insecurities

Posted on March 22, 2023 by dbjackson

Continuing my series of posts on “What Holds Me Back,” I turn today to more difficult issues. In my experience, the greatest challenges creators face are emotional ones, and I have struggled with such things throughout my career. This is … Continue reading →

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Monday Musings: Joni Mitchell and the Creative Journey

Posted on March 20, 2023 by dbjackson

Recently, I have been reading a biography of Joni Mitchell (a holiday gift from my older daughter), a long-time favorite of mine and, in my opinion, the finest songwriter in the history of rock and roll (more on that shortly). … Continue reading →

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Professional Wednesday: My Best Mistakes, part IV — Managing Expectations

Posted on March 1, 2023 by dbjackson

For the past several weeks, I have been sharing “My Best Mistakes,” which have included inappropriate remarks at a convention, poor business decisions, and replies to reviews. This week’s “Best Mistake” is a little different, in that it’s less about … Continue reading →

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Creative Friday: About That Celtic Urban Fantasy . . .

Posted on February 24, 2023 by dbjackson

Right around the holidays, I was shouting from the virtual rooftops about my new Celtic urban fantasy trilogy, The Chalice War, which would be coming out early in 2023. The first book, I bellowed (virtually), would be coming out in … Continue reading →

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Professional Wednesday: My Best Mistakes, Part III — Reviews, Damn Reviews, and More Reviews

Posted on February 22, 2023 by dbjackson

Continuing the “My Best Mistakes” series of blog posts . . . . Very early in my career, when my first book, Children of Amarid, was the only one I had out, I responded publicly to a online review from … Continue reading →

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Professional Wednesday: My Best Mistakes, Part II — A Bad Contract Is Worse Than No Contract

Posted on February 15, 2023 by dbjackson

Last week, I kicked off the latest Professional Wednesday blog post series, “My Best Mistakes,” with a humorous story about my behavior at a convention early in my career. I hope you enjoyed it. This week, I turn to more … Continue reading →

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