Category Archives: Reading

Writing Exercise: Character and Voice

Posted on April 19, 2012 by dbjackson

Developing our writing voice for a story or a character can be incredibly difficult; it can also be quite rewarding when we get it right.  The key for me is stepping out of “myself” and forcing myself into the psyche … Continue reading →

Posted in Character, Friendship, Fun, kids, Novels, parenting, Reading, Writing, Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Writing Tip: What to do with All Those Rules

Posted on April 11, 2012 by dbjackson

You’ve heard the rules before:  Don’t write in first person.  Don’t write in present tense.  Don’t start your book or story with dialogue.  Don’t use adverbs.  Don’t use said-bookisms.  Don’t switch point of view from one character to another in … Continue reading →

Posted in Business of publishing, Character, Novels, Publishing, Reading, Short Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Marcon This Weekend

Posted on April 4, 2012 by dbjackson

I am looking forward to Marcon, which takes place in Columbus, Ohio this coming weekend.  I am a special literary guest at the con — or rather, David B. Coe is, and since he and I are truly inseparable, I’ll … Continue reading →

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New Freebie Added to the Website!

Posted on March 27, 2012 by dbjackson

Today I updated the D.B. Jackson website to include a free download of “The Tavern Fire,” the first story (the first fiction, for that matter) I published as D.B. Jackson.  The story first appeared in a terrific anthology called After … Continue reading →

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Review: The Hunger Games

Posted on March 24, 2012 by dbjackson

Last night I went with a group to see the movie adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ YA bestseller, The Hunger Games.  Our group consisted of seven teenagers, all of whom had read at least the first book in the Hunger Games … Continue reading →

Posted in Fun, movies, Novels, Reading, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Flash Writing Tip! Making Our Imagined Worlds Come Alive

Posted on March 13, 2012 by dbjackson

Okay, birthday is done, but I’m still on the road.  Time for another Flash Writing Tip.  Today’s topic:  Worldbuilding! The object of worldbuilding for writers of speculative fiction is really no different from the goal of mainstream writers setting up … Continue reading →

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Writing Tips: Point of View and Voice, part III — Voice and Authenticity

Posted on March 8, 2012 by dbjackson

A couple of days ago, in the second installment of my Writing Tips series on Point of View and Voice, I focused on how I decide how many characters to use as POV characters, and how I choose which characters … Continue reading →

Posted in Character, Ethan Kaille, Fantasy, History, Mystery, Novels, Reading, Thieftaker, Urban Fantasy, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Writing Tips: Point of View and Voice, part II — Choosing Your POV Character(s)

Posted on March 6, 2012 by dbjackson

Last week, I wrote the first installment in this series of Writing Tips posts on point of view and voice.  As I indicated in that post, writers trying to determine how to approach point of view for their particular projects … Continue reading →

Posted in Character, Ethan Kaille, Mystery, Novels, Publishing, Reading, Thieftaker, Urban Fantasy, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Writing Tips: Point of View and Voice, part I — Overview

Posted on March 1, 2012 by dbjackson

Today, I begin a series of posts on point of view and voice in storytelling.  This topic will take several posts, because it is arguably THE key element in storytelling.  We’ll kick off the discussion today with an overview of … Continue reading →

Posted in Character, Ethan Kaille, Fantasy, Mystery, Novels, Reading, Thieftaker, Urban Fantasy, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

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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