Tag Archives: writing life

Writing-Tip Wednesday: Self-Editing Techniques

Posted on February 12, 2020 by dbjackson

We know the shapes of our narratives, and we also know our own voice and style. So our stories are likely to make sense to us, regardless of whether they make sense to others. On Monday, I wrote about my … Continue reading →

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Monday Musings: Learning to be an Editor

Posted on February 10, 2020 by dbjackson

I’m pretty good at diagnosing both narrative trouble spots and problematic wording. Over the years, I’ve had tons of practice, having found plenty of both in my own work. As I’ve mentioned here before, I am coediting an anthology, Galactic … Continue reading →

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Writing-Tip Wednesday: Finding an Agent

Posted on February 5, 2020 by dbjackson

Agents – good ones – understand contracts. They are fluent in legalese, and not only can they spot troublesome clauses in a written agreement, they can also improve terms on less contentious but equally important clauses. It is worth finding … Continue reading →

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Writing Tip Wednesday: A Rose By Any Other ‘Nym…

Posted on January 29, 2020 by dbjackson

Poor sales for one novel can drive down orders for the next one or even convince booksellers not to stock that next effort at all. And so, sometimes authors have to restart careers by switching names and starting over. With … Continue reading →

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Monday Musings: Overcoming Distraction and Getting Started

Posted on January 27, 2020 by dbjackson

The problem isn’t one of desire – I want to work, I want to be productive. Rather, the problem is one of inertia. A body – or in this case a creative mind – at rest will remain at rest; … Continue reading →

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Writing Tip Wednesday: I Suck At Titles, So Let Me Offer Some Advice…

Posted on January 22, 2020 by dbjackson

I suck at titles. Or at least I think of myself as sucking at titles. It turns out, though, that many of my colleagues think that they suck at titles, too, and I’ve always kind of admired their titles. Which … Continue reading →

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Monday Musings: Writing What We Have To

Posted on January 20, 2020 by dbjackson

I need to work through the memories and regrets, the guilt and love, the unresolved conflicts and incomplete conversations. Not because I want to, though I do, and not even because I might actually have a home for it when … Continue reading →

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Writing Tip Wednesday: The Nature of Conflict

Posted on January 15, 2020 by dbjackson

When I was in grade school (yes, grade school) we were taught about the rudiments of writing – not just grammar, mind you, but also the fundamentals of storytelling. We weren’t necessarily taught these things well, but they were, at … Continue reading →

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Writing-Tip Wednesday: Short Story Submissions

Posted on January 8, 2020 by dbjackson

Welcome to the first of my 2020 Writing Tip Wednesdays (name still very much negotiable…). Every Wednesday, I intend to post a tip for writers about some element of the craft or business of writing. I don’t really have in … Continue reading →

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Monday Musings — Lessons in Rock and Roll

Posted on January 6, 2020 by dbjackson

Artistic careers are hard. We all doubt ourselves; we all suffer setbacks. In many respects, diligence and persistence are at least as important as raw talent… I’m sharing this with you because, though I say these things on convention panels … Continue reading →

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