Tag Archives: writing life

Quick-Tip Tuesday: Emotion and Narrative

Posted on July 26, 2016 by dbjackson

So how do we imbue our prose with emotion? Well, we DON’T do it with a sledge hammer. I am not telling you to bludgeon your readers with paragraphs-long explorations of your characters’ emotions. That would be no better than … Continue reading →

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Quick-Tip Tuesday: More on Self-Editing

Posted on July 12, 2016 by dbjackson

This is still the work of an inexperienced writer. Comparing The Outlanders to the work I’ve done more recently, I still cringe a little at the habits of that younger me. But I also see growth, a writer beginning to … Continue reading →

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The Re-Release of My First Novel

Posted on July 7, 2016 by dbjackson

To fans of the original, thank you for the support you’ve shown me over the years. I couldn’t be more grateful. To those coming to the series for the first time, welcome. I hope you enjoy reading these novels as … Continue reading →

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Quick-Tip Tuesday Guest Star!

Posted on June 28, 2016 by dbjackson

Joshua Palmatier is guest-starring at Magical Words today, with a Quick-Tip Tuesday post on self editing. Check it out here.

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A Quick-Tip Tuesday Post on Writing Communities

Posted on June 14, 2016 by dbjackson

Writing can be a lonely profession. We often work on our own, toiling alone for hours at a time, sending our work into what can feel like a marketplace vacuum, and waiting for feedback that can be hurtful, even brutal. … Continue reading →

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A Quick-Tip Tuesday Post on Self-Editing!

Posted on May 31, 2016 by dbjackson

I’ve noticed an incredible amount of extra verbiage in my early books — filler, if you will: superfluous words that add little to the storytelling, but clutter up my prose. For the wordiness-intolerant, these words are as unwelcome as, well, … Continue reading →

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A Quick-Tip Tuesday Post on Travel and Narrative

Posted on May 17, 2016 by dbjackson

We never know when we’re going to draw upon experiences in our lives, be it for setting or character, plot or emotional content, dialog or action or romance or any of the myriad other narrative elements that come, at least … Continue reading →

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Release Day Quick-Tip Tuesday Post!

Posted on May 3, 2016 by dbjackson

So I’m going to push myself to achieve my goals. I’ll do everything I can to make my ambitions come to fruition. And I’ll dream a little. Because here’s the thing: Dreams can’t come true if I don’t push myself … Continue reading →

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Alex Bledsoe, the Library Police, and Me

Posted on April 24, 2016 by dbjackson

Last weekend, at the Chattanooga Steampunk Expo, I had the distinct pleasure of meeting in person and hanging out with my longtime internet buddy, Alex Bledsoe, author of the Eddie LaCross and Tufa novels, among others. (Visit his site for … Continue reading →

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Quick-Tip Tuesday Is Back, with Ro Laren!

Posted on April 19, 2016 by dbjackson

But simply adding a character isn’t always enough. Sure, a love interest can spice things up, or a new villain can ratchet up the tension. But sometimes what a story needs is both more subtle than those options, and also … Continue reading →

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