D A Nelson

Book 2 in my Loch Ness Chronicles is now out and only 99p/99c for a limited time only! Get it here: https://geni.us/thevanished The first book – Loch Ness – is also available for 99p/99c: https://geni.us/danelsonlochness Here’s the blurb: A wedding interrupted. A prince accused. A darkness reborn. Esther Abercrombie thought her greatest trials were behind her. At last, she and Duncan…

Pictured: Maeve Brennan, the Long Winded Lady. I know, I know. I’ve been a bad writer and not written anything in this blog for a couple of weeks. I have no excuses. Anyway, I do have news. I’ve finished the first draft of the second Loch Ness book (as yet untitled) and I’ve started writing the first draft of the third book. I’m planning to put these books (and hopefully two more) along with a…

It’s been swelteringly hot in Scotland over the past week, which has made doing anything unpleasant. I’m definitely not a sun worshipper, I hate being hot and sweaty, and I love cooler weather. So, this latest heatwave has not been welcome. I’m just glad it’s not raining though. Anyway, due to the aforementioned heatwave, I’ve been out doing things in the garden, namely cutting back very…

If any of you are following me on social media, you may have seen some videos I put up introducing some characters in my novels, Loch Ness and Dusting Down Alcudia. I created the videos to promote the fact that the ebook versions of both books were up for 99p/99c for the entire month of July. That promotion is now over, but there will be plenty more you can enjoy in the coming months. This…

I’ve been writing professionally since I was 18, starting in journalism, moving into PR, and writing fiction on and off since childhood. But I didn’t take fiction seriously until my late 20s. Now at 54, I’ve learned what works for me—and what doesn’t. What Works Dedicated Space: I have a specific spot just for writing. It tells my brain, “It’s time to work.” Set Writing Time: I write daily—an…

So, I’ve got a few books up for 99p/99c on Amazon right now including Loch Ness, The Vampire’s Mistress and Dusting Down Alcudia.  These deals are ONLY for the month of July, so get yours now. Alternatively, if you have a KU account, you can read all three for FREE. Right, so in my title I mentioned there’s a free book up for grabs. Loch Ness is available for 99p/99c in this Fairytale Romance…

Relatable, real characters are the core of compelling fiction. Readers connect not just to stories, but to people who feel genuine – those who are flawed, complex, and emotionally true. I gave you ten examples of Writing Deep and Relatable Characters recently, now here’s part two of that article, sections 11-20. 11.Moral Ambiguity and Tough Choices Have your characters make decisions that are…

Here’s a wee free-to-read article I put up today on my struggles to start writing today: https://dawnnelson-46858.medium.com/writing-malaise-how-i-struggle-to-write-sometimes-8194cd100e1a I’ve been writing novels for years and my first one was traditionally published in 2007, but even I struggle to find the energy and will to write some days. Today’s that day! 😀  

Creating characters that resonate with readers takes more than a clever back story or some interesting quirks. To help you write deeper and more relatable characters, here’s the first ten of 20 writing tips that will help you to craft amazing protagonists and evil villains. A more in-depth look at these can be found on Medium. Use Real-Life Inspirations Look at people you know, public figures…

I don’t know if you remember, but I decided to take down The Vampire’s Mistress and give it a freshen up. I’m so pleased with it now and it’s back up on Amazon: https://geni.us/thevampiresmistress   It’s the story of Eliza Hart who is given to a local Laird as payment for a debt by her horrible uncle. Unbeknownst to Eliza, there’s much more to Laird, Jared Maclean, than meets the eye. Set in…

Last week, I gave you ten examples of how to write killer plot twist that will leave your readers begging for more. This week, I’ve got some more. Leverage Time Loops or Nonlinear Timelines I love when this happens in a story, it really messes with your head. Reveal at some point in the story that it wasn’t told chronologically, that the final piece of the puzzle is hidden in the past or even the…

There’s nothing like a well-executed plot twist to make a reader’s jaw drop, flip back a few pages, and exclaim, “Wait—what?!” But writing a killer twist isn’t about slapping a surprise onto your story like a sticker and be done with it. The most memorable have been crafted with care, skilfully planted as foreshadowing, and deliver at just the right moment. In this guide, I’ll give you some…

Worldbuilding isn’t just for dragons and distant galaxies. Even the most grounded contemporary fiction demands a world that breathes—full of texture, nuance, and quiet detail. So how do you craft a world that feels real, immersive, and alive? This guide walks you through the essential elements of building a universe readers won’t want to leave. Define the Physical World What does your physical…

Hi everyone, how’s things? Hope you’re all okay. I’m great this week. I’ve got the week off and have been spending it sorting out the jungle that is my garden and writing. I was never totally happy with The Vampire’s Mistress – the novel I brought out last year. So, I’ve been editing it again and I’m expanding it. It’s currently sitting at around 53,000 words. My plan is to expand the story and…

I’ve pulled together a sure-fire plan for writing for people who want to write fiction or non-fiction. This is a short version of a longer piece I published on Medium, but more on that later. Okay, so let’s get into it. Part One – planning and pre-writing Work out what your core idea is, your themes, your characters etc. Work out who your audience is and what genre your book is. This is…

My starter, which was pork in pastry with delicious blobs of stuff I can’t remember what they are. Over the weekend, I travelled down to Dumfries to catch up with an old friend. The journey down took me about three hours. Where I live, it’s a 45-minute journey by train (or car, but I took the train) into Glasgow. I went to Glasgow Central station where I jumped on a train that took me to…