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Author: Don Paul Benjamin

Donald Paul Benjamin is an American mystery novelist. He was born in Greeley, on Colorado’s eastern plains. As a teen he worked on his high school newspaper. Upon graduation in 1963, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving three years as a military journalist, including a tour in Korea. Honorably discharged, he completed a teaching degree at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC). In 1982, he earned a master’s degree in college administration at Oregon State University. From 1982-2014, he worked in Arizona higher education. In 2014, he retired to the wild Western Slope of Colorado, where he lives in the small town of Cedaredge, fishing and hiking in the surrounding wilderness. He recently married Donna Marie, his publishing collaborator, who's a graphic designer and production artist. The two now operate "Elevation Press," a company which helps self-publishing authors format their Microsoft Word documents into print-ready PDFs which can be submitted to a traditional printer or print-on-demand service such as Kindle Direct Publishing.

Picture This

Posted on December 23, 2022December 6, 2022 by Don Paul Benjamin

Stuck for a way to begin writing? Describing a photograph may break a stalemate. Friend and muse, Katherine Key, snapped this compelling photo along a Western Colorado Trail. Inspired by this photograph, a description can be literal, as shown below. Or lyrical, as the final example suggests. Either approach will get the juices flowing. A…

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Head-hopping: a two-fold essay

Posted on October 28, 2022September 30, 2022 by Don Paul Benjamin

Part 1 At the risk of drifting into the realm of technical writing tips, I’ll take a moment to examine the phenomenon of “head-hopping.” Loosely defined, the term refers to the practice, in a single scene, of beginning to tell a story from one character’s (say, one rabbit’s) point-of-view; then suddenly hopping to another rabbit’s…

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When to write?

Posted on September 30, 2022September 30, 2022 by Don Paul Benjamin

Many serious authors establish and maintain a set schedule for writing. The timing is generally a product of their family/work schedule. Working folks may be obliged to write on weekends, or early in the morning or late at night, before and after work, respectively. Retired individuals have more flexibility—perhaps too much—because those with extra time…

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Fog Emergency

Posted on August 31, 2022August 31, 2022 by Don Paul Benjamin

So, COVID came to call on July 7. Initial symptoms passed quickly with medication and rest, but brain-fog and fatigue lingered for just short of two months. During that time, I ceased all writing activities–including this blog. Which is why I missed my deadline. During recovery, I couldn’t entertain more than one muddled thought at…

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Titular Tenting

Posted on June 25, 2022June 25, 2022 by Don Paul Benjamin

When I write a first draft, I always give each chapter a title. Even something as trite as ‘How I Spent My Summer Vacation’ serves to focus and guide the writing. Think of each title as a separate tent into which you’re going to place a set of related ideas. When those tents are assembled…

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