tarahlynn

In every attempt ever made to write a novel I think the writer comes upon this last cliff. When do we stop? And when does the moment come when we’re trying to perfect it and we’re actually beginning to do our own form of damage? Let’s face it: to most writers the work is never truly finished. A completed book, done, on the shelf, etc. and that writer can still pick it up and want to make changes. Sometimes we need to force ourselves to stop. I’ve heard author’s say that when their book is... Read Full Story

So, I have finally finished and released my first book. Life is good accordingly… Wow, I have never spent so many hours on something in my entire life to be rewarded with so little. No, I’m not complaining, but I will warn all self published writers from here on out that just the process of trying to get out press releases will make them question their desire to ever release and/or write a book again in their entire lives. What do you truly get out of writing and self publishing a book? No... Read Full Story

I am proud to announce that, finally, since I was fourteen years old, the first book in the Embraced by Darkness series is complete and published! I did it through Createspace and it is now for sale as a paperback ( Link – $15.00 ) and an ebook ( Kindle Link – $1.99 ) and I kind of feel like dancing and throwing up all at the same time. I’m freaking out lol, easy enough to admit but this really is terrifying and it really is very hard. I have set myself up to expect no sales (or very few... Read Full Story

We’ve all been there and the silent (yet horrific noise) of that moment is absolutely deafening. Or maybe its just the sound of your heart pounding in your ears as you begin to panic out of sheer, utter, terrible frustration. Whatever the sound it makes, its a biggy, and its the epitome of the writer’s nightmare. We don’t think of these moments when we decide writing is the most awesomeness thing (by 1000% mind you) in the whole fricken world. No, when we finally realize we’re writers and... Read Full Story

Let’s face it, writing is a lonely calling. We don’t do it with someone looking over our shoulder. Even when we need help and look for answers to our own toughest plot questions, its still, in the end, our own lonely project that no one will understand as deeply as we do and, hence, we are the only people who can solve our most difficult writing problems. So, why is this a good thing? I’m going to start by initially saying that this can and should be a good thing. Your writing may end up... Read Full Story

Let’s face it, most of the planet is not going to like your writing, even more than that, they are REALLY not going to like your book. There actually might even be haters out there. Yeah, you heard me, haters. Straight up, they are going to despise your book and many for no good reason other than that they read it at the wrong time, on the wrong day when they just happened to be a touch constipated. And they will never ever recommend your book, they will never give it a second chance and you... Read Full Story

I have always been just like everybody else when it comes to the whole “new year” thing. I reflect, I regret, I smile in thank you that I survived another year and I am shocked at how fast it went. Pretty typical. But that doesn’t make it any less real and actual to me for emotions are emotions. I will probably cry when the new year is counted down, kiss my boyfriend, hug him and say thanks no matter how bruised and bloodied I might be over the actions of others and my own failures of the... Read Full Story

Create Space. Ever heard of it? It is standing beside lulu as the most used online retailer for Print on Demand Publishing. My mind has changed. Countless searches later (lulu vs createspace) and I have been convinced away from lulu. Lulu’s books are gorgeous, I won’t deny that, but seeing pictures online of comparable books and the difference is just not enough that I care. The true and absolute starting difference between lulu.com and createspace.com is one major thing: Lulu has to send out... Read Full Story

Its dawned on me today that I have been falling back into past bad habits. I swore I would let go of my anger, no matter who it was towards, unless that anger was somehow useful, which, you probably know, is very rare in and of itself. I have been allowing my focus to be taken by people who goad me, who do everything they can with their actions to get my “goat” so to speak. And I have allowed that to happen twice this past week. I had made the commitment last summer that I would drop anyone... Read Full Story

My boyfriend asked me the other night why so many well known authors were alcoholics, severe depressants and why so many of them had gone on to kill themselves. It took me a little bit of time to find the words on why I thought this was. I thought of myself and the other artistic people that I know. So let’s go down the line. Emotional Artists tend to be less common sense and more emotional than most people. This seems especially true for writers. (Though far less true nowadays now that... Read Full Story