Pacemaker

Let me tell you a little secret. Don’t tell anyone alright? Ok. I have a slight problem with deadlines. Take for instance this novel I am writing, I want so bad to have it finished and published by December. Well my ass haven’t finished the first draft yet. Now I’ve learned my lesson with my first novel that I published a few years ago not to rush a product just to say I am an official author so that is why I’m taking my time to give you a great product however it’s still taking me a minute to finish this great story. I read this website who is offering a free way to stay on your writing grind. It’s called Pacemaker and I checked it out and it is something you should check it yourself. It’s simple, just fill out your word count goal, when you want it done and you’re basically done. How hard is that? You will have something to motivate you to write daily. NaNoWriMo is coming up so you will need all the help you can get. Visit http://pacemaker.sewillia.com to get started.

Peace and luv! 

Posted from none other than your favorite writer’s favorite writer Ms Talia

Don’t Get Rusty at Writing

It’s easy to make an excuse not to write: my kids are working my nerves, too tired, too many other ish to do, no motivation, not good enough, I could go on but you get the idea.

Contrary to popular believe getting back into writing isn’t necessarily as easy as getting on a bike you haven’t rode in years and feeling like you never took a break. The ideas may not disappear but the technicality of it will. It’s frustrating when you are working on a novel and pause writing for a day, or two, or five then try to hop back up in it and you are not feeling it on any level. How can you prevent that from happening? Here are three suggestions that are the best to prevent a situation like this:

Always write no matter how silly it sounds. This means every day. Even if it’s for 5 minutes while you’re on the toilet, (ay you gotta do what you gotta do!) write. And don’t worry if it doesn’t sound perfect, it’s just a way to keep your juices flowing consistently. You never know what might come out of that crazy mind of yours.

Write when you don’t feel like it. I still have problems with this. Sometimes my kids work my last nerves so I don’t write. I regret it in the morning trust me. That’s a missed opportunity to finish whatever project I’m working on. As difficult as it sounds you need to write through those times. The my man just left me time, the my day was too hectic time, the I have no motivation time. Keep that pen always in your hand. Use my mantra, write the pain away.

Read. Read a lot! Reading keeps you motivated and interested in writing. It also prevents you from getting rusty in your writing. In order to get better in writing read other authors, it can improve your own skills and style. You can’t be a great writer without being a great reader.

Take these 3 suggestions and keep them around your work area so you don’t fall out of your passion. Someone once told me that it takes 21 days to make a habit. If you consistently write for 21 days writing will come as easy as brushing your teeth. Does this help?

Peace and luv!

Posted from none other than your favorite writer’s favorite writer Ms Talia

Multiple Project Syndrome

There may or may not be a realness to that M.P.S. but it sounds about right to what I am suffering.

Earlier this week I came up with this great novel idea. I instantly wanted to dive right in it, forget about everything else…

…oh hell, the other stuff. The novel I’m editing, the novel I’ve been working on already, my blog posts for this blog, UIM’s blog and the article I write for our e-magazine. I think that is it. What’s a girl to do? Does anyone else have this problem and does anyone have some solutions cause this bish needs help. ASAP!

Peace and luv!

Posted from none other than your favorite writer’s favorite writer Ms Talia

What’s in a Name?

Mystery, horror, street lit, urban fantasy writer. Are you hung up on labeling yourself? As a society I believe we have become label happy. It doesn’t just effect writers either. With the increase of violence it is easy to label the killer as unstable, depressed or mentally disabled; it seems to put the victims and the world at ease because if there is a name for the foolery then we can get over it sooner.

What type of writer are you?

I have a problem with saying I’m a certain genre writer. One, I have way too many personalities to stay with one genre. There would be some upset characters if I did. To me picking one genre is like an actor who is forever typecasted for certain roles. You won’t see Angela Bassett doing dry comedy. Or what about Adam Sandler or Tina Fey, can you imagine them in dramatic roles?

What I don’t like is stereotyping. I’m black just in case you did not know and it drives me crazy when I admit to some random person I write, instantly they assume I write either erotica or street lit. No boo don’t insult my intelligence by thinking I can’t write any other genre! I know a few black authors who experience the same thing. I have written in those genres but I can do so much more! I have a long list on Scribd.com to prove it.

As far as labeling the novel’s genre now that is different. How else are you going to find me in bookstores? I don’t go into a bookstore to search for a particular genre, I just look for a good book, doesn’t matter what genre it is. How do you search for books? And am I the only one who is not hung up on the labeling thing? Comment, don’t be scurred!

Peace and luv!

Posted from none other than your favorite writer’s favorite writer Ms Talia

Writing Plans for the Week?

What’s going on my hustl-hers and hustlas?! It’s Monday and whether you have to go to your 9-5 or take a few steps to your makeshift writing space (like myself) have your goals set before you sit down and do anything. I know you have heard me and others say write down your goals and the steps needed to accomplish them well it works. I also stand by speak good things into existence.

So what do need to get done this week? Do you need to finish that novel you have been letting collect dust? Make a goal to finish at least one page or five depending on your schedule. What about starting a new project? Not sure what to write about? Try this – for five minutes turn everything off and write whatever comes to your head. Dirty toilets. Cheating men. Ghosts. See I started a list for you now just write some more for the rest of the 4 minutes and 30 seconds left. When the five minites are up look over what you have and be inspired.

Maybe my goals will inspire you. Lets see…I want to finish half of my novel I’m writing called Dear Daddy since I came up with this crazy notion to finish this particular novel in a month. Keeping my fingers crossed.

I will be introducing the main character through a letter and posting it on Tumblr because I am turning that account into a Dear Daddy go to spot for promotion. So check this spot and my Tumblr which I will give links later.

AND I will finish the outline for the sex anthology I am writing by Friday. I am diggin this outline thing, it’s making things so much easier.

Those are my biggest writing goals for this week. Feel free to post yours below so we can encourage each other to finish. Grind hard!

Peace and luv!

Posted from none other than your favorite writer’s favorite writer Ms Talia

My next project – Dear Daddy

Earlier this week I finished the first draft of my psychological thriller Without Consent. I put it to the side to clear my head of it and dived into writing the outline to Dear Daddy. I have to keep it moving if I’m to be on the bestseller’s list this year. I wrote a snippet of a synposis so check it out:

Eleven year old Amethyst is stripped from the life she became accustomed to. Her mama has taken her to another country to get back into modeling. Greed and selfishness makes her mama leave her in a women’s shelter only to be picked up by the dangerous Sonny Deablo and sold into the underground human trafficking world.

Starved, beaten and continuously raped Amethyst has to earn her keep in the sex brothel. She hopes that she will find her mama however she learns quickly life and people are not always what they seem to be.

Peace and luv!

Posted from none other than your favorite writer’s favorite writer Ms Talia

Stephen King’s Advice

I read an article the other day on a website. Stephen King was speaking in seeing the scene before you write it down. I had a moment when I read it because I thought every writer did that. I mean what other way is there?

This would be on the top 5 list of best advice for writers. No matter what kind of scene no matter how insignificant you need to visualize the scene otherwise you will not get the realness to come across the pages. I don’t need you thinking about what you will be making for dinner or if you actually brushed your teeth this morning (did you? I hope you did) while writing. It’s hard but it is what it is. You know when you’re talking to someone say for instance your teenage child who may be looking at you when you are talking but you know their minds are somewhere else? It’s like that. It irks me to read a novel and I know the author was not connected. Maybe since I’m a writer I am sensitive to things like this ever after putting on my reader hat I don’t know but it irks me all the same.

There have been characters I’ve written that had me cursing at them because I couldn’t stand their very essence but I know I would not have cared enough to get pissed if I had not have envisioned the character as though I were them and in that scene. Don’t be the fly in the room. Great advice Mr. King.

Peace and lu

Start Off Your New Year Write…I Mean Right With These

What are your resolutions for 2013? Is it to become a bestseller? To write that novel you’ve had locked in your head for years? Become a journalist or switch to a different genre than the one you are writing on now just to challenge yourself? Let me help you out a little. Amazon has recommended these books to inspire you to get it poppin and write that fiction, nonfiction or poem you’ve been wanting to. Check them out:

2013 Writer’s Market – Robert Lee Brewer

2013 Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market – Chuck Sambuchino

2013 Writer’s Market Deluxe Edition – Robert Lee Brewer

2013 Guide to Literary Agents – Chuck Sambuchino

2013 Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market – Scott Francis

2013 Poet’s Market – Robert Lee Brewer

2013 Songwriter’s Market – Roseann Biederman

There you have it! So there should be no excuse as to why you can’t start AND finish that novel THEN to publish it.

Peace and luv!

Hard Work Really Does Pay Off

You can’t ever sit and expect things to magically fall into your lap, you need to grind it out until you’ve created the perfect opportunity for youself.

Hustle like there is no plan B. If there is a plan B then you have it in the back if your mind that it will fail eventually.

Since I am a writer who is trying to become your favorite writer’s, favorite writer I get motivated when I hear authors self publish their work then get a major deal with a traditional publisher. Not saying that self publishing is beneath traditional by no means but the fact that a person got a big dawg to notice them instead of vice versa is the business!

Anywhoo….

Author Tammara Webber has been on top of the writing charts for a minute selling well over 150,000 copies. Penguin Books have taken notice. Already they have released an electronic version and will release a paperback one on November 9th.

Easy, the title of the book, bounces between Ya and adult fiction as it focuses on a young girl adjusting to life after being sexually assaulted and finding a new love. People are calling this the new ‘adult’ genre. Boy we love our titles don’t we? Congrats anyway.

Peace and luv!

K’wan’s Animal Is Clawing Its Way Up!

Can you hear that? I know you hear that, it’s loud as hell. It sounds like a hungry animal or maybe it’s K’wan’s new street novel Animal. Released on October 2nd and already making moves on the bestseller’s list. Guess what number he is on? Personally he should be ar #1 however he is at #3 which is damn good if you ask me. Screw Ms Harry Potter’s long awaited adult fiction debut we need to get this brotha to number 1 including me who has yet to it (I know, that’s sad). I wouldn’t mind getting an autographed copy of it….you for research purpose. I mean I do need to do a review on it and possible interview right, so if anyone has connects to him don’t hesitate to use them for me. It never hurts to ask.

I will say I’m proud of him even tho I never met him; he has made it look so easy for ‘us’ to be respected in this cold writing world. Now go out and get 10 copies! Has anybody read it yet?

Peace and luv!