Taven Moore

Writing Alone So you want to be a writer. But it's difficult. I get it. I'm not making fun, because I 150% get it. Finding the time to do it is difficult enough even before adding in feelings of self-doubt and loneliness. Maybe you don't have any writing friends. Maybe you DO, but they all live far away or have their own super busy lives that don't mesh with yours. If you've ever done NaNoWriMo, you understand the true value of a strong writing community. The camaraderie, the readership, the companionship -- it's heady. It's like going from a world of black-and-white to technicolor ... and when it's gone it's like watching the last leaf fall from a tree and fly off in a chilly breeze. Even those who are very self-motivated can find it difficult to maintain writing when it seems like you're spilling words out into the darkness. I get it. But there are solutions. And they don't involve moving to Canada or Florida to live close...

As always, beware the comments section if you plan on writing something, so as to avoid being influenced. I look forward to seeing your responses! The wind whispered through the dark, empty trees like a warning in a foreign language. Winter was coming, and with winter …

Be the best You you can be. How do you WANT to define yourself? What activities, qualities, hobbies, or loves do you want to be associated with? "Oh, she's a writer." "Or him? He's the most generous guy you'll ever meet." "Them? They know everything there is to know about dogs." If you fall short of those lofty ideals, do not fret.  Most everyone believes themselves to be less than they are -- less than other people see them. I have a coworker who calls me a writer. Inside, I doubt. I list my failures as if the sheer weight of them buries that label like the rubble from a broken building. I am a writer. Not despite my failures, or even because of them. I am a writer because writing makes me more like Me. I can do better. I can become more Me than I am, but that doesn't mean I cannot claim the title. That doesn't make me unworthy of it. I love to learn. I love to organize things. I love cute things ...

This post was inspired by February's reading -- Ready Player One. This post is spoiler-free, but the comments may not be. You have been warned. I recommend it. I did feel the first half was a little slow, but the second half made up for it and the concept was brilliant. Concept As it happens, the "concept" is what I want to talk to you about. As writers, we often find a great "what if" and want to roll with it. What if Vampires took over after World War 1 and now people are raised as cattle in "pleasant" camps? What if there is a magic key that turns any locked doorway into a portal to a magical land? What if a teenager discovers that she is actually half-unicorn on her 16th birthday? In the case of Ready Player One, you could say, "What if the real world was horrible so most people escaped into a virtual reality realm for their everyday lives?" That's a great idea, and the author does a fantastic job with it. The book...

New week? New prompt! As always, beware the comments section if you plan on writing something, so as to avoid being influenced. I look forward to seeing your responses! "How did you know?" I asked, not sure I wanted the answer. I thought I had been careful. I thought she …."

Quick post to not only let you know that I'm not dead, but also introduce my personal reading assignment for March. Envy of Angels, by Matt Wallace . In New York, eating out can be hell.  Everyone loves a well-catered event, and the supernatural community is no different, but where do demons go to satisfy their culinary cravings?  Welcome to Sin du Jour - where devils on horseback are the clients, not the dish. The series was pitched to me by a podcast as a heist story where instead of the crew being criminals and thieves ... they're chefs trying to make a crazy-awesome meal. That sounds absolutely up my alley, so I added it to my reading list immediately. I'd love it if anyone had time to add it to theirs!