A Shift in Schedule

February has been so busy, I haven't been able to properly acknowledge my milestone!

To celebrate and thank my 300+ blog friends, I am giving away a hardcover copy of DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth.

I want to know more about you and what you're working on, so...

On FEBRUARY 29TH

stop by and leave me a blurb (50 words or less) in the comments about your current WIP

(if you don't have one, you can just say you're interested in the contest)

A random draw will determine the winner

DIVERGENT is YA dystopia, parallel to Hunger Games in quality and intensity and kick-butt female protag.

Read Amy's review for more details about it.

And since I will be participating in the "I'm hearing voices" blogfest starting Monday, I am giving my news broadcast of upcoming events today!

• "I'm hearing voices!" Feb 6-10
• Monday we analyze a hard character to write
• Wednesday we use dialog only, between two characters to introduce them
• Friday we write a flash piece of the character experiencing an emotion
• But also on Friday, Feb 10, we have the "I'll tumble 4 ya" blogfest. We bare our souls of 80s crushes. Sa-weet!
• I know it's a busy month, but Tuesday, Feb 7 I will put up Auntie Tara's February prompt for anyone up for the challenge of writing a short story
• Origins massive blogfest is 2/13
• "It's getting hot in here" blogfest is 2/14

And I'm still looking for info on a mini Campaign, anyone hear anything? What are you up to next week?

Happy G Day!

Here's a Groundhog Day song I made up last year. And I'm still visiting & critting blogs from yesterday.
Hope you enjoy =)

Tres February

Welcome!

Lots going on for February 1!

Today is the Crit My Blog blogfest!

You can make comments on:

1. Appearance: Does it appeal to you? Is it too busy, or too plain?
2. Layout: Is it difficult to navigate? Is it cluttered, or sparse?
3. Frequency: Does the blogger post too often? Not often enough?
4. Content: Are the posts interesting? Unique? Are they focused, or all over the place?
5. Quality: Are the individual posts too long, too short, too sloppy, or too generic?

or anything else you think of, and leave them in the comments or an email to me at taratylertalks@gmail.com
THANKS! I will be out there critting too =)

And the Insecure Writers Support Group - meeting is in session...

This month, I question my talent. Some writers have a natural ability - I read it! Some have connections and land an agent via recommendation. And some just have the luck to find that special agent/publisher they click with. All these published authors have a wide range of talents. I keep telling myself I'll get my agent when it is my time, or I'll self pub. But as I wait, I doubt.

I wonder if I should be on this show, "You Can Do Anything!" a skit from SNL (with host Daniel Radcliffe). It was the inspiration for my IWSG post this month. (I actually embedded a video!)

Am I really good enough? Or are you all just being nice? Am I just a housewife filling a void? Is there room for all of us on the shelves? (or in the nook, kindle, ibook, etc) The real question is, Would you buy my book? I have a lot of good stories and I love writing them and want to share them. But when I read others' works, I feel inadequate. This community is so nice and encouraging, but is it real? Silence is the biggest negative. No comments. Do you feel obligated to say something positive? I admit I do sometimes. I hate hurting people's feelings.

I'm not going to give up because I love writing and love this community. I just wonder if I'll ever be good enough to get published traditionally. Guess that's why I will eventually self-pub, if necessary. My goal is not the money or notoriety, it's to entertain as many as will read my stuff.

Ever have those doubts? Do you think you have what it takes? I don't know!

And to summarize my point, here is this Wednesday's Sensational Haiku on craft.

The Writing Craft

Choosing words with care

It sounds wonderful to me!

You read and decide

Colorful comments

Of admiration with slight

Exaggeration

Encouragement felt

Now send off to critiquers

For the ugly truth!