Writing Room Inspirations

Writing Room Inspirations

So, working on my second novel post-school has really made me take notice of my writing spaces. I have an awesome desk purchased some years back. It is cherry wood with a leather map of the world imprinted on it. I love my desk and anybody that knows me well would even say I am a little particular about it. Okay, I will be honest, if you are not Tanela Hicks I prefer you not touch it. The general rule of thumb is only writing specific or book related things touch the surface. A long time ago I read somewhere that owning and designated a writing space was an important routine when building your craft. The article kinda of stuck with me and thus far the technique has work, but as I move into the next phase of my writing career I am dreaming of more.

Now technically I do not have the space for what I dream of, but that has not stopped me from sketching and imagining.

Ideally, I would love an open office space that functions as a mini library and creative space. Obviously, books move and inspire me and the more I read the more I want to write. This library/office is beautiful.

However, I also love scenery. Water views or rustic scenes draw my focus when I can’t not solve an existing plot line. While bustling cityscapes help me develop characters and background detail. These views below are perfect creative thinking spaces as well.

Style, decor, and furniture all make up a big piece of my multi faceted dream. I honestly believe I would need two spaces just to accommodate my two different writing personalities. When I am creating the bones of my story or a character. I sketch and scribble a lot while typing out what I want to say. I tend to listen to loud neo soul or jazz and I need complete concentration. Aside from music, or the movies Twilight, Shawshank Redemption, or Lake House playing on the television; there can be no other activity around me. Since I have a family and small home generally I have headphones on and drinking coffee or tea while eating dry cereal (trade secrets).

When I am editing, rewriting, reviewing, or fixing something in my work; my writing personalities is different. I can, while at a minimum, carry on another conversation with someone (other than talking to myself). HGTV or similarly formatted television can be on but not loud. I do not have to be at my writing desk (bed, couch, elsewhere) and best of all I CAN DRINK. A glass of wine always makes my mistakes more noticeable.

So, my dream writing space would be doubled. I would love to have an open-air space featuring some variation of all the styles mentioned. 

But then I would love to have a private space with installation, views, and no distractions. I believe it would love something like this!

 

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2ND Monday Authors

READER ENGAGEMENT TIME!

Want to learn more about the characters in Dreams of the Heart? Want to know why Sasha is still so scared of her past? Want to know more about Kathy and her birth mother? Come out and spend time with me.

When: February 12, 2018 between 1-3 PM

Where: Washington Centerville Library-    111 W Spring Valley Pike Centerville, Ohio 45458

PDF of 2nd Monday Authors AdvertisementCome Out and Engage

 

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Lessons for a Book Lover

 “Being a book lover means loving more than just the story. You must love the feeling, the words, and the themes throughout the story. Understanding the writer and predicting the audience’s reactions as if you are actually in the story yourself. That is the embodiment of a book lover. “

Lessons for a Book Lover

I have spent the last few months on a romance book binge. It has been fun and relaxing to read stories that are fresh yet relatable and enjoyable. The last 3 months I have read and listened to 14 titles that are strictly contemporary romance or adult romance. For those that know me, this may be a surprise. My love for paranormal, magical, world changing, empire reigning faeries stories has never wavered, but yet I found myself engulfed in love without wings.

I cannot pin point my shift in habit directly. It stills amazes and bewilders me that my first published novel is of the contemporary women’s fiction brand. Do not dismay friends, anything I write will always have elements of love, but my true heart is somewhere between a raising moon and its alternate reality. My next novel will please those with the same longing and I look forward to sharing the imaginative reality of the Blue Moon Series.

As I finish up this binge, I must make note of some delightful revelations about traditional romance novels.

You always want to root for the bad boy/bad girl.

In the book Heartless: Amato Brother Series by Winter Renshaw, the main character was so scared he was bitter, mean, and almost unworthy of the love being offered to him. However somewhere between ignoring his feelings, and fighting his feeling, I found myself hoping for his healing.

Story continuations do not have to be harmonious.

Often times with paranormal/fantasy stories, the series starts and then builds on the previous story. It is almost imperative to read book 1 before book 5. And if you enjoy the writing, you will be clenching to get to book 6 just to see how the story ends. During my binge I read most of Kristen Proby’s Boudreaux Series. While I did start with book one Easy Love, I skipped to book #6 Easy Nights, because I was interested in that character focus. Then I went back to book 5 Easy Magic. Reading the stories out of sequence did not take away from the knight in shining armor quality of her writing.

All romance novels aren’t about love, some make you feel.

This lesson was welcomed and has helped me understand my own creativity and development of my non-fantasy brand. A love story should make you feel for the character and anyone else you see and know in a similar situation. Brittainy C. Cherry is one of my new favorite authors. Her novel The Air He Breathes caught me totally by surprise and I enjoyed every minute of it. I felt every moment of Tristian’ pain and Elizabeth’s strong will to push forward despite her pain. The character’s development is nothing short of fiction perfection for me. The emotion the writer pulled through the words puts her in my top list for the year 2017. I enjoyed her story so much I followed up The Air He breathes with The Gravity of Us and I was not disappointment. The story showed me that not all romance has to portray the strength and trial of love between adults. Sometimes the triumph of learning to love your family and yourself is all the love story one needs. Brittainy C. Cherry story inspired my so much I have written separate full-length reviews, check them out then read her books.

I am not sure if I am done with the romance reads quite yet, but as I moved into the edit and 2nd draft phase of my own urban fantasy novel, I find that it is helpful to stay balanced with my reading choices. Hopefully you are reading something engaging and amazing too this year.

~Dream~Create~Inspire

Tanela

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National Novel Writing Month 2017

It is National Novel Writing Month. November is the month to stretch your muscle, and your fingers to create the next great novel right. RIGHT!

National Novel Writing Month has a special place in my heart. This year as many may know, I published my first novel. I started Dreams of the Heart before my first participation year of NaNo, however the year I did participate, my first experience was the best. I was so encouraged, and simultaneously paranoid about my first novel project. Looking back, it was comical how scared I was to share my work, or even the amount of words I wrote; which is main element in the NaNo challenge I develop my own word count marco spreadsheet. Given my background in Information Technology, this is not an unrealistic resolution. Despite my misguided attempted at NaNo, through my writing journey I have learned that sharing helps you gain insight and perspective on everything from characters, to plot timing.

This year I will be focusing on the ending transition for series format and the overall rewrite. I plan to have these steps fully completed y NOVEMEBER 30th. This is important because I plan to publish my novel Twin Souls: A Blue Moon Series Novel is the winter of 2018. Getting the book to my editor is my primary goal for the end of 2017 and National Novel Writing Month is the best time to push myself to new goals.

I am looking forward to interacting more with the writing community and learning more about writing dialogue and time shifting within a single plot. Writing is my life.

Please keep in touch and follow me on this journey right here on my TanelaWrites.

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