The
Solitary Life
Most people, when they think of authors, have the
mental picture of us slaving away over a keyboard, coffee at our elbow,
forehead wrinkled in thought. And for the most part, they’d be right. The
solitary life isn’t for everyone, although some authors would point we have our
characters to keep us company. I can’t argue with that.
While the actual writing part is done alone, there is
a lot more that goes along with being an author. More than planning and writing
a book. In fact, we are part of the community in many different ways.
Sometimes it’s difficult to find the time, but when I
get away from the keyboard for a while, it helps the creative process. Here are
a few of my favorite ways to reach out.
Local writing groups, for one. There has to be a time
when authors can be with other writers, whether it is to talk about craft or
perhaps share a work in progress. I’ve spoken to readers who love to come by
and hear about the author life. I’ve also taught classes, which I love. There is
no greater joy than seeing the faces of students as they take the concepts I’ve
thought them and learn to apply it to their story. It’s priceless.
I have a group of friends I meet with periodically to
help me brainstorm story ideas. While one brain is mighty, there is power when
two or three are gathered. And trust. Lots of trust.
Then there are conventions, like the annual Romance
Writers of America conference. A long weekend of visiting friends, networking,
taking workshops and attending parties. We need to see our fellow authors, to
connect and have fun.
Then there are email loops. When working on projects
with multiple authors, it’s a necessity. Staying in touch keeps us focused on
the story we’re working on. Even if we don’t connect on email to collaborate on
stories, we need our writer friends to share our success with, congratulate
each other on contests and celebrate milestones.
Writing isn’t always solitary. There are many ways to
reach out. And the result of a rounded life will be a book our readers can hold
in their hands and escape for a few hours. That is the joy we receive from
spending those hours alone, coming up with plot lines, characters and romance
sure to warm your heart!
~~~oOo~~~
Coming
in October, look for A Heartwarming Christmas, four
connected anthologies, 12 individual novellas sharing characters and story
lines! This collection of PG-rated holiday romances are all set in Christmas
Town, a location introduced in the 2014 Harlequin Heartwarming release
Christmas, Actually. A Heartwarming Christmas will bring you laughter, tears,
and happily-ever-after.
Foreword
by small town lover and New York Times bestseller Kristan Higgins.
Amazon: http://ow.ly/PKvmR
B & N: Coming soon!
Kobo: http://ow.ly/PKv1X
iBooks: http://ow.ly/PKvu1
GooglePlay: http://ow.ly/PKvKl
We will be hosting a Facebook party on October 13 and
would love for you to stop by. You can check my Facebook page, Tara Randel
Books, for details.
Tara
Randel is the author of nine books, her most recent
releases, Honeysuckle Bride and Magnolia Bride available from Harlequin Heartwarming. She is
currently working on new books for the Business
of Weddings series for Heartwarming, as well as a new mystery series. You
can view her booklist at her website, www.tararandel.com or just stop by, pay a
visit and leave a message.
I have an assistant who actually comes in and works at a desk next to mine for a few hours every day, which makes me appreciate my alone time.
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