Tag: self publishing

Starting Now: New Years Goals

Posted on by T. Maxwell-Harrison

You get to build your perfect space for reading and writing. What’s it like?

Hello and welcome to my site! This is a two part blog post. First I will deal with my new year goals and talk you through why they mean something to me. Second I will talk about the ideal writing and reading space, and why they are different places.

I’ve already mentioned that in the new year I want to publish some more stories. I think this is important for me because first of all I enjoy writing stories and to share them with the world is a way to be a part of a bigger community. It also helps me to increase my likely hood of becoming a well known author – which is something I want. I want people to know a few stories by me, and to enjoy them. I write primarily horror with particular attention to zombie fiction.

At least if I publish a few more stories – I have two that I want to release by spring – then I will also have had more practice. I don’t believe I could ever stop creating stories. As for how many I want to publish in total next year – I guess I want to publish more – that also depends. I am edging toward shorter novella fiction lately.

Perfect writing space?

Well no. Just like working in progress on your novel, you always work on your writing space. Maybe a desk would work. It does for me occasionally. I use a soft leather desk chair, which folds out so you can lay down. My desk isn’t particularly comfortable to rest arms on though. I like to sit on the cough. I suppose a comfortable writing space is the first step to building a perfect writing place. But there’s more to it…

… it might involve putting on some music in the background or making a brew or favourite drink for your writing session. These are factors too. They influence mindset when writing. Perfect writing space is the whole – everything you do – during a writing session. You might dance before, go for a walk during a break or even make a few phone calls, use the internet etc. I know I’m relaxed when I can write for an hour straight without stopping. If I have trouble then I usually switch up my writing location.

Reading is a different matter. I have to be able to sink back into a comfortable chair to read. If I’m in a café I’ll simply dip my head low into a book and focus on that and it helps me focus. I can read most places sitting down, but not in loud busy places where it is more difficult.

Another Story I’m Hoping to Unleash Over Summer

Posted on by T. Maxwell-Harrison

Welcome to a very sudden and exhilarating post! For me at least. I’ve been slacking on editing Beach Town: Survivors and should have edited it last month in full. But no, still cracking on. Anyway I usually have more than 1 work in progress so I started writing another story. I tend to create a cover early now, as opposed to before when I paid for it.* I am enjoying writing this thrilling and somewhat terrifying tale, a novella. Apparently if I get scared writing it that means it is scary. I doubt it, it’s just a sub genre of horror that scares the hair off my back!

*I think I will design my own covers from now on and stick to eBooks. Sure, physical copies have there place but at the end of the day if I am not going to sell many it defeats the point in having it available in print. Not to mention huge savings and the ability to be a bit more free and creative with your cover.

So I hinted at a cover reveal the other day. Maybe I’m being stupid showing you all this cover, or perhaps too rushed. What it reflects is intended to be left up to you as the reader to figure out. You might see divide, you might unification or you might see absolutely nothing. Good, because I enjoyed putting it together.👇

© T.Maxwell-Harrison

It is a dark tale (literally, dark for the most part) and has vampis (vampires). I am not writing those soft, loveable or humorous kind… I am talking about real, frightening vampires which is exactly what they are and have always been. We’re talking stranded people being attacked viscously by these creatures.

Short quiz question: Do you know what ‘dead reckoning’ means? You might be able to figure out something about the story if you know.

Thanks for reading and please like, comment, reblog and share if you liked this post. *All comments, any, are appreciated and respected provided they don’t insult or degrade people.

Ambitious Endeavors

Posted on by T. Maxwell-Harrison

Welcome to this post about my ambitious yet probably under researched future! Should I spill out my internal organs, hope and life goals to you all? No. Should I share some of my goals with you, and my recent works in the hope you will reciprocate this to me and we can then bask in our own solemn glory? Yes.

It’s always a no, yes game until you find out what you really wanted all along. Perhaps it is okay to be that person sat in the café alone, writing notes, reading and thinking about how you can better materialise your dreams of being a star writer. Cafe’s are public places akin to a pub (public house) so no shame in crafting a story here. Same with libraries, never be afraid of sitting in a library to write. We all have those thoughts that keep up back from performing at our best. When we finally face them we realise something, that they cannot harm us.

Waking at 6am to write for a couple hours or to crank out a couple thousand words a day is good. I talk about schedules and dedication but at the end of your day, you should feel satisfied with your work rather than feeling like you’ve not done enough. Taking breaks are good things, like sitting on your butt at midnight to work through a scene which made no sense until now.

Ambitious is my middle name, writing potential garbage is the game.

— Some loose tongued writer

May I take a moment to say this: if you write, you are a writer! Any style, and platform and any genre. Granted I do like to see dedication and quality in writers, like abiding by the rules and such. What I want to achieve is freedom of expression, not to say to everyone who writes; “hey you can be a writer, just write something, anything.” The reality here focuses on creative writing, fiction writing, those writing novellas, full length novel stories.

I also want to share a new story with you. Yeah yeah, you’ve heard about Beach Town: Survivors a bazillion times since the end of May, but I like the story and will be happy to see it available for people to read (free to read btw). But I managed to finally start a story I’ve been wanting to write for some time, sadly though – and I kindly ask you not to laugh at this – I was genuinely too terrified to begin to write it, for multiple reasons.

It’s horror with supernatural elements. It is a horror story and the bad creatures in it are vampires which I do not like because they scare me. Well, I decided to move onto this as the next novella since it needs writing sooner or later. I’ve already made a cover, which of course may change. No idea when it will be available or if I will release but pretty sure I can write it over the next month. It’s slightly more terrifying than my average horror story, the vamps have small wings, they can levitate and have dark robes. A part of me might not write this. I will definitely absorb you all into the process when I can be bothered, not quite ready to drop the cover yet.

New Novella – Back Cover

Posted on by T. Maxwell-Harrison

I’ve finished writing the story and now I am moving onto the editing phase. You’ve already seen the front cover 👇 so now you get to see the back cover. Remember you will all be able to read for free once it is out.

I understand that digital books or eBooks don’t tend to have back covers but I plan to put it at the end of the story anyway. It just makes it look better. Plus this gives you an idea about what it is about. I suppose critique on the blurb would be very useful.

Writer Spotlight – Dani Puteri

Posted on by T. Maxwell-Harrison

I recently had the pleasure of talking to self published author Dani Puteri, who has so far self published 3 books. She had a lot of interesting things to say about her writing process and gave some helpful tips for aspiring writers. Here’s what this young, talented lady had to say about her work, after I put a series of questions to her.

Dani Puteri

Where do you live?

My country is known as an archipelagic country and has a lot of beautiful tourist spots and must be visited. Tourist attractions also include nature tourism, cultural tourism and historical tourism. The nature tourism itself is in the form of mountains, beaches, islands and much more. I like my country which only has two seasons, hot and rainy.

Why are you a writer?

I guess at first by chance. I never thought that I could write a book. Two years ago a friend told me that he had the belief that I could write a book. At the time I just thought it was a joke. It took a lot of effort and a long time. But here I am, I have self-published three books and I am satisfied that in the end, I was able to achieve that dream.

What do you enjoy about writing?

I can forget everything, distract myself from all my problems, just focus on my writing. I don’t know why, but every time I write something, it just flows and I can’t hold it in.

Tell us about your most recent works

“Another Mistake” is my first book that I wrote. My own experience, as well as my experience as a mental health volunteer, influenced me a lot when I wrote this book. This book is about Sara, young women who have dark past. This book is about her life story in the past and how she can finally go through it all and come to terms with her trauma. Heartbroken because she was dumped by her first love, she was severely traumatized. Her friendship with Ray and Andre, her Dad’s love for her and her childhood friend, all of that helped her through all the troubles in her life. In this book I want everyone who reads knows that even though in life we make mistakes, it doesn’t mean that we can’t fix those mistakes. That all decisions will have consequences, whether it’s ultimately the right decision or we make another mistake.

If you could write a book in a new genre, which would you choose?

I am interested in writing children’s stories. It was really a challenge for me. I hope someday I can make it happen.

Do you have any role models or people who inspired you to write?

My Dad. He inspired me when I wrote Another Mistake. He’s already passed away and maybe this book without me knowing, I just want to show him that I really miss his presence.

Are you working on anything at the moment?

For a while I focused on being a mental health volunteer and sometimes blog.

Where can people buy your books?

They can get my book on Amazon.com, Rakuten Kobo

What advice would you give to an aspiring writer?

Never give up, everything is not easy, sometimes it takes a long time and a long process. If you sincerely do what you love, then one day you will definitely get good results, or maybe even more beautiful than what you have imagined.

Amazon – Another Mistake

https://t.co/EZjyEdskLy

Rakuten kobo – https://t.co/MKYqXNfNyd

I’m glad I got to do this interview for psychedelicwizard.org !

I appreciate you taking the time to read this author interview with the Dani Puteri, who has been quite successful so far in her writing journey and I wish her all the best for her future works. Let’s show her some support by liking, commenting, reblogging and anything else you might think could help her. I am grateful for her for her time she gave to talk to me.

For further upcoming interviews with writers stay tuned. If you would like a chance to be in my writer spotlight then please email psychwizard@yahoo.com or alternatively use the contact page.

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Join My Newsletter

Posted on by T. Maxwell-Harrison

Hello and welcome to psychedelic wizard.

I am starting a monthly email newsletter for anyone interested. This might be an easier option if you’d prefer to receive updates via email rather than checking my site for recent posts.

The newsletter will talk about my writing, my books, any relevant and helpful writing tips, poems which will be posted and have been posted, looks into future works, and delving into various topics. It’s just easier I think. So, feel free to sign up. I’ll only send it once a month, but am considering every 5 weeks instead. Each email will be unique and it really depends on if you are a fan of mine or anything I write.

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive a monthly newsletter. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

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