Rae Shawn's Blog, page 2

Why Did You Kill Me?

Was sleeping in my bed such a crime?
Am I not allowed to play with toy guns?
Can I not wear a hoodie or jog down the street?
Why do you kill me?

What was so wrong with reaching for my registration?
Can I not eat candy and walk down the street?
Can I not protest peacefully?
Why did you kill me?

Am I not entitled to safe transport in a police car?
Can I not spend my money without judgement?
Am I not supposed to question what I was pulled over for?
Why did you kill me?

I said I can’t breat...

How Sensitive is too Sensitive?

The 21st century is both amazing and annoying, balled into one. Mainly because while some things have improved, others are just ridiculous and out of hand. Cancel culture and stuff of that nature go a little too far sometimes.

It’s gotten to the point where writers get nervous to write about certain topics. I know that writing or reading about something that triggers a person can be difficult, but completely ignoring it won’t make it go away. Being angry, crying, sad or any other emotion ...

How Do You Choose What You Absolutely Will Not Finish(DNF)?

What makes you not finish (DNF) a book? It’s hard for me to do this. It has to be an extreme the author went to in order for me to DNF it. I mean if it’s dated, then certain terms can be ignored or forgiven, even if they bother me. If it’s something relatively new, then I might have a harder time looking past what was said.

Racist comments, sexist statements, things of that nature really grind my gears, but sometimes I look past them based on the setting of the book. I know that if a book...

Check Yourself, Don’t Wreck Yourself

The problem with human nature is that we all want to be good at something, but with that comes the truest problem: When you dont succeed or do well enough, by your own standards or those of someone else, you tend to compare yourself to others and that can and probably will be your downfall.

We look at how success, fame, money, good fortune and (perceived) happiness come to others, but not to us. We start to be much more hard on ourselves than we should. We cave and fall.

Now, Im not saying...

Re-source Your Resource

We all use resources that are presented to us or that we go searching for. Resources are essential in pretty much any aspect of life. 

Youre trying to get from point A to point C what do you do if you dont know what point B is? You find someone who does.

You get the help that boosts you to the next level.

As a good amount of indie writers self-publish, we are in constant search of resources that can help us improve not only our sales, but our writing, editing, book covers, promotions and so...

Sugar, Spice and A Whole Lot of Other Ingredients – That’s Me.

Im a very all-over-the-place type of person. So let me give you a quick rundown of some of the things that have led me to where I am today.

I started out writing poems. Just short pieces about whatever was going through my mind at the time. Then in high school, I had the school paper as an elective and I wrote about sports. Let me tell you, I loved getting out of class. That teacher was a menace. But what I loved more was talking to athletes and highlighting the good that came at my urban...

Setting The Mood (to Read or Write)

Im sure Im not alone in this, but music helps keep my brain on track. If its quiet, my mind runs rampant and I end up with nothing getting done. Ive always used music as my mental lubricant. I know, I know. Some people will cringe at the thought of this, but hey cant deny myself of being me. Nor can you, right?

For me, I think hearing music allows me to breathe in someone elses creativity and it amps up my own. Or maybe since my mind is always moving, it somehow keeps it in relatively one...

The Importance of Reviews

You ever take a class where you have multiple assignments throughout the semester, which you always turn in on time, but never get any feedback on?

Just imagine you have five assignments and throughout the entire semester you’ve been thinking you are doing good, great even, but at the end of the semester you get a F.

Your professor doesn’t even give you an explanation as to why. Just a big, fat, bold F sitting on your transcripts now.

I imagine that’s how authors feel when they don’t get reviews, but keep pumping out books. By the third or fourth book, they are probably wondering why it isn’t selling or people are leaving poor ratings and no review.

A review is the constructive criticism people need to improve in basically everything they do. In most jobs, there are reviews for raises. In school the grade a student gets back on an assignment, with a small passage of what was good or bad, helps them to get better for the next assignment.

For authors, a review and a rating help them know what they are doing right or wrong. If people love how they are writing a particular book, then they are probably on a solid writing style and can stick with it as they continue to develop. If people are not fond of their writing, then they can figure out what it is that people aren’t catching onto and learn to improve their craft from the reviews they receive.

Yeah negative reviews suck, but if it’s honest and constructive not harmful and attacking then it can help an author.

I didn’t realize how much indie authors in particular can learn and develop based on the reviews they receive. It helps not only grow their readership, but also their writing skill for future novels.

So as both a reader and an author I just want you all to know, reviews are important. They help other readers find books to read and teach authors what readers are looking for or enjoying in the stories they absorb.

If You’re A Writer

You call yourself a writer. That means you write. You don’t stop, you don’t let anyone tell you no. You write and write and write.

A writer isn’t just an author. A writer is a poet. A blogger. A screenwriter. A game dialogue creator. A journalist. A writer is whatever you feel it is.

There is no right or wrong when it comes to who a writer is because the word itself means a person who writes.

So don’t stop because someone doesn’t read what you write. Don’t stop because people tell you, you’ll never go anywhere with your words.

Don’t let someone else define who and what you are.

Write your emotions. Write your dreams. Write your passions. Write stories. Write thoughts. Write questions. Write songs. Write a book. Write a scene. Write a letter to the love of your life. Write to someone you used to know. Write to create, in any form.

Yeah, this post says write way more times than necessary, but did you know the more you see or say something, the more likely you will believe and agree with it?

I’m a writer because I tell myself so. I’m a writer because I keep a journal. Because I wrote a book. Because I am a journalist. Because I share my thoughts in word form. 

I am a writer and a writer is me.

So, if you’re a writer. There’s just one thing I want you to do.

Draw.

No, I’m kidding.

Be your own cheerleader. Hype yourself up. If you love to write, it doesn’t matter if everyone hates it because you matter. The fact that you were willing to share your words shows strength, vulnerability and love for yourself.

You put in the work. That’s all that matters.

So write.