Okay, fine. Maybe the title is a bit too dramatic. I'm not actually giving up on writing. I don't think I could ever do that. However, I'm giving up on following this path I've laid out for myself. Here's the thing: back in 2019, when I published my debut novel Seelie Princess, I was not... Continue Reading →
2025 is approaching… How did I do this year?
At the start of each year, I like to look back and see what I've achieved. It's always so easy to lose sight of one's accomplishments when life gets busy, and most of the time, I focus on the things that are still on my to-do list. Which I guess isn't a bad thing. It... Continue Reading →
Celebrating 10 years of being a writer
September 19th, 2024, marks the 5-year anniversary of publishing my first book, Seelie Princess. If that doesn't make me feel old, the fact that I started this journey 10 years ago certainly does! Well, technically, I've been writing for close to 20 years. The oldest Word file containing a story that I could find on... Continue Reading →
Goddess of Light: From First Draft to Final Draft
When Unseelie Queen had its first year anniversary, I had a look at my files (out of curiosity) to see how much the opening scene of the book had changed from the first draft to the final version. I posted both drafts on my blog, which you can read here. Tomorrow, April 19th 2024, marks... Continue Reading →
2023 in review. What’s next?
As a writer, I spend a lot of time inside my own mind. Self-doubt is a constant companion, and sometimes it even takes the steering wheel out of my hands and drives us right off a cliff. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in my dreams of being a full-time author, and I will keep... Continue Reading →
Book review: Girls of Paper and Fire trilogy by Natasha Ngan
Back in 2019, I flew out to London and went to YALC for the first time. And of course, I bought a lot of books. As many as my carry-on luggage allowed, at least. One of those books that I picked up was Girls of Paper and Fire. I'd read about it online, and I'm... Continue Reading →
I finished Draft 1 of Book 4… and it didn’t go as expected!
When I wrote my debut novel Seelie Princess, my process was all over the place. I had no idea how to plot, how to structure a story to make it engaging, or how to write prose that grabs a reader's attention. Draft 1 of that book was a mess, and I went through so many... Continue Reading →
The illusion of perfection
I've always been a perfectionist. In school, I never studied to pass; I studied to get top grades. I was only ever satisfied if my end-of-year report card showed all As. Luckily, I was a bit more relaxed by the time I started my bachelor's degree, though I still strove to do as well as... Continue Reading →
How I create characters (plus: a sneak peek at my next project!)
Every writer has a different approach to creating characters for their stories. When I wrote the first draft of SEELIE PRINCESS, I knew very little about my two main characters, Kayla and Fay. And some writers might find it exciting to learn about their characters as they progress through the story, but for me personally,... Continue Reading →
Unseelie Queen: From Draft 1 to Draft 7
One year ago today, I published my second book in my Crown of Tír na nÓg series titled Unseelie Queen. Out of curiosity, I dug through my folders and looked at the opening scene of the very first draft. It is crucial to craft a compelling first scene; it needs to draw a reader in... Continue Reading →
Sarah Tanzmann 