Back From Hiatus...Sort Of.

I went on another blogging and overall writing hiatus this last year due to extreme health issues, after which I had to find myself again after enduring something so incredibly traumatic. It's been a whirlwind of a ride, and I keep finding myself at odds with my writing due to chronic writer's block as a result. I'm not sure how to get myself out of it, because none of my typical tactics are working. So I keep finding new projects to throw myself into.

I started Celebrate Nature, a 100% organic, cruelty free, and vegan line of various products for a healthy home & body. I've really been diving into my fellowship I created back in 2018. Despite the writer's block, I'm also in the process of creating an autobiography. Something I've tried over and over again to do, but it's so hard to write about my trauma in a non-fictional setting. To say it's difficult is a serious misnomer and understatement. I've also been sending out my finished sci-fi manuscript to publishing houses. I've gotten incredible feedback, but no hits yet. Although some of the feedback has suggested I make a few plot changes, hence the current writer's block I'm now battling because even though they're right, I'm struggling to figure out how to direct the book to where I know it needs to go vs. where I want it to go. 

I'd get out of my head if I could, but the normal routes of how I used to do that are currently unavailable to me. So it's a bit frustrating. But no, I'm not giving up. If there's anything I'm not, it's a quitter. I just have to find new routes, and hopefully get back my creative brain in the process 💖🌷

Important Reminder: Publishers Will Never Make First Contact

We've entered a new year, and that is incredibly exciting for many of us. But as with every new year, businesses are looking to capitalize on their monetary gains, and independent publishers are no different. I know because my email has gotten bogged down with hundreds of these so-called publishers. As a result I feel that what I'm about to say is incredibly pertinent: 

PUBLISHERS WILL NEVER CONTACT YOU FIRST. 

SERIOUSLY. 

Not one publisher—whether an independent publisher or one who works in a respectable publishing house—will ever reach out and say "they want to you to publish with them" without seeing your book. A legitimate publisher will never reach out to you before you send them a query letter, or reach out to you looking for your query letter, either. If you have been contacted first by a so-called independent publishing company, they are a scam. These companies make their money off you considering every step of the way you are paying them to publish your book by setting you up with overly priced "publishing packages" that may seem great at first. After all, what better way to get published immediately than to have someone take care of all the details for you for only $500-$3,000? 

The stories of people falling for these scams is heartbreaking, especially considering the worst of the scammers may not even actually wind up publishing your book at all but instead send you back dozens of copies that you then have to distribute manually. And that's assuming your lucky enough to see any actual books at all. The other downfall of using one of these publishers is that you cannot use them as a publishing credit in the future since legitimate publishers will immediately flag this—at best—as a reflection of your inexperience coupled with naivety. As a result they will not take you seriously as writer. 

No, you've got to make those first moves. 

And filling out an online form absolutely does not count as a first move. 

You've got to write a formal query letter to a publisher (unless they specify otherwise within their information) and then wait. 

If you are emailed anything along the lines of "we want your query letter" or "we want your novel" or "we want you to publish with us" and all you've done is fill out an online form...run. And if you haven't filled out a form yet and have no idea how the publisher could have possibly gotten your information...run faster. 

As someone who has dealt a great deal with not only avoiding scammers, but actively studying and learning how they implement their scams, and learning about all the new and old scammers out there, feel free to email me (oaktreebookservices@gmail.com) your questions on the matter regarding whether you've got a scammer or a real deal. No, I do not nor will I ever charge any form of compensation—monetary or otherwise—for such questions. I simply do not want my fellow writers and future authors to ever fall pray to the devastating mistakes I've seen others become victim to. 

December Update

It's been a long time since I've posted anything, and with very good reason: I've been busy, busy, busy!

Between getting my first book in my new Entwined Fates series finalized and ready to ship off to [hopefully! 🍀🤞] get published, writing the second book in the same series, all while working to get more of my short stories and poems published, in addition to getting my new #UNCONVENTIONAL YouTube series off the ground...I honestly wonder, how is it I've even had time to breathe? Especially now that we're in the thick of the many-holidays season.  

As I write this I am feeling beyond exhausted, but oh I am just so happy! My productivity level has been through the roof, and I can't tell you how amazing that's been. 

Also quick note: 

In addition to getting my author blog settled, I also updated my main website so don't forget to check that out!

Oh, and of course, happy holidays, everyone! Enjoy your winter 💘🎄❄🕎

---UPDATED: 06/04/24---
All links have been updated to reflect my new penname: Dylan K. Regan. However, the sites themselves have not been updated as of yet; you may still see my former penname used throughout some of these sites (either in full or in part)