made with love
Author. Blogger. Columnist.
The ABCs of Writing
Is there a difference between the three? Absolutely!
Writing a novel is a huge undertaking. There's so much research and character development. There's dialogue and scene building. There's reading and re-reading, editing and more editing. Creating several lives from absolutely nothing is exhausting! It's also very freeing. I get to be as creative as I want and my vision is limitless.
There's a lot of variety in blogging which is why I love it so much. There's no pressure. Micro and macro blogging, which is like tweeting and writing for Virgin Fingertips is completely at your discretion. I usually just freestyle it, which means no editing. It's very emotionally driven and it generally relies on what's going on in my world. It's a purge of sorts. It's been my way of just getting things out.
Being a columnist is all about targeting the audience. My editor combs through my work, I have to do my research, cite my sources and track my site traffic. I have to advertise, build up the suspense, see what people like and what they respond to. It's nerve-racking!!! I'm there to start the dialogue and when the audience participates, I start to breathe a little easier.
Virgin Fingertips | The beginning
With over 135,000 views, Virgin Fingertips has survived nearly five years in the blogging game. Readers have viewed the site from all over the world in Denmark, South Africa, France, the United Kingdom and a plethora of other territories. It's an intimate look from the changing lens of a maturing young woman and it has resonated with both men and women. The site is filled with stories of short fiction, poetry, music, documentaries and anything that has had an impact in the young author's life. Click the picture to visit.
It's my baby. Virgin Fingertips has grown up with me. Anything I've accomplished is because of that blog. I found myself because of it and it definitely set the tone for my first novel and it shaped the type of projects I commit to. It's home, it always will be.
Garron, the founder of Concrete Cakes was the first person to ever feature Virgin Fingertips! His mission to bring exposure to up and coming artists was truly humbling and a true testament to lifting as we climb. He, even journeyed from Philadelphia to her home in New York to shoot this short video and he continues to check in over the years as Tassika grows in her field. (As you can see in the video, I was definitely not prepared...how embarassing lol) Click the logo to view the article. Thanks Concrete Cakes!
Viral Status undoubtedly has one of the best audiences! Being selected as a columnist for the growing brand is truly monumental. The site is filled with great and creative thinkers who push the envelope and require Tassika to think outside the box every time. Click the logo to view her page and join the conversation!
If someone said I had to write for one site for the rest of my life, I'd choose Viral Status every time. It's just fun! The team is brilliant, the collaborations are always mind-blowing. It never feels like work. At Viral Status, we're a family.
Theory Republic |
I was feeling everything but phenomenal when Jarrell contacted me. It was the only interview I did while working on the book and I'm glad I did. It reminded me that I had so much work to do but I still had the take the time to appreciate being honored.
Jarrell Brandon conducted a few interviews of women he considered phenomenal. When he reached out to Tassika, she was living in St. Thomas, USVI, completely shocked she had been chosen. Click the title above to read the full interview.
Besides being one of Tassika's favorite websites, the ShopBlog hosted two of her articles covering one of the largest events of the summer. Thanks to their superior placement and their growing mark in media, Tassika was given the opportunity to show her versatility on paper. Click the logo for the first article and here for part two.
When your friends become your colleagues, it's a beautiful thing. The ShopBlog is an excellence site - their content, their production, their timing - all of it is on point and being a part of that meant rising to the occasion. So, I'm grateful for it.
Creator of the all inclusive blog Memoires of Marie, Lissa was nominated by her good friend to receive a free ticket to Kisses for Cancer. Touched by her personal story, Tassika called and invited her to the event and in this article, she writes of the heartwarming experience. Click the logo to view.
People ask me what blogs/books I read all the time and I read Lissa's. We're in the same field and I was always impressed and inspired by her work. But having the opportunity to surprise her and bond over something personal to both of us, I can say with all sincerity, I admire her as a woman. She's not my competition, she's my sister.
Brave Chick is really dedicated to female empowerment. Their mission to create quality products that compel each woman to nurture her strength, wellness and individuality all while giving back is admirable. A portion of each sale is donated to domestic non-profit organizations that aid disadvantaged and/or marginalized women and girls. Not only did they invite Tassika to write a post for the site, they were also kind enough to host a Twitter chat about her first novel, She's Your Daughter Too. The chat was interactive and brought women together to discuss their journeys. With such a wonderful initiative, Brave Chick is definitely a safe haven for women everywhere. Click the logo to view the post and here to catch the Twitter chat.
With such an inspiring mission, why would I ever say no!? Brave Chick is precisely what we need more of. Those ladies are ambitious, creative and just dedicated to facilitating great opportunities for women. I had so much fun during the chat and it really pushed me to expand #TassTalks. The whole dialogue was eye-opening and welcoming. They make me proud to be called a woman.
This conference changed my life. I never did anything like that before and to be on the front page is such a blessing. I'm a better writer for it, a better consumer, a better citizen of the world. Expanding the purpose of my talent is refreshing. Besides, the whole experience was probably the best three days of my career so far.
The 2013 Social Good Summit is a conference that unites a global community of innovators around a shared vision: leveraging the power of technology and new media to make the world a better place. Last year, Tassika attended as press and submitted an article to post on their online community. To her surprise, she realized her article was chosen for the front page! Click the logo to read.
The highly acclaimed blog highlights different ideas on male/female relationships. Known for pushing the envelope and talking about the taboo subjects, Kahlil Haywood, a regular contributor and part of the Viral Status family, asked Tassika to collaborate and voila! Click the logo to read their take on something very personal!
Kahlil has always challenged me as a writer. When I found out what the topic was, I was nervous! To this day, I still blush about this article and the fact that it's the fourth thing that pops up when my name is Googled is terrifying. I'm like "What would my mom say?!" It was my first time talking very openly about sex and to be on an award winning website doing so is truly humbling. I still can't believe I was featured on Single Black Male. Thanks Kahlil!