12+   When I launched Tall And True in August 2017, I realised a dream to provide an online forum for writers, including myself, to share and showcase our writing.

In mid-2020, I updated the design, labelling it as a "new chapter" for the website. And two-and-a-half years on, I've given Tall And True a fresh look and focus.

Branding from 2017 to 2020

The branding for the website from 2017 to 2020 reflected my goals and the design template I'd used for it:

Tall And True is an online magazine, blog and forum for Writers, Readers and Publishers.

Writers can showcase their writing on the website.

Readers can read and comment on a wide range of fiction, nonfiction and reviews.

Publishers can unearth new talent for their publications.

As expected, I was the sole contributor in the early days, sharing my portfolio of short stories and articles dating back to the 1990s and my new writing. And I wrote several blog posts every month, setting a personal record of one a week in September 2017:

• Their Finest (The Film) (5 Sep)
• My First Book (14 Sep)
• What Books Are You Reading? (20 Sep)
• Days of Gentle Rejections (30 Sep)

But in October 2017, Tall And True had its first submission from another writer, John Taylor of California, The Road To Hell Was Built With An Allen Wrench. And later, John shared a chapter from his 2020 book, Pairs With Life.

Rebranding in 2020

Other writers submitted their writing on Tall And True before 2020. But I remained the main contributor, and the idea of the website as an "online magazine" appeared fanciful. So when I updated the design template, I rebranded Tall And True as:

An online showcase and forum for writers, readers and publishers.

During the lockdown years, more writers shared their fiction and nonfiction. Short stories about a drug addict daughter, the risks of internet dating and a brave coyote. Extracts from a fantasy novel and a life seen through the eyes of a dog. A journal of living with pets and how they support mental health. And articles ranging from tips on answering interview questions to a guide for purchasing vibrators.

Despite these contributions, I continued to write most of the short stories and articles for the website and all the blog posts. And in September 2020, I launched the Tall And True Short Reads storytelling podcast, featuring my writing from Tall And True.

Fresh Look and Focus for 2023

In late 2022, I started a project to upgrade the website platform. As part of this process, I decided to give the design a fresh look and accept the reality that the focus of Tall And True is primarily my writing.

Harking back to my original goals, however, I still wanted to offer other writers an online forum to share and showcase their writing. So I reworded the Share Your Writing page to reflect the website's new focus. And created a Guest Writing menu option, which only features Guest Writers' fiction, nonfiction and reviews.

The biographies of all writers (including mine) are listed on the Writer Bios page. And Guest Writing still appears alongside mine under the various menu categories. So, for example, you can find John Taylor's "Ikea" story under Biography & Memoir and on the dedicated Guest Writing page.

Hope for the Future

I hope you like Tall And True's fresh look and focus. And that other writers will still want to share and showcase their writing on the website. (Perhaps even you?)

And in the new year ahead and those to come, I look forward to sharing more of my short stories, blog posts and other writing on Tall And True and the Tall And True Short Reads podcast.

© 2023 Robert Fairhead

N.B. You might like to read my first blog post on Tall And True, The Last Book That Made You Cry, from 20 August 2017. 

Grammarly