As a fiction writer, I’m drawn to stories—different kinds of stories, really, because I realize one way to improve my craft is to understand the human condition. By nature, I’m also very curious and I enjoy people. I want to know what makes them tick. I want to know what motivates them. How choices, lifestyles, and culture influence their decisions …
Do Authors Need Taglines?
Recently, I’ve heard a lot of discussion about author branding, taglines, platform, etc. 20 years or so ago, I’m not sure that I’d ever heard those terms. Of course, that was before the internet age, the social media frenzy, and the push for self-promotion. Once upon a time, much of the way an author was defined was left up to …
Blending In or Standing Out? (A Word about Author Branding)
For newer authors just starting out, we may get so caught up in the whirlwind moments of writing that we neglect the one thing that will set us apart from other writers–our brand. Recently, I was privileged to hear Shannon Vannatter speak at a branding and marketing workshop while at the 2011 ACFW conference. Shannon is a talented inspirational romance author whose …
Tools of the Trade
As with many careers, writers are often faced with some life-changing decisions: How much of our time and hard-earned dollars are we willing to invest? What kinds of sacrifices are we ready to make? How should we market ourselves? What will our “brand” be? How do we effectively build a platform? Will these decisions involve stepping out of our comfort zones? I can only …