The HEA Cafe

Archive for the ‘Chit Chat’ Category

On my blog and website banner, “Strong Women, Brave Stories” sttates my brand. What does that mean to a reader?

Branding is a complex concept. First, it has to do with what it is about my writing which sets me apart from other writers. But second, it also causes me to think about what my reader-needs or wants or who my writing appeals to. The first is relatively easy, but the second is more difficult.

The first part (see above) should be clear to any author after 5-10 books (though some get it much earlier). I think that “brand” develops as a writer gets into her stride. But the author must be writing the kind of book that really reflects HER DISTINCTIVE VOICE. My voice comes through most clearly in my historical sagas.

In my historicals, I always have a crusading heroine who is passionate about something. I call her a heroine ahead of her time. I also have a multicultural cast since I find that this brings natural conflict and because American history isn’t monochromatic. Finally, I always make sure my historical detail is accurate so I immerse my reader in the historical setting and period. At the end, I always write a Historical Note so that the reader will be able to know what I made up from the actual historical events.

Tom Morrisey, another author, helped me understand the second part–what my readers want. He asked me several questions about my “ideal” reader (the person most apt to buy my books), things like what kind of shoes she’d wear, where she would go on vacation what is her fave food and why. This helped me understand that my “ideal” reader is a woman very concerned with social justice, with human dignity. So my crusading heroines, my strong brave women, would be right for her. This part takes thought.

Some authors believe a tagline or signature line is the same as a brand. It isn’t. Most of the taglines I see don’t really mean much because they are so general. I think everyone saw them being used by a few and just decided that it was to be a description of one’s type of writing.

As you can see, it is so much more. I would suggest beginner’s drop taglines until they really understand what their writing essence is and who it appeals to. Tom doesn’t do workshops on deeper branding but Randy Ingermansson does. His website is http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/. Drop by and click Tiger Marketing on the right column for some ideas.

My tagline gives only the most important part of my brand—strong women who take on injustice with bravery. If a writer chooses to have a brand, do it right. Otherwise, don’t bother. Just a tagline does less than nothing for you and for readers.

The main reason I’m taking this opportunity to write about my life and daily work as an author is to make it clear why owning the copyright to my fiction is important to me and other authors.

I’ve been watching and reading news about how digital books, such as the Kindle, Nook, Sony Reader etc are (read are already) going to change the way readers purchase and read books. This change from the printed page has brought an interesting shift in how people view the end product, my stories, my life’s work.

There are some readers who think that books should be free or cost very little. The ease of obtaining books in the form of a digital electronic file makes easy to get, makes it seem like air, free, I guess.

This mindset is hard for me to understand since I spend 6-12 hours a day writing and dealing with the business of writing. I think that most readers don’t understand this, the writing life. And don’t realize that just eliminating the paper, ink and postage from the product, my book, doesn’t mean that the product is worth nothing. Or be given away free.

Few except those of us in the “bizness” understand the commitment and the mental strength and emotional determination it takes to write not just one story, but many. And in addition, to stay viable or salable in the public and very competitive market of books. I’m hoping that this frank discussion of what it takes to be a writer and stay a writer may help others understand what I do everyday. And why it’s important that authors are allowed to benefit from their labor.

First of all, I’d like to give you some idea of what I receive in $$ for my work. It takes me 6-12 months to write a book from the first ideas about it till the final manuscript is written and in the hands of my editor and finally accepted by the editor. That’s a long time and there are many stages in that process which I will be writing about on the Tuesdays through March and April on my blog.

So talking about $$, have you ever wondered what a writer earns from a book? Drop by my personal blog http://strongwomenbravestories.blogspot.com next Tuesday and I’ll give you the real deal. GRIN

Hi! If you drop by my blog today http://strongwomenbravestories.blogspot.com you can read a reader’s family true love story Australian style. I’m offering to draw winners from women who send me family love stories.

The prize? The first copy of my June book, Her Abundant Joy.

The new year has begun. I sent my latest manuscript in Monday to NYC and now I begin again. On Saturday, I will attend my local Wisconsin RWA meeting and brainstorm ideas for a new Love Inspired romance.  I know the women who will be coming up with ideas. They are a fun and imaginative bunch so I’m looking forward to it.

I’ve made one resolution for the new year. I’m not going to let the crazy details of the writer’s life drive me NUTSO.

I mean I have no control over anything except what writers I associate with, what editors I submit to and what I write. I can’t control anything else!

So I’m going to ignore the frustrations of this crazeee bizness I decided to get myself into.

Wish me luck!

Along with Mars and Mercury, my ambitious ego has gone retrograde. For the past two years, I’ve been swimming upstream like mad, pushing myself with word count goals, editing deadlines and every promotion under the sun. Since September 2008, I’ve published three novels and a novella in digital and print formats while dealing with debilitating back problems, the loss of my mother-in-law, my twins entering middle school, and a bathroom remodel. (While those last two things pale in comparison to the first two, they were nevertheless extremely stressful.) 

I spent most of 2009 flat on my back, either in bed, on the floor, or on the surgeon’s table. None of the procedures I had done worked. My cure has been a constant dose of physical therapy and clinical Pilates, patience and time.  I’m not a patient person. Before, when I suffered from health or other problems, I simply put my head down and bulldozed my way through it. This time, however, there was no bulldozing through the pain or immobility. Hubby bought me a laptop holder that allowed me to work from bed and I learned to value the days I could stand, walk or drive more than the word count I produced. 

Every year at this time, I pull out my journal, read the goals I set on January 1^st of the current year, and make new ones for the coming year. Usually I have a lot of goals, most of them professional. At the beginning of 2009, I knew it was going to be a year full of work, and it was. Looking ahead to 2010, however, my ego no longer feels that driving need to produce. Is it because I accomplished so much this year and my ego is happy, or is it because my back ordeal taught me the importance of taking one day at a time? 

The answer eludes me as I type this blog, but I’m happy to wait it out. Right now, I’m writing a new story in a new genre and loving the freedom it provides. I’m content to hibernate for awhile, not worrying about how many words I get down today or tomorrow, instead focusing on the crisp scenes, layered characters and making sure my theme resonates in every chapter. 

My back is healing, and while the old me would normally jump into everything I used to do (and basically overtax my back and stress management levels all over again), the new me is content to roll with the flow. A good day? I’ll write and bake and enjoy my kids. Bad day? I’ll watch Bravo and HGTV and Soapnet, read a good book, and crank my iPod. 

The New Year brings a new decade, a fresh start, and for me, a new attitude. My ego is content to stop swimming upstream and float for awhile. To hibernate, meditate, clear out the clutter and embrace health. I’m ready to take a break. 

How about you? Will you be swimming or floating in 2010? Either way, I wish you a happy and healthy 2010.