In the fall of 2016, after I had been living abroad for five years, my second child was born. My husband, two daughters, and I were living with my mom. I had no friends. I was exhausted, lonely, bewildered, and often angry. The world had shifted around me, and I no longer understood it.I felt… Read more »
Hey, writers! Today I want to talk about authentic author brand building. In other words: how can you establish yourself as a real human being, rather than as a robotic, faceless business? An author brand boils down to a couple key features: what sets you apart from other authors and, more specifically, what readers love… Read more »
Whether you choose to publish traditionally or independently, aligning your goals and intentions with your values can help you persevere in your writing practice. How is 2020 treating you? Are you doing okay? Staying hydrated? Healthy, I hope? The year has not, on the whole, been kind to us, and if you’re anything like me… Read more »
Does the idea of marketing yourself and your books make your head hurt? You are not alone! While writing books comes naturally to us, marketing seems so vague and complicated. And yet it’s a necessary evil that must be overcome if we want to be successful indie authors. We scour the internet, listen to a… Read more »
I have wanted to write for as long as I could remember. … No, that’s not really the truth. I’ve wanted to express myself for as long as I can remember. … No, that’s not it either. I’ve wanted. Now we’re getting somewhere. I want. Yeah, right there. Writing is another form of digging all… Read more »
Five years ago, if someone told me, “You will translate Romanian poetry into English,” I’d have said, “Who? Me?! You’re crazy.” Sadly, I speak only one language – English – fluently. But life and opportunity will forever have their way. Let me tell you a story. In high school, I was a serious student with… Read more »
Hi, writers! Today, I want to talk about pen names: when and how you should use one and tips on creating and managing one (or several!). You’re probably already familiar with at least a few authors who write under a pen name or pseudonym. J.K. Rowling and J.D. Robb are a couple big names that… Read more »
It is fascinating how past experiences culminate into the present, creating beliefs. Taking part in critique was, at times, akin to a battlefield. The gauntlet was daunting and sometimes painful. In academia, I developed shied away from peer critique and moved toward mentors and professionals for feedback after much proactive work on my part. As… Read more »
So, we’re a little more than halfway through the year. And holy moly has it been a year. A pretty tough one, and one that has upended just about all of our well-intentioned plans. How have you been doing with your author platforming goals through all this? Personally, social distancing totally took my March book… Read more »
It was such an incidental, fleeting moment…one that didn’t warrant special notice. And, yet, I noticed. On the evening of May 30, 2017, my daughter, Nikky, and I attended one of the last performances by well-known singer and songwriter Sara Bareilles in the lead role of the musical “Waitress,” on Broadway. Right before the curtain… Read more »
