Author: janetsm

In November 2025, I published Traveling Through History: A Collection of Historical Short Stories. In the fall of 2025, I published a devotional book: I Need The Light! 26 Weekly Devotionals to Help You Through Winter AND I Need The Light! Companion Journal and Diary. I write North Carolina local history and Southern American colonial historical fiction. I enjoy doing extensive research as well as the writing that research supports. My stories and novels-in-progress are about the common people. I'm the author of Harrisburg, Did You Know? Cabarrus History, Books 1 and 2 and a vintage postcard book titled The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.

First Line of a Novel

Once a month I blog about the first line in a novel. I started doing that when I thought the first line was the “hook.” I’ve learned that the hook can entail the first paragraph or even the first page of a novel, but I plan to continue to blog about the first line only.

The Risen

The Risen, by Ron Rash

“From the beginning, Ligeia’s ability to appear and disappear seemed magical.” – From The Risen, by Ron Rash.

When I read that sentence for the first time, I had no way of knowing who Ligeia was or that it foreshadowed many appearances and disappearances throughout the book. The line was very clever on Mr. Rash’s part.

The Risen is a coming of age story of two brothers who grew up in Sylva, North Carolina in the Appalachian Mountains and the secret one kept from the other for decades. I don’t want to spoil the story for you, so I’ll just leave it at that. If you haven’t given this North Carolina author a try, please do so.

If you like my blog, I hope you will tell your friends and follow me on social media in addition to following Janet’s Writing Blog.

Until my next blog post in a few days, I wish you a good book to read and, if you’re a writer, I hope you have productive writing time.

Janet

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11 More Things I’ve Learned about Twitter

Tweet!
Tweet! @JanetMorrisonbk.com

On July 22, 2016 I blogged “10 Things I’ve Learned about Twitter.” Since then, I’ve learned 11 more things.

  1. Twitter should come with an owner’s manual or a teenager to teach those of us in our 60s how to use it.
  2. I’d still rather be working on my southern historical novel than writing Tweets.
  3. Twitter continues to be maddening and takes more of my time than I want to give it.
  4. Some days it seems like Twitter is really just a contest to see who can accumulate the most followers.
  5. I grow weary of trying to improve my follower : follow ratio.
  6. There are some things I’d like to Tweet about but I have to be conscious of my author brand.
  7. The older I get, the more I believe I must show my authentic self if I’m going to project my true brand. (Yes, #7 conflicts with #6.)
  8. It’s amazing how many followers from Australia I can pick up by Tweeting in the middle of the night in the USA.
  9. I recently read that you have to manually cut and paste another person’s Tweet in order to retweet it – as well as adding “RT” and the original Tweet author’s username. Who knew? I thought that’s what the “ReTweet” button was for. Hence, the importance of #1 above.
  10. I’d been on Twitter for months when I learned that you need a “header image” as well as a profile picture. How are you supposed to know that since. . . well, please refer to #1 above.
  11. Any link you paste into the Tweet box is automatically shortened to 19 characters. I would have known this months ago if. . . well, please refer to #1 above.

Thank you for taking time to read my blog. If you like it, please share it by clicking on the social media buttons below. I invite you to follow me on social media by clicking on the icons to the right.

Until my next blog post in a few days, I hope you have a good book to read. If you are a writer, I hope you have productive writing time.

Janet

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A Line I Like from a Novel

Once in a while, I come across a line that I especially like in a novel I’m reading. I like to showcase one of those sentences in a blog post once-a-month. It’s my way of illustrating how good writing doesn’t just happen. Sometimes my attention is grabbed by a phrase or just a word in a sentence. When this happens, I make a note of it in my writer’s notebook.

Redemption Road, by John Hart

“Tapping on the door, Elizabeth waited as fabric whispered behind the screen, and her mother appeared.” — Redemption Road, from John Hart

My “Take” on this line

It wouldn’t have occurred to me to write “as fabric whispered behind the screen,” but the phrase John Hart crafted paints an audible picture. I know exactly what Elizabeth heard as she waited after tapping the door.

What you can do

If you like what you read on my blog, I invite you to follow it by clicking on one of the “follow” buttons at the top of the right side of this page. I also welcome your comments. If you would like to follow me on Facebook, please search for Janet Morrison, Writer. To follow me on Twitter and Pinterest, please click on those social media icons to the right.

Until my next blog, I hope you have a good book to read. If you are a writer, I hope you have productive writing time.

Janet

What I read in November

Book Pages, Book, Old, Read, Paper

I read three novels in November. The first one was The One Man, by Andrew Gross. Some of you are probably familiar with some of the thrillers he wrote with James Patterson, but I was not aware of his writing. I can’t remember how I heard about The One Man, but the premise intrigued me. I look forward to reading more of Mr. Gross’s books.

The One Man, by Andrew Gross

The One Man is a gripping historical thriller. I’m drawn to historical fiction, but most of the historical novels I’ve read do not fall into the category of thriller. The One Man is a real page turner. It is set during World War II as Hitler’s Germany and the Allies were both trying to develop a bomb the likes of which the world had never seen.

The premise of the book is that only two men in the world know how to separate Uranium-235 from Uranium-238. One of the men is German. The other one is a Jewish physicist being held in the Auschwitz concentration camp. He is “the one man” the United States needs if the Allies are to win the war. But how could the United States possibly get anyone out of Auschwitz? They needed to find “the one man” who could pull it off. If you want to go on this nail-biting ride, I recommend you read The One Man. In case you enjoy audio books, this one has excellent reviews as the narrator is Edoardo Ballerini.

Ruin Falls, by Jenny Milchman

I read Ruin Falls primarily to fulfill a category on the 2016 Mint Hill Public Library 2016 Reading Challenge. Having enjoyed reading Jenny Milchman’s Under the Cover of Snow several years ago, I selected another book by her in the category, “read something by an author who has the same initials as you.” In Ruin Falls, two children of a couple mysteriously disappear in the middle of the night from their hotel room. Were they kidnapped or did they runaway? Ms. Milchman weaves a story that points out how our lives can be ruined by things that happen to us and how we don’t know other people as well as we think. The title is a bit of a play on words leading up to a suspenseful encounter at a waterfall called Ruin Falls.

The Risin, by Ron Rash

The Risin, by Ron Rash was the other novel I read in November is a coming of age book. It follows the lives of two brothers from Sylva, North Carolina. Sylva is a small town in the Appalachian Mountains and just a few miles from Western Carolina University where Ron Rash teaches. One brother is a well-respected neurosurgeon, while the other one is a ne’er-do-well. One of them has a closely guarded secret from their teen years in Sylva in the 1970s – a secret kept from the other brother for decades.

In closing

If you like the information I share in my blog, please share it and your comments on social media. You’ll find the icons below. If you’d like to receive an e-mail every time I publish a new blog post, please supply your e-mail address in the upper right sidebar or by clicking on the “Follow” button if you are a blogger on WordPress.

Until my next blog post in a few days, I hope you have a good book to read. If you are a writer, I hope you also have some quality writing time.

Janet

My “Sound Bite” and My Author Brand Story

Those of you follow my blog are probably growing weary of reading about author brand. I feel your pain! After today’s post, I look forward to blogging about other topics. Thank you for bearing with me as I went through this necessary journey and soul searching in preparation for what I hope will be the publication of my first novel in the next couple of years.

A Reductive Phrase or Sound Bites

On her company’s website, http://www.bluemooncommunications.com, Theresa Meyers defines a sound bite as “a reductive phrase that encapsulates more than the words contained in the phrase.”

She says an author must “boil down” his or her message points to “a one liner that will be used in every interview, every speech, every talk you give.”

I needed to ask myself why I write southern historical fiction. It’s what I’m naturally drawn to. It’s like all my life experiences have pointed me in this direction. But Ms. Meyers nudged me to go three more steps. I had to verbalize why people read southern historical fiction, what makes it sell, and why people seem to be gravitating toward it. As if that weren’t enough, the task was to come up with one phrase or sentence that would answer all of those questions.

My thought process as I pondered those three questions:  I think people read southern historical fiction, buy southern historical fiction, and gravitate toward it because The South is a state of mind. It is a place and feeling that its children cannot easily define or explain. It is unique due to its history. It is at once looked down upon and held in a place of fascination by the rest of the country. It is a place that one cannot begin to understand without having lived there, or perhaps without having been born there. It is probably the most misunderstood place on earth.

My conclusion, in one sentence or phrase:  Southern Historical Fiction touches the heart.

My Author Brand Story

If the following five paragraphs might sound like I’m bragging, that’s not my intention. It is my understanding that an author brand story is a writer’s statement of what qualifies him or her to write what they write. The next five paragraphs are my author brand story.

My 40 years of tracing my various family lines back to the colonial days in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia as well as collateral family lines back to the pioneer days in Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi has served to reinforce and strengthen my knowledge of and history of The South (i.e., the southeastern states in the United States of America.)

I have done extensive local history and church history research and writing. Sometimes I think I was born in the wrong era. I identify with people who lived through the American Revolution, though I doubt if I would have had the physical fortitude to survive that period in our nation’s history. My studies have given me a profound appreciation for the hardships endured and sacrifices made by that generation of Americans that laid the foundation for the country and freedoms we enjoy today. Their blood runs through my veins and the red clay soil of the North Carolina piedmont is in my soul.

I am detail-oriented. Living my entire life in North Carolina and most of my life on land that has been in my family since the mid-18th century gives me a strong sense of place.

Having lost my first and second careers due to my health, I need to prove to myself and others that I can still contribute to society. I have been a writer all my life – just an unpublished one until recently.

My background, education, and desire to write historical fiction make me uniquely qualified to pen southern historical novels.

If you like my blog, please tell others about it. You may use the social media icons below.

Until my next blog post, I hope you have a good book to read and, if you’re a writer, I hope you have productive writing time. Thank you for coming along on my journey as an aspiring novelist.

Janet

My Author Brand Progress Report – Part 2

My post last Friday covered questions 5-9 on Kimberley Grabas’s “Brand Story Worksheet” found through https://thebookdesigner.com and on http://YourWriterPlatform.com. (In fact, I mistakenly gave Theresa Meyers credit for that worksheet. I sincerely apologize to Ms. Grabas, Ms. Meyers, and to my blog readers for my error. I republished the corrected blog post on November 28, 2016 at 10:22 pm Eastern Standard Time.) Using this worksheet was a beneficial exercise. It wasn’t easy or quick, but it was something I needed to do in order to figure out my author brand.

Since Friday, I have designed my business card and ordered them. The new one has the same photo of me that appears on my Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/janet5049, Twitter (https://twitter.com/janetmorrisonbk), and Janet Morrison, Writer (https://www.facebook.com/Janet-Morrison-Writer) accounts. It will take a little longer to change the picture on my website (www.janetmorrisonbooks.com) – which needs a lot of updating.

“Brand Story Worksheet – Question 10

Question 10 on the worksheet prompted me to start making a list of the actions I will take “to create loyal and meaningful relationships with my readers.” The types of things on my list include setting up a way for people to join an e-mail mailing list on my website, writing a newsletter, researching how other authors have done this, and make myself available for personal appearances and even Skype with book clubs. The personal appearances and Skype will have to wait until I actually have a novel to publicize.

Brand Story Worksheet – Question 11

Question 11 addresses an author’s need to associate with other writers. The Queens Writers Group, of which I was a member after completing Judy Simpson’s fiction writing course at Queens University of Charlotte in 2001, disbanded upon Judy’s death. I have not joined another writers group. I probably should look for another group to join, as well as joining the Charlotte Writers Club and the North Carolina Writers Network. To date, money has stood in my way.

Brand Story Worksheet – Question 12

The 12th question on the worksheet asks, “How does your brand story position you for future growth as a writer?” I think my story positions me to write southern historical novels in addition to the manuscript of The Spanish Coin – whether they be stand stand-alone books or sequels to The Spanish Coin.

Writing a Brand Story & Strategy

After answering the 12th question, the instructions are to write one’s brand story, concentrating more on how you say it than what you say. You’re supposed to think about how you’ll incorporate your story into your marketing plan – every aspect of that plan. This was a daunting task but, once I settled into it, my story and strategy came together fairly easily. I reviewed my responses to the 12 questions on Ms. Meyers’s worksheet, and my story quickly jelled. I will share my story and strategy on my blog on December 2, 2016.

My Author Brand Map

Although I had trouble translating my love for geographic maps to an author brand map, here’s my first attempt. It looks more like a chart than a map. The important thing is for my map to make sense to me, even if it does not look like anyone else’s author brand map. I didn’t have an example to follow, so here it is. I hope you can read it.

My attempt at an Author Brand Map.
My attempt at an Author Brand Map.

 

Author Message Points

Theresa Meyers wrote in her “Message Points” article on http://www.bluemooncommunications.com/white_papers/message_points.htm) that in order to attract media attention today, authors must find their message points. She wrote, “Three strategies will interest the media the most:

  1. Identify a problem. . .;
  2. Point to an opportunity. . .; or
  3. Explode a myth. . .

“Of these, Meyers continues, “exploding a myth gets the best response. . . . When pitching a producer or editor, in thirty seconds or less you need to hold up the myth and then shoot it down.

“Research has shown an audience will remember no more than three key message points. Everything you say, everything you speak about, needs to connect back to those points.”

Ms. Meyers then asks 13 questions for the aspiring author to answer in order to “come up with three statements that you want to repeat over and over again as part of your brand.”

My Three Message Points

  1. ?
  2. ?
  3. ?

As you can see, this part needs some work!

A Place to End This Blog Post

This seems like a good place to end today’s blog post, since I’ve run out of answers.

If you feel led to Tweet about my blog, Pin one of my posts on Pinterest, or comment about it on other forms of social media, I thank you for helping me get the word out about my writing. You’ll find social media icons below.

Check out my blog on December 1, 2016 for the possible “reveal” of my three message points, my “sound bite”/reductive phrase or sentence, and my author brand story, and my strategy going forward.

Until that next blog post, I hope you have a good book to read and, if you’re a writer, I hope you have productive writing time. Thank you for coming along on my journey as an aspiring novelist.

Janet

My Author Brand Progress Report – Part 1 (with CORRECTION)

This blog post contains a correction in the first paragraph. Otherwise, it is a reblog of my last blog post on November 25, 2016. I apologize to Kimberly Grabas, Theresa Meyers, and my readers for my error.

In my last blog post, “More Thoughts about Author’s Brand,” on November 22, 2016, I ended the post with comments about the first four questions on the 12-question “Brand Story Worksheet” written by Kimberley Grabas (not by Theresa Meyers as I mistakenly stated) and found through https://thebookdesigner.com and on http://YourWriterPlatform.com and the promise to “work my way through the remaining eight questions on the worksheet, I’ll start drawing my author brand ‘map,’ and I’ll do some research on ‘message points.'”

Question 5

The fifth question on the worksheet prompted me to consider how what I have to offer in my writing is different from what anyone else can offer, and how I will make an emotional connection with readers. That’s what I was supposed to do but after evaluating my lifelong love for the history of the geographical area in which my historical mystery manuscript (The Spanish Coin) is set (the northern piedmont of South Carolina and the southern piedmont of North Carolina) I forgot to address the emotional connection with my readers. Nevertheless, this exercise has helped me know that this is where my writing needs to be geographically. I guess it boils down to the old saying, “Write what you know.”

Question 6

Perception as a writer is addressed in the sixth question. To answer it, I had to imagine how my ideal reader would perceive my writing and how she or he would describe my work. I have concluded that I want my ideal reader to describe my work as “spot-on” historically and beautifully-written. I want my ideal reader to say my work my books are “real page turners” with memorable characters that they remember years after reading my books. I want to be perceived as an honest writer.

Question 7

The seventh question asked what people are saying about my writing. I was encouraged when I remembered how people raved about the local history column I wrote for six years for the weekly Harrisburg Horizons newspaper. Also, I received compliments on my short story, “Slip-Sliding Away!”

Question 8

Emboldened by my reflections on question #7, I jumped into the next question; however, it was not so easy to answer. It was about signals my brand sends. This is going to require more thought, since I’m still trying to determine what my brand is and how to project it.

Question 9

The ninth question also addressed things that I don’t have yet since I am still figuring out my brand. I have a website, business cards, and a head shot, but I didn’t know until last week that my website and business cards should match or at least blend. The head shot I had made to appear on the back cover of my vintage postcard book, The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, is not on my website. The purpose of the ninth question is to prompt me to make sure everything I do is a positive reflection of my brand.

What’s left to do

That leaves three more questions to be addressed, as well as the writing of my brand story and strategy, my brand story map, and my message points. I’ll see how much progress I can make on those items before my next blog post in a few days.

If you feel led to Tweet about my blog, Pin one of my posts on Pinterest (yes, I know, most of them don’t have a photo to Pin), or comment about it on other forms of social media, I thank you for helping me get the word out about my writing. You’ll find social media icons below.

Until that next blog post, I hope you have a good book to read and, if you’re a writer, I hope you have productive writing time. Thank you for coming along on my journey as an aspiring novelist.

Janet

My Author Brand Progress Report – Part 1

In my last blog post, “More Thoughts about Author’s Brand,” on November 22, 2016, I ended the post with comments about the first four questions on the 12-question “Brand Story Worksheet” written by Theresa Meyers and found on http://YourWriterPlatform.com and the promise to “work my way through the remaining eight questions on the worksheet, I’ll start drawing my author brand ‘map,’ and I’ll do some research on ‘message points.'”

Question 5

The fifth question on the worksheet prompted me to consider how what I have to offer in my writing is different from what anyone else can offer, and how I will make an emotional connection with readers. That’s what I was supposed to do but after evaluating my lifelong love for the history of the geographical area in which my historical mystery manuscript (The Spanish Coin) is set (the northern piedmont of South Carolina and the southern piedmont of North Carolina) I forgot to address the emotional connection with my readers. Nevertheless, this exercise has helped me know that this is where my writing needs to be geographically. I guess it boils down to the old saying, “Write what you know.”

Question 6

Perception as a writer is addressed in the sixth question. To answer it, I had to imagine how my ideal reader would perceive my writing and how she or he would describe my work. I have concluded that I want my ideal reader to describe my work as “spot-on” historically and beautifully-written. I want my ideal reader to say my work my books are “real page turners” with memorable characters that they remember years after reading my books. I want to be perceived as an honest writer.

Question 7

The seventh question asked what people are saying about my writing. I was encouraged when I remembered how people raved about the local history column I wrote for six years for the weekly Harrisburg Horizons newspaper. Also, I received compliments on my short story, “Slip-Sliding Away!”

Question 8

Emboldened by my reflections on question #7, I jumped into the next question; however, it was not so easy to answer. It was about signals my brand sends. This is going to require more thought, since I’m still trying to determine what my brand is and how to project it.

Question 9

The ninth question also addressed things that I don’t have yet since I am still figuring out my brand. I have a website, business cards, and a head shot, but I didn’t know until last week that my website and business cards should match or at least blend. The head shot I had made to appear on the back cover of my vintage postcard book, The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, is not on my website. The purpose of the ninth question is to prompt me to make sure everything I do is a positive reflection of my brand.

What’s left to do

That leaves three more questions to be addressed, as well as the writing of my brand story and strategy, my brand story map, and my message points. I’ll see how much progress I can make on those items before my next blog post in a few days.

If you feel led to Tweet about my blog, Pin one of my posts on Pinterest (yes, I know, most of them don’t have a photo to Pin), or comment about it on other forms of social media, I thank you for helping me get the word out about my writing. You’ll find social media icons below.

Until that next blog post, I hope you have a good book to read and, if you’re a writer, I hope you have productive writing time. Thank you for coming along on my journey as an aspiring novelist.

Janet

More Thoughts about Author’s Brand

Since my last blog post, What is an Author’s Brand… and How Do I Get One? I have done more reading on the subject and I’ve taken my first steps in figuring out/designing my brand. If you’re also an aspiring novelist, perhaps my blog posts on this topic will help you. Disclaimer: I am learning as I go. I am no expert.

“The Basics of Author Branding,” by Theresa Meyers

In her article, “The Basics of Author Branding,” Theresa Meyers, the president of Blue Moon Communications (http://Bluemooncommunications.com/white_papers/author_branding.htm) stresses the importance of mapping out your branding plan. Since I love maps, this concept appeals to me.

How an Author Brand Works

Theresa Meyers gives three steps to explain how an author brand works.

  1. When readers love your stories, they will “believe that they have formed a relationship” with you. (She calls this “emotional Velcro.”);
  2. Garnering accolades within the writing community and publishing industry will create a public perception of you; and
  3. Your author’s voice will set you apart. You have a unique way of writing.

Summary of Theresa Meyers’s Article

What I came away with is that the following things must be done in order to form your author’s brand, and they must be done in the following order:

  1. Produce good quality product;
  2. Decide on your message points;
  3. Be consistent;
  4. Get your name/brand out there; and
  5. “Find a word or phrase . . . to define what you do or your unique aspect and own it.”

That last part got my attention. I haven’t seen anyone else give that tip. It has me thinking. I write historical fiction, but what sets my historical fiction apart?

The second item on the list also got my attention. I’m not sure I know what my message points are.

YourWriterPlatform.com’s “Brand Story Worksheet”

In addition to studying what Theresa Meyers wrote about author branding, I have put some serious thought into answering the first four of the 12 questions on the “Brand Story Worksheet found at http://YourWriterPlatform.com.

Right off the bat, the first question forced me to put in writing my beliefs and worldview and analyze how that influences my writing. That was a sobering exercise. It made me seriously consider and discover why I write the historical fiction I write and aspire to write.

The second question forced me to write down my personality strengths and weaknesses. Maybe I did this exercise on a bad day, but I was stunned when I came up with 11 weaknesses and just three strengths! It seems I have some rough edges that need to be smoothed out a little bit.

The third question made me put in writing what motivates me to write. I already knew the answer(s), but it was helpful to write it down. It helped me focus.

The fourth question was harder to answer than I anticipated when I first read it. I not only had to try to identify the types of readers that will value my writing but also say why they will value it.

Until my next blog post, I will continue to work my way through the remaining eight questions on the worksheet, I’ll start drawing my author brand “map,” and I’ll do some research on “message points.” It’s too bad I can’t just write and have the reading public magically clamoring for my work. I’d rather be writing than spending my time jumping through these author branding “hoops,” but that would be too easy. This is a journey. It will not be accomplished overnight.

A Call to Action

I welcome your comments about this and my earlier blog posts, and I invite you to share my blog by clicking on the social media icons below.

Until my next post, I wish you a good book to read and, if you’re a writer, I hope you have quality writing time. And if you’re an American, I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving on Thursday.

Janet

What is an Author’s Brand… and How Do I Get One?

Today’s blog post is for writers who are in the same boat with me. I’ve been working on a novel for years. I hope to get it published in the next several years. I am trying to learn all I can about the craft of writing as well as the craft of being an author. In the 21st century It’s not enough to write a 100,000-word piece of earth-shaking fiction. An author has to have a brand and build a platform.

To tell you how far I’ve come in the last week, a few days ago I didn’t know the difference between brand and platform. I have a hunch I’m not alone in my confusion. I do not claim to be an authority on this subject. In fact, I’m far from it. Today’s post grew out of my need to try to figure out author brand and author platform.

 

What is an author’s brand?

After searching online for explanations of an author’s brand, I have concluded that my brand as an author is who I am, what I choose to share about myself, and what I want readers to think when they see or hear my name.

 

What is an author’s platform?

The best I can tell, an author’s platform is his or her visibility and ability to sell books.

 

How do brand and platform mesh?

An author’s brand underpins his or her platform. It’s part of the foundation. Brand, therefore, must precede the building of a platform.

 

When should I design my brand as an author?

Today, or perhaps yesterday.

 

How do I establish my brand as an author?

  • Set goals and objectives
  • Identify what readers of your genre are looking for
  • Determine how you are different from other writers in your genre
  • Feel comfortable in your own skin as a writer
  • Don’t be shy about telling your own story
  • Find your niche and focus on it
  • Take care to manage how you are perceived
  • Explore ways you can turn readers of your genre into fans of your work

 

How am I perceived?

How potential readers perceive you is created by a variety of ways. Everything from website, logo, social media presence, business cards, any printed materials, to your photo affect how you are perceived. In other words, be consistent in how you project yourself.

 

How can you learn from my mistakes?

Unfortunately, when I had my website set up, it was primarily to showcase the three family genealogies compiled in the 1990s by my sister and me. I knew I wanted to be a novelist, but at that time I really knew next to nothing about writing fiction.

I set up a Facebook account on June 14, 2011 in order to keep up with community events and news. Much later (August 12, 2014) I added a Janet Morrison, Writer Facebook page as a way to publicize my public appearances to promote my vintage postcard book, The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.

In 2010, I started half-heartedly writing a blog. I struggled with content and how often to post. It wasn’t until 2014 and the publishing of my vintage postcard book that I got serious about blogging.

Kicking and screaming, I created a Twitter account on April 11, 2016.

I did all these things in piecemeal fashion as I struggled to learn what an aspiring novelist should do in order to get noticed. The operative word is “piecemeal.” There’s nothing wrong with taking a gradual approach, but my mistake was that I did not have an overall plan and, therefore, I was not systematic. I was focusing on the individual trees instead of the entire forest. I did not understand author brand as it relates to author platform. In conclusion, I tried to build my platform without supporting it with a brand. I got the cart before the horse.

 

Where do I go from here?

With my website, blog, and Twitter account already in place, I have no choice but to keep forging ahead. Otherwise, I will lose my momentum and many of the followers I have. (I experienced that this summer while I had shingles in my eye.)

While I forge ahead, though, I know now that I need to design my brand. I have written the manuscript of a historical mystery. Although Arcadia Publishing reminded me during the editing process that my postcard book was not intended to be a history book, I believe it did help people to perceive me as a writer and historian.

My plan for the coming weeks is to hire a professional editor to evaluate my historical mystery manuscript (working title is The Spanish Coin) and to take the steps necessary to design my brand.

I don’t expect this to be easy. Nothing worthwhile is easy. Researching and stating facts and theories about author branding is one thing. Putting that knowledge into practice is altogether something else.

 

Some of the resources I used in writing this post are:

I would be remiss if I did not disclose and provide links to the online sources I used this week in writing this blog post.

 

A call to action

If you find this blog post helpful or if you wish to contradict or correct any of my statements, please leave a comment and give JanetsWritingBlog.com exposure by clicking on the social media icons below.

Until my next blog post, I hope you have a good book to read and, If you’re a writer, I hope you have quality writing time.

Janet