Don't Be Afraid to Reinvent Yourself When Necessary

As a writer or author, perfecting the ability to reinvent yourself is priceless. I’m an old veteran of the technique, having done that so many times I’ve lost track.

Morgan as herself and as Arliss Adams

People who know me personally know that I’ve had several professions and several “looks” through the years. We’ll talk a little about why this is so valuable to writers, but in this era of economic upheaval and uncertainty, it applies to many other walks of life besides writing. Flexibility takes on new importance.
As for me, at an age when many people feel they have to slow down, I seem to be speeding up. When you write fiction, it’s extremely beneficial to be able to wear many hats and even add to your attributes and experiment with different personality styles.
Hey, Spiderman has the Spider Sense, why shouldn’t WriterPerson have the Chameleon Sense? READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE

Spotlight: The Digital Author Conference

Morgan St. James

LA Writing Examiner  + Subscribe

The Digital Author Conference is offered by West Coast Writers Conferences (WC2). With a commitment to provide writers of all genres and levels with information, education and consultation relative to the craft and business of writing, all of their events feature educators, industry professionals, agents, publishers and experts in one or more disciplines.

A little about the speaker/instructors
The speaker/instructors are industry professionals, presidents of companies, educators and a respected literary agent, all experienced in one or more aspects of digital publishing. They will be traveling from around the country for this event.

How can it be so affordable? READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE

Writers’ Tricks of the Trade: Set your writing goals for 2012

Just as most people make lofty resolutions about things like losing weight in the New Year, writers often take a deep breath and make resolutions about how they will improve their skills,  their marketing and production in the New Year.

Well, we are nearing the end of January, so the question is what have you resolved to do?

It has been proven over and over again that goals, particularly if they are written, actually internalize and help a person move in the right direction, much the same as setting out on a trip with a road map. Take a good hard look at what kind of goals would work for you, and commit them to a list. It’s a good way to wrap up this first month of 2012.

Some things to keep in mind when setting goals

Goals should be realistic

It is one thing to scratch out a list of very ambitious and possibly unattainable milestones you resolve to reach. Although it is definitely good to challenge yourself to work up to your potential, the goals should be ones that stand a chance of really being something you can achieve—not pie in the sky. CLICK TO CONTINUE READING THIS ARTICLE

Writers' Tricks of the Trade: Research before you get too starry eyed

Hi folks,

With all of the hype about the self-pubbed authors who are making zillions with self-published Ebooks and Kindle books, I felt I had to write this column yesterday. Sure, there are definitely people who have cracked the code for one reason or another, but they are the minority. No matter how you look at it, unless the average author is extraordinarily lucky, it is still lots of hard work and money to get your work out there, and even then it is lots of hard work and money. I didn't get comments directly on the column but I did receive emails from those who have been there, done that. They thanked me for writing about the reality and they agree. Read on...

 Las Vegas Writing Examiner

January 5, 2012 - Like this? Subscribe to get instant updates.

 Before you get sucked into all of the hype about the big money being made by authors who took the leap into self-publishing Kindles and eBooks and now have tons of money and offers rolling in from all over the world, a word of caution.
In many cases this is true. There are authors who have done amazingly well and others who manage to squeak by. Unfortunately, the “squeakers” are the majority. It is definitely not as easy as it sounds.
E-publishing millionaire Amanda Hocking summed it up: --READ FULL ARTICLE

Writers’ Tricks of the Trade: Are you establishing your brand?

Two years ago I didn’t really have a brand. Yes I wrote a mystery series and was getting known for the Silver Sisters Mysteries, but then I decided to write two romantic suspense novels. Following advice of others instead of what I felt in my heart, I wrote two books under the pseudonym Arliss Adams because those who advised me felt readers who loved my humor would be shocked by the sex and touch of violence in these two books.

The result? I not only lost my platform, but felt like a dual personality. Most people who liked my writing didn’t know I was Arliss, so in addition to all the normal tasks I normally juggle, I found myself keeping up two additional websites as well as yet one more blog, just to have something to grab onto. Amazon wouldn’t even put those two books on my author page because the name was different.

What is an author brand?  READ MORE...