I like to think I’m a business-oriented person and that I’m treating my writing career in a business-like fashion. So, obviously, I want to do whatever I can to let my writing be successful. I work at a small start-up company for my day job, so believe me when I say I know that the quality of the product is not always enough to make a success of your business. Of course, that’s the first and most important thing to deal with, but there’s this other little thing called Marketing.
(I’m watching as all my Writer Friends run away screaming at the mention of the M-word…)
Yep, marketing: selling that high-quality puppy with all your might. And not just might, but well-directed, skillfully-done might: elbowing your way into the market and then making a name for yourself once you get there. Branding.
And this is when that whole business thing starts getting emotional. Because, you know what? In writing, in order to develop a brand, you have to develop a voice. And do you know what you have to do to develop a voice? (Don’t worry, I’ll tell you. Because that’s what I do.) You have to pick a genre and go with it. Yep, none of this, “I write chick-lit, no wait I write sci-fi, um, hold on, erotica is hot right now so I’m going to try that…” Nuh-uh.
(Here’s where I usually run away screaming.)
See, it’s like marriage. You find something, and you commit to stick with it. Some days it might bug the crap out of you, but you’ve made a decision and, darn it, you love it and you’re going to make this work! Because you know why? Every time you divorce yourself from your brand (your voice, your style, your genre), you have to start elbowing your way back into the market alllll over again. Like having to date all over again. (I shudder to think.)
So where am I in this whole scary marry-a-brand process? I hate to admit it, but I’m kind of still wandering around kissing frogs. My first manuscript is a sweet, small-town, slice-of-life story involving quirky townspeople, evil big-city vamps (not the biting kind), babies, kitties, and fuzzy blue sweaters and, like, no sex. My second manuscript is a paranormal psychic suspense thriller with a government conspiracy thrown in for good measure. Oh, and hot sex. On top of that, I’ve got fantasies, thrillers, paranormals, a weird all-dialogue coming-of-age thing, and a slew of other half-started ideas all over the spectrum.
And guess what I’m planning to write for my NaNoWriMo novel this November? Come on, just guess.
No, not erotica. Sorry Robbie.
Chick lit.
Just kill me now.
So I’m thinking that whole branding process is going to have to wait a while. I mean, how can I come up with a catchy tagline when the only common thread running through all my writing is that it entertains me?
But, for now, maybe that’s all it takes. I’ll keep dating around, kissing the frogs, waiting for that Perfect Tone to sweep me off my feet. And, after the honeymoon, it will probably fart in bed and leave empty rolls of toilet paper on the ring and I’ll have to remember why it swept me off my feet in the first place… but my point is that I will have found my brand and I will be committed to it, and I will make it work!
Until then? Bring on the chick lit, baby.
Last year in the life of Sonja: Wedding Scrapbook- The Family, Funny Meme, Wedding Scrapbook- The Guests, We Rule, Wedding Scrapbook- The Cards & Gifts, At Least I LOOK Professional, Wedding Scrapbook- The Getaway, Wedding Scrapbook- The First Home
