Do what you do best

This post follows upon last week's post, Where is your place?

The previous post went more in depth into branding and positioning. Diana also caught a facet of this issue in her post, Marketing your Identity.

So, what will this week be about? Take another peek at the title.

Do what you do best.

For a writer, this means - write!

Yes, you need to write your tag line. And for this, you'll do what you do best - use words.

Never underestimate the power of words especially where a tag line is concerned. A bunch of words may say the same thing, but do you know which one will serve you best?

I said it - serve you.

Your tag line is basically there to work for you. You as a writer won't be there 24/7 everywhere for your readers and following. Your tag line provides your presence and identity for you.

So, how do you create the best tagline? It should first be said, there is always, always, room for improvement. But in the world of writing, there comes a time when you have to say, Stop!, and go with what you currently have.

The same goes for a tag line. Let's face it, we'll never find perfection, but we can come close.

Words help you do that. And how should they help? By conveying your message as wide and broad as possible.

This leads to a very important aspect of the tag line - an encompassing string of words that has scope!

Just like a net, a tag line should skim as wide an area as possible. It should cover as much as possible, while still remaining in a nutshell.

For this, I'll use two examples:

The promise of fulfilment

Romance on another plane of existence

The first line suggests an HEA. The second implies romance and fantasy.

But, here's the thing - these tags don't simply cover the aspects mentioned above. Why? Because they have scope!

The promise of fulfilment can take place in any country, in any world, in any era, in every genre.

Romance on another plane of existence can include another age, the past, the future, the paranormal, the veil between worlds, a fantasy world, the sky, below the earth, across time.

Do you see the drift?

At the same time, your tag can be more specific, yet still give you scope.

Contemporary women's fiction in color

The above tag line can seem restricting, but it already covers a wide base - women's fiction, multicultural aspects, inter-racial relations, and today's world. A good many stories can fall under this banner, without being constricted to the same thing over and over again.

So, when you sit down to define your tag line, think of your identity. Think next what you want to convey, and put it in words. Go at it with a thesaurus, and pick out the one word that best serves your purpose.

You'll thank yourself in the end, when you'll see your tag working for you.

Until next time, I'd love your comments/questions.

Aasiyah Qamar - Cultural romantic fiction, with a twistWith stories set amidst the rainbow nation of Mauritius, a multicultural island in the Southern Indian Ocean, author Aasiyah Qamar brings you tales of today's young women battling life on all fronts and finding love where they least expect it. Indo-Mauritian culture wants to stifle them in traditions, customs and antiquated morals while the world is opening its arms of modernity and globalisation. Where do these women belong? And more importantly, with whom?Find out more about her first release, The Other Side, here.

Marketing your identity

Bet you didn't know you needed a little know-how about that part of your identity, did you? I didn't. Not for about a year, but I caught on quick.

I've learned branding your name is a key part of your identity.

You know which Nora I mean when I say her name. You know King, Grisham, and Koontz. But what if I said Katie MacAlister, or Galen Foley? You might if you read their particular genres. These are examples of what identity means when it comes to marketing.

Think fast food.  Think of what you see. Think fast period.

• I'm loving it. (This one is too easy.)
• Pepper in some fun.
• 4th Meal
• Save money. Live Better

Okay so the 4th isn't food. I'm checking to see if you're getting what I'm sharing.

You know these places, what they represent and what you expect.

Your name delivers the same "expectation".

Case in point. Margaret Weis is the creator of one of the best known fantasy series-multiple series-books I've ever run across: Dragonlance. Does she have others? You bet she does. BUT Dragonlance is and will always be the first thing that comes to my mind.

So now that we understand the "expectation" part of our identities, let's look at how we market ourselves.

First off, most authors have websites. These websites can be any combination of a base site, blog, or extraneous pages like Myspace, etc. They are pictorial imitations of their product.  You wouldn't catch bloody horror mock-ups on Galen Foley's pages. You won't find historical castles, ladies and lords on mine.

Marketing your name in the correct way produces the "expectation" to the type of book (product) you write. Marketing creates branding. Branding creates an image, your 'identity'. That identity can grow and morph into its own world (a la Nora). It wouldn't be beneficial for me to market historical information, British humor, or gothic imagery on my website, as my identity because I don't want my name to conjure those.

It's very important to learn what your identity is so you can begin marketing it to your benefit. You may not know it right away, and that's fine. For the first year or so, I didn't have an identity, but I had a name. And that's where I started. Eventually, your name will become your 'identity', fulfilling the expectation aspect of what you market.

• Christine Feehan = Carpathian Dark Series, The Drake Sister Series
• Judy Christenberry = Modern contemporary
• Julie Garwood = Medival and Regency historicals

Any questions, just list them in the comments and I'll reply.

Thanks for stopping by!

Searching for Me

I am many personas, many faces, a hodge podge of moods, emotions and thoughts...in one body. I am this way both as a person and as an author. Add to that, the fact that I've grown (at least I hope :-)) and evolved over the years to become the character I am today. Every little experience I have lived, every smile, every tear, every bit of amazement or disillusionment is reflected in me, the individual and the writer.

How am I this many people? Well, it's nothing to be amazed over, really. We all are a huge mixture of things - perhaps we often take it for granted. Over the course of life - and in a big way during our teen years - we spend a lot of time searching for our "identity". Everyone wants to have one. Everyone needs one. It is what makes us unique. Eventually, we realize that it's okay to be more than one thing, and it is those different ingredients that give us our individuality. What an author does that perhaps others don't do is take note of all these nuances and quirks and exploit them in the written word - that is, in the characters of a book. See if you can relate to this...

I am a NURTURER - as a child I took care of my dolls and stuffed bears and pandas. In my case, I also mothered a life size robot with missiles by the name of Goldrake (from the Japanese cartoon of the same name) - my absolute favorite toy, I told anyone who asked. When I grew up, I became a wife and now, I'm experiencing the joys of a soon-to-be mother. It comes naturally to be a nurturer, does it? It is an inalienable part of us.

I am a SULTRY SIREN - not much of that feeling lately, me being with the "bump" and all, but there are times when I love to put on my "sultry siren" hat, that is to say, embrace my femininity. It feels good to be feminine and most of all, to FEEL feminine. When my husband appreciates it, it is all the reward I need.

I am an ADVENTURESS - sometimes I love to try new things and see new places. I love the feeling of novelty when I do something I've never done before. It could even be something as small as trying a strange type of fruit or visiting an unfamiliar part of the city. It is the thrill of the unexpected that gets me going, no matter how slight that thrill is.

I am a HELLCAT - have you ever wanted to scratch someone's eyes out? I have. Perhaps a significant other's or a friend's. When this happens, you'll know. You love these people to bits but sometimes you feel as though they bring out the worst in you. Your blood starts to boil and you fantasize about sharpening your nails on a tough strip of leather, as one would do with a shaving blade. When someone ruffles your feathers, no telling what may come out of you. I've been through this many times.

I am ALL HEART - As women we feel things so much differently than men. Rather, men think and we feel. We see a wounded cat or dog and our heart breaks. We see a sick baby, or elderly person, and we cry for them. We try to see the good in everyone, yet, we realize the world is a treacherous place to navigate. There are times when I want to embrace and comfort everyone. Although I know that is not always possible and life often gets in the way, I like to think that with so much people feeling this way and better still, acting on it, the world cannot be such a bad place after all.

I am a SHAMELESS GOSSIP - Yeah, yeah you know what I mean, right? Have you never gossiped shamelessly with your friends over wine or coffee? What about that new guy at the office? Or that old friend from high school who sold all her earthly possessions and moved to a beach hut on Turks and Caycos? The college slut who got divorced 15 times? Come on now, you know you're not immune! Everyone's done this at some time or other in their lives. I admit, I am not much of a gossip now, but I do catch myself in the deed every now and then. All I can do is acknowledge it and move on to a different line of conversation.

I could go on and on with this, but it would take me forever. I think of shows like Sex and the City and how so many women related a little to each of the characters in that show. Why? Because we all have a bit of Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte in us - no denying that. We are many people rolled into one. That's what makes us interesting.

Now, as an author, here is where the fun starts. My characters are a product of my fantasy but in these characters I instill values and traits that I am familiar with. In them I inject a little of me, a little of my friends or relatives, a little of someone I've observed or fantasized about. My Cole for example, from my short Mile High to Heaven (coming shortly at Whiskey Creek Press Torrid) has a bit of my husband in him, combined with other attributes that make me weak at the knees :-D. He is alpha with a soul, a veritable hurricane. The heroine, Olivia, is a little like me, and a little like one of my best friends. Yet, she is also her own person, a product of my imagination. I put a bunch of ingredients in my mental cauldron and mix them to my heart's content.

Man is not purely one thing. If that were the case, wouldn't life be infinitely boring? Man is everything that life has to offer, thank goodness. So I hope that for as long as I keep writing, I'm able to bring the brilliant colors of life into the soul of my characters. This is what makes them whole and unique, the same thing that makes us whole and unique. Not necessarily our traits, but the way those traits mix and mingle inside us. With our characters too, it is their identity - which is a living, breathing, ever evolving thing.

Angela Guillaume
Mr. & Mrs. Foster - Redemption has never felt so sweet! Available now at Whiskey Creek Press Torrid

Who are you?

Who are you?

No, I'm not singing the opening song to CSI: Las Vegas. I am really asking you the question.

You're a writer. Okay, I got that. But who are you really, especially as a writer?

Just as when you go somewhere new and meet new people, you introduce yourself. You usually say you are this person, who comes from here and who hails originally from there.

Step into the writing world, and afterwards one step further, into the publishing world. How would you introduce yourself then?

The world is full of strangers. The people in publishing and writing circles don't know who you are, so you need to tell them more about you.

What do you say in this case? Just like you as a person introduce yourself, with a certain manner and in a certain way (pertinent details, vital info, etc), the same goes for the writing world. Let's break this further down:

Everyday world - you are either male or female.

Publishing world - you are from the writing pool, or from the editorial/publishing pool. Despite the fact that here, you can belong to both, in every situation, you will be one or the other.

Everyday world - you are White, Black, Indian, Asian, etc.

Publishing world - you write contemporary, historical, mainstream, paranormal, fantasy.

You see, for every way you introduce yourself, there is something for you to say.

Now, exactly as in the real world, you can be an Indo-Briton or an African-American, with a persona that carries both sides of the culture and where you fit in right in the middle...

Same goes in the writing world. You can be a historical writer who also combines in aspect of mystery, paranormal, fantasy. You integrate 'cultures/genres' and create something new.

This something new is your answer for me. That's who you are.

Until next time, when we may go more in depth into creating a unique identity for you, I'd love to receive your comments.

Aasiyah Qamar - Cultural romantic fiction, with a twist

With stories set amidst the rainbow nation of Mauritius, a multicultural island in the Southern Indian Ocean, author Aasiyah Qamar brings you tales of today's young women battling life on all fronts and finding love where they least expect it. Indo-Mauritian culture wants to stifle them in traditions, customs and antiquated morals while the world is opening its arms of modernity and globalisation. Where do these women belong? And more importantly, with whom?

Find out more about her first release, The Other Side, here.

With love from Ms. Blush

Hello to you all wonderful, beautiful people!

You may be wondering who I am, and what I'm doing here. Let's put all your concerns to rest, shall we?

My name is Ms. Blush, and I'm the gal who rounds off each and every one of the Royal Blush Authors' posse. Every week, I'll bring you a little reminder of what we at Royal Blush have in store for you.

So, what can you expect from us? Certainly not the hum-drum pace of what you usually see out there.

We give you fresh. We give you news. We give you views. Every week, stick around and get to know us better as we open the doors of our world to you and share what's on our minds and what's on our writing plate.

Speaking of 'we', who are 'we'?

Well, behind this blog stands the posse and crew of the Royal Blush Authors. Some you'll see more often, some you'll see fleetingly, but we can all tell you we're here to stay. We want to get to know you, and we hope you do too.

Basically, what we have in store for you is something a little different. The authors of Royal Blush come with a full package of information, education, and entertainment. Separated into themed months, you'll all know what we're talking about at any given point in time.

Catch author T.J Killian every Tuesday for a little lesson on craft. Or else come find out what she has on her mind that day.

Every Thursday, the author behind the pen names of Aasiyah Qamar & Nolwynn Ardennes brings you her take on an aspect pertinent to the month's topic.

Every Wednesday, we bring you one of the Royal Blush Authors and she'll be sharing her take and view on the topic of the month. Sandra Marshall, Angela Guillaume, and Diana Castilleja will be your date on each of these days.

Friday is a special day here, because every other week, Prudence Tempest will make her appearance. You don't know who she is? Worry not, you'll find out soon enough as the fictional heroine will take you through an account of her topsy-turvy life at each fortnight.

We'll also have ongoing contests, promos and opportunities to meet our authors.

In case you're still wondering who the people at Royal Blush are, catch us this month as we take you on a wild ride that'll make you discover our personas.

This January, the Royal Blush Authors want to announce their presence in the blogosphere.
This January, they're taking you on a quest:

Searching for an identity...

Don't forget to catch T.J tomorrow, Sandra on Wednesday, and Aasiyah/Nolwynn on Thursday.
Our ongoing fictional story also begins on Friday, where you'll meet Preudence Tempest, striving author, striving young woman of today's world, striving singleton and basically, a striving everything kinda gal!

The best of us for the best of you, that's our promise as we deliver the full flush of romance.

From now till later, enjoy!

With love, from Ms. Blush