All blogs are property of authors and copying is not permitted.

Click image to one-click your copy of Soldiers of Fortune

CLICK BELOW & SUBSCRIBE TO THE RB4U NEWSLETTER

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Change Is Good...



I'm not the most media savvy author on the planet but then I've never claimed to be. I prefer spending my days at the keyboard making up stories and consuming enough caffeine and chocolate to keep three people going full speed ahead. Sharing on social media makes me nervous. How much is too much, how much is not enough? I've spent a very frustrating year, my second without a published story since I've started publishing.

I think there comes a time in every author’s life when they realize that it’s time to apply that wonderful “what if” question to their own career. About eighteen months ago I had torn the same manuscript apart more times than I’d like to admit when it suddenly dawned on me that I had a paranormal romance with a nice twist that was getting lost because I kept trying to make it fit into a structure that wasn’t working.

Banging my head against a wall had never been my style before so I didn’t recognize what was happening at first. By the time I did figure it out, I knew that more than the story was going to need revising. My entire career was about to change. Change is good became my mantra. Change also takes time and requires planning so I made a list and have been steadily working through it while finishing the paranormal romance.

I knew that the change was also going to require some investment of time and money. My first website was comfortable...familiar. It was my first foray into promoting my brand, a concept I didn’t really grasp the importance of until after I was in the business for a couple of years. Yes, as a newbie with one contemporary erotic novella under my belt, I don’t think I really had a concept of what I wanted as my brand. The only brand that concerned me then was writing a good story. That hasn’t changed but I have a clearer idea of how I want that brand reflected.

While I have a certain nostalgic fondness for my first website, it's definitely slanted toward erotic romance and it took about two seconds to realize that it won't encompass my new stories. It literally took months to come up with some ideas to give my webmistress so that she could get started. Trust me when I tell you that Dee Tenorio of Laideebug Digital is the most patient person on the planet. I love the new art deco feel and I can't wait to unveil it.

Not everything will be changing. For the past year, I've been taking RWA (Romance Writers of America) University workshops on everything from career planning to social media and the one outstanding little nugget of information that kept popping up was that in this day and age, authors need to make it as easy as possible for their readers to find them. I've come to realize that for me, keeping the Paris Brandon pen name instead of choosing another is best. I'm not a social media whiz kid. I can barely keep up with one pen name let alone two. I'd rather be writing.

It's hard to believe that 2015 is just around the corner but I'm ready for whatever it brings. Who knows, I could become addicted to Pinterest. Change is good. 

Until next month,
Happy Reading!
Paris Brandon
 



 

19 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi Paris, I can relate to that place where you are right now. Shifting gears, being in the in-between. We change and grow, as well as our writing and presence. Have fun and keep a good stock of chocolate!

Paris said...

Gemma,

Thanks, Gemma! I just keep repeating "Change is good", lol! Lots of chocolate never hurts:)

Lynda Bailey said...

Love your insight, Paris. And bravo for recognizing your dilemma/situation. Best of luck to you - and everyone else - in 2015!

Tina Donahue said...

Reinventing yourself seems to be the name of the game. Look at Madonna - I think she did it like a thousand times. :)

Hope 2015 is a super year for you, Paris!

Adele Downs said...

Congratulations on taking a new road in publishing! I'm cheering you on. As you know, I made a career change in 2013 by going mainstream as Adele Downs. Though it's been a lot of work to get the word out, I've enjoyed every minute. My creativity has been supercharged ith my enthusiasm.

Best of luck!

~Adele

Cara Marsi said...

Nice post, Paris. I agree that change is good. I'm at a crossroads myself with my writing career. Your post was inspirational. Best of luck to you.

Judy Baker said...

I'm relating to your post Paris. I'm in the process, but it isn't easy. Good luck with you new chance.

Katalina Leon said...

I'm with you Paris. I wish I could just write, but 2015 is all about big changes. I wish you the best!

PRM said...

Yes change can be good. and daunting. Even utterly terrifying. But when it's a change we choose to make all we're giving ourselves is possibilities. Like seeing how much chocolate you can consume in one writing session:-)

Sandy said...

Paris, I'm sorry it's taken so long to get to your blog. I'm in the same dilemma right now. I love romantic suspense, but everything I write requires sex scenes, and I'm not sure I'm up to it anymore.

Paris said...

Lynda,
Thank you!

Paris said...

Tina,

LOL! Madonna had the right idea, why not:)

Paris said...

Adele,

I think my enthusiasm has definitely been supercharged! Thank you for the inspiring words.

Paris said...

Cara,

Thanks! Wishing you the best, too:)

Paris said...

Judy,

Best of luck with the process!

Paris said...

Kat,

Right back at you:) Wishing you the best, babe!

Paris said...

Polly,

I'm working on the chocolate dilemma, lol! Yes, it's terrifying but it's kind of like one of those thrill rides you dare yourself to try.

Paris said...

Sandy,
I know what you mean. I wish I had a magic answer but the only thing I could think of was to write something entirely different. The challenge was enough to inspire me. Wishing you the best, my friend!

Melissa Keir said...

I wish you all the best. Change seems to be a thing that comes for all of us... just like death and taxes! :)

Share buttons