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Home » Archives for Tamela Hancock Murray » Page 58

Tamela Hancock Murray

Your Brand is Not a Limitation

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon January 19, 2012
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brand

It is All About Expectations

What if you bought a recording from a music group expecting their usual collection of ballads, only to hear guitar anthems? Or what if you picked up a book with a pink cover that promised a love story but ended up reading a novel where hapless and nameless victims suffered gunshot wounds on every page? You’d be disappointed, right? I would be. You don’t want to disappoint readers, so branding has become a consistent topic.

Your Best Friend

Some writers find the concept of branding to be limiting. When they think of branding the TV show “Rawhide” and cattle comes to mind.  And despite the awesomeness of such a theme song, they want to keep their options open.

While freedom to explore new avenues is desirable for growth, the fact is, writers need to first establish an audience. And to do that, their work has to be consistent in quality and content. The idea is to become a friend to readers, one they can rely on for certain reading value, whether it is fiction or non-fiction. Think about it — what if you had formed a relationship with a friend who consistently gave great advice from the context of her loving family and marriage. Over the years, you come to rely on her for Wednesday afternoon chats over tea in her cozy breakfast nook, watching birds from a bay window. In return, you might bring over some sugar cookies. You find comfort in her usual appearance — a white t-shirt and jeans, blonde ponytail and cotton-candy-pink lip gloss.

What Happened?

How would you feel if one week you kept your Wednesday appointment but were greeted by a stranger with cropped hair dyed the color of onyx, coal-black lipstick, a newly-pierced eyebrow, wearing black leather? Only this isn’t a stranger. It’s your friend. “How do you like my new look?” she asks. “I was tired of the old look and thought I’d spread my wings. And my husband? I threw him out and he took the kids with him. Oh, and I changed brands of tea. But come on in!” Would you trust her not to have spiked the tea as well as her hair?

Double Identity?

This isn’t a comment on fashion, it is a comment about expectations. This is akin to what happens to readers looking for a certain type of story associated with your name. Sure, you might be a cotton-candy-pink writer with a vampire novel sitting in your files. What with self-publishing, shouldn’t the vampire come out and play? Probably not a good idea. The idea of giving blood is not going to appeal to your audience looking for a sugar fix. If they happen upon the vampire novel, your readers devoted to light romance will be confused and disappointed. They will be looking for their friend. Granted, a very, very select few writers are able to write across genres and be successful at several. And others are skilled at using pen names and creating dual marketing identities. But that takes work and an intentional strategy to market to divergent audiences. For most writers, concentrating on a quality and valued friendship with a devoted audience is reward enough.

Your turn

Who are your favorite writers? And if you had to identify their brand, what would you say it is? (Remember a brand is not a slogan, that is a topic for another day.)

 

 

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Category: Book Business, Book Business, Branding, Career, Get Published, TamelaTag: Book Business, Branding, Marketing, Tamela, Writing Craft

How Many Critiques Spoil the Broth?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon January 12, 2012
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Today I'll give my opinion on a question sent to our blog:
When an author is trying to find the right Genre to write in for a particular subject, is it profitable to listen to only one critique? 
Discover

The author who posed this question is in the discovery phase. Writers who read lots of books and have developed a love for many types of stories often have trouble deciding what to write. …

Read moreHow Many Critiques Spoil the Broth?
Category: Craft, Get Published, Tamela, Writing CraftTag: Craft, Get Published, Rejection, Tamela, Writing Craft

New Year’s Resolutions

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon January 5, 2012
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So many resolutions. So many possibilities. So many dashed hopes.

In the interest of avoiding disappointment, here is my list of New Year's Resolutions I am likely to keep:
1.) Watch more television.
2.) Buy more awesome clothes that go with red lipstick.
3.) Add to my collection of black pointy-toed spiked-heeled shoes.
4.) Increase my collection of black high-heeled platform shoes.
5.) …

Read moreNew Year’s Resolutions
Category: Humor, Personal, TamelaTag: Humor, Personal, Tamela

A Year to Remember

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon December 29, 2011
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Anyone following this blog or who knows me personally realizes this was a very exciting year for me on a professional level. After ten wonderful years with Hartline Literary Agency, this summer I joined The Steve Laube Agency. I am thrilled to be working with Steve as my new boss and Karen Ball as my colleague.

Although I kept the same title of literary agent and both agencies are headed by …

Read moreA Year to Remember
Category: Personal, TamelaTag: Personal, Year in Review

Christmas Melodies

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon December 22, 2011
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The good news for us in Virginia is that we rarely experience a white Christmas. Of course, for snow lovers, that is bad news. No sleigh rides for us.  Not even to a groovy beat. What I love is that winter is cold enough to call for a coat, but usually boots are more of a fashion statement than a necessity.

But here we have plenty of seasonal atmosphere, with an abundance of holly berry scents …

Read moreChristmas Melodies
Category: Personal, TamelaTag: Creativity, Personal, Tamela

What Role Do Influencers Play?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon December 15, 2011
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One of the services a traditional publisher provides is working with authors in regard to getting publicity about books through word of mouth. This piece of the publicity puzzle is more important for trade books than for mass market books because they fit into an established line and are less author-focused than trade books. Trade books rely more on author identity and brand recognition to be …

Read moreWhat Role Do Influencers Play?
Category: Book Business, Book Business, Tamela, The Publishing Life, Writing CraftTag: Book Business, Contracts, Get Published

The Superiority of Christian Romance Novels

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon December 8, 2011
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A dedicated reader of the blog (Thank you!) posed an excellent question in response to a recent post:
 Recently, I heard a female Christian marriage counselor/speaker say that women should avoid Christian romance books. She stated there was no such thing as Christian romance. Since she was speaking on the topic of pornography, I assumed she was referring to fiction that leads the reader’s mind …

Read moreThe Superiority of Christian Romance Novels
Category: Genre, Romance, Tamela, Writing CraftTag: Romance, Tamela, Writing Craft

Christian Romance — Fact or Fiction?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon December 1, 2011
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In response to a recent blog post, "A Matter of Taste,"  a reader asked what I would say if someone claimed there is no such thing as Christian romance.

In fact, I have been confronted with this question before. At a Christian writers' conference a few years ago, a woman told me in a snide manner that romance is a "fantasy" and walked away before I could respond. I felt especially sad that the …

Read moreChristian Romance — Fact or Fiction?
Category: Genre, Romance, Tamela, Writing CraftTag: Christian, Get Published, Romance, Tamela, Trends, Writing Craft

Reasons I am Thankful Today and Every Day

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon November 24, 2011
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I try to live in a spirit of gratitude every day, but this holiday is a chance to spend more time meditating upon a few specific reasons to be thankful. I hope you'll read over this list slowly and think about your own life.
1.) God the Father.
2.) Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord.
3.) My devoted, loving, and godly husband, John.
5.) Our beautiful daughters, Jill and Ann.
6.) That all …

Read moreReasons I am Thankful Today and Every Day
Category: Personal, TamelaTag: Personal

Fun Words

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon November 10, 2011
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I don't usually stay up late enough to watch Conan O'Brien but awhile back I caught a show during which he campaigned to bring back use of the word thrice.

Thrice. Indeed, a fun word.

Yesterday Karen wrote about beautiful words so well that today I thought we could play with words and look at those that are entertaining. I'd like to suggest some other fun words that I think just aren't used …

Read moreFun Words
Category: Craft, Tamela, Writing CraftTag: Creativity, Grammar, Tamela, Writing Craft
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