Balance Your Craft and Career

Therese and Morgan Say: Successful authors explain that they are constantly working to improve their craft. We've met famous authors who will attend writer conferences but will send friends or family members into workshops to take notes. This is a courtesy on the part of the author to neither disrupt the workshop nor fluster the presenter while the author continues to improve his/her craft as a storyteller.

Morgan is presenting a workshop on "World Building On The Run" and it's an awesome workshop and Morgan is a stellar presenter. However, she's also a fan of the Sookie Stackhouse Series so if Charlaine Harris was in the room it would affect Morgan's concentration.

Therese is co-coordinating this Craft Your Story And Career mini-conference with the prolific Inspirational Romance Novelist Terri Reed. The one-day conference is being held at a local college where the Rose City Romance Writers meet monthly. All rooms are already set up with tables, chairs, and offer full A/V equipment at no additional cost. This is a tight budget conference where the bulk of the cost is being paid directly to the presenters who are all local to Portland, Oregon.

Here's the primary message about sharing information about this mini-conference. It's a message we haven't stressed on this blog - but it's a primary one for any professional author to remember. All Of These Presenters: from Best-Selling Author Kristina McMorris to Exceptional Writer & Editor Jessica Morrell, and all the other professionals from NSA to Google+, ARE part of Our Local Professional Networks. 

Revisit the Guest Post by Marci Nault on August 23, 2013 and the event she was able to create with Her Local Professional Network. 

Network, Network, Network, as your Professional Author Persona. When you do it well on the local level, you can also build personal relationships and long lasting friendships.

Gary D. Robson Book Signing Tips

Make sure your business cards have the book title on them. Have you ever looked at a business card and asked yourself, “who the heck is this person?” You want people to associate the card with you and your books. I actually have different cards depending on whether the event focuses on my technical books or my children’s books. The cards have the book cover right on them. Since I have a recognizable persona, I have my photo on the cards, too.