Figuring Out What Kind of Author You Are

 

Authors are a different breed of celebrity. The reclusive types and the rockstars are all out there, some with powerful marketing machines behind them, others doing it completely solo. If you're up and coming, or just starting out, you still need to come up with your best public image.

But if you're the reclusive kind, like me, presenting yourself to your audience in person could be a very daunting thing. What would you say in an interview, for instance? What would you wear, and how would you carry yourself? Online interviews can help shape some answers to some common questions, but are you ready for an interviewer to ask something a little intrusive that catches you off-guard? Can you be polite or will you get defensive?

Something I don't tell a lot of people is that I am a writer with a chronic illness. I haven't let this work against me; if I'm well, I do get more work done. I think it's good to be honest if you're dealing with personal roadblocks in your creative life. You don't have to be detailed, but it does help in showing your human side, and proving you're certainly not perfect. One of the dangers of being in close contact with your audience online is that you can wind up calling them out on bad behaviour, or your response to a comment may be considered offensive or rude, as these means of communications are not nuanced and can be easily misconstrued. And the last thing you want is a shot of one of your tweets doing the rounds on online articles, or worse, the news. A bad reputation might get you attention, but it might also alienate your audience.

I'm always very careful about what I say online. I might be very passionate about a certain topic, and feel the need to express this publicly, but I do think about what I've written before I hit send. If you've joined an online writer's group, always be careful about your responses and don't comment angry. Sometimes avoiding a heated discussion instead of mouthing off is the better choice, even if you have to bite your tongue a bit.

As with any job, always aim to put your best foot forward. At least be gracious and courteous when speaking to your fans. You don't want people boycotting your work because you spoke out of line.