tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221929133944009251.post576506786148891058..comments2023-10-22T09:04:08.073-06:00Comments on Precy Larkins--YA Author: What's In A Brand?Precy Larkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16714824672731935371noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221929133944009251.post-5484214777960108042011-06-02T07:19:30.198-06:002011-06-02T07:19:30.198-06:00Another great post! Branding is so important-- bot...Another great post! Branding is so important-- both in use of an author's voice (Which is why it's helpful to be you and not the persona you THINK others want from you. Not just in the case of writing like JK Rowling, but even in the case of pen names, etc. It's hard to pretend to be someone you're not and it will show.) -- but also in how you brand your cover art. I think the author needs to be personally involved in the art design (even if not an artist) because it will reflect their voice and enhance their brand. <br /><br />Thanks again for another awesome post!Carissa Andrewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09956041638794014466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221929133944009251.post-20637582741298722752011-06-01T13:23:37.308-06:002011-06-01T13:23:37.308-06:00Whew! Hi everyone and sorry I haven't been her...Whew! Hi everyone and sorry I haven't been here. The Monday holiday threw me off and I've been wrestling with the laundry basket/s ever since....<br /><br />Anyway, thank you for all your insightful comments!<br /><br />@TRA: Ah, yes, we want our mss to have unique voices without appearing as if we have multiple personality disorders, yes? Tricky business.<br /><br />@Angela: There are always extremes, no? A query can be absolutely voice-less and sterile, or it can go the other way and be totally nauseating. Balance, again, comes into play. ;)<br /><br />@T.S.: Absolutely. Every writer has their own individual voice, except not everyone's aware of it, or at least they have a harder time pinpointing what IT is. And honesty rules...in life as it is in the way we portray ourselves.<br /><br />@Anita: I agree with you on synopses having just a bit of voice for flavor. If we can do it in our queries, we can do it in our synopses, yes? <br /><br />@Jeana: Hm. I think it was Elana Johnson, who once gave this advice/query exercise: write your query as if your mc is telling it. Then change it to 3rd person, and with some tweaking, you should have a query that has Voice. It's worth a try, right?<br /><br />@Scott: Hey, sorry. Didn't mean to make my readers lose sleep over this. ;)<br /><br />When I visit blogs and read posts and stories written, 80% of the time I can see the blogger/writer's voice and recognize it. Yours is one of them. <br /><br />@Liz: Yup, your Voice IS your Brand. =)<br /><br />@Lindsay: Hello and thanks for the follow! I appreciate it. Btw, I love Sarah's blog--so informative. You are right: Branding really does encompass not just the writing, or the book, but the whole persona. Thanks again for stopping by. =)Precy Larkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16714824672731935371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221929133944009251.post-25628645476223768292011-06-01T13:02:24.313-06:002011-06-01T13:02:24.313-06:00Great post Cherie! New follower:) I just stumble...Great post Cherie! New follower:) I just stumbled across you from Sarah Fine's blog and am so glad I did. Brand is one of those elusive concepts that seems to encompass so much. . .your writing, your blog, your persona. Tricky stuff but I think you did an excellent job of navigating it:)Lindsay N. Curriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16347055390748782853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221929133944009251.post-84680293728734352562011-06-01T08:10:29.672-06:002011-06-01T08:10:29.672-06:00Excellent post! Voice and brand are definitely lin...Excellent post! Voice and brand are definitely linked.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221929133944009251.post-9607279665705206402011-06-01T07:59:24.953-06:002011-06-01T07:59:24.953-06:00After reading this, I think I'm going to keep ...After reading this, I think I'm going to keep myself awake tonight wondering what is my brand. I've worked hard to build a following on Twitter, Blogger, and Facebook, but currently, I don't really have a brand. I've have 3 short story collections, and the style and voice of those stories is uniquely me, but I really need to figure out what my true voice is. I'm writing my first novel right now, so hopefully the journey of writing it will help me with my branding.<br /><br />ScottScott Nivenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13884995224013397488noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221929133944009251.post-20890525566927199012011-06-01T07:30:12.568-06:002011-06-01T07:30:12.568-06:00Good insight. I think that my voice is seriously l...Good insight. I think that my voice is seriously lacking in my query.Jeanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06578083950272411338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221929133944009251.post-51639908868332037162011-05-31T20:42:02.136-06:002011-05-31T20:42:02.136-06:00I think that our voice should come through in the ...I think that our voice should come through in the synopsis, but sparingly. Give little tidbits to tantalize. ;) <br /><br />Great post, miss sparkly. And I'm posting my meme tomorrow, although I have no idea how I can follow all the rest of you because you've ROCKED it. :)Anita Grace Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01797870961916148616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221929133944009251.post-51333848285793300612011-05-31T19:24:29.794-06:002011-05-31T19:24:29.794-06:00Every writer has their own voice, whether they kno...Every writer has their own voice, whether they know it or not. It is, of course, best when your voice is natural. No matter what, our own personalities and voice will always be writhing just beneath the skin of our words. <br /><br />I think the trick is to make sure that our online personas (and our writing) has a distinct voice while still representing us in an honest fashion.T.S. Weltihttp://tswelti.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221929133944009251.post-5883208686325571872011-05-31T15:13:09.845-06:002011-05-31T15:13:09.845-06:00Oh, good post! The "voice" is one of th...Oh, good post! The "voice" is one of the reasons I had so much fun writing my YA ms. I was able to put my attitude and sarcasm to good use (which is always fun ;o) <br /> <br />Voice in a query letter is a little more tricky. If it's done well, it's awesome, but if it's not done well, the query becomes cringe worthy (I've read both). <br /><br />As for writing a synopsis? From everything I've ever read, it's supposed to be clean and to the point (just the facts, ma'am). I think a little voice would be okay though. Something to give it a little kick ;o)<br /><br />Again, great post, chica!Angela V. Cookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15065559147381012802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221929133944009251.post-89541573221837338102011-05-31T14:47:22.063-06:002011-05-31T14:47:22.063-06:00Sometimes I struggle with Voice, as I want all my ...Sometimes I struggle with Voice, as I want all my different novels to have a unique "Voice," but at the same time I still want to be discernible to my audience. It's an important concept, and I'm glad you touched base with it in this post!<br /><br />~TRA<br /><br />http://xtheredangelx.blogspot.comWendy Luhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08048944852796207898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221929133944009251.post-86809705259243158812011-05-31T13:48:56.599-06:002011-05-31T13:48:56.599-06:00@Rebecca: Another great comment! Consistency is im...@Rebecca: Another great comment! Consistency is important, so your readers know what to expect. Thanks for sharing your insight, and thanks for following too. =)Precy Larkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16714824672731935371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221929133944009251.post-55003222767907856242011-05-31T13:42:12.969-06:002011-05-31T13:42:12.969-06:00I think of branding as this: make your work recog...I think of branding as this: make your work recognizable to your readers. Otherwise, without branding, you are just starting over with every book. Readers like to know what expect. None of Emily Giffin's readers want to pick up a book and it is a thriller.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221929133944009251.post-58933567402419128402011-05-31T13:37:38.461-06:002011-05-31T13:37:38.461-06:00@Kalen: Oh good! I want to see your take on this. ...@Kalen: Oh good! I want to see your take on this. And *blush* on being "plagiarizing-worthy". I thought that was only for the likes of Stephen King...not that I ever tried to plagiarize anyone. O.o<br /><br />XDPrecy Larkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16714824672731935371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221929133944009251.post-65812326349970167282011-05-31T12:11:33.993-06:002011-05-31T12:11:33.993-06:00Excellent post and topic cherie! It's funny, ...Excellent post and topic cherie! It's funny, but I've actually been composing my own post on brand for later this week, as its been something I've been thinking about a lot lately. I agree with all your thoughts but mine take a slightly different bent as I am disturbingly BENT so I do not think I will plagiarize you! Though you are quite plagiarizing worthy!Kalen O'Donnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02131133469192904315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221929133944009251.post-3424818019759877012011-05-31T10:03:19.484-06:002011-05-31T10:03:19.484-06:00Another great point, Sophie! No fakeys, the real d...Another great point, Sophie! No fakeys, the real deal is what delivers. People will know and notice who's real and who's not. =) I like this phrase: the best possible version of ourselves. We are multi-dimensional, after all. Let's put our best self out there.Precy Larkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16714824672731935371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221929133944009251.post-36469839800779695202011-05-31T09:54:33.497-06:002011-05-31T09:54:33.497-06:00Ok its much too early to provoke my brain to think...Ok its much too early to provoke my brain to think. ;)<br /><br />hmmm I think this is a good question to ask ourselves. I think writing human interest articles helps solidify my voice, at least that's the hope. <br /><br />And I think the key here is not to create this facade of what we think readers/agents want because if not done well it does come across as fake or trying too hard. I think its best to just be ourselves and present the best possible version of ourselves online. Which requires us to put a bit of our soul out there and THAT maybe a challenge to those who are more of the introvert.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221929133944009251.post-17151759061640629652011-05-31T09:36:37.641-06:002011-05-31T09:36:37.641-06:00@Jenny: I learned from the Master. ;D@Jenny: I learned from the Master. ;DPrecy Larkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16714824672731935371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221929133944009251.post-50701960647130257642011-05-31T09:33:49.786-06:002011-05-31T09:33:49.786-06:00You've also been following shopping carts arou...You've also been following shopping carts around town?!Jennifer Prescotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14668379038698377139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221929133944009251.post-73197660693658875312011-05-31T09:33:13.736-06:002011-05-31T09:33:13.736-06:00@Jessica: You hit it right on the spot! An author&...@Jessica: You hit it right on the spot! An author's VOICE is who s/he is INSIDE! How you write reflects this. So many people forget that they already have voice, and it's their own. Hmm, maybe I should have a follow-up post on this tomorrow. Thanks for the idea!<br /><br />@My favorite Green Woman: You have voice, girl, and you own it! I don't think you ever have to worry about this. I'd recognize your voice from miles away. =)Precy Larkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16714824672731935371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221929133944009251.post-66376567339987794192011-05-31T09:28:42.376-06:002011-05-31T09:28:42.376-06:00Oh I don't want to be tuna. I'd rather be ...Oh I don't want to be tuna. I'd rather be something fancy like marinated artichoke hearts or mango chutney. <br /><br />But I'm pretty sure my brand is "Crazypants". Or maybe, "Girl, Ridiculous."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4221929133944009251.post-77482316237626987172011-05-31T09:27:11.033-06:002011-05-31T09:27:11.033-06:00To be honest, I don't think I've ever writ...To be honest, I don't think I've ever written a post on voice. And I've actually never tried to get one either. The more I think about what I 'need' as an author, the more I fail. Sometimes I think it's just best to be who you are inside and it'll all come naturally.Jessica Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10889900730906728317noreply@blogger.com