Do you ever have that nagging feeling about something? You go down a path you’re not sure you should go in search of love or money, recognition or acceptance. Whether the ultimate goal is realistic, desired, or even justified, you have a sense you’re on the wrong path. That’s your intuition talking to you.
Intuition is with us all the time. You’ll make decisions because of it and despite it. You’ll get a feeling about someone the minute you meet them and decide whether you trust them or not. It’s all part of our evolution. Without the ability to scan a public Facebook profile or Google a person’s background info, our primitive ancestors needed to make snap decisions – friend or foe. This lingering survival trait gives us the ability to discern those looking out for our best interest and those looking out for their own.
And people are looking at us, too. They make a decision about us the moment they see us, talk to us, or read our blog post, book, or social media feed. According to PsychologicalScience.org, the phrase ‘you never get a chance to make a first impression,’ gets blown out of the water. Their research states people form an impression of you in the blink of an eye. Yikes!
As a writer, readers decide whether you are credible. They decide whether you’ll deliver the goods you promised. They’ll buy your book if they trust your judgment, insight, expertise, or your ability to entertain them. And they’ll decide in a blink of an eye.
That begs a couple of questions. What are you projecting out to the world? Is that the same thing you want them to see?
Look at your author brand. Your author brand is what you project out into the world. It’s what people think of you. It’s the way you write, talk, and dress. It’s also the quality and tone of your website – the words, graphics, and design. It’s about what you say AND how you say it. Your brand is not who you think you are; it’s what other people see that matters.
And your book? The cover, interior formatting, and good grammar (or pesky typos) all add to your author brand.
Do you remember your mom telling you not to hang with the wrong crowd? The same can be said for being a writer. Are you hanging out with writers who are determined to write more and better and prove it by going to writing conferences and who are setting and keeping weekly writing goals? Everybody loves a winner and it says a lot about who you are. People can sense it.
When you choose people or companies to help with writing or publishing your book, you’ll get a sense about them, too. Are they out for you and your best interest or are they just out to take advantage of your hopes or fears? If you’ve got a question, ask it. If you’ve got a sense about someone, good or bad, follow it and validate it. Chances are your intuition is right. Trust your gut.
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