Seasons of Inspiration: How I Beat Summer Depression.

My ideal weather is snow.

Snow,

Snow, 

Snow,

 Snow,

 Snow!

Think of a wonderful, warm fireplace with a few logs burning away slowly while you are curled on the couch with a fluffy blanket. Maybe you have a cup of hot tea or coco- or in my editor's case a double scotch on the rocks- but most assuredly there is, in your possession, your favorite book and adequate writing implements just within reach (like every other square inch of your house.) Ok. So image in mind, hold it right there; now think of the abundance of inspiration that can bring. The Surplus of production!! Then imagine a wasteland of heat and blistering death. That's not very creative. It's not even fun. It's actually depressive. The overabundance of sunlight and sun-worshipers that I am forced to put up with over summer is enough to drive my liver into cirrhosis...as if it wasn't already there... from birth. Here is what I do when I am at the beach. I wear my ultra UV proof sunscreen, a full cover-up, hat, and glasses; then I bring my umbrella and lawn chair and sit watching everyone else cook like bacon on a skillet. Then once the sun sets and everyone's home, I actually begin to enjoy the atmosphere and the water. The sun is ridiculously draining for me. I can't enjoy it. Actually, I do enjoy it. From behind heavily tinted windows, paintings, and cheap travel postcards. That's how I enjoy it.
So needless to say I am becoming creative and happy in the fall then absolutely unstoppable in the winter. But, that only last like two months total in this blasted state. So for the next two months I am coming down from a high in spring and then the rest of the eight months of the year I am totally depressed. Summers in FLORIDA are an absolute killer. I die. And then I revive at night to die again with the sunrise.
I've been pushing to blog more and trying to get my life set on a schedule. But this ridiculous summer thing has been going on since January. So if you want to know how I beat the severe depression that I face in the summer...I don't. I wait it out by promising myself this year's winter will be longer and much better than last. Since drinking isn't a tradition writer's relief I can oft indulge- Slurpees are my Achille's Heel that and they are frozen.
Thinking about how unproductive I have been this summer got me thinking. It would be really fun to see what actually inspires people to create and be productive and conversely, what kind of external things depress them. For me add bananas to the list, right underneath endless summers. I thrive under deadlines, cold weather, and as far, far away from bananas as possible.
 But, what makes you, personally feel productive and happy? Is it being appreciated, hearing a happy song, seeing the person you love...? I am really curious. I would love to hear from people to understand who you are and what makes you create your masterpieces? And, how you beat the heat during your season of depression (seriously it doesn't have to be summer, I realize I am more of a vampire than most. Some people get depressed when they see anything white and fluffy- just as a resident of SouthEast Boston.)

So hit me with your thoughts, comments, and complaints.

-Vera Lynn
(All pictures courtesy of google images)

Branding Your Name

No lie, every author want's to have their baby (AKA book) prominently featured on the New York Times Best Seller list. It's a coveted position, but rarely do you see people transcribed to the list that don't have a strong branded name. I haven't see one name on that list that I can't research and find a plethora of information of them already. I mean it can happen, but for the wide majority it wont, and it has to do with two little words: name branding.
Name branding isn't about putting your name out on books, articles, blogs, and FB...if it were that simple my life would be made! In reality name branding is an effective marketing strategy in which you , the name, begin to brand it and set image standards for it. Your brand can be anything you want: funky, cool, calm, collected, professional, but never can it be conflicting.
Here is what I mean. When you are looking to brand your name, don't promote a charismatic wild nature and then appear to your first news interview as 100% professional. It confuses fans, it confuses you, and it confuses your brand.
If at all possible let the people around you choose your brand for you. Everyone who knows me is always telling me this blog, my website, my business cards, my writing, in fact everything I touch mirrors my personality. That's because I let the people around me explain to me how they saw me, and then I branded it. So ask your connections how they see you, are you professional and serious? Then brand it. Are you funky retro? Brand it, baby! Tap into who you are and let free. It will only mean good things for you. Once you have your brand pinned down, then you can start to market your name and make it your own. This is what is referred to as branding.
Many authors share my niche and will share yours, don't view it so much as a competition but different interpretations on the same brand. Some authors are professional and serious, I know several, but they each portray it in different ways to market their professionalism and serious outlook as unique.
Don't ride off the ideas of others, instead shape and cultivate your brand name and get to branding it publically. This is where your business cards, social media, interviews, and all that jazz come in to play. But notice how they don't shape the make of your name, your name shapes and makes them unique to you.
Last lets talk about your writing as a form of branding. When you make a written post public, it's the same as publishing an add for you as an author. Do you want that add to blend in? Or worse, portray the wrong message? Your words have power, the only difference between being an author or not is embracing that truth. Famous or not, your words are important and meaningful and should always portray the purity of your flair and style. Use your words to your advantage; step out from the shadows of anonymity and give yourself an edge that can't be found anywhere else.

Blogging

Everyone will tell you, if you want to be a published writer...blog first. Coming at it from actually the opposite trend, I can safely say blogging is worth the time and effort 100%. I was a little scared and intimidated by the idea, and actually ran three blogs under pseudonyms till I was confident. I can attest to the usefulness and needfulness of a blog to an author based on that experience alone. I hade hundreds of followers spread between the sites and all of them were supper supportive and wanted more. It was a mistake to not blog as, well, me and use those supporters to build a more personal fan base.
On this side of the coin, it is much harder to convince publishers you are note worthy if you don't have a running, frequented blog that promotes your brand name as an author. I would suggest once you have committed to writing, part time or full time (like me!) start a blog and be faithful to it. I just started Pen Noir, not too long ago and am super happy with the results already. I can be me, publish my personality to my fans, and be honest with the world. It's way better than the alternative.
If you've started a blog and would like my opinion on it, comment with your link to this post and I will share my thoughts with you. I don't view new authors or aspiring authors as competition. In fact I value and support the effort it takes to get where I am at and I hope that we can enjoy success together.