by Tammy Karasek, @tickledpinktam
Writer, it’s time to clean your face. Not literally, but have you looked at the locations you have your bio, headshot, or about me information lately? We’re starting a new year, so why not do a good clean now instead of the wait for the spring clean?
First let’s start with your headshot. Be realistic, do you still look like that photo? If you’ve changed your hair style, color or length, it’s a great time to schedule a new photo shoot. If you’re going to any conferences soon, most of them now offer a Photographer who specializes in headshots. This is a great investment for your writing business and worth having a good photo shoot done by a professional photographer. You will use it on business cards, website, bios on guest posts and more.
Next is that bio. You should have several bios done so no matter what size you need, it’s ready. Some of the guest blog posts you submit may have a specific number of words, often no more than fifty. Others may not have restrictions at all. Do your homework and send what they ask for. You could run into a problem if they only want a fifty-word bio and you sent your long one. They will then edit to their guidelines and what they come up with may not be what you would have preferred to have been shared.
Every December, I look at my bio and see what has changed for me. New job title, new writing assignments, change of focus on website, etc. To take the time to read through this bio quarterly is also time well spent. I’ve read far too many bios for people that’s obvious they haven’t updated it for years. Years, I’m telling you. Don’t be that person.
The last item is your website. Have you gone to your website with the same mindset of a person to visit the site for the first time? Look at that landing page. Can someone see you “before the fold?” Before the fold is where your screen will stop on a laptop or desktop before one would have to scroll to see more information about the website. Does your header invite a reader in with a great title and tagline of what this website promises to give? Is it the current focus of your writing? Here’s an example: you started as a mommy blogger, but now your little one is a freshman. In college. Have your blog posts changed to empty nest topics? Then your title stating the site is a young mom blogging her way through diapers and terrible-two-tantrums won’t deliver the title’s promise. Back to the question above, does the first glance of your website state what you’re focus is at this time?
There are more items you can update, but these are three important and quick ones you could have done to start off 2023 with a great facelift. If we all take the time each December—before we get too busy with holiday extras—we will best set ourselves up for success in the new year. And who wouldn’t rather have those photos and bios ready instead of having to scramble to recreate a new one at 1:30 am … hypothetically, of course. Ahem…cough.
The above suggestions are a couple from me, but what about you? What would you suggest, or what do you do to get ready for success in the coming new year? Share with us in the comments below.
Tammy Karasek uses humor and wit to bring joy and hope to every aspect in life. Her past, filled with bullying and criticism from family, drives her passion to encourage and inspire others and give them The Reason to smile. She’s gone from down and defeated to living a “Tickled Pink” life as she believes there’s always a giggle wanting to come out!
When not writing Rom-Com, she’s The Launch Team Geek helping authors launch their books and also a Virtual Assistant for a couple best-selling authors. Her work was published in a Divine Moments Compilation Book—Cool-inary Moments. She’s also the Social Media Manager for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, Founding President and current Vice-President of ACFW Upstate SC, and Founding President of Word Weavers Upstate SC. She’s a writing team member for The Write Conversation Blog, Novel Academy, MBT Monday Devotions, The Write Editing and others. Connect with Tammy at https://www.tammykarasek.com.