Before the 1950s, it was considered tacky to promote your own book. That was a job for your publisher. Then came the Golden Age of Television, late night talk shows, and Truman Capote (the inimitable self-promoter). Now, it’s imperative for authors to be active in marketing and promotion—even if they have signed with a traditional publisher. Last month I had the opportunity to attend the Florida Writers Conference in Orlando. I decided to focus on sessions that discussed book

When you think of an "author," who do you imagine? Someone who's got a way with words? Who has written several books? Sure, some authors are eloquent. And many have published multiple books (note the use of published, not written). But the essence of an author is much more than the end result of a book. They are creative thinkers with original ideas who want to inspire, motivate, or entertain. They want to share their ideas with as many people as possible. And an author can b