A month ago, I readied myself to attend BAM16. This is one of my two favorite conferences for writers. These are my “birds of a feather.” I met friends I only knew virtually, reconnected with friends I made last year, and got a whole new gaggle of friends. For anyone thinking about attending next year, I highly recommend grabbing a roommate. Sure it cuts down on cost; but the best benefit is the lasting friendships. My roommate from last year, Pam Lutrell, and this year’s Julie A Wallace are now two of my favorite people. Pam’s Over 50 Feeling Feeling 40 made me begin to feel more confident about fashion and style. I still feel a bit more like Style from the Stylus, if you know what I mean. Still, Pam and the other style bloggers pumped me up.
Julie, from WordStormCasserole came in a day early and had a leg up networking with the other bloggers. She literally crammed me into her gaggle of friends and before long, the five of us became the ClownCarChronicles (Midlife Bloggers Gone Wild.) We formed our own Mastermind group and plan to meet once a month to keep each other accountable.
Again at this conference, my mind swirled with ideas about monetizing, ambassadorship, and branding. What is my brand, anyways? I want to be known as a good writer. A storyteller. I want to get my novel published so I can proudly call myself a novelist.
So what’s up with the lip prints, perhaps you wonder. While at BAM16, we each got a lip-reading. Jennifer Connolly, from A Well Styled Life suggested I try a shade of the complimentary lipstick just a bit brighter than I usually wear. I picked Cover Girls “Outlast” in shade 925. Wow! That shade really does brighten up my face. Thanks Jennifer.
Not that I really believe in fortune-telling, but everyone came back happy about what they heard: “Your creativity is about to break through to something big;” “You are on the verge of a partnership;” “you’re a natural-born caretaker:” and more great things like that. So here’s what I remember hearing.
See those holes in your lip print? That’s a sign that energy is escaping. You have many irons in the fire. Perhaps more than you can keep track of.”
Whoa Mama. That’s been rolling around in my head ever since. It’s true.
- I designed and now manage 4 website
- I’m involved in a professional organization
- I write for two newspapers
- I blog 4 times a week or more
- I consult for a medical device firm
- I send out queries for my novel
- I manage a book club
- I have a second book in the rough draft stage
- I have a third book in the formative stage
- and I want to do more.
And that’s not even counting Loved-One, grown kids, 12 grandchildren, 8 siblings, and growing number of writer friends, Mom, and my friend Dick, who won’t be around much longer. (I forgot today’s Wednesday, my day to visit Dick.) [icon name=”frown-o” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] All these are good things. Things I enjoy. And there’s more I want to do. Still, I must admit, the energy is dispersed.
Yes, indeed, there is energy escaping.
With the support of my ClownCarChronicles sisters, I plan to put a few things on the back burner. What things really support my “brand” as writer/storyteller/novelist? What actions support my brand recognition? How do I channel the energy that’s escaping?
[tweetthis]I’d rather be a teakettle whistling than a boiling pot of water.[/tweetthis] They’re both getting the job done But the teakettle focusing the energy, she’s singing loud for all to hear, and she’s much less likely to boil dry.
So look for some changes. And when you see something you like, give me a shout-out. I crave that positive reinforcement.
Signing off to prepare for an interview I’m doing tonight of an awe-inspiring police officer.
