Every Writer Needs a Facelift on Occasion

by Tammy Karasek @TickledPinkTam

I’m just going to say what I want to say and get it over with—writer, it’s time to clean your face. I’m not talking in the literal sense of washing your face with cleansing cream, but close to it. Hang with me a minute. Have you looked at the locations you have your bio, headshot, or about me information lately? We’re already into our 2024 writing/speaking conference season, so why not do a good clean now instead of the putting the task off? Conferees love to check out your social media and website as they plan their conferences. Make sure they are viewing the same person they will see when they look for you at a conference.

Three Things a Writer Should Update Regularly

First let’s start with your headshot. Be realistic, do you still look like that photo? Has your hair grown, changed color (ahem!) or maybe lost a lot of inches to a short style? If you’ve changed any of those items, it’s a great time to schedule a new photo shoot. If you’re going to any conferences soon with no time to get the photo done beforehand, most of the conferences 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, your website, bios on guest posts and more.

Next is that bio. You should have several bios done so no matter what size you need, the correct one to use is 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. Take the time now and make your work easier down the road when a bio is needed.

For instance, at least 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 for today is your website. Have you gone to your website with the same mindset of a person who would 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 deliver? 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, such as the bios on your social media sites, newsletter items, items within your website and more. The above three important and quick ones you could have done to start with a great facelift. If we all take the time each year—before we get too busy—we will best set ourselves up for success in our writing business. 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 when one is requested … 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 each year to dust off your internet presence? Share with us in the comments below. 

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Every Writer Needs a Facelift on Occasion from @TickledPinkTam on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

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! A writer of Romance—with a splash of sass. She’s also The Launch Team Geek helping authors launch their books and also a Virtual Assistant for several best-selling authors. Don't miss her recent book, LAUNCH THAT BOOK, just released in November. 

Her work was also 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 more. Connect with Tammy at HTTPS://WWW.TAMMYKARASEK.COM.