Hello friends,

It seems that almost everyone I know is going through big life transitions right now—whether that's professionally, personally, or all of the above. While times of change can be stressful, they can also be opportunities to slingshot growth, shift perspectives, and help us shed outmoded ways of operating. Today I want to encourage you to take a pause and think about where you're at and what you need most at this moment.

Maybe that looks like more time to focus on your writing. Or perhaps you need a better plan for reaching your readers. Maybe you know what you're struggling with but you're not sure what kind of support you need. Perhaps you feel as if you're at a fork in the road when it comes to your career and you're not sure which path to take. From my experience, I'll say that when I trust my intuition, it never lets me down. The outcome may be different than I predict or hope for, but it's usually better. Taking a moment to simply check in with yourself can help.

What's the Difference: Author Branding vs Marketing vs Publicity vs Platform?

The other thing I want to touch on today since we have a lot of new subscribers here this month, is a breakdown of this common, yet important question. Here's a quick primer on these terms and the differences between them:

• Branding
• Marketing
• Publicity
• Platform

​Read the article.​

Listen or Watch: Behind the Author Brand first episode 👀

I'm excited to share that I published the first episode of my new limited series Behind the Author Brand where I share a behind-the-scenes conversation with authors who are committed to making their mark. This first episode ever features speculative fiction author Naseem Jamnia (they/them)--who was one of my first clients ever.

You can listen like a podcast here, or watch the episode on YouTube or Substack. In this conversation Naseem shares their experience shifting from adult speculative fiction author to also launching their new middle-grade fantasy book, The Glade. In this thoughtful, candid discussion we also talk about how powerful representation is, how seamlessly they infuse it into their work, and what it's like to be a queer, brown author at a time when books about people like them are being banned. We also talk a lot about community--how it sustains us, ideas for building your own, sustaining a creative life, and more.

Watch or Listen Now: Behind the Author Brand with Naseem Jamnia Watch or Listen Now 💛 If you like it, please help spread the word about this free resource for writers. 💛

Note: to be notified right when the next episode drops (hint: early Oct), make sure you're subscribed to my Substack.

🗓️ Upcoming Classes & Events

Applications Open Now: Author Brand Strength Program As a subscriber, you're among the first to hear that we've opened up applications for the final cohort of 2025! Check out the details and apply now to get first dibs on a 1-on-1 discovery call with me. Important Dates: ​Now: Applications are Open (Apply Now)​ Oct. 22 (or sooner): Applications will close on 10/22 or when the cohort is full, whichever comes first Nov. 5th: First official day of this new cohort! (Official cohort dates are: Nov. 5, 2025 - May 6, 2025) Learn More & Register Now

​Before You Pitch: Author Brand Essentials​ This is a new class designed specifically to help you understand the essential elements of your brand that will also help get you ready to start querying, going out on submission or being ready for the public eye. October 8th 10:30am-12:30pm PT | 2-hours hands-on workshop Learn: How to think like agents and editors (so you know what they really want from you) How to show your market potential effectively How to identify missing pieces of your author brand and fix them Determine the specific steps to get your author brand pitch-ready and public-ready. Learn More & Register Now

✨ 📖 💗 Client & Community News!

Bella and Bird Explore Anger Book and Brand Launch Congratulations to client Deana Plaskon on the launch of the first book in her new Bella and Bird the Emotion Explorers series! It's been such a pleasure working with Deana and her team on her brand strategy, logo and brand design, website, marketing strategy, and more! This children's book series is truly special as it's the only emotional intelligence series created by a mental health and education expert for this age group. Each book follows a child as they explore a core emotion and feelings with Bella the therapy horse and her buddy Bird, the barn swallow. Not only are the stories enchanting, but the books also include therapeutic exercises to help children (and let's be honest, their adults) process their emotions and communicate in healthier ways. Be sure to check out the series and the website. Visit BellaBirdBooks.com to learn more. There are also some great, free tools and activities for children and teachers, parents, and mental health professionals on the website. Visit BellaBirdBooks.com

Chanel Brenner: Brand and Website Launch Congratulations to client Chanel Brenner on her brand new website and brand re-design. It's not every day that I work with such a tender type of subject matter with a client. It has been a true honor to get to know Chanel and her kind, beautiful approach to helping others heal from grief. We provided branding and marketing strategy, logo and brand design, website design, and more. When Chanel's young son died years ago, something inside her told her to write. What began as simply a way to create rather than destroy, writing helped her reconnect with and honor her son, process grief, and heal. After publishing two books of poetry, Chanel now offers Writing through Grief and Writing through Child Loss small groups and one-on-one services. If you know someone who might benefit from her Writing through Child Loss group, she has a group cohort starting later this week. To learn more, visit her new website: Visit ChanelBrenner.com

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Kelly Sundberg: Book Launch

"Lyrical and brutal, intimate and culturally relevant. I've never read anything like it." —Maggie Smith

Congratulations to Kelly Sundberg on her new memoir-in-essays, THE ANSWER IS IN THE WOUND (Roxane Gay Books, Aug 2025)! From the book description: With the formal innovation and radical vulnerability of Carmen Maria Machado's In the Dream House and the cerebral precision of Leslie Jamison's The Empathy Exams, Sundberg's breathtaking collection offers a redemptive arc for trauma survivors and vital insight into what makes healing possible. Available now.

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Be Your Own Daddy - Oct 7-28, 2025

My friend and colleague, Catherine LaSota is launching something new: Be Your Own Daddy is a four-week group program about becoming the authority in your own creative practice. Stop chasing the paths and habits of other writers and artists, and build your own creative practice -- a practice that is built from your values, capacities, and interests...a practice that you can love and stay committed to, and that will support your best and most aligned creative projects!

✨ Use special discount code EARLYDADDY by 5pm ET on September 22 and get 20% off. You can find all the details here. ✨

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All the Best,

Andrea

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P.S. You are a part of this community too! Want to share your book launch, event, or other news? Let us know about it here.