Authors

Debbie Elicksen is the author of our new book Business Cyberbullies and How to Fight Back. Her inspiration to write the book came from a personal experience she had with a former client turned cyberbully which she talks about below. Our hope is that through telling her story, she gives those of you dealing with online harassment the courage to fight back. For everyone else, let hers be a lesson to be proactive and learn about the simple steps you can take to protect your reputation online....

1. What ignited the spark in you to start your own business?

I say in the book that at a young age I knew I had a problem with authority! It might be the wrong answer, but it is the honest one. I always felt that my opinions and ideas were never taken seriously because of my age, sex and physical appearance. Being an event planner has been a dream since I was 17 and I always knew I would open my own business. Sometimes tragedy, risk and dreams all come together at the same time to create something beautiful – my beautiful was my business, PEAR.

 2. What three pieces of advice wo...

1. How does brand building for authors compare to developing a brand for a business?

It depends. Is the brand a product, person, or entity (a persona like the Coca Cola polar bear)? The principles of marketing/publishing in the digital platforms would be similar in that they all follow the same rules of engagement if they want to build a community. All potential readers/clients/viewers... want the same thing: a connection, to be wowed/wined and dined, to be inspired/entertained/appreciated...

The digital revolution has drastically changed where readers buy books, what books they read and in what format they read them. While these changes initially made engaging with and building loyalty among readers a challenge for authors and publishers, the shift online has come to be seen as an enormous marketing opportunity. Digital platforms offer valuable insight into how characters, plot lines and topics are perceived while presenting an opportunity for publishers and authors to directly engage with readers.

The internet offers authors many ways to market and promote a book. Engaging...