Fashion Plates Not Necessary

Happy Thursday Everybody,

I hope you're having a good week so far. (Mine's been okay).

I was just watching something on my Yahoo homepage called Hollywood's Top 5 Fashionable Moms and well, it got me thinking...

You see, I've never been real big on fashion. I like looking at some of the clothes and determining if it's something I'd wear or not, but generally it's something that isn't my style.

I'm about comfort, modesty, and being presentable. I tend towards things like cotton shorts or Capri pants comfy short-sleeved tops, sandals or sneakers. In the winter, cotton pants, comfy big shirts, sweatshirts or sweaters (or my cloak--thing that reminds me of a blanket with sleeves and a hood in black). When I dress up I get fancier, obviously.

As writers, though, no matter our style, we must remember for certain things we have to be professional. This means dressing professionally. I don't think you necessarily have to wear a suit for everything, but wear something that shows you are serious and understand the publishing world is a business.

I actually have a gray skirt with white pinstripes that I could wear with a black or white blouse and black flats (I used to own closed toed black heels, but they got old and fell apart).

When I was in business school, they told us women should wear closed toed shoes and either a knee-length skirt (or longer) skirt or an another appropriate length dress. Men were to wear shirts, ties and dress pants with dress shoes.

So, for me, if I was to go into a pitch session or meeting, I'd probably be wearing something like I wore when I was interviewing in the corporate world. (I'm a stay-at-home wife/mom, now so I don't worry as much about corporations, unless it has to do with my husband's job, or the book publishing world or if I'm involved with that corporation somehow--like the Grocery store). Or at least something relative to it that was at least some type of professional clothing.

You want to make regular eye contact.

Have a firm, but not too tight, hand shake.

Hide your nerves as best you can. Don't fidget. Don't ramble.

Sell yourself, but be smart about it.

These are actually some of the other things Agent Scott Eagan talked about.

It's nice to know all those things that were drilled into me at business school will come in handy in the publishing world. Makes me feel like I'm using what I learned, which is always cool.

So yeah, you don't have to be a Fashionista or fashion plate, but you do have to be professional.

Have A Triumphant Thursday!

The Writer's Fashion

Hey Everyone,

All right...first off...correction to yesterday's post (entitled "Shorts") Kerrelyn Sparks' new book, The Vampire And The Virgin has already been released. Also, Laura Childs' mystery novel, The Teaberry Strangler has also already been released. Both books are available at a variety of locations online (and probably at local stores near you) including Barnes & Noble, Target, online at Amazon and probably available at Borders, as well. Both very good authors.

For all you Twilight fans out there...there's discounts available at several places (including Borders, Barnes & Noble and Amazon) for pre-ordering the DVD/Blu-Ray of The Twilight Saga: New Moon which is set to be released on March 20, 2010.

Okay, now for today's topic.

I believe somewhere writers are fashion conscience, but since I happen to not have the money nor particularly follow fashion very closely, I'd say that for myself (and probably for some other authors out there) I'm not one of those who knows a lot about what's "in" in terms of fashion. Oh, I see indicators here and there, but, I don't follow fashion seasons very carefully.

We're lucky enough to be in an industry where, while working at home, you don't have to get out of your pajamas if you don't want to. Those old sweats that you'd never wear in public 'cause they're falling apart? Wear 'em while you write! Generally the computer and computer screen don't care what you wear. (At least, I don't think so).

I'd say in that respect we authors are some of the luckiest beings on Earth. We can sit in front of the computer (or a pad of paper) wearing a robe and a towel on our heads with the fresh-from-the-shower look and spend hours hanging out with our characters.

So...what would an authors' fashion catwalk look like? Probably a bunch of frazzled looking people in slippers, PJs, and a huge mug of coffee in their hands, while the rest us writers cheered them on saying "Oh man, I wish I had those slippers...they'd be perfect for when I'm writing that fight scene!"

Feel free to chime in with what you think Fashion Week for Writers would look like :-)

Have A Tremendous Thursday!