Lifestyle & culture
“Aging Makes Your Art Stronger: Creative Work Later in Life”
Late bloomers, boomerang artists and writers, and older creators undergoing a personal renaissance, they all know the unique creative potential that comes with aging. Time distills your talent. You acquire a lifetime of experiences and insights. You become adept at throwing away old preconceptions and received wisdoms so you can live a creative life that is lighter, more free, and with clearer purpose.
“There Are Second Acts: Bouncing Back After a Major Life Setback”
After a life (or career) takes a turn for the worse, it is possible to come back. Sometimes it will be stronger or better, but it will almost certainly be different. In his twenties and early thirties, James was a widely exhibited, award-winning filmmaker and media artist. He was publishing short stories, essays, and cultural and art criticism. He had an agent, and they were inches from selling his first novel to a major New York publisher. Then his life fell apart, and he walked away from that world. He became someone else for a few decades, but that someone else had his own successful career in national and global marketing communications, as well as a loving family. James has presented on this topic at The Other Side speakers series in Hyderabad, India.
“Toss the Tropes and Stereotypes: Representing Disabled Characters in Media and Literature”
Most writers and media creators who have used disabled characters are not disabled themselves. In many works – some quite famous and influential – the characters fit stereotypes: victim, villain, inspiration, monster, sacrifice. The dehumanizing tropes are so strongly embedded in our culture that many artists never question them. James teaches a university course in disability representation in media and literature, which addresses these challenges. He also put his money where his mouth is: in his latest novel, Lucky Guy, the protagonist has undiagnosed autism, created through the same principles James teaches his students. James has presented on this topic at the Bay to Ocean Writers Conference, and published an essay about it on JaneFriedman.com.
Writing craft & marketing
“Building a Reputation Framework: Personal Brand Strategy for Writers”
Creating a personal brand and author platform causes many writers a huge amount of stress. They resent having to worry about this when they would much rather use their limited free time writing. They often don’t know how to conduct their own marketing efforts, and worry they won’t be good at it. For some, the very notion of thinking about their “personal brand” makes them uncomfortable and queasy. Nonetheless, writers need to control their brand and build an authentic platform. This conversation is about using just three questions to create a flexible, adaptable reputation framework so writers can establish a personal brand, and author platform, that suits their situation and their goals. James has presented on this topic at HippoCamp Conference for Creative Nonfiction Writers, Bay to Ocean Writers Conference, Liberty States Writers Association, and Wayne Township Public Library Author Series.
“Writing the Seen: Translating images into prose”
For visual thinkers, and those influenced by cinematic storytelling. Writers love books and are influenced by other writers. At the same time, many of us are visual thinkers, and our memories are like pictures. We find inspiration in movies and other visual sources. We create both fiction and nonfiction stories like home movies on screens in our minds, then we struggle with “translating” that visual source material into text on the page. This conversation takes a look at that challenge, and offers tips for managing the process effectively. James has presented on this topic at the Thursdays at the Eastern Shore Writers Association.
“The Power of Doing It for Yourself: Why Becoming an Indie Author/Publisher Could Be Your Best Strategy”
We now have the tools for high-quality, professional-level independent publishing, and the old stigmas have faded. Authors are making the strategic choice to publish some, or all, of their books themselves, for reasons that include creative control, increased revenue, faster time to market, and better reader engagement. Writers considering this path benefit not just from hearing the “how” to do indie publishing, but also the “why”: why would they choose becoming an indie author, what are the benefits and challenges? This is an opportunity to talk about how independence in publishing can empower writers to tell their own stories, on their own terms, according to their own timeline. James has presented on this topic at the Bay to Ocean Writers Conference.