By Dr. Chrissy Whiting-Madison @joyfulgurly

If you’ve ever published a book or you are even just considering publishing your book of poems, self-help suggestions or novel, you have more than likely heard the expression, “your book is your business card.” 

Is Your Book Really Your Business Card?

The simple answer is; yes. It is a reflection of who you are, what you have to offer and how you see the world.  In other words, it is a clear reflection of YOU. At this very second, someone could be reading your book and falling in love with all of your ideas and viewpoints. Your book could be changing their life.  This person, could also simultaneously be the head of a conference committee, a college professor, a high school literature teacher, a small book store owner, or a virtual plethora of other people that can make your book sales skyrocket, and launch your career as a public speaker, a motivational speaker or a prolific author of a book series read all over the world. 

At this very moment, you have at your fingertips all the tools and resources you need to do anything or become anything. We live in a time where you can just wake up one morning and cut an album, make a movie, or publish a book. You can unleash your amazing ideas upon the world in an instant. The days are long gone when you had to maneuver the barriers into the writing industry. Now all it takes is a little motivation and knowing the right place to start.  If you are a writer or an aspiring writer, then chances are that you already know a publisher that can take your work and transform it into your brand. 

What is Your “Brand”?

My brand is all about happiness and how to be happier.  In fact, I have heard others at conferences, workshops and book signings refer to me as “The Happiness Queen,” which I, quite frankly, love! With my first book, I have, in essence, carved a niche for myself, and in doing so established a brand.  

What does this branding mean for my career?  Not only am I am author, I am also a college professor that now teaches happiness class at my institution, I am motivational speaker that has travelled all over the United States to help people be happier.  While other careers have struggled and even stalled during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, mine has accelerated.  I used my brand and took to the internet, producing “zoominars” about how to stay happy in quarantine and not to lose yourself in isolation.  I have become more than my book.  My book has become my business card! 

What Does This Mean For You? 

As you sit down and write today, remember that your book is a reflection of who you are and the ideas you have.  We all have amazing ideas and thoughts that come from our creative minds.  Your job is to show those on paper (or on a screen). Your book is a direct reflection of you, and handing your finished works to others (of course you need to sign it first should be a moment of pride because of the “you” that is printed on every page. Allow your work to be your business card and be truly representative of the amazing human being that you are.  

Dr. Chrissy Whiting-Madison obtained her BA in Psychology from Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, her MS in Rehabilitation Counseling from Langston University and her PhD in Rehabilitation & Research from the University of Arkansas. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Rogers State University where she avidly researches positive psychology, happiness, humor and joy. Dr. Chrissy published her first book this past year, called Choosing Happiness. She has presented all over the United States, and is currently working on her second book, Even Happier. You can connect with her on her website.

When Dr. Chrissy is not teaching, reading or traveling, she loves scary movies and spending time with her friends and family. She is also a proud mom of one daughter and 6 cats.