Friday, October 3, 2014

Interview with author Angela Mayartis Johnson

Why did you pursue writing?

As a child I used writing as a way to express myself.  It was an awesome outlet for feelings I may not have wanted to tell anyone.  As an adult I continued to write and I always enjoyed it, but never shared it because I always thought others wrote much better.  For years friends have been encouraging me to publish my poetry (which I may do soon), but my insecurities about writing hindered me until one day I came to the realization that I can not ask other to conquer their fears, if I were not conquering mine, so I wrote and self publishing Brand Legacy – Make Your Mark.

What inspired your book?

The idea of the book was inspired by one of my favorite basketball players – Earvin Magic Johnson.  Magic, built a name for a himself as one of the best basketball players in history, however when he was diagnosed with a disease in the prime of his career, everyone thought his life was over.  Magic not only proved, he was strong enough to survive the disease, but used his brand to build an empire… a legacy.   As I would talk to clients and friends about personal branding, it hit me one day… Although we may not have Magic’s money and notoriety, we all have a personal brand and we should utilize it in order to build the life that we want to be remembered for.

How long have you been publishing your work?

Although I have been writing all of my life, Brand Legacy is the first book I have officially published. 

What’s your writing environment like?

I can write almost anywhere.  I normally like it quiet to gather my thoughts, but sometimes I need to be in a location with activity and people interacting. I write in various areas in my home as well as coffee shops, airplanes and hotels.  While writing Brand Legacy, I was in a job that had me traveling 3 out of 4 weeks of the month, so I would try glean inspiration from all of my travels.  I remember one time I was on a plane heading home, my computer died and I was in the middle of a thought, so I pulled out my phone and typed almost half a chapter on my note pad. As I tell everyone who has asked me about writing, try to sit down and write something at least 15-30 minutes a day, some days you will write a sentence and some days several paragraphs. The point is to just write.

What projects are you currently working on?

I am in the process of finishing 4 ebooks:
 High Five – A Pentagon at work (Team Work), 
 Born to lead (Leadership)
 The dog ate my homework (Time Management)

 Posted (Responsible Social Media)

Follow Angela:

Twitter: @mayartis

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