I was asked by a literary agent if I wanted to write fiction or nonfiction. I have authored or coauthored three nonfiction books and one novel. I prefer to write fiction, but the question niggled at me. I want to do both, but I’ll have to choose.
Writing Tip for Today: In today’s publishing world, image and brand are more important than ever. While many writers do both nonfiction and fiction, it helps to have one or the other come to mind for a reader. Here’s why:

• Concentrating on one area helps establish you as a go-to author for a type of novel or a certain topic.
• The literary agent can more easily market your work when you either identify with novels or nonfiction.
• After you establish your “brand” you may be able to do other projects outside what readers expect, but you may have to write under a pen name. Famous authors such as Nora Roberts and Stephen King do this when they wish to write in a different genre.