🖊️M.I.D Newsletter | Issue #2

 

July 2025 | Minds In Design by Makitia Thompson

🌟 Editor’s Note: Building a Brand That Reflects You

Welcome to the second issue of the M.I.D Newsletter! If you made it through June feeling a little drained, a little inspired, and a little confused about what to write next—you’re in great company. This month, I want to talk about something many of us put on the backburner: creating a brand that aligns with your voice.

When I first started writing professionally, the idea of building a "brand" felt overwhelming, maybe even a little gross. I just wanted to write my books. But the truth is, if you want your stories to reach people, your audience has to know who you are. That doesn't mean curating a perfect image or being loud online 24/7. It means staying consistent with what your writing stands for and how you present yourself across platforms.

For me, that brand is all about emotional rawness, layered characters, and storytelling that refuses to stay inside the lines. I use my blog, newsletters, and character spotlights to reinforce that. My advice? Don’t try to mirror someone else’s aesthetic or pace. Build something that matches you.

Start with these three simple brand steps:

  1. Pick 3 words that reflect your voice as a writer.

  2. Stick to a tone that matches your books (are you gritty, funny, soft, bold?).

  3. Engage where it feels natural—don’t force every platform.

Remember: Your brand isn’t just what you post. It’s the feeling readers walk away with after they experience your work.

🖊️ Writer's Corner: "Write It Like It’s a Secret You’ve Been Dying to Tell"

We talk a lot about plot, pacing, and publishing, but not enough about urgency. The best stories are the ones you have to get out of you, even if you don’t know how. So here’s a challenge for July:

Write one scene as if you’re finally letting go of a secret you swore you’d never say out loud.

This is where the magic happens. It doesn’t have to be polished. It doesn’t even have to stay in the book. But I promise you—you’ll find your real voice there.

💬 Q&A with Makitia: Writing Through the Hard Stuff

Q: How do you get past writer's block?
A: I walk away. I sit with the story, away from screens and notebooks, and I just think. Most of my breakthroughs happen when I’m doing dishes or sitting outside. I let the characters talk to me instead of trying to force the words out.

Q: How do you know when a book is done?
A: When I stop trying to fix it and start reading it like it belongs to someone else. If I get lost in the story again without editing every second, it’s ready.

Q: What’s your favorite part of the writing process?
A: Honestly, the in-between. That part where the plot makes no sense yet, but you start hearing voices and feeling scenes—it’s chaotic, but it’s magic.

👤 Character of the Month: Emily Cannister

From "The Cannister Trials" & mentioned in "Criminal Plague"

Emily Cannister is not a tragic figure. She is, at her core, a study in manipulation, power, and pretense. She plays the part of the grieving mother, the misunderstood woman, the quiet observer. But underneath her soft voice and long silences lives a mind that sees opportunity in suffering.

Originally introduced as a passive character, Emily’s true identity unfolds slowly. She becomes a symbol of how trauma can be weaponized—how lies can be layered so deeply they become believable even to the one who told them.

She is not a villain in the traditional sense. She's not erratic. She's not loud. She's not obvious. Emily Cannister is the kind of evil that looks like a victim.

And that’s what makes her so dangerous.

🌐 From the Blog: Romance Isn’t Dead, Just Recycled ❤️🧢

“I’m not against romance—I’m just tired of reading the same one hundred times.”

That was the opening line to one of my most talked-about blog posts this past month. In the post, I explain why romance novels often feel too safe, too predictable, and how the genre gets used as a stepping stone for writers who don’t want to challenge themselves. It’s a hot take, sure—but it’s an honest one.

But I didn’t stop there.

In a companion post, I spotlighted romance books that do take risks. Books with complexity, heartbreak, creativity, and a little messiness. Because when done well, romance is still one of the most powerful genres we have.

Read both posts here:

💖 Indie Author Spotlight: Ava Langford

Ava Langford is the author of "All the Quiet Pieces," a stunning debut about grief, queerness, and rebuilding a life in the aftermath of loss. Told through shifting POVs, journal entries, and poetry fragments, this book is a quiet scream.

It deserves more eyes. The story speaks to you. 

⚠️ Three Things NOT to Do While Writing Your Book

  1. Don’t hype yourself into thinking your first book will be "the one."
    Write like nobody's watching. Because at first—no one really is. Let that free you.

  2. Stay off Google.
    Seriously. Searching "how many books should I publish a year" or "what genre sells the most" is a guaranteed spiral.

  3. Don’t rush your book to keep up with someone else.
    We all move differently. Don’t break your story trying to match someone else’s timeline.

🔥 July Book Sale: July 10–17

You can grab these four titles for just $0.99 USD / £0.99 GBP for a limited time. Perfect if you’ve been meaning to start one of my series or revisit a twisted favorite.

  • Dying in the Spotlight ✨ Link

  • Criminal Plague ⚖️ Link

  • Caged Pride 🌈 Link

  • The Hidden Director’s Cut 🎥 Link

76% OFF on Amazon.com • 67% OFF on Amazon.co.uk

🔍 Upcoming Projects

  • Until Time Remembers (Book 1 in the Time series) — Final chapters in progress, set to release in late July.

  • From the King — More fictional interviews are on the way, including a new celebrity exposé.

  • Choosing to Remember: Book 4 — Still in early drafting, but expect it to take on heavier themes than the first three.

I’ll also be adding more character spotlight pages on the blog soon—next up: Jerome Clarkson.

👉 Connect With Me

🙏 Final Words

If you’re feeling behind right now, you’re not. You’re exactly where you need to be. Writing is not a race, and success isn’t always loud. Whether you’ve written three chapters or three books this year—you’re doing the damn thing.

Until next time,
Makitia ✨
Minds In Design

#Mindsindesign #Makitiathompson #Midnewsletter

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts