Writer, 10-time author, creative entrepreneur and founder of The Literati Writers, a premier online writers' group. I help creatives and self-starters stand in their truth and serve our world.
I recommend you use your writing to build your brand, business and reputation as a writer. Specifically, a program like "The New About Me" from Get Storied, an online storytelling business, is an e-course that teaches you how to use storytelling in an About Me page, bio, and in your writing in general to leverage your passions into liveable incomes. I consider your personal story, articulated on a personal website, where you can share your writing in a single place (for starters) to be the very best way to leverage your words into income. Check out: http://thenewaboutme.com. Full disclosure: I am a consultant with Get Storied but was customer of their program first, and don't receive any commissions or anything for recommending them :)
Great questions Matt. I always recommend the personal branded domains for writers. Oftentimes we as the creators of our projects, brands and books find a theme to be a unifying or grounding force ourselves, but I've found that they usually do little to help forge any sort of connection or bond with potential readers. The personal brand (your name/face, and thus, your story/context) is what allows an otherwise anonymous prospective reader online connect with you on a deeper human level -- the human connection is always more memorable than a brand name or theme.
Also, you have the practical flexibility of using the same brand name for the rest of your life (unless you become a felon! :), whereas you might creatively outgrow EmpiricSpirit someday! I'd recommend the personal branded domain.
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