How important is name recognition? This
question is pretty easy to answer. I can do so by illustration. The current #1
bestseller on the fiction list is THE PRESIDENT IS MISSING by former president
Bill Clinton and bestselling author James Patterson. Needless to say, they are
both famous. A literary agent put them together to produce this blockbuster
thriller. The July issue of AARP features an “exclusive” interview plus
excerpt. Like most people, I was very interested in reading the article. It was
the first thing I turned to in the magazine.
Realistically,
we can’t all be that famous. Most of us who write aren’t well-known at all. So
we have to look for other ways to get readers acquainted with us because
hopefully once they do, they’ll become fans of our writing. So let’s discuss
some basic ways in which we can build our brand:
1.
Create
a website that represents the image you want people to see. If you’re an expert
in a particular field, make that clear through both photos and words.
2.
Create
a blog in which you discuss matters relevant to your area of expertise.
Interview others in your field. Try to blog at least several times a month to
build a following. Once a week would be even better.
3.
Do
interviews on other blogs.
4.
Use
social media to create connections. We’re talking Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,
LinkedIn, etc. to get your message across. You can also join writer groups both
in person and via the internet.
5.
Write
articles for many types of media both in print and online to establish expertise
in your particular field. TV is the best, but radio isn’t bad either. Personal
appearances are always great. Meet and greet!
6.
Do
library talks where you can show your books.
7.
If
you’re lucky enough to have a local bookstore, see if you can present there and
if they will display and sell your books in return.
It has
been observed that personal branding is one of the keys to success in today’s
world. As such it takes time and effort. However, by branding yourself you are
demonstrating who you are and the expertise you have to offer.
There’s
been a lot of discussion among writers as to whether it benefits authors to be
branded--by that I mean that writers want to market themselves by promoting
their name, associating their name with a particular type, genre or style of
writing. The premise? This is the best way to build a readership. For example,
when we see the name Nora Roberts we
immediately think of romantic suspense. The name Stephen King is immediately associated with horror. But these
writers have also chosen to write under other pseudonyms as well. Jayne Ann
Krentz, for example, writes her contemporary romances under that name, her
sci-fi’s under Jayne Castle and her historical romances under Amanda Quick. The
advantage is that her fans know exactly what to expect.
Many
writers choose to use pen names. They write in a variety of genres and assume a
different nom de plume for each. The theory is that it will confuse readers if
writers use the same name for different types of work. There is also a tendency
for publishers to try to place writers in neat categories or pigeon holes. It’s
more convenient to connect a name to a particular format.
But what
if you resist branding? Are you destroying your chance to be taken seriously as
a writer or build a readership? I don’t have the answer to that question. I can
only admit that I don’t limit myself to one particular format or genre. My
latest adult romantic mystery from Encircle, DEATH PROMISE, is a sequel to
DEATH LEGACY which was critically well-received.
My most
recent young adult novel, WITCH WISH, is now published both in print and all
e-book formats by Black Opal Books. It follows STACY’S SONG and THE DEVIL AND
DANNA WEBSTER.
Several
months back, Annorlunda published my literary novella
THE
BURNING under “J. P. Seewald”.
I suppose if you were to ask me to elaborate
on my “brand” I’d have to answer I really don’t have one. To paraphrase
Shakespeare’s description of Cleopatra, I am a writer of infinite variety. Is
it possible to build a readership without a definitive brand?
Your
thoughts, opinions and comments are most welcome.
