Author branding is one of the most important aspects of writing and publishing a book. Unlike the olden times, new age publishing has now changed in many ways; most of the authors today agree that being an author means that you're also an entrepreneur.
An author is rightly associated to be an entrepreneur because after writing a book, the most time that a writer spends is in marketing and selling their books. This point leads us again to author branding because the brand is what makes a book sell.
What exactly is author branding?
Author branding is, in simple terms, the author's brand. Of course, it also means a logo, a website, and a few representative colors, but this is not all. The most important aspect of author branding is the author, the themes of the author's books, the genre of the author's writing, and what the author speaks for and stands for.
Author branding does mean that an author represents a particular type of books for a particular type of audience. Their books highlight points and contain themes of what they advocate for as a brand.
Why is author branding important?
It is the key that unlocks the true meaning of being an author. An author brand is a clear representation of the author and their books. It speaks to the reader and informs them of what to expect from the books and their author. It helps readers find books similar to what they like. It also helps readers stay loyal. Besides, it is easy to recommend to new readers.
Now that we know what is author branding and why it is important, let's look at some tips on building your author brand:
1) Basics first - Get a logo and a website designed. Make sure that the colors you use are in accordance with the genre of your books. For example, a horror books' author using pastel colors is not exactly right. Pastel colors do not represent horror but dark colors do.
2) Professional photographs - Get professional author pictures clicked. These should be used everywhere required.
3) Genre - Your books should belong to one particular genre, at maximum, even two. But don't write one book in one genre, next in another genre and the third in some other genre. This will not only confuse the reader but shake the core of your author brand.
Your books should be the face of only one genre. This is how readers stay connected and loyal.
4) Target audience - Identify your target audience and compare their interests with what your brand stands for. Do they match? If not, then either change your target audience or your branding.
5) Be active - Advocate what you believe in. Be active on social media and make posts about the topics pertaining to your brand theme.
6) Engage your readers - Give them extra snippets, short stories and more. Keep them entertained and satisfied.
These were a few tips to help you get started with your author branding.
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This article was written by Kulsum. Kulsum is the best selling author of the title, Love of a Stranger.