Strategically Establishing an Author Brand Through Social Media and Other Platforms
Let’s say you have written and published a book, or are in the middle of writing a manuscript for a book, or maybe just starting to think about writing a book and one day becoming a published author, or maybe the first book is on the cusp, about to be released upon the world. What must be considered in terms of author branding? How do you sell yourself to potential readers? Do you sell yourself?
According to Mark Coker writing for Publisher’s Weekly, author brand is “a bundle of perceptions and expectations that form in readers’ minds over time. A brand is a promise; it’s what readers expect from an author.” (1)
Think of your favorite authors and the books you buy and read based on their names alone. A few of my favorites include David Mitchell, Jonathan Safran Foer, Jeffrey Eugenides, Victor LaValle, Stephen Graham Jones, Barbara Kingsolver, Zoje Stage, Josh Malerman, Cormac McCarthy, and more. I would blindly buy books from any of those writers. The list is different for everyone, but all avid readers have a list.
It doesn’t matter what any of those writers mentioned above write. As soon as their books come out, I snag a copy, full price. There’s no hesitation. I simply buy the book the moment it’s out and it goes to the top of my reading list.
More often than not, personal bookshelves (mine at least, and many of my friends’) are organized in groups by author name, more so than listed alphabetically by author, or by genre, or by publisher, or even (for some chaotic yet artistically-pleasing reason) by color. And more often than not, these books are collected and stored on shelves. They help define who we are as readers to those who may happen upon the collection.
No matter the book, as soon as a new title is released by our favorite authors, we devour them. We instantly add them to our ever-growing TBR (to-be-read) pile, or move them to the top. There’s no need to go into a store and flip through pages to determine if the story or author warrants our time, and there’s no need to use Amazon’s “Look Inside” feature to check writing quality; we simply discover (or anticipate) a new book by our favorite authors and read them.
But why do we do this?
1. Coker, Mark. “Seven Author Branding Tips.” PublishersWeekly.com, November 16, 2018. https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/authors/pw-select/article/78616-seven-author-branding-tips.
Michael Bailey is a Senior Editor and the Head of Developmental Editing at Manuscripts, LLC. He is a recipient and nine-time nominee of the Bram Stoker Award, a four-time Shirley Jackson Award nominee, and a multiple recipient of the Benjamin Franklin Award, along with over thirty independent publishing accolades. He has written, edited, and published many books. His latest is Righting Writing, a nonfiction narrative about dedication to the craft. He is also the screenwriter for Madness and Writers: The Untold Truth, a creative documentary series about writers. Find him online at nettirw.com, or on social media @nettirw.
Perceptions, Promises, and Expectations
Let’s say Stephen King is on your list. There is a perception that any new book will be a doorstopper, a hefty book with lots of character development, mystery, magic, and maybe a little (or extremely) terrifying. And you, his Constant Reader (as he likes to address his following) expect his name to be emblazoned on the cover in that large, familiar font. And there is a promise that as soon as you start reading, his voice will pull you in like that of an old familiar friend.- Perception
- Promise
- Expectation
Branding Builds Career
Author branding is how an undiscovered writer becomes discovered. When a potential reader sees your name on a book cover or spine, consider what you want that name to represent, beyond genre categorization. This is difficult with only one published book (or if not yet published), but imagine having an entire row of books one day. When a second book is released, or a third or a fourth, what are the reader’s perceptions of you as a writer, and as a person (as you represent yourself to the public)? What can you promise readers with each of your books, and with your name alone? What are the readers expectations each time a new book is announced? What legacy will you leave behind? Book #1 needs to be so good that by the time Book #2 is announced, readers are already eager for it and will buy it sight unseen. Successful branding means readers are not buying the book, they are buying the author. If you have aspirations to continue writing, whether as a career or an extended hobby, consider the long-haul. Be the best version of yourself online (no matter where) because what you post is a representation of you, and your brand. Just like with family and friends, discussions on race, religion, politics, money, sex . . . they can all be dangerous topics online, and others behind keyboards are often quick to react. A wrong or even accidental turn-of-phrase from a blind spot can be damaging, even career-cancelling. And keep in mind that once something goes online, it’s pretty much permanent.Sell the Writer, Not the Book
One thing all successful writers have in common is they rarely solicit their work. A new book comes out, they post about it a few times on social media or on their website, and that’s about it. Author brand takes care of the rest. A book signing here, a book review there, but for the most part, they mostly share personal things about themselves: family, friends, pets, favorite films or shows or music, and often other author’s books . . . One thing most novice writers have in common, on the other hand (those with aspirations to become bestsellers), is they tend to oversaturate. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok, and so on, are all bombarded with advertisements for books from newer writers, which is understandable. New authors need the attention; otherwise, how can they ever become a household name? The key with a social presence is to sell the writer, not the book. The last thing any potential reader wants is to be overwhelmed by advertisements. Readers want an understanding of their favorite authors, some kind of personal connection. The books, if an author has made one’s favorites list, are basically pre-sold already because of a solid author brand, so there’s no need for the author to do anything other than be their real selves online. Follow the footsteps of successful writers: post a few times about the book, but focus on the self. Share a cover. Share a book unboxing video. Share a reading. Share information about the process of writing and how the book came about. Share something amusing or even funny. Share anything but the price of the book and the link where to buy it. Most importantly, share anecdotes about your life that are not book-related. Let both potential and constant readers connect with you. Readers know where to find books. They go into bookstores (unfortunately not as often as in the past). They have their places online where they purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Wal-Mart, Target, wherever. Unless offering a means of purchasing an autographed or personalized copy, readers do not need to be shown a link where to buy books. Ever. Social media algorithms tend to filter out such things and limit viewership anyway. Is a book on sale for 25% or 50% off from a certain distributor? It makes sense to share to help readers save money. Is an eBook on sale for a limited time at $1.99, $0.99, or free? It makes sense to help out readers who are money conscious, and because readers are more likely to try a new author if not paying full price for a book. But, for the most part, readers never need to be told where to buy books. All avid readers need is the author’s name if the branding is strong enough.Social Media and Other Platform Consideration
Part of one’s branding requires a healthy social presence and consistency, which leads to my first piece of advice for successful author branding.- Secure a unique author name or pseudonym.
- Secure a website domain using your author name (if at all possible), even if only buying the domain and parking it for a while, or forever. It’s not expensive. And if the plan is to publish multiple books under an imprint, secure a website domain for that name.
- Secure all social media handles that match your author or imprint name, even if you never plan to use them.
Represent the Best Version of You
Maybe you will publish a single book and become a one-hit-wonder, or maybe a New York Times bestselling writer and author to many books, but no matter the scenario, represent the best version of yourself to the public. Protect your author brand.1. Coker, Mark. “Seven Author Branding Tips.” PublishersWeekly.com, November 16, 2018. https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/authors/pw-select/article/78616-seven-author-branding-tips.
Michael Bailey is a Senior Editor and the Head of Developmental Editing at Manuscripts, LLC. He is a recipient and nine-time nominee of the Bram Stoker Award, a four-time Shirley Jackson Award nominee, and a multiple recipient of the Benjamin Franklin Award, along with over thirty independent publishing accolades. He has written, edited, and published many books. His latest is Righting Writing, a nonfiction narrative about dedication to the craft. He is also the screenwriter for Madness and Writers: The Untold Truth, a creative documentary series about writers. Find him online at nettirw.com, or on social media @nettirw.