“Building Your Brand as an Author” by Anthony Ehlers | 14th December, 2016 | Writers Write.
“Building Your Brand As An Author – Where Do You Start?
Goal setting
- Create your author platform and brand.
Breaking it down
I was lucky enough to attend an author evening with the bestselling Australian ghostwriter and novelist, Michael Robotham. His advice to aspiring writers was to treat writing like a ‘passionate hobby’. Great advice.I think it keeps you focused on why you’re writing, rather than becoming obsessed with getting published. However, at some point, you have to treat writing as a career or even as a small business. And that means becoming more professional. Marketing yourself. Taking some time to understand what your brand is as an author.You have to start acting like an author – how else will people take your seriously?
First readers
Finding first or beta readers for your novel is much like testing your product – like a focus group for a new lipstick or beer. You want to get some feedback from a small group before you launch it to the world.When looking for beta readers online, it’s important to find the right readers – readers who typically enjoy your genre. It’s no good inviting people who read Young Adult fiction to read your Action Adventure story. There are quite a few platforms for beta readers online – so it’s worth doing some research before you go this route. Often it’s a good idea to start as a beta reader yourself – this will give you a better understanding of the process.If this doesn’t strike you as a good idea – or if you’re a bit technophobic – then you can approach your writing group for a critique. I have a handful of trusted friends who are also writers with whom I’d share my manuscript.No writing group? That’s not a problem. You could always show it to one trusted person – it may be your wife, your partner, an old school friend whose literary opinion you trust. You’ll be in safer hands than a hundred anonymous readers.
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