Contributed by Margot Conor
While you are writing your novel, or even when it is just an idea in your head, start to build your brand. Research your genre niche. Put in a little time each day to seek out other authors who write in your genre and in the style you admire. Study what they communicate to their readers. Look at the websites those authors have created. Imagine who your ideal readers are and create a brand for them.
This is the key to everything, it is not for you, it’s for your readers, your fans. Everything you create is for them.
What is a brand?
This is your identity as a writer. It involves more than what you write. It is also about the visual presentation you create. Your online presence needs to be carefully crafted to present who you are. The images, backgrounds, typeface, the colors you choose the logo or banner you create.
It is all about creating a mood and evoking an emotion. Your style should be genre-specific and carefully crafted to appeal to your audience. People are visually stimulated; it’s why good covers sell more books.
You need to entice your readers with visual information which draws them into the world you’ve created. Do this magic in all the places where your author’s presence is available.
Potential readers or agents need to be able to find you when they do a Google search with your author’s name. The wider your presence the more professional you look. The more established your platform is, and the more engaged followers you have, the better. That is your goal.
How do you find engagement?
It may surprise you, but it’s not only by talking about your projects, or the book you just released. And it’s not only talking about your writing and marketing process.
Your fans will want to know who is behind the creation, and what you care about.
So, what you can offer in way of encouragement or advice from your personal experience about issues that others are curious or concerned about?
Show your excitement or concern for topics that matter to you and them.
Make posts about things that you want to learn or have learned. Ask your audience questions and let them know their opinion matters to you.
Look for insights from more knowledgeable authors or experts. In this way, you will organically grow your audience and find a like-minded cohort of authors and readers.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Margot Conor has been writing for as long as she can remember, but it wasn't until the COVID lock-down that she had enough time to dedicate to the craft and bring something to completion. Having finished her first novel, she went through the grueling two-year process of editing. Now she has jumped into the author's world with both feet. She's preparing to debut her first novel, which means learning how to promote it. The last year has been spent attending many writing retreats, seminars, and writers' events. She also listened to presentations specifically on the topic of publishing and book marketing. She will be sharing what she learns with the reader.
Learn more about Margot at https://margotconor.com/
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