HOOK 'EM

One of the biggest words used now in the book publishing world is "brand." Here are the purposes of having a brand:
1) Create emotional velcro
2) Build a perception of higher quality
3) Offer a little "something special" that no one else has

For example, people don't buy a Nora Roberts book because it sounds like a story they want to read. They buy a Nora Roberts book because they like Nora Roberts. And when Nora wanted to try writing in a different style, she wrote under a pen name that has a whole different brand to it.

I don't have a brand yet because there is not a large audience that has read my work and expects something from me. But I'm thinking about what my brand should be since my book comes out this December.

My stories are pretty light-hearted, and I've been told that I have the gift of making tough situations entertaining. So I want everything with my name on it to give such an impression. I've made my website fun. And now that my cover is being designed, I really care that it conveys my brand. The desinger told me that the cover is beautiful with a wedding dress and boquet. My response? "Can't she be holding flip-flops instead of a boquet?" Now that little bit of quirkiness would fit my brand.

If you want to learn more about cover design and how to hook your readers, join Borderline for writing workshop session #4 this Saturday, April 24 at A Novel Adventure from 10-12. For more information, visit the events page on our website.