Comments on: Branding Yourself http://sjaejones.com/blog/2010/branding-yourself/ Et ignotas animum dimittit in artes Sat, 19 May 2012 17:08:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Sooz http://sjaejones.com/blog/2010/branding-yourself/comment-page-1/#comment-8741 Sooz Tue, 03 Apr 2012 23:12:15 +0000 http://sjaejones.com/?p=3858#comment-8741 Wir können Deutsch praktizieren! Wenn du willst, natürlich... And yes, I do think brand is important. I know that if I love an author, I will still *usually* only buy books by them in the genre I first fell in love. Does that makes sense? For example: I Sherwood Smith's novels, but if she ever wrote a contemporary, I wouldn't feel any desire to pick it up. To me, Sherwood Smith indicates epic fantasy and fabulous characters, and though I'm certain she could write a solid contemporary, I wouldn't turn to her for that... So as a reader, I DO think brand matters. Wir können Deutsch praktizieren! Wenn du willst, natürlich…

And yes, I do think brand is important. I know that if I love an author, I will still *usually* only buy books by them in the genre I first fell in love. Does that makes sense? For example: I Sherwood Smith’s novels, but if she ever wrote a contemporary, I wouldn’t feel any desire to pick it up. To me, Sherwood Smith indicates epic fantasy and fabulous characters, and though I’m certain she could write a solid contemporary, I wouldn’t turn to her for that…

So as a reader, I DO think brand matters.

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]]> By: Lindsay Edmunds http://sjaejones.com/blog/2010/branding-yourself/comment-page-1/#comment-1044 Lindsay Edmunds Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:06:48 +0000 http://sjaejones.com/?p=3858#comment-1044 Your blog reminded me of a line from the Scorsese movie THE COLOR OF MONEY: "Success is about becoming someone." I've found that even when a writer's subjects vary, certain qualities come through that brand the work as his/her own. Writers can't help branding themselves. But some brands always will sell more briskly than others. Your blog reminded me of a line from the Scorsese movie THE COLOR OF MONEY: “Success is about becoming someone.”
I’ve found that even when a writer’s subjects vary, certain qualities come through that brand the work as his/her own. Writers can’t help branding themselves. But some brands always will sell more briskly than others.

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]]> By: Nick Ruffilo http://sjaejones.com/blog/2010/branding-yourself/comment-page-1/#comment-1043 Nick Ruffilo Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:49:29 +0000 http://sjaejones.com/?p=3858#comment-1043 An author's brand is important, but it depends on the genre. When it comes to educational books, the brand is more important than the author, for example "For Dummies" books and "O'Reilly". In those cases, the brand dictates that the authors for that individual book are good. Another exception would also be romance. While a romance author's name may carry weight, I would say the publisher or the series carries more weight in the buying decision - that and the steamy covers/back-cover descriptions. Marketing dollars play a big role in how well an author will sell, but if you take the case of James Patterson (where its rumored that most of his books are ghost-written and he just slaps his name on it) then that would be an extremely strong case where author is important. To your last point about what mucks up an author's name - I would say that has to do with character. If a children's author was caught in a sex scanadal, that may negatively effect that author. One or two bad books rarely will mess things up, but a steady stream of them would. -Nick An author’s brand is important, but it depends on the genre. When it comes to educational books, the brand is more important than the author, for example “For Dummies” books and “O’Reilly”. In those cases, the brand dictates that the authors for that individual book are good.

Another exception would also be romance. While a romance author’s name may carry weight, I would say the publisher or the series carries more weight in the buying decision – that and the steamy covers/back-cover descriptions.

Marketing dollars play a big role in how well an author will sell, but if you take the case of James Patterson (where its rumored that most of his books are ghost-written and he just slaps his name on it) then that would be an extremely strong case where author is important.

To your last point about what mucks up an author’s name – I would say that has to do with character. If a children’s author was caught in a sex scanadal, that may negatively effect that author. One or two bad books rarely will mess things up, but a steady stream of them would.

-Nick

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