Let’s pretend you’re on a game show, and the host says to you, “Here is the $1 million question: Who is James Patterson’s publisher?” Want to use a lifeline? Here’s a clue: It’s one of the big five publishing companies. Time’s up! Were you able to guess? The correct answer is Little, Brown, and Company, an imprint of Hachette. Chances are, you didn’t know the answer because readers don’t care about the publisher’s brand. They care about the author’s brand. We all know who James Patterson is, but usually only literary agents and industry insiders know the difference between Hachette and Random House. That means you, as the author, have to develop either a good brand or a big brand. They’re not the same. What’s the difference between a good brand and a big brand? More importantly, how do you develop a brand that is both big and good? Big Brand = Well-Known or Famous To have a big brand is to be well-known or famous. You recognize names like J. K. Rowling, Stephen King, Jerry Jenkins, and Brandon Sanderson. Typically, fame is an indication of past success. J.K. Rowling has fame because of her previous books. Simon Sinek is famous for his success in business. Bill Clinton’s fame as a former president helped him become a New York Times bestselling novelist. Daniel Kahneman was famous in academia before he became a Nobel Prize winner, and that led to his New York Times bestselling success. Sometimes fame comes from having famous ancestors, as in the case of Prince Harry, who is famous because he was born into the royal family. Small Brand = Unknown or Obscure By contrast, having a small brand means you are unknown. Most authors fit in this category since few people know them outside of their circle of friends and family. Nearly everyone starts with a small brand. Having famous ancestors or a big brand is not all it’s cracked up to be and doesn’t necessarily make your life or publishing career easier. Much can be said for practicing in obscurity. How do you make your brand bigger? Assuming you don’t have famous parents, how do you develop a big brand? There are many ways to become more well-known or famous. Publish Regularly When groups of people talk about your books, their conversations will create buzz about your writing. On the other hand, if your last book came out three years ago, people may have forgotten who you are. Have Strong Book Launches Having a strong book launch is a great way to build your brand. Every effective book launch builds your brand and leads to even more successful launches. Launching a book is probably the most common technique used by authors to build their brands. They write a great book and launch it well. Then they stop marketing it after about two months and write the next one. Then they launch that one. Wash, rinse, and repeat. Spend A LOT of Money on Advertising You could spend a lot of money on advertising by putting your name, face, and book cover in front of a lot of strangers. Spend A LOT of Money on In-Store Placement The slots in a bookstore are for sale. You can pay to get your book shelved in the bookstore,