There’s one more question I have about this that’s just burning to be answered though.

I live in Brussels, Belgium. My native tongue is dutch, then french. English is only my third language. I know I want to write novels in english, so I can just about forget publishing a book in Belgium.

It will be hard for me - probably harder dan most people - to get published in the USA. But I’m thinking now that branding could seriously help me here. Am I wrong to use my home country as part of the brand? It might scare people of instead of attract them.

Thanks for answering our questions!

1)How do you know how specific to be with your brand for instance the romance genre has some sort of combo with almost every other genre out there (paranormal romance, romantic suspense, futuristic romance, etc).

Could a romance writer write in all those sub genres or would it be best to stick to one? I would think this would apply to most genres,it’s just that I think this is the most diverse. For instance, speculative fiction authors tend to write both SF and Fantasy. Could this be seen as diluting your brand? Is it bad to write a series of epic fantasy novels then switch up and do a series of military SF?

2. Can you have a brand that crosses genres? My biggest problem is that I can’t seem to narrow what I write because I read anything that looks good regardless of genre ( I’ve even read literary novels -gasp-). This is probably me still being a rookie but I’m cool with that ( the part about narrowing down my genre not about literary novels :)).

I guess this is just a long winded way of saying how specific do you have to be and is there a process to go through? Thanks for any pointers Randy

Christophe, I’m in the same predicament as you, as I live in NZ and dream of publication within the American CBA market.

In the above blog entry, Randy agreed that I could I use my “kiwi” (New Zealand) heritage in my brand. I’m guessing using your country would work for you also.

Randy, thanks. You’ve given me some more to think about. I’m not sure Kiwi Chainsaw Surferpunk would work though.

Here it is for all to see:

Communicating Truth from the Inside Out

Mary E. DeMuth

It all comes down to: writing and publishing takes time. We have to be willing to hang in there for the long haul. My guess is those of us who are participating in this blog are ready to go for it. I know I am. I’ll continue to write and learn and submit for as long as it takes. I am a writer! Wheeee!!

Colleen, if only my current novel weren’t based in New Orleans! But you have given me a good idea. I keep thinking US readers are near-sighted and can’t see past the ocean, so I figured they don’t care. Maybe they do! I might just move one of my next novels to Belgium, or at least Europe. Thanks for that (seemingly obvious, yet apparently not entirely) idea.

Please, please, PLEASE write in your native lands. It’s the only way I’ll ever get to New Zealand or Belgium. And I do so want to go.

I’ll be looking forward to your books. No matter the genre. (Yes, I know that’s a frag.)

Indeed, how will we know?

Thanks, Randy, for giving us prepublished writers the go-ahead to dabble! I’m afraid I’m so good at dabbling that I’ll never be able to find a focus. I will keep trying, though. (Or can I just brand myself as “Dabbler Extraordinaire”? No, I guess that title has already been claimed by millions of other professional dabbler hopefuls.)

I do like to write about characters who struggle with finding their place. Still way too broad, I know. Well, I’m hoping to write in the genre of YA fantasy or speculative fiction, or a cross between the two. Hmmm…how about “speculative fantasy with speculative characters”? All right, all right, I’m going back to the drawing board now…

Since I haven’t published any books of my own yet, would it be OK for me to market my picture book ms. as well as my YA at the summer conference? They’d probably be with different publishers. I wonder, since I’m unknown, if that would be advisable at this point.

I read a wide variety of genres also, and think that broadens us as authors, although I do read much YA since I’m writing for that audience. Do you think eclectic reading is beneficial or possibly detrimental in helping writers develop as Steve implies?

So, if I understand this branding thing (and I doubt that I do) it seems we want to define our purpose as a writer and our unique flavor or style? That doesn’t sound easy, but seems more freeing than being confined to a genre.

Could someone share some examples of “brands” or taglines, like RelevantGirl’s…(I’d like to see someone try to top that one)…some you’ve heard of or come up with yourself?

What’s your line, Randy?

Darn. I was looking forward to your first Kiwi Chainsaw Surferpunk release. I would buy it and proudly shelve it next to Skin.

And I know an author who’s written over 90 books under a variety of pennames and genres. He’s quite successful.

So did these people ignore branding?

So Randy, here’s my quandary: I write romantic suspense about Crimes Against Children FBI agents with my target audience being moms. I have a website dedicated to the Defenders of Hope series. But I don’t have a brand that encompasses my suspense. At least I don’t think so.

My brand that I established through my author site is “Heart Chocolate~ words to enrich heart and soul.” The site is full of chocolate and heart chocolate, which lots of people seem to love~ moms especially. This brand covers my heart as a writer and my non-fiction stories. And in my suspense I talk about heart chocolate both in the novel and in my author letter.

Then I read all of your blogs about branding and methinks I’m in need of some help. So, help!

Me sez: As I mentioned in a previous comment, there is at least one CBA publisher who won’t touch stories based outside of the States. Of the novels I have read, I haven’t found a novel based internationally that doesn’t feature at least one American character, so I’m not sure what the chances are of being successful in that aspect. But we can only but try.

My American accountability partner hinted at co-writing a book together, so that could be my way past such obstacles.

Jannie Ernst Says:
I was told by an editor, a well-known one, that I will not get a novel with an African flavor published, because most readers are not interested in foreign stuff.

Me sighs.

Oh dear. I wonder if this editor is from the same publishing house that wont touch anything set outside of the States.

We might need to set up an “Internationals Set to Storm CBA” support group.

Lizzie Says:
To Vanessa: Darn. I was looking forward to your first Kiwi Chainsaw Surferpunk release. I would buy it and proudly shelve it next to Skin.

Me sez: Just for you, Lizzie, I’ll think about writing such a piece as my 10,000 words in a week challenge. Unfortunately it wouldn’t be worthy to sit next to a Ted Dekker book, but you could use it to prop up the bookshelf.

Randy, I though about your comments on a possible branding, and came up with a rather lame one last night. “Kiwi Scenic Suspense.”

Yeah, I still need to work on it. Although NZ’s country side does feature in the story, it’s not that big of a feature.

Speaking of brand, I write “romance with a kick of wasabi” (well, you know that already). I have written Asian romantic suspense with a snarky main character, which I liked writing, but not as much as Asian chick lit, which is the novel coming out in September. I’m also working on a proposal for Asian young adult chick lit.

My brand has encompassed not just my chosen genre (adult chick lit), but the special flavor of everything I write. I write Asian characters who tend to be snarky. Whether she’s saving the world from a human cloning operation or just trying to thwart her psychotic grandma, it’s all “romance with a kick of wasabi.”

Here’s the key–no other author in the CBA is publishing comedic romance with strong, contemporary Asian American characters. Therefore, that has become my brand: comedic romance, strong contemporary Asian American characters.

Authors in the CBA have published historical Asian characters, or Asian characters who live overseas. Not Asian American characters. Or they’ve published dramas, but not comedies with Asian characters.

I think that when writers think about branding, they’ve got to think what about their style of writing sets them apart from what’s already out there.

The Loud Asian Chick

I wonder if that’s changed now that Blood Diamond was nominated for five Oscars. It’s a Leonardo DiCaprio flick about African conflict diamonds. If he’s made it popular, you could get more readers than that editor thinks.

Personally, I’d love to read authentic characters created by someone in another country. What would be completely commonplace to your African character that I’d consider exotic or bizarre? Is Africa in as much trouble as I hear on the news? How do people deal with it and go on with their lives?

You’d think there’d be a market if the novels were good, even if they’re not about Americans in America.

Look up Alexander McCall Smith. Currently on his sixth book in his Ladies Detective Agency, based in Africa. I can honestly say they are hot books in my area of the USA. Even at the library its hard to get those books, they go out so often.

In this interview, she mentions two items for marketing and career development, and I’d be interested in your take on them. The first is the suggestion that a group of authors can / should get together and market themselves through a website. The second is the use of submissions to e-publishers to build one’s resume (such as Whisky Creek). E-books seem to sell for about $5 each, with royalties to the author being perhaps 25 to 50 percent.

She also has at least one marketing website, which showcases all her work. Prolific, though definitely not mainstream in the way that you seem to operate.