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A common misconception is that branding is just about logos, font colours and the script that is used for a company's name. The reality is that people's perception about a company or an individual are shaped by every interaction that they have with that brand. From an author's perspective, therefore, it is vital to recognize and appreciate that your brand is only as strong as every interaction that you have with a publisher, literary agent or customer.

Once a writer gets to the stage in their development where they are starting to become conscious of the need to promote themselves, there are typically a number of activities that they embark on. These include creation of a writing name, promotion of their work through online and offline media and the targeting of selected publishers or literary agents through whom they wish to make the next step to successful published author. I'll cover these aspects off first, before going on to look at some of the more holistic attributes that underpin our brand.

Creation of a writing pseudonym:

The author may decide to write under their own name. However, alternatively, they may spend hours debating what writing pseudonym to use. There's an advert running on UK TV at the moment which majors on the importance of a good brand name. In the advert, Bruce Willis reveals that his real name is Walter Willis and he suggests that he would not have secured leading roles in Hollywood films if he had stuck with Walter. To be honest, I'm not particularly convinced by this argument and think that writers, in particular, often place too much emphasis upon finding a cool name. The bottom line is that if your writing isn't sufficiently good, then you are unlikely to get a book deal even if you have the coolest name in the universe.

Promotion of your work:

There are lots of budding writers who are convinced that their writing is as good if not better than much of what lines the bookstores on their local high street. However, quite a number of them haven't found the nerve to actually put their work out in the open for critical appraisal. They are either too afraid of receiving criticism or that their idea will be stolen. The bottom line, though, is that an author cannot achieve success unless he or she is prepared to put their writing in front of others and actively promote it.

Part of promoting your work will inevitably include the necessity to send your work to a publisher or a literary agent. However, sending a script cold to a stranger

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