Why Name Recognition Is Important

One of the top reasons I pass on authors, is when they state how long they have been working on the project they are submitting. As a "hobby author" the time it takes to write a story really doesn't matter. You spend a lot writing that perfect story, lingering over the words and working on the perfect phrase. But here comes two big problems. First, your readers, assuming you get signed by an editor, are not going to want to wait around for your next book. Secondly, you increase your readership through name recognition.Let's talk about each.

If you are familiar with the Game of Thrones series, or even the Outlander series, you will understand. People devoured these books. In the case of both, each TV series moved faster than the authors could write. The readers wanted more and the authors simply did not want to wait. Did they wait? Yes. Did they like it? No!

For you new authors, name recognition is what will save you. Think about the authors you go back and buy. You probably always return to the authors you remember. Sure, you stumble across new authors, but if you get on Amazon, or hit your local bookstore, you start looking for the authors you remember. To be successful in this business, you have to keep your name out there.

I know that for many authors, they have convinced themselves that it is more important to produce the best book possible, regardless of the time it takes. Part of this is true. Yes, we want good books, but you have to be able to produce those books. For publishers, asking for 2-3 books a year at 77K-100K word count should not be an issue.