Author branding

The issue of branding has bothered me for a bit. As someone who enjoys reading a variety of genres, I also enjoy writing them. Straight contemporary, contemporary/urban fantasy, dark fantasy/paranormal, historical, speculative… you get the idea.

So when I saw James Patterson’s TV commercial for his latest (and for Patterson, the term “latest” has a time stamp) release, Witch and Wizard, it made me wonder. This was outside his usual thriller arena. Thriller not being one of the genres I usually read, Patterson’s been off my radar. Until his TV commercials began appearing awhile back. The one below made many chuckle.



Although I also came across this YA offering on YouTube, which plays more like a movie trailer:



Also definitely outside the Patterson “brand.” Or so I thought. A New York Times article indicated he writes everything from “science fiction, fantasy, romance, “women’s weepies,” graphic novels, Christmas-themed books” to nonfiction. Interesting, because Patterson also talks about creating a brand.

According to the article, he writes in longhand and yet managed to put out 45 books. How? He has a stable of authors writing for him. Fellow Popculturediva Kayla Perrin wrote an excellent blog about it.

So I suppose this should put my mind at ease about not having a “brand.”
Wrong. It still bothers me.

I’ve seen authors who write under various names to separate out the various genres they write in. Not for me. Having too many pen names would confuse the hell out of me, so I can imagine how readers would feel. And what’s the point? They’d know anyway, presumably.

Maybe having a brand isn’t so important after all. But having a great tag line that encompasses it all would be great. Something that speaks to the heart of my writing without pigeonholing me into one corner. (I get claustrophobic that way.)

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Is it important for readers to be able to identify a writer by a brand or tag? Or should your byline carry the weight on its own, despite the fact it could be written in any number of genres? Or is that why book covers are so damn important?

More author interviews

I love listening to other authors explain their process or inspiration.

Borders Media does a great job of interviewing authors. Richard Russo talks about That Old Cape Magic, one of the many books on my TBR list. Russo's one of those authors whose stories just grab you like an electric current and don't let go till the last page.

Neil Gaiman's writing, like his books, is magical. Here he talks about The Graveyard Book, also on my TBR list.

Dick Cavett posted an interview with John Updike and John Cheever as part of his New York Times column. It's the entire episode of his talk show, so you'll want to grab some refreshments.

One of the reasons I love The New York Times

Sundays were special in my house. My father went out early to church, and would bring home Sunday newspapers. The Trenton Times, sometimes The Philadelphia Inquirer, but always The New York Times. I paged through it like the treasure it was. The articles may have been over my head, but I knew lyrical writing when I read it, even as a kid. Photo captions captivated me with concise, but imaginative, descriptions. Opening The New York Times Magazine was like stepping into a magical world, a fantasy where people owned etched Steuben Glass, and ads portrayed products that could make you feel as if you’d gone back in time to the Taj Mahal. Oh yes, the Times inspired many bad poems when I was young.
I’m not sure when the Times began its Writers on Writing series. I missed most of them until I learned they’d been compiled into a handy volume. I eagerly awaited the second volume, and sent for it right away.
Just yesterday, I found a link to all the essays, supposedly (it looks to be missing a few, to me, but hey, you can’t have it all.)
Also yesterday I happened across Elmore Leonard’s Ten Rules of Writing. Rules Mr. Leonard claims help him “remain invisible when I'm writing a book, to help me show rather than tell what's taking place in the story.” Something I know I need to work on. I'd suggest reading the entire article to get the full effect, but boiled down, the rules are:
1. Never open a book with weather.
2. Avoid prologues.
3. Never use a verb other than ''said'' to carry dialogue.
4. Never use an adverb to modify the verb ''said'' . . .
5. Keep your exclamation points under control.
6. Never use the words ''suddenly'' or ''all hell broke loose.''
7. Use regional dialect, patois, sparingly.
8. Avoid detailed descriptions of characters.
9. Don't go into great detail describing places and things. (Unless you’re Margaret Atwood)
10. Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.
The most basic rule, according to Leonard, is one that sums up the 10: If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.
Not everyone can write like Elmore, and not everyone should. Apply the rules to your own writing, though, and a clean, clear voice will emerge.

And of course, because everything in the universe can be found on YouTube these days, here’s a Writers on Writing video, consisting of mostly one-line quotes from writers.


The Epictetus quote displayed is one of several I have taped to my writing desk. The others are:
It is with words as with sunbeams, the more they are condensed, the deeper they burn. - Robert Southey
The difference between the right word and almost the right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug. - Mark Twain
Chain that muse to your desk and get the job done. - Barbara Kingsolver
I think I did pretty well, considering I started out with nothing but a bunch of blank paper. - Steve Martin

Why I wish I still lived in New Jersey

Besides the main fact I'd be nearer my family, I'd also be nearer to New York City.
And I love NYC.
For one, The New York Times' Times Talk series. Journalists interview authors such as E.L. Doctorow,screenwriter/actor/director Quentin Tarantino (sold out already), and on Oct. 4, a whole host of literary greats, including Nick Hornby, Patricia Cornwell, Nicholas Sparks (hey, say what you will, he's a bestseller again and again) and others.
The Gotham Writers Workshop has so many offerings in NYC too. I've taken a few online classes and woudl recommend them, but nothing compares to a real classroom setting, with live feedback. Many times, Gotham offers free classes.
At some point, I'd love love love to take Robert McKee's Story seminar when it returns to NY (or possibly closer?)
Since I can't get there for awhile, I'll settle for the YouTube snippets below. I'd also recommend any writer - not just screenwriters - buy Robert McKee's Story. An excerpt is available online.

Online author interviews

In reading through my favorite of all newspapers, The New York Times, I uncovered A Conversation with John Irving, in which he describes writing his latest novel, Last Night in Twisted River. This, like all his novels, began with the last sentence. John, it would appear, relies heavily on the good old pen and paper (no wonder he needed hand surgery).
Elmore Leonard’s another die-hard old-fashioned pen-and-paper writer. He talks about his process in an AARP article in the July/August issue. Titled “I Make It Up As I Go Along,” the beginning of the article is posted on his site. As he notes, the article title pretty much sums it up, but one quote surprised me: “Dialogue, in fact, is the element that keeps the story moving.” I suppose if you’re Elmore Leonard, you can get away with heavy dialogue, but editors tag other writers for it.
Two other great Leonard quotes (not from this article): “If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it” and “I leave out the parts that people skip.” Great advice for any author.
The Times’ A Conversation with Toni Morrison reveals the inspiration for A Mercy, her 1700s historical.
I also discovered A Conversation with John Updike on the Times site. Still have The Widows of Eastwick on my (very long) TBR list. This conversation, btw, immediately veers off into a political tangent and never recovers. Sad, since he’s silenced forever.