Should Authors Brand Themselves?

The saying goes, “Jack of all trades, master of none.” But does that mean that indie authors who dabble in more than one genre are crippling themselves and their sales by not zeroing in on just one genre? Is it crucial for an author to brand themselves as an action writer or horror writer or romance writer and then cling exclusively to that category, forsaking all others, ‘til death do you part? Does reader bias exist against authors who refuse to wear a singular label? The answer to all these questions is yes … and no. Multi-genre experimentation will hurt some authors but prove to be the path to success for others. Branding is a smart choice for some authors; for others it’s a waste of time equal to trying to start an inferno with a burnt match. Some readers will ignore authors who dip their pen in more than one ink well, others will embrace the diversification. Short of having Nostradamus in their lineage, it’s impossible for an author to predict, so they may as well write whatever makes them happy and let the branding fall where it may.

To be honest, this is a position reversal for me. Not long ago, I vowed to brand myself as an action author. Even this blog is geared toward action fiction and I have no intention of altering the focus, as that particular genre is my primary interest. I had published various short stories in the hardboiled, horror, and romance genres, but with the release of my debut novel, The Assassin’s Prayer , I believed the time had arrived to turn my back on those other genres and focus exclusively on action. After all, I currently have at least four more action novels outlined and ready to be written, so why not adopt the one-shot-one-kill technique of a sniper rather than the spray-and-pray approach of a machine-gunner?

But following the release of the novel, I was approached to submit a zombie story for an anthology. I caught whiff of potential opportunities in the western market. Readers clamored for a novel-length continuance of my short hardboiled story. I swiftly realized that branding myself as solely an action author would leave me as unsatisfied as a gun enthusiast trying to buy an AR-15 in New York. I wanted to write a western. I wanted to write a zombie story. I wanted to write a Jack Reece (“The Killing Question” )novel. And so I decided to do what I want, not what a brand demanded.


 Buy on AmazonThe explosion of indie publishing has shredded preconceived notions of how authors should behave. Experimentation is not only accepted, it is encouraged. Branding may be beneficial for some, but for others it could be detrimental. No author can fully anticipate what will strike a chord with readers. For example, author Jack Badelaire started his career writing a contemporary action novel ( Killer Instincts ) and fully intended to continue down this path. Then, just for a lark, he penned a pulpy WWII tale about British Commandos. Unexpectedly, it snagged the attention of readers and he has now written three books in the “Commando” series that has become his bread and butter. Had he been determined to brand himself as only a contemporary action novelist, the level of success he now enjoys might have eluded him like a scuba diver trying to catch an eel with Vaseline-coated gloves.

For authors only interested in one specific genre, branding is a viable, perhaps even advised, option. But for those whose writing interests branch off in various directions, branding could be the cage that imprisons their success. For me, branding felt like shackles I had willingly put on. Thankfully, they were just as easy to take off. Readers may eventually brand me an action author or horror author or crime author but that branding will be natural, organic, not something I self-applied. Follow your muse, write what you please, and don’t worry about branding. Indie publishing is fertile soil; plant all the literary seeds you want and see which one flourishes best for you.