A successful author today is a hybrid of a writer, marketer, and an entrepreneur. Today’s writing is not only about a good product (book in this case), but is more about visibility and marketing of the book. If we compare it with our film industry actors are increasingly getting involved in the promotions of their latest movies. In fact, nowadays promotions are not only being done by actors, but even directors and producers who have quite a following themselves. Case in point are Rohit Shetty and Anurag Kashyap who are celebrities in their own right and make appearances on various talk-shows to promote their movies. 

The question then arises that if actors, directors, producers are doing it for their films, why should an author be limited to his cocoon and leave all marketing to publishers. Traditionally, when you think of authors you immediately picture a man with disheveled clothes, overflowing beard and unkempt look. Authors were those people who wanted to live a hermit’s life and contributed to the society only with their writings. There were few who interacted with fans on mails, but they were scared to put their faces in public, happy to go on with their anonymous lives. Some authors used to hide behind pen names to ensure a cloak of anonymity, but no more.

Welcome to new age author or Author 2.0 as I call it. Today’s authors are increasingly becoming the face of their books, and in a brand in themselves. I doubt if readers today will recognize the picture of a Vikram Seth or V S Naipaul. But ask them about Chetan Bhagat or Amish Tripathi or Ashwin Sanghi. These authors especially Chetan Bhagat has grown beyond his books and are a brand in himself. There pictures are splattered not only behind their books but all over their place.

Any aspiring author should learn from these guys who have paved the path before us. They have successfully built a brand image which is clearly beyond their books. If you look at Chetan Bhagat – he has grown beyond books and dabbles from judging dance reality shows (cashing in on as love expert > as he wrote novels which had romantic elements) to politics. His columns in newspaper are clearly political and he writes (and tweets) about current political issues.  It won’t be long before he launches himself into a full time politician role. Take Preeti Shenoy – she not only writes books but also, promotes her paintings and quilled works.

Authors building their own brand growing beyond their books is not a fad rather it is an established trend which all budding authors should work on. Authors should not come to social media and internet just for selling their books but to build a brand around themselves. This will help in gaining fans who are traditionally nonreaders but are interested in topics you have opinion on. So the next time you tweet, think more broadly and not focus on just selling your books.

Do you subscribe to the view that today’s authors are not just writers but marketers and entrepreneurs? Or you believe that authors should stick to what they are best in – writing? Please leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

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