Recently, I had the chance to shop in a clothing store in Europe. Basking in novelty, I noted that my observations sharpened.

Reading the names of the designers as I passed, I realized I didn’t know many of them. Not that I’m exceptionally knowledgeable about designers, but I have a good idea about fashion visions from many stocked in my haunts back in the States.

I dismissed well-crafted, extraordinary items, no doubt. But since I didn’t know the designers, my gaze didn’t linger. Only when I spied designers I knew did I pause to observe, taking joy in familiar, reliable, beautiful offerings.

I couldn’t help but note that this is the way many readers shop. Perusing shelves or the internet, they glaze over books by authors they don’t know. No doubt, many of the books they ignore are well-written, fascinating, and helpful. But readers who aren’t familiar with the author may move on to someone else they know and love.

Don’t most people shop for all sorts of items this way, looking for the familiar, the reliable, the beautiful?

Building name recognition is why publishers ask authors to take the time to establish their audience through engaging with readers, along with writing amazing books. Traditional publishers assist authors in building name recognition and brand in the hopes that readers will go into stores and online looking specifically for those books.

As an author, strive to be familiar, reliable, and beautiful.

Your turn:

Which authors do you find to be familiar, reliable, and beautiful?