Do Authors Need Taglines?

New tagline..."Dishing Hearth and Home on Plates of Love"

Recently, I’ve heard a lot of discussion about author branding, taglines, platform, etc.

20 years or so ago, I’m not sure that I’d ever heard those terms. Of course, that was before the internet age, the social media frenzy, and the push for self-promotion.

Once upon a time, much of the way an author was defined was left up to the publisher. An author became known for a certain genre and writing style, and other than mass snail mail mailings and book tours, most of the other publicity was assumed by the house he/she wrote for.

I once heard a multi-published author put it this way, “Everyone was on the same page then. There were more dollars to go around. There were fewer writers. And writers did what they were contracted to do: they wrote books.”

My, how times have changed! Today the nation is in an economic downturn, finances are tight, big box stores are folding, and there are thousands of writers vying for fewer publishing slots. And because of those things, self-promotion is more important than ever. In fact, it’s become the norm.

One of the things that we, as writers, are blessed with now is the advantage of the internet. With the tap of a few keys, our presence/influence can be far-reaching without us ever having to leave the comfort of our own home. (Of course, if our goal is to sell books, then we still need to adopt a “go forth” mentality. Marketing and self promotion can’t be effective if solely done from an armchair.)

When I began blogging about writing, life journeys, and my path to publication, my primary goal was to glorify Christ. It still is. To that end, I also want to share, encourage, uplift, and teach. By nature, I’m a helper. If I can be a blessing to others and offer a tip or two I’ve learned along the way, I’m humbled.

One thing that I’ve discovered in my writing journey is that a tagline helps to define you.

(Let me add, however, that there are many authors who choose NOT to use taglines and their “brand” instead is solely associated by name recognition. They build their following by utilizing other effective marketing tools such as: their style of dress, organizations they are a member of, the genres they write in, and various business strategies. This method works for them. There is no right or wrong here. It’s personal choice.)

For years, I felt like it was enough to be recognized as: Cynthia Herron…Writing Heartfelt, Homespun, Contemporary Christian Romance. That’s who I am. It’s what I write.

After attending the national ACFW conference this past year, I realized, however, that for me, that wasn’t enough. I needed something shorter, catchier, and something unique to my personality. 

Dishing Hearth and Home on Plates of Love seemed perfect. I started mulling it over after the fabulous Shannon Vannatter spoke on author branding at one of the workshops I attended.

As I mentioned last week, when creating a brand, Shannon suggested listing several traits that are unique to you. Run these through your mind a bit. That’s what I did. I thought of things that represent me and what I write about: faith, family, romance, and small town life. I also like to cook (and share), or in other words, “dish.”

Only an individual author can decide if he/she should use a tagline.

Here are the reasons that I chose one:

• Immediate recognition/association for what I write. Key words like “Hearth” and “Home” and “Love” paint a word picture for the novels I craft.
• Brand creation. Easy way to self-promote. I can use my tagline on my website, business cards, bookmarks, newsletters–everywhere! A tagline becomes my subtle, but effective, calling card.
• Expectation. Although my tagline isn’t fanatically religious, it does carry a certain spiritual connotation and say something about my personal values.
• Remembrance factor. If folks don’t remember my name initially, they’ll at least recall my tagline. Eventually, the two should become synonymous.
• My tagline is uniquely me. It’s an identifier. It’s obvious what I don’t write.

Shannon gave examples of authors who have become well-known by their taglines:

• Karen Kingsbury— “Life Changing Fiction”
• Brandilyn Collins— “Seatbelt Suspense”
• James Scott Bell— “Suspense Never Rests”

And of course, Shannon’s own tagline– “Ordinary Lives. Extraordinary Romance.”

I’m sure you can think of many other authors whose taglines have left an impression.

In an era where self-promotion is such a necessity, establishing taglines, brands, and platforms early (as well as using them effectively) will only prove beneficial.

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What other creative ways can a tagline be used? Do you feel that a tagline can be a detriment in any way, and if so, why?