With the advent of Amazon publishing, self-publishing became a reality instead of the dream it often had previously been due to expense. However, as publishing has changed in the past couple of decades, so too has the author’s role. Not only is this for self-published (or often called ‘Indie’ or “independent’) authors, but it also holds true for many traditionally published authors. Authors now must market themselves widely, on various platforms, through multiple mediums.

            Author branding functions as a form of technical and professional communication for authors. Writing is a profession which requires vast branding and audience engagement. Author Branding covers everything from color schemes, social media posts, websites, newsletters, and more. Nailing it early can be key to gathering your audience to you and helping them recognize your work and voice.

            Limited research has been done on how author branding falls into technical and professional communication theory and practice. An author must consider the ethical implications of anything they post or refer/respond to. They also have to consider the rhetorical implications: how does this post make readers feel, does the visual imply what the author wants, does the language and tone hit the right market, etc. How can TPC inform and improve an author’s ability to reach their audience, while considering the norms, ethics, and ever-changing technology?

(For full work, see below)

So, Should I Read That Book?

            We’ve all been there; standing with a book (or two, or three) and trying to decide whether we wish to buy one.  What do many of us do? Turn to the book reviews.  There are many avenues one can use for this: general reader reviews (like Goodreads, Amazon, or blogs), videos and social media (Instagram and Tiktok, etc.) or to the more famous, professional versions (Kirkus, New York Times, The Washington Post). This paper will focus on the more professional versions of book reviews, how they affect authors and sales, and what one may expect from them.

            What should a book review include? Generally, the list is as follows: Title of the book, Name of the Author, Publisher, and perhaps other specifications such as page count. A tag line is always a great edition. From there, it may include a short summary or the blurb, and finally the overall opinion of the reviewer (Walters). You might include the author’s own short bio and where to find them/social media tags at the end of the review as well (but never tag them to your review on social media). Some conventional reviewers and readers prefer to avoid as many spoilers as possible, so it may be wise to include a spoiler tag if there is something you must mention. In that same vein, many include tropes and genres for each book. It may also be relevant to have a content warning. Last but not least, your overall recommendation about whether others should read the book.

(For PPT that references the full report, see below. For a video presentation, see here.)