Chapter 2

You Gotta Dream Big

Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning.
Gloria Steinem

Part of the reason I love my job is because I help authors make their dreams come true, but those dreams don’t manifest instantly. Okay, they do for some—but those are the exceptions. To become a well-known and well-established professional author you have to be ready for the long haul, so adjust your expectations and remember that building an effective brand is a marathon, not a sprint.

This work is important, but it’s not easy or quick. There may be an investment of years before you see the results you want. Or the results may look quite different from the ones you initially set out to achieve.

For now let’s just explore this territory. The next step is to think of your dreams. Have fun with this list and check all that apply:

I sell a zillion copies of my book.

My business grows by 400 percent.

I am on TV.

I have my own TV show.

I am on radio on big networks.

I have a thoughtful interview on NPR.

I have a special on PBS.

I am on the cover of the New York Times book review section.

I gain the respect of my peers in the academic world.

My mom is really proud.

People magazine features my book.

The “real housewives” said my book saved their lives on a daytime talk show.

My colleagues reviewed and praised my book.

I speak at conferences, traveling 50 percent of my time.

I am a regular contributor to Huffington Post and other popular online venues.

I become rich from the sales of my book.

I am on a reality TV show.

I sell movie rights.

I have 2,000 5-Star reviews on Amazon.

Keep going—these are your dreams after all …

Keep this list of dreams handy because it will serve as an inspiration. As you begin the work of building a brand, there will be days when you may want to give up, days on which you feel no one out there is listening. But be patient. Slowly you will see signs of success—sometimes it just doesn’t happen when you expect. It’s like waiting for your baby’s first smile. In fact, when I talk to my clients, I use a newborn as a metaphor for personal branding. I know it sounds crazy, but hear me out.

The first four weeks of parenting a newborn make for a oneway relationship. There is a whole lot of love flowing in your baby’s direction, and a whole lot of work—feeding, changing, and soothing. Without a doubt, it’s exhausting and at times frustrating. Day in and day out you adoringly devote yourself to your baby without any interaction back. But then, all of a sudden, your newborn looks into your eyes and smiles. Suddenly, your frustration melts away and you happily stay up all night and take care of your sweet baby.

That’s what personal branding is like for me. In the beginning, it’s all work. You wonder if anyone other than your mother is reading your blog. You feel a little defeated because you don’t see immediate results from all of your outreach. “Where’s the interaction or conversation?” you ask yourself. Rest assured, with patience and diligence your personal brand will become a relationship. If you attentively care for your baby—your personal brand—then your baby will smile back at you. You can’t generate conversations overnight.

Care tenderly for your personal brand and you will reap the rewards of your efforts. One day everything will change for you. Someone will respond to you and let you know that your message matters. Someone will touch you by saying, “Thanks for what you wrote. It meant a lot to me.” And that’s the moment when you will stop asking, “Why am I doing this?”

Your day will come. Really. Trust me. As W. Clement Stone said, “Always aim for the Moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.”

Tip for #BusyAuthors

Remember to pace yourself and stay the course.
It is easy to get discouraged if you don’t see instant success.