About This Episode

How to Market Yourself as an Author or Illustrator: Build Your Brand, Find Your Color Palette, and Sell with Confidence

Marketing yourself feels uncomfortable. Most authors and illustrators would rather create than promote. But here’s the truth: if you don’t market yourself, no one will know you exist.

In Episode 11 of the Publishing Cousins podcast, Melissa and Nikki tackle author and illustrator marketing head-on. They share practical, actionable tips to help you build your brand, discover your color palette, and sell your work with genuine confidence.

What Is Author Branding — and Why Does It Matter for SEO and Sales?

Branding sounds intimidating. But it doesn’t have to be.

Think of your brand as simply who you are and how you serve others. That’s it.

Your brand helps readers find you online. It tells them what to expect from your books. And it makes you memorable in a crowded market.

Strong author branding means:

• Consistent colors, fonts, and visuals across all platforms
• A clear message about who you write for and why
• An authentic voice that attracts the right readers

How to Find Your Author Color Palette (Even If You’re Not a Designer)

Your color palette is one of the most powerful — and overlooked — parts of your brand. Colors create instant recognition. Think about how you instantly know Walmart’s blue or McDonald’s red and yellow. Your author brand can work the same way.

Nikki shares a surprising discovery: she already had a signature color palette. It showed up in every piece of art she’d ever created. She just hadn’t noticed it yet.

Here’s how to find yours:

• Look back at your existing work. What colors appear most often?
• Search Pinterest or Etsy for color palettes using adjectives like ‘moody,’ ‘tropical,’ or ‘vintage.’
• Purchase a ready-made color palette from an Etsy designer (usually just a few dollars).
• Look for color palette books on Amazon for more inspiration.

Once you have your palette, use those exact color codes everywhere: your website, Canva graphics, social media, and email templates. Consistency builds recognition. Recognition builds trust.

How to Write Your Author Bio and One-Line Pitch

Knowing your brand means knowing how to talk about yourself. This is where many authors freeze.

Melissa’s advice? Stop saying ‘I’m just an author.’ Be bold. Be specific.

She describes her own books this way: ‘It’s like Tombstone meets Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.’ Instantly, you know the tone, the genre, and the feeling you’ll get from her stories.

To write your own one-line pitch:

• Connect two things your audience already knows and loves
• Choose references that evoke the right emotions
• Make it specific to your genre and style

That one sentence becomes your tagline. Put it on your website, in your social media bio, and say it confidently every time someone asks what you write.

Why Authenticity Is Your Most Powerful Marketing Tool

You’ll hear ‘be authentic’ everywhere in marketing advice. But what does it actually mean?

For Nikki, authenticity is still something she wrestles with. For Melissa, it comes naturally: just show up as yourself.

Here’s the key insight: your authentic voice attracts the right readers and repels the wrong ones — and that’s a good thing.

If someone doesn’t connect with your style or genre, they weren’t your reader anyway. Marketing authentically means you stop chasing everyone and start serving the readers who truly love what you do.

Selling Your Books: Lessons from a Car Dealership

Nikki took a surprising approach to learning how to sell her artwork. She got a summer job selling cars.

Her logic? If she could walk a customer around a car, explain every feature, and help them drive away happy — she could do the same for her illustrations.

Selling isn’t manipulation. It’s understanding your product deeply and matching it to the right person. As an author, no one knows your book better than you do. You are your best salesperson.

Plant the Seed: The Marketing Strategy That Keeps Readers Coming Back

One of the most powerful marketing tactics Melissa and Nikki discuss is simple: always plant the seed.

Give readers a hint of what’s coming. Share what you’re working on. Offer a freebie. Tease your next release. Create reasons for people to keep watching, following, and investing in your work.

This works across all platforms: social media, newsletters, your website, and in-person events.

Your Next Steps: Start Marketing Yourself Today

Marketing doesn’t have to happen all at once. Start small. Start now.

• Pick a color palette this week
• Write a one-sentence description of your book
• Practice saying it out loud with confidence
• Post one piece of content that is authentically, genuinely you

You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to start.

Listen to the full episode for all of Melissa and Nikki’s tips, stories, and practical advice.