I have a confession to make. After publishing my first graphic novel, I decided to set up a Google alert for my name but then forgot about it. After books get published, not a lot happens. You take a deep breath and wait. If you're lucky, some PR may come out, along with the odd review. Then, it's back to the grind again.
However, today, I received an alert that my book, Hades: The Horn of Plenty, has won the 2024 Excelsior Award, the UK's longest-running independent award promoting literacy and comics. The Beat posted an article about it and if it were not for Google Alerts, I doubt I’d have known!
So, in the spirit of a good old LinkedIn humblebrag, I'd like to say how pleased I am that the book is being enjoyed by school children, comics experts, and librarians (all of whom made up the Excelsior Award judging panel). It shouldn't be an award that validates you, but writing is a lonely vocation, and receiving any feedback is fantastic.
So, if you still need to create a Google alert for your name, go for it. You may gain the courage to continue doing what you're doing.