You ARE Your Brand

I recently listened to an episode of the Writing Excuses podcast from a few years ago titled “Fake it until you make it.” In that episode, the team talks about some of the things they have done to help themselves feel “professional” as they built and advanced their writing careers.

I don’t want to just rehash what Brandon, Dan, Howard, and Mary talk about on that podcast, but please feel free to click on over to their site and listen to it yourself: Writing Excuses 8.13: Fake it until you make it.

Anyhow, that episode got me thinking.

As a writer trying to sell your fiction, you do have to present yourself in a certain way.

Now, I’m not talking about dress codes or pretending to be something you’re not. Most people should be able to spot a phony a mile away.

What I am talking about is the way you carry yourself when you’re in a public setting, either in the real world or online. While books are what you’re hoping to sell, they are simply part of your product line.

What you’re really selling is yourself.

You are your brand

I know, I know. You’ve probably heard this a million times. But that is because it’s true. It’s your name (whether your real or ‘professional’ name) on your book. Neither the genre, the title, the publisher, the cover, or the placement at the local bookstore will sell your book as well as you.

But what do I mean by ‘brand’? Well, here’s the definition from Wikipedia:

A brand is defined as a toolbox of marketing and communication methods that help to distinguish a company from competitors and create a lasting impression in the minds of customers.

I’d say that’s a pretty good definition. For writers, we have to think out what makes us stand out from everyone else. And there are a lot of us. Hell, it seems like there are more writers than readers anymore.

But I digress. How you stand out from all the other writers?

Try this: Think about yourself as an author. If someone out there is familiar with you, what comes to their mind when they hear your name?

Is it your style of writing? Is it your non-writing activities? Your social media presence? Your goofy bio pic? An awesome presentation you gave at a con?

All of that stuff matters, and as you continue to build your author brand, you need to keep that in mind.

So to go back to that episode of Writing Excuses, they talk about how important it is to view yourself as a writer. To think like a writer, act like a writer, and present yourself as a writer.

I couldn’t agree more. Whether you’re published or not, if you’re writing, you are a writer.

And whether you like it or not, every action you take affects your brand in one way or another. You don’t want to run the risk of doing things that will damage that brand, especially if you’re in the early stages of your writing career.

So with that said, I’d like to say thanks for reading, best of luck with your branding, and if you’ve got any tips on how you present yourself as an author, feel free to share them in the comments section.