Developing Your Personal Brand as a Writer
What a personal brand is, the elements of a strong writer brand, and how to create an author brand that attracts new readers.
photo by Avel chuklanov on unsplash
If you’re new to marketing, you might not know what a personal brand is, so let’s start there!
A personal brand is the impression of an individual based on their experience, voice, expertise, competencies, actions and/or achievements within a certain industry.
As a writer, it’s important to build your personal brand not only to assist you in marketing, but also writing itself. Setting a clear personal brand introduces yourself to your target audience in a way that tells them what to expect from you and your writing. It’s also a great way to make sure you stand out from other writers as an individual!
Here are a few ways to determine your personal brand so you can leave the impression you want online.
Deciding on the tone of voice you want to portray
First of all, what is “voice” in writing? Voice refers to the rhetorical mixture of vocabulary, tone, point of view, and syntax that makes phrases, sentences, and paragraphs flow in a particular manner. When you look at ‘big-name’ writers like Shakespeare or E.E. Cummings or Maya Angelou, it’s easy to differentiate their work from others’ because of their clear voice. For example, in poetry, using only lowercase letters and leaving out periods at the ends of lines/sentences is a chosen style that E.E. Cummings and other poets have experimented with. It can take a while to find your voice as an author, but through experimenting with different styles, you’ll find something that feels unique and personal to you.
What you want to be known for
What do you want to be known for as a writer? Think of genres, styles, topics. what do you want people to attribute to your name? Many writers choose one genre they’re most comfortable with and write within it for most of their books. Of course, you don’t have to stick to one genre, but this is a great way to set up expectations for your readers so they know what to expect from you. Same goes with topics you may write about. For example, if you’re drawn to nature, you may choose to focus on eco-poetry, like Mary Oliver who is known for nature-inspired poetry. If mental health is a big topic in your writing, you may make that your center focus.
Tip: if you want to write other genres or topics while still keeping your brand consistent, some writers write other genres under a pen name and create a separate brand for it, while others choose to keep it all under one name. it’s up to you and what you want your brand to be!
Having a mission
Creating a mission statement about what drives you as a writer can help inspire and motivate you on the days that writer’s block hits, and can also help inspire your audience.
Tip: write your mission statement in places you’ll see it every day! Write it on a post-it note at your desk, on your mirror, or add it as your computer background so that every time you log on, you’ll be inspired to open up your current project!
Brand appearance
Another key aspect of developing a brand is deciding on the appearance of the brand including social media posts and your website! This includes color palettes, fonts, icons and images, etc. You should develop a personal brand kit and use it when creating posts. This can be done in sites like Canva.
For example, if you look at the Instagram grid for @marketingbyshelby, you’ll notice the main colors I use across my posts include a few shades of yellow, gray, black, and white. I also use two main fonts with most of my posts, one for titles and subtitles, and another for body text.
This section can also include choosing hashtags to use when making posts! When you’re on your social media platforms, search some of your favorite hashtags related to your niche and see which ones are most popular. Using 3-5 specific hashtags will help your posts gain more traction with your target audience. Make a list and have them handy!
Deciding on your brand identity doesn’t have to happen all in one day. You can take your time figuring out what feels right for you. Once you’ve established how you want your brand to appear, you’ll be sure to leave a lasting impression with your target audience.