\u2018Be yourself; everyone else is already taken<\/em>.\u2019 Oscar Wilde wasn\u2019t talking about author branding when he said this – but he could\u2019ve been!<\/p>\n\n\n\n An author brand is the foundation for effective book marketing. More than anything, it\u2019s how you make potential readers feel – the impression you give of the world they\u2019ll step into if they open your book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019ve worked in marketing for over 20 years and I\u2019ve learnt that the key to a successful brand is embracing what makes you different – the unique set of motivations, inspirations and passions that inform your work. George Saunders calls this each writer\u2019s \u2018iconic space, the place from which they write stories only they could write<\/em>.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n We have all sorts of preconceptions about what branding and marketing is supposed to look like – often shiny, polished and imitative. I\u2019d encourage you to throw these ideas out of the window! One of the mantras I share to my clients is \u2018If it sounds like marketing, rewrite it.<\/em>\u2019 You\u2019re a human being connecting with other human beings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A big marketing mistake I see people make (not just writers, this is true across all sectors) is trying to appeal to too broad an audience. If you try to engage everyone, you\u2019ll make yourself so boring and formulaic, nobody will see a reason to engage and they\u2019ll just keep scrolling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ask yourself the following questions, and note down any words or phrases in your answers that feel significant. It can be helpful to speak out loud. Notice your tone of voice as much as the content of what you say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your answers will provide useful raw material from which to craft your public-facing brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A great first step in articulating your brand is to write a brand story. This is a creatively written bio which acts as an engaging invitation into your writing. You\u2019ll use it on your website homepage, email introductions, social media bios, anywhere <\/em>you have limited space to convey who you are to potential readers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Look at the notes you made in response to the questions above and select any details you\u2019d like to include. Consider how you\u2019d introduce yourself if you were a character in one of your books – you wouldn\u2019t talk about this person\u2019s CV, you\u2019d use an image or anecdote to make them vivid in the mind of the reader. Apply these same principles to describing yourself. Your storytelling skills are your secret weapon!<\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to content, we know \u2018Here\u2019s my book, buy my book\u2019 won\u2019t cut it. We need to find topics, part of our author brand, to talk about consistently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Join our free community for instant access to: <\/p>\n<\/div> How to develop your author brand<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Your author brand story<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
But how will I use my author brand? Let\u2019s get practical.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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