One of my readers wrote, “I like the idea of a learning plan. I especially need to get organized for an author brand.”

That triggered the thought — I need a learning plan for building an author brand.

I have been writing full time for over three years and haven’t bothered with branding.

When I was new to this game (yes, I have begun to see that everything is a game), I tried to engage a branding expert to help me build my author brand. He gave me a quote of $13,000.

That was just his consulting fee. I said, “Thank you,” and ran.

I had put branding aside and concentrated on writing. Although I have spent much more money on writing and marketing courses than the branding coach asked for, I still haven’t gone back to building a brand.

Today I want to discuss with you the reason behind that.

But before I do that, I first want to discuss what an author brand means to me.

What is an author brand?

If you listen to branding gurus on YouTube and blogs, they will make you believe a brand is a logo, a colour scheme, a slogan, or a website homepage with specific images and fonts.

Yes, these elements are helpful to branding, but they are not your brand.

A brand is a much simpler concept.

Your author brand is your promise to your readers.

It’s the perception your readers have of you. It’s how your readers identify you.

Branding is recognition beyond the physical aspects of your business and your persona. It’s the thought that others have when hearing your name or your business name. It directly represents you, what you stand for and what you do.

Stephen King’s brand, in three words, is imaginative, gripping, and suspenseful.

Why do authors need a brand?

Your brand is the hat you wear while writing and serving your readers.

There are a plethora of reasons you would want to wear your brand hat:

• First, it helps you differentiate from other authors in the same industry who possibly write on the same topics as you.
• It gives a better perception of your work, core values, strengths, and unique offerings.
• It helps your readers to recognize your work.
• It converts potential readers into fans.
• It increases your visibility.
• It helps you to fulfil your readers’ expectations.
• It helps create your author platform.
• It builds trust amongst your audience.
• It helps you build quality relationships with your readers.
• And it creates an impenetrable layer of authenticity.

I write about writing, creativity, and productivity. Countless other writers are writing about the same things. What differentiates me from them is that I write from an amateur’s point of view. 

That’s my brand.

My promise to my readers is that I do not pretend to be a know-all. I am here to learn. And whatever I learn, I pass it on.

Do we need to spend money on branding?

The best form of branding is costless.

You don’t need to purchase different products to ‘start’ branding.

A better way to build a reputable brand is by being present, consistent, authentic, valuable, and unforgettable. As an author, these aspects of your brand are free.

You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to engage in image building to build your brand.

You’re a storyteller, and a brand is a story. Tell your story authentically and you have a brand.

Each author has a unique backstory. Mine is that I sucked at writing. Rather than accepting it as my weakness, I made it my strength. I connect with those writers who think their writing sucks (which most writers do).

I began building my brand a long time before I published my first book. I was building it when I was writing my blog, I was building it when I was writing articles on Medium, and I am building it through The Whimsical Writer newsletter and LinkedIn posts.

So, how should you build your brand?

The answer is — through your writing.

Nurture your unique style of writing.

That is why readers read your articles, subscribe to your newsletter, or pick up your books to read. Fulfill their expectations.

But it’s not enough to be good at what you write.

You need to create an emotional connection with your readers – often before they’ve read your work.

You need to open communication channels with your readers. You need to encourage them to talk to you, either through your website or social media. Ask them questions. Invite their opinion. And when they respond, write back to them. Keep the conversation going.

It is not as hard as it sounds. I have formed many friendships with readers worldwide through Medium articles and LinkedIn. These people have become my cheerleaders. They read everything I write and encourage me through my project more than my family or physical life friends do.

Jeff Bezos is right when he said:

“A brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.”

Another thing you can do is become a storyteller.

Early in my writing career, I realized I couldn’t become a literary writer because I lacked the skills. But I can become a good storyteller.

Being a skilled storyteller means being able to deliver a story in a way that is whimsical, amazing, and irresistible, and forces your audience to bow at your feet metaphorically. People love good stories.

Tell stories from life. Sharing personal stories is hard, but it gets easier with time. Besides, most of our information is already on the internet, either on Facebook or Instagram, so why not share it with our readers who connect with us at a much deeper level through our writing?

Author Branding is different from Book Branding

Book branding is about how good the book is and how well-packaged it is to attract the target audience. Is the cover right? Does it include all the elements of the genre? Would it appeal to the target audience?

An author’s branding establishes that the writer is the perfect person to solve readers’ problems. Readers don’t care about your book; they only care about what your book can do for them.

A fiction author’s brand promises this book will be as entertaining as the previous one.

Effective branding is foundational to developing your writer platform and audience-building efforts.

I hope I have addressed some questions in your mind, Carol.

But you still would need to make a Learning Plan for your brand, and it will take you a while to get to the point you want to get with your brand. But keep the above information in your mind while creating your brand, and don’t just stop at a logo, a colour scheme, and a slogan.

Although I have moved along since I tried to engage a branding expert, I still am nowhere near where I want my brand to be.

So, I if you are looking to build your author brand, here are some questions you need to ponder.

1. What is your uniqueness?
2. What is your brand in three words?
3. Who are your audience? What are their needs?
4. What channels of communication do you have with your audience? How often do you communicate with them?
5. What problems do you solve?
6. What level are your storytelling skills?
7. Have you discroved your voice?
8. How are your growing your audience?
9. What are your distinctive physical features (logo, color scheme, slogan)?
10. What books/ articles, podcasts, and other resources you need to learn more about author branding.

Here are some resources:

• The 10 Commandments of Author Branding: Embrace Authenticity, Gain Book Ambassadors, and Create Your Tribe by Shayla Raquel
• Author Branding Demystified: Branding Yourself As An Author by Marcel Gajeski
• Author Branding Demystified: Branding Yourself As An Author by Eugenio Raelson
• Author Branding by Ryan Hall
• 7 Best Ways to Build an Authentic Author Brand
• Branding For Authors With Kristine Kathryn Rusch
• Building A Creative Business Brand With Pamela Wilson
• A Tale Of Two Author Brands
• Reassess Your Author Business And Reboot Your Brand With Orna Ross
• How To Build A Youpreneur Business Around A Personal Brand