Tag: author brand

Be A Responsible Writer – Internet Best Practices

Post author By Lisa E. Betz
Post date September 24, 2022
No Comments on Be A Responsible Writer – Internet Best Practices

We want to be responsible, professional writers, but there are so many little details to remember. Here are some best practice tips to help you look and act professionally on your blog, website, social media, guest posts, or anywhere else you appear on the internet.

Be consistent with your image

Choose one headshot and use it on all author profiles. This includes all author-related social media, email, professional associations, the bios on guest posts, and your primary “about me” website photo.

Use a professional headshot. This is the image that you are putting out there in the world. Spend a few dollars to make it look professional. You don’t need to spend a mint to get a good photo, but it’s important to use a high-quality photo that makes you look good.

Keep consistency in mind when writing bios for profiles. Select the primary facts you wish to include in your bio and then use them consistently across all internet arenas. Otherwise, you are sending mixed signals. This does not mean using the identical bio everywhere. You can tweak your bio slightly to best fit the occasion, but don’t introduce yourself as a chocolate-loving motivational speaker and dog-lover one place and a chess grand master who writes mysteries about vintners somewhere else.

Be consistent with your brand

Assume everything you put on the internet is public—every post, tweet, reel, comment and like. Decide not to put anything out in the virtual universe that you don’t want associated with you. If you’d be embarrassed to let your friends hear you say something, it’s not something you should be saying or sharing.

Also, consider the whole picture your internet presence creates. If a stranger studied a random selection of your posts, comments, and shares, who would they think you are? The closer that impression is to the truth of your brand, the better. You are the author of your brand, so only you can act responsibly and choose what messages are suitable and what messages don’t belong in your brand.

Be responsible with intellectual property

Everything you write is your intellectual property. This is good news for writers. The intellectual property laws protect us without our having to submit every single thing we write to the copyright office. But this same law protects everyone else’s intellectual property, too, such as images, songs, music, quotes, and videos. So, be responsible.

Don’t use images without permission. It is not OK to copy any image you find on Google and use it in your blog, meme, or handout. You are free to use your own photos, but when it comes to using someone else’s, you have two choices: A) get permission from the source and attribute the photo correctly B) use a legitimate source of free-to-use images. Three I use are Canva.com, Pixabay.com and Pexels.com.

Don’t use testimonials or reviews without permission. Just as we may not swipe any photo we find to use in our own material, so too we should not steal someone’s review of our book. Including reviews and testimonials on our site or social media, or marketing is great strategy, but ask permission before using someone else’s words.

Use quotes responsibly. In general, fair use practices mean we may use a small excerpt of a published work, as long as it is properly attributed. Although not required, it’s good form to include the title of the book the quote comes from, along with a link to the book or author’s site.

An exception. Since poetry and song lyrics are relatively short, using even a line is more than the “fair use” limit. Thus, it’s not best practice to quote poetry or song lyrics without express permission.

Finally, use due diligence. Always double-check the accuracy before using a quote. There are tons of quotes floating around the internet that are incorrectly attributed. Spend a few moments searching to verify you have the wording correct and that it’s a legitimate quote and not an urban legend.

One final tip—use “clean” links

When you arrive at something like a product page through a search, the address of the page often has a bunch of extra gobbledygook after it. It’s better to cut that excess stuff off before using that address as a link on something you post.

An example:

Here’s the whole URL for my book after I typed a search into Google:

https://www.amazon.com/Fountains-Secrets-Lisa-Betz/dp/1646456297#:~:text=%22Fountains%20and%20Secrets%2C%22%20the,her%20new%20husband’s%20home%20seriously.

Here’s the result for the same book after searching via the Amazon site:

https:// amazon.com /Fountains-Secrets-Lisa-Betz/dp/1646456297/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1659375674&sr=8-1

Notice the bold part is the same. That’s the actual URL of the page or the “clean” link. The rest is recording how I searched to get there. In both cases, I want to erase all the extraneous stuff to shorten the link. In Amazon, this means everything from the ref= onwards.

(To be safe, I always delete the stuff I think I don’t need and then hit enter to make sure the link still works. Then I copy the link and paste it where I need it.)

I hope these simple tips have helped you put your best, professional foot forward. Happy writing.

Lisa E. Betz is an award-winning mystery author, entertaining speaker, and an unconventional soul. She combines her love of research with her quirky imagination to bring the world of the world of the early church to life. She infuses her novels with unconventional characters who thrive on solving tricky problems. Her second novel, Fountains and Secrets, was recently named a finalist in both the Golden Scroll and Christian Market Book Awards.

She also blogs about the joys and challenges of living an authentic, purpose-filled life. Lisa and her husband reside in southeast Pennsylvania with Scallywag, their rambunctious cat—the inspiration for Nemesis, resident mischief maker in the Livia Aemilia Mysteries. Lisa directs church dramas, eats too much chocolate, and experiments with ancient Roman recipes. Visit her Quietly Unconventional website at lisaebetz.com or check her Facebook page at LisaEBetzWriter.

Tags author brand, best practices, blogging tips, intentional writer, internet, social media for writers

The Intentional Writer

Does Your Website Homepage Answer These 5 Questions?

Post author By Lisa E. Betz
Post date March 24, 2022
No Comments on Does Your Website Homepage Answer These 5 Questions?

A homepage is like the lobby of your personal office building. When a visitor arrives at an office lobby, we want to do several things, including:

Make them welcome
Let them know if they’ve come to the right place
Let them know how to find what they need once they step inside.

The same goes for our homepage.

Many websites have a chatty homepage with some form of welcome from the writer. Something like: Hello, I’m Lisa. Welcome to my website, where I talk about…

While this approach is certainly welcoming, it’s not ideal. Because although your website URL may be your name, your website is primarily not about YOU, it’s about WHAT YOU OFFER—your products, ministry, and the solutions you provide for web visitors in need of hope, healing, encouragement, and positive entertainment.

Why does this matter?

Most visitors to your homepage have come looking for something. If they don’t find what they want they’ll try the next address on their search list.
You have only a few seconds to hook a visitor. If you don’t capture their attention immediately, they’ll move on.
If you don’t make it clear what your site is about, people who really need what you have to say may not realize it and leave before they get to your wonderful content.

In order to create a homepage that captures the interest of your target audience and guides them to your wonderful content that can help them, consider the following questions:

1. Can a visitor get an inkling of what your site is about in a quick glance at your homepage?

Or do they see nothing but some pretty photos and a bit of vague text? Your tagline, logo, header image, font choices, and other design details all tell visitors something about what kind of site they’ve landed on. Are you giving them a clear message, or do these details obscure the real personality and purpose of your brand and your message?

Examples: A quick look at these four very different writer sites gives you a pretty good idea of the kind of thing they write.

Don’t despair if you don’t have the finances to make your site look as awesome as these ones. A simple site design can be just as effective. Do all you can to make design choices that give a clear message about the personality and purpose of your site.

2. Who is this site for?

Who is most likely to need what you have to offer? The more precisely you describe who you are aiming to help, the more likely they are to stay long enough to read what your site is about. Is your target audience young moms? People struggling to lose weight? Sports fans who love mysteries? People who wonder if God still exists? Whoever you write for, make that clear on your homepage.

3. What does my site offer?

People visit the web because they looking for something. They have a problem and they’re looking for a solution. You might have what they’re looking for, but do they know that by looking at your homepage? Do you make it clear what kinds of products and solutions you offer?

The Serious Writer homepage is a good example. The design is quite simple, but one glance at the header tells you exactly what they are about, and the text beside the photo describes who their intended audience is.

4. Is my site easy to read and navigate?

How readable is your text? Flowing script fonts may look beautiful, but they tend to be hard to read. Use them sparingly. Also watch out for small font sizes and insufficient contrast between text and background. The majority of visitors are looking at your site on their phones. If they can’t read your text, your message is worthless.

Likewise, your menu should clearly show where a visitor can click to find that they want. Make sure the commonly sought parts of your page (About, Contact, Books/Products, Blog) are clearly labeled and easy to find.

5. What do I want them to do next?

Someone has come to your homepage. They fit your target audience. They like what you say you can do for them. Great!

Now what?

You could let them click around on the menu to see what’s available, but a great homepage points visitors to your best content with an obvious call to action.

What are the one (or two) primary actions you want them to take?

Do you want them to buy your new book? Sign up for your newsletter? Take your quiz? Try your free webinar?

Guide visitors to that next step with simple text and compelling images.

Your turn

What can you do to improve your homepage? Choose one of the questions above and figure out how you can make your homepage even better.

An engineer-turned-mystery-writer, Lisa E. Betz infuses her novels with authentic characters who thrive on solving tricky problems. Her debut novel, Death and a Crocodile, won several awards, including Golden Scroll Novel of the Year (2021). Her second novel, Fountains and Secrets released January 2022, from Redemption Press.

Lisa combines her love of research with her quirky imagination to bring the world of the early church to life. She and her husband reside outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with Scallywag, their rambunctious cat—the inspiration for Nemesis, resident mischief maker in the Livia Aemilia Mysteries. Lisa sorts book donations at the library, directs church dramas, eats too much chocolate, and experiments with ancient Roman recipes.

In addition to writing novels, Lisa blogs about living with authenticity and purpose. Visit her website: Quietly Unconventional. Or visit her social media: Facebook , Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Goodreads.

Tags author brand, Author Websites, homepage, intentional writer, website design

The Intentional Writer

Do You Need a Press Kit?

A press kit may sound like something that only celebrities and big-time authors need, but that’s not true. Everyone who has a book, blog, or ministry to share with others can benefit from creating a press kit. It’s really not that difficult.

Here’s why you want to have one, and what you need to include:

Why do I need a press kit?

A press kit is a collection of information that helps others quickly and conveniently find key things about you and your work. It’s created to help media professionals and others, by providing them with the kind of information they need in one easy-to-find place.

A press kit helps you in several ways:

Makes it easy for journalists to find you and see what you’re about
Provides consistent and correct information for others
Helps you describe yourself and your work/ministry in a concise way
Helps interviews go more smoothly
Shows that you act like a professional

Who is a press kit for?

New media, from your local paper or radio to national TV
Event planners (Especially if speaking is part of your ministry)
Podcast hosts
Book Bloggers, BookTubers, etc.
Book clubs
Teachers (Anyone interested in school visits?)
Others who might want to interview for any reason

What items should I include?

Press kits come in all shapes and sizes, but these basic elements are all you need to get started.

Images

A high-res author photo. A professional-quality photograph. You want to include a high-resolution version (300 dpi) for print use in print media (newspapers or event fliers). If you have more than one, you may include several options.
A low-res author photo. The same photo in a lower resolution version for internet or social media use, when people want an image with a smaller file size.
High-quality images of your book covers or other key products. If you have lots of titles, choose the newest or most important ones.

Text

A brief author bio. Two to three sentences that provide a brief introduction to you and your writing or ministry. Don’t forget to mention your website.
Suggested interview questions. These help journalists, podcasters, and bloggers ask you key questions that will allow you to get your message out. They also give interested parties a better idea of what you’re about and if you’re the right person for their article, podcast, or event.
Contact information. Always make it easy for potential interviewers to contact you! If they can’t easily contact you, they may skip to the next person.

Optional things to add

An extended bio.
A list of awards you have received
Links to recent articles or interviews that feature you
Audio or video of you speaking or teaching. This proves to event planners that you are a proficient speaker.
Links to download relevant pdfs. For example, a pdf version of your press release, or a pdf version of a book for interviewers to access.
A list of your books with key info.

Where do I put my press kit?

If you have a website, create a press kit page. Include links to your press kit page in your About page, and on the footer, plus anywhere else that makes sense.

It’s also a good idea to create a pdf version of your kit, which potential interviewers can download. You can store your press kit in a dropbox or similar accessible place so users can easily download it any time.

Your Turn!

That’s all there is to it. Make it easy for people to find the correct information about who you are and what you do by creating a simple press kit. Do you have a press kit? If not, why don’t you begin creating one today.

If you want to see an example, you can check out my press kit here.

Tags advice for authors, author brand, author website, press kit, promotion, social media, the intentional writer

Guest Posts

Should You Have an Author Website Before Publishing?

Post author By Lisa E. Betz
Post date October 22, 2021
No Comments on Should You Have an Author Website Before Publishing?

Websites are part and parcel of the modern professional lifestyle. This is especially true for anyone working on their own, whether they’re a contractor, an entrepreneur …or an author.

An author website gives you an online presence for your professional pursuits. It also serves as a central location for your online activity.

The question is, do you need a website before you even get published? The short answer is yes. Here are a few of the reasons why.

A Website Sets the Tone

First and foremost, a website gives you direction, entrepreneurially speaking. Remember, just because you can write doesn’t mean you’ll automatically become a published author. You also need to spend time honing the business side of the operation — and that starts with a solid website.

An author website gives you a chance to set the tone for who you are to the rest of the reading world. It provides purpose and gives your personal brand a clear identity.

With that in mind, don’t just cobble together anything and let it sit up on the web unattended to. Make sure that your website is a strong representation of who you are. Let it serve as ground zero for your online identity.

This is why it’s often recommended that you self-host your website. While you don’t need to pour endless funds into creating an online masterpiece, owning your content is an integral part of maintaining full influence and control over your online persona.

That said, if you can’t afford to self-host for now, you can always start with a free service. Just make plans to migrate to your own site as soon as you can afford it.

A Website is Functional

Along with defining your personal brand, a website is also an extremely functional piece of your authorial collateral. It can help with numerous logistical elements on the business side of the equation.

Remember, your author website is, in effect, a website for your personal business. Since it’s your business website, you want to be sure that you make it the right way.

The good news is that, at least at first, you primarily need your site for information. In other words, you aren’t running a complex e-commerce store. Instead, make sure to include other critical pieces of information, like an “About Me” page, a “Contact Me” page, and a blog.

A good, serviceable website can help you look more professional. It can also be a great way to attract the eye of an agent or impress a publisher down the road.

A Website is Marketing

A website can also be a great way to market yourself. This applies to everything from your site’s URL to your blog and email lists.

For instance, you can use a blog to attract the attention of the kind of readers that you’re writing for. If the idea of coming up with even more content for a blog sounds overwhelming, don’t get discouraged. You can add to a blog occasionally with short update posts and can even manage your blog from your phone using apps like Evernote and Grammarly.

Other elements, like an email list, run themselves. All you have to do is set up a sign-up form on your home page and let the emails come rolling in. The best part is that many email providers allow small entrepreneurs to have free email lists until they reach a certain threshold. This means you can accumulate emails from followers and you won’t have to pay until you actually have some momentum.

Setting the Stage for Future Success

At the end of the day, creating an author website after you’ve achieved success is akin to putting the cart before the horse. It isn’t going to help you get anywhere.

Instead, take the time to create a modest (i.e. not too expensive or large-scale) website that can serve as your base of operations as you launch your authoring career.

So, take some time to consider your options. Will you go for a self-hosting site right off the bat or will you start with something free? How will you make sure your site is accessible to the people who need to access it? What will your voice, tone, color scheme, and overall personal brand look like?

Once you’ve answered these questions, get to work on your site in the name of a successful, published future.

Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for dynamic content. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.

Tags author brand, Author Websites, branding, guest post, platform

Platform and Branding

How to Create Branding That Lasts

Post author By Sarah Rexford
Post date September 18, 2021
No Comments on How to Create Branding That Lasts

Creating a brand that lasts can be a bit of an intimidating process. As a writer/author, you want to reflect your writing well, while also doing so in such a way you can keep up with your brand.

Your brand likely encompasses some, if not all, of the following: Running multiple social media accounts, a website, writing books, public speaking at conferences, interviewing on podcasts and TV, attending writing conferences, updating followers with book promotions, talking with editors and publishers, engaging with fans, etc. Doing all of this well could easily become exhausting.

If you create a brand that does not reflect who you are naturally, but is more of a highlight reel or façade, you could easily burnout. Building a lifestyle brand can not only help you avoid burnout, but engage your fans more than other types of branding might.

Even if you are a credible professional but want to build a lifestyle brand, you can do so.

Think of a lifestyle brand as simply focusing more on your life than your products. Instagram doesn’t only need to be inspiring quotes from famous authors, going live about your creative process, and posting stories about your writing deadline. Those are all great to share, but what happens when you’re not on deadline or you don’t have anything writing related to post?

Enter, the lifestyle brand.

Fans love connecting with the person behind the brand. The humanity behind the celebrity. The personality behind the grid. So how do you build a brand you can maintain long term?

Base your brand on your personality.

Search through different social media platforms to find authors using their own personality as the platform for their brand. If you don’t have a specific author in mind, search hashtags such as #WritingCommunity or the genre you write to help you get started.

Once you find 10-15 authors, browse their social media sites, website, and Goodreads to see how they engage with their followers and what they post. Take note of what type of content they don’t post as well.

Then step back, assess your own writing goals, your personality, and what you feel excited to share. Choose different aspects from the different authors, add in your own, and do a trial run for two weeks. Assess your analytics on all social media platforms. Choose the platform that’s done the best and continue working on it. Consider trying new things on the platforms not doing as well.

As you grow, don’t worry if you need to fine tune your brand. This is healthy and allows your fans to grow with you.

Put the time and effort in, but don’t take yourself too seriously. Enjoy the process. You are a writer, and this is your journey.

Have fun with it!

Sarah Rexford is a Marketing Content Creator and writer. She helps authors build their platform through branding and copywriting. With a BA in Strategic Communications, Sarah equips writers to learn how to communicate their message through personal branding. She writes fiction and nonfiction and offers writers behind-the-scenes tips on the publishing industry through her blog itssarahrexford.com. She is represented by the C.Y.L.E Young Agency.

Instagram: @sarahjrexford
Twitter: @sarahjrexford
Web: itssarahrexford.com

Tags author brand, Author Platforms, Platform and Branding

Platform and Branding

Many Interests. One Brand.

As you dive further into platform and branding it may be difficult to determine exactly what you want your brand to be. For instance, if you’ve written fiction but now you want to write nonfiction, knowing exactly how to brand yourself can be difficult.

Thankfully, it’s not as hard as you may think. With some careful thought and planning you can be a writer with many interests and one brand. Follow the three steps below to learn how.

Who Is Your Audience?

Your audience is you unique followers: the people who follow you because they love your content and want more of it. If you’ve built an audience around one genre or one target audience, how do you rebrand yourself as your interests grow? This can get tricky when it comes to branding or rebranding, but simply do your research: Know who’s following you.

We are much more adaptable than we realize.

Life is a journey and just as everyone else grows and changes, so do writers. Know your audience enough to know which of your interests they will benefit from and which projects they’ll jump on board with.

How? Research. Or literally ask. Post a question box on Instagram and see what answers you get!

Lead Your Audience

Once you know who your audience is, their likes, dislikes, and why they’re following you, you are better equipped to know how to lead them.

If your audience is made up of a loyal fan base who fell in love with your first middle grade book, its sequel, and the third installment, and suddenly you want to transition to writing cookbooks, they might have a learning curve. Understand this, and move forward accordingly. It may take you a little more time, but move forward with purpose and lead them into your new interests.

Show Your Audience The Full Aspect Of Who You Are

Creatives often have diverse interests. Don’t allow your online presence to hold you back offline. Yes, your online presence is a powerful tool when used rightly, but don’t let a free app on your phone hinder your creative potential.

If you have a large following on your fashion blog and Pinterest but want to try your hand at writing a novel, go for it.

Life is short.

It’s important to steward the talents we’ve been given and pursue excellence. While you may lose some of your audience, you will likely grow in other capacities (whether that’s your social media numbers, or as an individual).

As you move into the next stage of your personal branding journey, be cautious but be bold. The creative world is constantly evolving. Grow with it. Take your writing interests to the next level. Rebrand. Revamp. Present fresh content in a new way.

And remember, you’re more than a social media following or a singular interest. You are a person who grows and changes.

Enjoy the process!

Instagram: @sarahjrexford
Twitter: @sarahjrexford
Web: itssarahrexford.com

Tags author brand, branding, personal branding, Platform and Branding, social media, target audience

Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for July, Part 2

Post author By Lisa E. Betz
Post date July 30, 2021
No Comments on Writers Chat Recap for July, Part 2

Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Brandy Brow, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!

“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.“

Pinterest Jam with Patricia Tiffany Morris

Are you active on social media, like Pinterest? Whether you’re writer or a creative who is looking to increase your visibility and drive people to your website or other social mediums, then this is the episode for you. Patricia shares the basics of setting up a Pinterest account and how to use the same color schemes as your other social media platforms. If you’ve been unsure about how this platform works, Patricia breaks it down and brings clear instruction with her step-by-step presentation. Be sure to catch the replay for more great information.

Watch the July 20^th replay.

Patricia Tiffany Morris sketches ideas while she sleeps, that is, when she sleeps. She encourages others to hope in Christ. An eclectic creative with a geeky-tech affinity and a poet with three names, Patricia adores Pinterest and hashtags, but finds Twitter quirky. She owns Tiffany Inks Studio LLC, publisher of Journaling Scribbles. TISLLC provides troubleshooting and artwork services for writers. You can connect with Patricia on social media or at www.patriciatiffanymorris.com

Strategies Every Writer Should Know to Create Short Videos on Reel & Tik Tok

Bethany Jett joins this episode of Writers Chat to share basic information on using Instagram Reels and Tik Tok for short videos, which engage viewers with entertaining and/or pertinent information on all kinds of topics. Writers can create content to build their brands and increase their name awareness using strategies presented by Bethany. We talk about the basics of beginning an account and about ways to grow our outreach on these platforms.

Watch the July 27^th replay.

Bethany Jett is a multi-award-winning author, a ghostwriter, and marketer who received the Distinguished Scholar award for earning the top GPA in her Masters Program, where she focused on Communications: marketing and PR. Bethany co-owns Serious Writer and Platinum Literary Services and loves everything about the publishing industry…except the rejections! She is a military wife to her college sweetheart and a work-from-home momma-of-boys who loves planners, suspense novels, and all things girly. You can connect with Bethany on social media or at www.bethanyjett.com

Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET
on Zoom. The permanent Zoom room link.

Tags author brand, social media for writers, writers chat

Platform and Branding

How to Speak…Before You Say a Word

Post author By Sarah Rexford
Post date June 18, 2021
No Comments on How to Speak…Before You Say a Word

At some point in your writing career you’ll probably step on a stage and be expected to speak. It can be an intimidating prospect.

Many writers prefer to sit behind the screen at the keyboard. But stories are meant to be told. Audiences love to hear from the writer, and sometimes being onstage is the best way to communicate your message.

But nerves are understandable! To help you get over those nerves, leverage your personal brand to help you communicate before you even say a word.

Published or not, you have a brand. What you wear is part of that brand. So yes, let’s talk fashion.

Your fashion is the first impression your audience receives as you step onstage. What you choose to wear speaks for you before you ever say those first words. It communicates something about you: Are you laid back, professional, artsy, creative, relaxed?

Here are a few tips to help communicate your brand, while making you feel more at ease in the process:

Wear Something You’re Comfortable In

This is not the time to follow the old adage, “no pain no gain.” You want to put your audience at ease and you can’t do that very effectively if you yourself aren’t comfortable. A few days (or weeks, if you’re type A!) before your speaking engagement, look through your closet and notice the types of styles you usually wear and feel most comfortable in. Base your outfit off these styles.

Reflect Your Writer Brand

If you write books on how to be a standout business leader, you probably don’t want to show up in a multi-colored sweater with a mismatched scarf. However, if you write fantasy, this isn’t the worst choice you could make. Take note of what you write and who your audience is, then choose your fashion accordingly.

If you write children’s books and are going to speak in a classroom, maybe pass on the business suit and choose the teddy bear sweater instead. But imagine showing up to a conference to talk to CEO’s wearing the same outfit. Choose your fashion based on what you write and who your audience is.

Don’t Leave Your Personality Behind

While your fashion should reflect your writer brand and enhance rather than detract from your message, at the end of the day your brand is based on you, the individual. At the risk of being cliché, there’s only one you. Don’t let assumptions or your own nervousness keep you from being yourself. This doesn’t stop at fashion. Wear something you’re comfortable in so you can set your audience at ease, let your clothing reinforce your brand, and choose something you simply like wearing.

And then enjoy!

Enjoy the opportunity to share your passion with a live audience. Enjoy capturing the room. And enjoy vocalizing what you’ve worked so hard to take from your head, to the page, to the stage.

Best wishes out there!

Instagram: @sarahjrexford
Twitter: @sarahjrexford
Web: itssarahrexford.com

Tags author brand, Author Platforms, fashion, Platform and Branding, speaking

Platform and Branding

Branding and Twitter

Raise your hand if you’re a writer on Twitter! Same. Twitter is a great place for building that writing community and growing your visibility. However, simply building your brand through a follow-for-follow plan can cheapen not just your brand, but your writing.

So how do you build your platform and build the credibility of your writing?

As I’ve mentioned before, personal brand is not just what you write. It’s who you are. Your public, personal brand is what you decide to portray of who you are to your audience. Who are you impacts what you do or don’t write, how you engage with others on social media, and what you do or don’t post.

If you scroll through writers on Twitter, you’ll quickly see users who are there to promote their work, gain followers, and call it a day. Other than linking their book or blog, they don’t appear to be there to bring you, their potential reader, quality content.

Then you’ll see the few diamonds in the rough. The users who post quality content over and over, engage with other users, and work at pouring into the writing community, not just build their platform.

The great thing is, when you post quality content and genuinely engage with other writers, they’re apt to follow you. Thus, you build your platform.

So how do you bring your brand to Twitter? Ask yourself some questions:

Are you on Twitter to share what you’re learning from a come-alongside perspective, or to give writing advice from the standpoint of an expert? If you choose the come-alongside approach, you can share anything writing-related that you’re learning. If you choose the expert approach, to maintain brand integrity, only share advice you are an expert in. Do you write YA fiction in a specific genre, and have you sold thousands of books? You’re probably on your way to becoming an expert. However, you probably want to steer clear of handing out nonfiction advice.

Next, there are countless ways to engage with the writing community on Twitter. Choose what group you want to invest in, and go all in. Retweet pinned tweets, offer retweets on pitch fest days, jump into the comments to offer your expert advice, or share your own tweets as you progress through the writing journey.

Twitter is a sea of advice, book and blog promotions, writers’ lifts, etc., so choose carefully where you want to invest.

If you choose the expert sharing advice approach, writers’ lifts probably aren’t the best place to jump in. Twitter users who almost only engage in writers’ lifts, follow-for-follow trains, and endless promotions of their work are going to be viewed differently than those who genuinely engage, share writing advice, and provide great content every day.

Yes, follow writers, tweet, retweet—do all the things! Just choose how you choose to engage. What does what you tweet, retweet, and promote say about your writing brand?

With that in mind, happy tweeting!

Instagram: @sarahjrexford
Twitter: @sarahjrexford
Web: itssarahrexford.com

Tags author brand, Author Platforms, Platform and Branding, social media, twitter

Platform and Branding

Author Brand Crash Course

Post author By Sarah Rexford
Post date November 18, 2020
No Comments on Author Brand Crash Course

Personal brand is a big factor for writers today. Do you have one? If so, what is it? And how do you, through your brand, portray yourself to the world? These are some questions to ask if you’re newer to this thing called writing or simply focusing on your platform for the first time.

First things first: Do you have a brand?

I put brand into two categories, active brand and passive brand. Passive brand is the brand you don’t think about. It’s what you wear to buy groceries, the posts you share without considering your writing platform, the people you follow because you just like seeing their posts. Active brand is much different. It’s what you choose to wear to the writers conference, it’s the blog you work on for a week before sharing on Twitter, it’s the people you follow on Instagram so you can work on your platform.

Whether you realize it or not, everything you say, share, do, wear (the list goes on) communicates something to your followers. When considering your brand, focus on a few key areas.

I can’t tell you what areas those should be for you, that’s up to you as the writer, but here are some bullet points to get you thinking:

Social Media — Are you always consuming or do you engage and give away good content? Neither is right or wrong, but one establishes you as more of a student in the industry while the other establishes you as an expert in your field.
Style — When people meet you for the first time, what does what you wear tell them about who you are? Are you a casual person? A professional? Again, neither is right or wrong but it is important to be aware of how you come across.
Website — Is your website about you or your reader? Are you inviting your target audience to read about the topics you enjoy, or are you bringing fresh content that will help them in whatever niche you’ve chosen to write in?
Writing — If people follow you on social media or subscribe to your site and then go read your books, they expect it to align with the rest of your brand. Ask, does my writing align with who I’m showing the world I am? (Imagine if Stephen King had a blog strictly focused on cat memes. As amazing as that would be, it would be rather confusing for the reader.)

If this feels like a lot, don’t be discouraged. Start small and grow from there. The good thing about a personal brand is it grows and changes as you do. Enjoy the journey of discovery and connecting with your readers along the way. If you’re a writer, you’re here for the long game. Personal brand is part of the process. And if you can write a book from scratch, you can definitely build your brand from what’s already started. You got this!

Instagram: @sarahjrexford
Twitter: @sarahjrexford
Web: itssarahrexford.com

Tags author brand, consistency, personal branding, platform, social media, Style

History in the Making

Using Your Research for More than Your Novel

Post author By Kelly Barr
Post date October 20, 2020
No Comments on Using Your Research for More than Your Novel

Writing a novel is hard work and takes time. Writing a Historical Fiction novel may require more time and hard work due to necessary research.

Then there’s publishing. Whether you publish traditionally or indie publish, it takes time to publish the book and make sales. Let’s take a look at ways you can use your research while you wait:

1) Writing short pieces – you can purchase the current Writers Market Guide, the current Christian Writers Market Guide (or both) to find magazines that might be interested in an article about your research topic (i.e. the California Gold Rush). Then you will need to find the magazine’s website and download their guidelines. Be sure to follow their guidelines carefully because they will not consider your article if it isn’t written, formatted, and submitted according to their guidelines. You can do this any time during your novel writing process.

However, I don’t recommend putting the next two suggestions into practice until closer to the time of releasing your novel, six months to a year prior depending on how many pieces you can write and put into use. You don’t want to run out of writing subjects for these important items before your novel releases.

2)Building your audience and building your brand – I’ve been told many times that it is very important for a writer to have a presence on Social Media – specifically, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I’ve also heard that Pinterest is a great place to connect with readers. You can connect with readers on these sites by posting interesting things from your research. Be sure to connect it to your novel by giving them a small tidbit of information like revealing the name of your novel’s town and sharing history about that town.

You can also create a blog and write blog posts about something you’ve researched for your novel. This is a great place to include pictures as well. You might write about men’s and women’s fashions from the time period of your novel and include a couple pictures showing some of the clothing from that time period.

3) Market your novel – You can write an additional story that connects with your novel and release it for a reasonable price or offer it as a free gift for purchasing your novel. It could be a novella about the backstory of one of your characters and how they ended up in the time, place, and/or situation of your novel. You could use a scene from your story to create Flash Fiction story, or maybe create a short story about one of your minor characters.

Any of these suggestions can put your research to good use and make it work for you as it builds your brand and/or audience or as it draws readers’ interest in your upcoming novel. Your research can serve multiple purposes and be an enjoyable endeavor, making all your hard work pay off.

Kelly F. Barr lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She is married and has three sons. She writes historical romance. She has also been a blogger for ten years, and every Friday, you can find her Flash Fiction stories posted for your reading pleasure. She loves her family, including the family dog, books, walks, and chai lattes.

You can find her online at:

Tags article writing, author brand, build a platform, historical research, Historical writing

Embrace the Wait

Survival Tips for the Waiting Part of Writing Tip #18 – Keep your social media posts social

Post author By Annette Marie Griffin
Post date August 5, 2020
No Comments on Survival Tips for the Waiting Part of Writing Tip #18 – Keep your social media posts social

As a writer, Christian, and citizen I have made a purposeful choice to keep my social media posts social. What does that mean? Now more than ever social media has become a hotbed for debate. Debate can be good when there is mutual sharing of ideas and opinions for the purpose of learning from each other or understanding one another better. But for that goal to be accomplished, the people involved in the discussion must be willing to listen and treat others with respect. Here are some reasons why social media may not be a great forum for that.

1) If there’s an issue we are passionate about or feel the need to stand up for–social media is the least effective place to make a difference. If we’re simply trying to vent to likeminded people and get them to hop aboard our rant train, posting a passive-aggressive meme or a long-winded post will accomplish that easily. But in the process, what do we forfeit? No one has ever changed anyone’s mind about an issue by simply posting about it. The best place to have these important discussions is face-to-face. For more information about how science backs up this theory, see the links below.

2) We don’t want to alienate the very audience we hope to impact. We all have beliefs and issues that touch our very core. Our calling, as Christian writers, compels us to express those beliefs and issues with words. But we must remain mindful of the platform we choose as a vehicle for those words. One indiscriminate post, that feeds a divisive issue, may ruin our ability to reach a lost and hurting world that needs the hope the lies within us.

3) Our brand and our calling should draw people in, not divide and conquer. We find ourselves at a time in history where we are divided in every way—physically divided because of the quarantine, politically divided, spiritually divided, divided on issues of health, education etc. Although social media has become a tool for further division, we have the potential to use it as place to bring people together. With every post, meme, video, or thought, we have the ability to strengthen the weary, shine light on truth, and provide a haven for those who need rest. May God help us do this, as we seek Him for direction and purpose during these unprecedented days.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:1-2, Proverbs 12:18, Proverbs 13:3, Proverbs 25:11,

Fun Fact or Helpful Resource:
Resources for why it’s better to leave weighty and debatable issues to face-to-face conversation:

Why You Should Never Argue with Anyone on Facebook

https://carrierclinic.org/2019/08/08/the-good-bad-and-in-between-of-social-media/

Annette Marie Griffin is a award-winning writer who speaks at local women’s group meetings and women’s retreats on the topic of biblical womanhood and finding our identity in Christ. She is the Operations and Events Coordinator at a private school for special needs students and is the editor of their quarterly newsletter. She has written custom curriculum for women’s retreats and children’s church curriculum for Gateway Church in San Antonio, Texas where she served as Children’s Ministry Director and Family Program Director for over twenty years. She and her husband John have five amazing children and two adorable grands. She’s a member of Word Weavers International, ACFW, SCBWI, and serves on the Board of Directors for The Creative Writing Institute.

Tags author brand, calling, etiquette, kindness, message, platform, social media

Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for July, Part 1

Post author By Lisa E. Betz
Post date July 15, 2020
No Comments on Writers Chat Recap for July, Part 1

Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Bethany Jett, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!

“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”

Plan Like a Boss, with Bethany Jett

In this episode, Bethany, an award-winning author and entrepreneur, shares a wealth of information about planning using Happy Planner products. This isn’t about a particular planner but about getting your life more efficient and organized. Remember, any planning system can be used, but take it from one super busy wife, mom, and boss, there is no substitute for keeping appointments and other important information at your fingertips with a planner or two. So, whether you are a veracious planner or you’ve never used a planner before, this episode has something for you.

Watch the June 30th replay

Manage Your Image Stream with Rhonda Dragomir

Rhonda shares with us the importance of using the right size image with your message and how to use them across multiple platforms. It’s not enough to post several times a day on social media, but there is an approach for each platform

that can help you be more successful on social media. Are you needing to increase your platform? Are you struggling with platform? If you said yes to either question, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

Watch the July 7^th replay.

JOIN US!

Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET on Zoom. Here’s the permanent Zoom room link.

Participants mute their audio and video during the filming then we open up the room for anyone who wishes to participate with our guests. The “After Party” is fifteen-minutes of off-the-record sharing and conversation.

Additionally, you can grow your network and add to the conversation by joining our Writers Chat Facebook Group.

Tags author brand, images, organization, planning, social media, writers chat

Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for May, Part 2

Post author By Lisa E. Betz
Post date May 30, 2020
No Comments on Writers Chat Recap for May, Part 2

Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Bethany Jett, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!

“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”

You, the Protagonist, Developing Your Brand with Caroline George

In this episode we are joined by Caroline, a literary agent, conference speaker and award-winning author. She shares tips on how writers can develop their author brands. Caroline’s work experience includes BookGrabbr, HarperCollins Publishing, Hillsong Sydney, Mainstreet Productions and Cyle Young Literary Elite. She shares her expertise in an upbeat and energetic style as we discuss the basics of brand-building and go deeper into finding voice, sharing personality, and celebrating story.

Watch the May 19^th replay

Caroline George, a literary agent at C.Y.L.E., commits her time and energy to telling stories in their many forms. As a 2017 Belmont University graduate with a double-major in publishing and public relations, Caroline aims to pursue a career committed to helping authors, publishers and organizations project their stories to their publics. She spends her time blogging, writing for various magazines and authoring young adult fiction books (her current publications include “The Prime Way Trilogy” and “The Vestige”). She considers herself a not-so-southern Georgia peach, coffee-junkie, bona fide goofball and delights in being best known for writing the phrase, “Coffee first. Save the world later.” You can find her on social media or contact her at www.authorcarolinegeorge.com

Creative Outlets for Writers with Cody Morehead

Cody Morehead, Creative Director for Serious Writer, Inc., joins us today to talk about branding, creating social media images, and tips for graphic design. He also shares the importance of engaging in other creative outlets and hobbies beyond writing. We often have an “illusion of busy-ness,” but is that a badge of honor or a badge of brokenness? Cody encourages us to “try and fail” and to make time in our weekly schedule for a hobby. Other creative pursuits–even something as simple as a daily walk–feed our souls and nourish our writing.

Watch the May 26^th replay.

Cody Morehead, owner of PubZoo Creative, a public speaker, pastor, and known for monkeying around, Cody is known for creating our awesome graphics and videos at Serious Writer. A branding and graphics expert, Cody regularly gives talks on developing author brand, helping authors to develop a clean, clear look for their websites, social media, and more. You can find Cody on social media or you can find him at www.seriouswriter.com/cody-morehead

JOIN US!

Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET on Zoom. Here’s the permanent Zoom room link.

Additionally, you can grow your network and add to the conversation by joining our Writers Chat Facebook Group.

Tags author brand, branding, caroline george, cody morehead, creativity, Feed our Souls

Authorpreneur

Build a Brand 3: Define Your brand’s Personality

Post author By J P Robinson
Post date January 12, 2020
No Comments on Build a Brand 3: Define Your brand’s Personality

In my last article, I introduced the idea of an author creating a brand personality and outlined three ways an author can create a solid personality. Simply put, your book’s personality is the way it makes readers feel when they pick it up or read it. This article will focus on how you, as an author, can decide what you want your brand’s personality to be.

Here are three steps to keep in mind as you decide how to define your brand’s personality.

First, keep it simple. Try to define your own human personality in 2-3 words. That can be tough, and it might be helpful to ask someone else to define you. The same is true with branding a product. It can be a challenge to describe your books in 2-3 adjectives. But that’s what you want to do.

Simple messages are more likely to get through to readers because we are bombarded by complex issues daily. Think, what do you want readers to think of as soon as they hear your name? Do some introspective analysis until you can answer this question in two or three words.

Are you a Victorian romance writer? You can probably describe your books as passionate and elegant. If you’re a mystery writer, three adjectives that could easily describe your book are intriguing, suspenseful, and dark. You may want to consider keeping those adjectives in mind as you work on your next book cover, plan your book launch, or your next market campaigns. Reach out if you’d like personalized help planning your next campaign.

Also, be sure to consider your interests. A writer has the most impact when writing from the heart. Your unique passions and experience will combine to making your product memorable.

A good tip is to ask friends who have read your books how they would describe them in a few words. Make their feedback a key part of developing your brand’s personality. And that’s a perfect segue to where I want to go next.

Listen to readers. Readers will define you. Whether a business lives or dies depends, in large part, on its ability to listen to consumers. Sometimes we’re surprised by the kind of people that respond to our writing. Maybe you were writing a story for a YA audience and it ended up resonating with adults!

That’s great, but the feedback you hear from readers (positive or negative) can provide critical information about how they see your work. Once you know how readers see your work, you can better target your marketing campaigns and even let that information guide your future writing projects.

I once ran an online marketing campaign for a historical romantic suspense novel I’d written called Bride Tree. When analyzing the demographics of the people that responded to my campaign, I realized that the bulk of them were, not surprisingly, women. What I did find noteworthy was the fact that the ad appealed to mostly women between the ages of 18 and 35. Why?

Because the brilliant pop of red on Bride Tree’s cover, and the aura of mystery and intrigue created by the masked face of Queen Marie-Antoinette, appealed to the “exciting” and “sophisticated” personalities in the market. When I am a marketing campaign for Bride Tree, it makes sense for me to make sure that the wording of my ads and the audiences that I try to reach already show a penchant for that kind of product such as women in that age range who shop products lines such as Chanel or Coach.

Finally, don’t stress. While figuring out how you as an author want to be perceived by readers, remember that you are not locked into a “set” brand personality. Just as each of us grows and changes but remains the same person, so your brand can grow and change as you write more books while retaining the same core aspects that make you unique as an author.

When I think of C.S. Lewis for example, the first thought that enters my mind is fantasy or science fiction. However Lewis was also known for his non-fiction titles that shared common themes with his fiction. My point is, while you do want some consistency between books, don’t be afraid to launch out into something new as it will collectively work together to develop your brand’s personality.

It’s important to realize that, while each of your books contributes to your overall brand personality, each book also has a personality of its own that will be determined by its genre, cover, plot etc. . .

For example, Bride Tree was a bit of a maverick. I don’t typically write historical romantic suspense and, as such, Bride Tree has its own personality. Yet it brings in elements that are common to all my books—espionage, political intrigue, and action laced with romance.

Many authors write in multiple genres at least once in their careers. There are several solid benefits to doing so, including diversifying your portfolio, reaching new readers, seeing which personality type resonates best with your target audience, and helping you grow as a writer. Varying up your brand’s personality can also entice readers to move from one series you’ve written to others that might be of a different genre.

Once you’ve identified what you want your overall brand personality to look like, use that as a basis for creating your social media presence, your website and, of course, your books.
Write with confidence,
JPR

JP Robinson gained experience in the marketing field doing promotional work for multi-million dollar medical facilities and non-profit groups over the past decade. He is an international speaker, educator, and prolific author of both fiction and non-fiction.

JP also conducts writing seminars in various parts of the country and heads Logos Publications, LLC, an emerging publishing and book marketing team.

When he isn’t writing or teaching, JP loves spending time with his wonderful wife and children.

Tags author brand, authorpreneur, branding, personal branding, Personality

Authorpreneur

Build a Brand 2: It’s all about personality

Post author By J P Robinson
Post date November 12, 2019
No Comments on Build a Brand 2: It’s all about personality

A few days ago, my wife returned from the grocery store with two different brands of coffee: Lavazza and Caribou. While Lavazza is a household favorite, I immediately claimed the Caribou coffee. Why? Because its cover spoke to me. The rustic image of a caribou in the wild resonated with the part of me that loves being in the woods.

Simply put, a brand’s personality is the way that the products make people feel. As a rule, we tend to like people whose personalities match our own. We do the same with products. And businesses know that.

Companies spend millions of dollars building up their brand’s personality. They know that consumers make decisions to buy, or not to buy, products based on how much the product (and by extension, the brand as a whole) matches their own personality.

While Lavazza and Caribou both produce awesome coffee (at least in my opinion!), I opted for Caribou because it connects with my personality.

So what kind of brand personalities are there, and how can authors leverage this information to their own advantage?

In the ‘90s, a social psychologist, Dr. Jennifer Aaker, identified five dimensions that form the general basis for marketers understanding of brand identity. They are:

Excitement (brands that are trendy, and daring like Red Bull)
Sincerity (or brands that capitalize on a “family” feel, like Southwest Airlines)
Ruggedness (which focuses on a more masculine you-can-handle anything attitude like . . . Caribou)
Competence (which promotes products that are hardworking and secure like Apple),
Sophistication (which focuses on high-end, typically feminine products like Chanel or Dove).

Your readers are consumers. Therefore, they will decide whether or not to “buy your product” (a.k.a read your book) in part based upon the way its personality makes them feel. There’s no way to please everyone but you can leverage this aspect of being authorpreneur to maximize your potential with your target audience.

Here are three steps to give your “brand” of writing its own personality.

Observe: Look at the work of other successful authors in your genre. As a reader, how would you describe their books? Do you see them as being in the exciting category, sincere, rugged, competent, sophisticated or a mix of the above? Don’t just look at the big names out there.

Once you’ve done this, decide what aspects of those books you can incorporate into your own work—things such as cover design and interior formatting. Is there one character featured on the cover or are there many? Are the pages cream or white? These are the things that give a book its feel . . . or personality.

Also consider what makes your book different from other authors in your genre. How can you feature those differences so you’re giving your readers something fresh yet trending?

Plan: Think about who you want to read your book. If you could create the ideal reader, what kind of personality traits would he have? If your ideal reader is a daring, young woman, then you want your book to push excitement and possibly sophistication. If your book is geared toward children of aging parents, for example, you might want to take a “sincere” or “competent” approach.

Think about your image. What we wear often reflects our personality. The same is true of your book.

Your image isn’t just the cover—it’s also the methods you use to connect with readers. To make the most of your social media audience, make sure your online presence reflects your brand’s personality. While Facebook should play a role in your marketing mix, authors that are more “youth-focused” or have a more “exciting” personality might want to build an audience on social media channels that are perceived as being “newer” such as Instagram .

Authors who want to build an audience that favors “honest” or “competent” trends might consider focusing the bulk of their online time on longer blog posts and Facebook groups.

Keep in mind that, because you’re marketing to readers, your audience will most likely be comfortable reading blog posts, but readers are also visual people who love pictures, videos etc . . . So present your book’s personality in a way that is likely to resonate with your target market.

For marketing ideas, tips on how to build a brand and more, check out my website: www.JPRobinsonBooks.com

JP also conducts writing seminars in various parts of the country and heads Logos Publications, LLC, an emerging publishing and book marketing team.

When he isn’t writing or teaching, JP loves spending time with his wonderful wife and children.

Tags author brand, brand personality, branding, personal branding, writer's brand

Authorpreneur

Build a Brand: Identity

Indie authors often want to know how to build a writing brand. There are actually two sides of being a successful author: the writing side and the business side.

The writing side is self-evident, but many authors are surprised to learn that there is also a distinct business side to writing. Much like in any form of business, every author needs to cultivate relationships, build trust, and invest in his or her writing to achieve sales.

With this mindset, let’s define the word “brand.” A brand is basically your identity in a business sense. I like how entrepreneur.com put it. “Branding is the process of creating a name, logo, symbol, and personality to represent your product or service (“Branding Definition – Entrepreneur Small Business Encyclopedia”, 2019).” This definition is useful because it clearly lays out what’s needed to create an effective brand. The three elements every author will need to integrate into the brand-creation process are:

To create an effective brand you need to establish an identity, a personality, and a memorable product—which in your case is a great book.

This article will provide three steps to establish the first element: an identity.

The first step in establishing a writer’s identity is to reflect on who you are and what you want readers to associate with your name. It’s important to remember that, as an author, your brand is typically your name. You are a business of one. Over time, your audience will associate your style of writing, your genres and subtopics, with your name (your brand). Reflect on the personal aspects to your life that helped you form your writing niche.

If possible, you want to build your brand around something that you’re already good at or something for which you’re already known. If people already associate your name with a particular skill, experience or topic, the foundation of your brand is already laid. Regardless of your audience size, you want to use that core group to help promote your message. For example, if you’re a cancer survivor and are writing about your experience, you may want to start carving out a niche that focuses on holistic wellness or the importance of positive thinking in adverse circumstances.

You want to be consistent with the products (or books) that are associated with your brand, because each one is going to reinforce what you’ve already written. While you can delve into multiple genres, be sure that your work has a common focal point that readers have come to expect.

But what if you aren’t known for a particular skill or are now starting out? That’s fine. Just make sure that at first you write in a particular genre or writing style so readers can associate your brand with a particular topic.

Once you’ve begun to establish your identity, it is helpful to create a logo. We all associate the visual symbols with corporate identities. While authors have not traditionally recognized the need for a logo, without one they miss a low-cost, potentially high-yield opportunity to make people easily recognize and remember your brand. Writing is business and every author is dealing with readers who are already used to associating symbols with products.

Craft a logo that incorporates your name, your “writing identity,” or a literary accomplishment. I was recently in contact with a Christy award-winning author who used a theme from one of her bestselling books as her logo. Why? It was easily recognizable and paid tribute to her accomplishment while subtly marketing her book.

But your logo doesn’t have to hark back to an accomplishment. In most cases, your name, written or designed in a visually-appealing way, works best.

Keep the following tips in mind as you take this important step in defining your brand identity:

If you’re self-publishing your books, you can integrate your logo with your book cover to give it a more polished feel. If you’re traditionally published, consult with your publisher’s marketing team to see if/how they’d like you to incorporate your logo on the final product.

Put your logo everywhere you can while including your website address, so viewers will be more likely to connect your site with your brand.

Finally, be sure that your writing and your logo reflects your creative personality. It is critical to learn from other authors while avoiding becoming other authors.

From a legal as well as professional standpoint, your work will be most effective when it reflects your nature, your life experiences and yourskills. Keep an eye out for my next article on building a brand: Powering up your Personality.

In my book, Write Business, I go into specifics on how to write your book with a specific audience in mind as well as how to effectively present your product to that segment of readers. If you need help building a branding model, I am happy to partner with you on your road to success.

JP also conducts writing seminars in various parts of the country and heads Logos Publications, LLC, an emerging publishing and book marketing team.

When he isn’t writing or teaching, JP loves spending time with his wonderful wife and children.

Tags author brand, brand, branding, elements of branding, identity

Mastering Middle Grade

Branding Basics for Middle Grade Writers

Post author By Lisa E. Betz
Post date September 16, 2018
No Comments on Branding Basics for Middle Grade Writers

When you think about the word “brand,” what comes to mind? A metal tool used with cattle? A particular fruit? A can of soda?

Before I started writing for kids, I wrote marketing campaigns and ad copy as part of a corporate brand advertising team. Companies invest major money in creating brands, and for good reason. People who sell products want to claim a portion of your mind and heart so you will feel good about spending your hard-earned money on them.

What is a brand, anyway? A brand is:

a promise
an emotional connection
actions that deliver upon both

You may be wondering whether this is important right now, especially if you have not published that much or are pre-published. Branding is important for writers for the same reasons it is important for businesses. Readers have plenty of options to choose from, and they are more likely to choose books by authors they are either a) familiar with or b) recommended by their friends. You have a better chance of being read if readers recognize your name. That’s where your branding efforts come in.

Does this mean, as a writer, that you have to take out a second mortgage to hire high-powered advertising agencies to create a brand for you? Of course not. But you do need to spend a little time thinking about some things. Make no mistake: you are, with every decision you make and every action you take, constructing your own personal brand. Let’s make sure that it’s the one you want to build.

Good branding starts with understanding the business – in this case, you. Remember the three essential elements of a brand that I outlined earlier? The first one is the promise. What is your promise? Discover this for yourself by answering these questions:

What do you write?
For whom?
What value do you bring (what makes you special)?

Next, you will want to consider what kind of emotional response you want associated with your author brand. Whether you write scary stories, bible-based adventures, or slapstick comedy, think about how you want to be perceived by your readership. Do you want them to count on you for a dose of silliness in a stressful world? Do you want to connect through your adventurous spirit and imaginative tales?

Finally, your actions – what you do and where you go to market your work – must be consistent with your brand promise. Whatever your desired connection with your reader is, you need to bring that goal into focus and let it guide you. Thanks for reading and happy branding!

Kell McKinney earned a B.A. in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and an M.S. in documentary studies from the University of North Texas. She’s a part-time copywriter, double-time mom and wife, and spends every free minute writing and/or hunting for her car keys. Connect with her on Twitter @Kell_McK or kellmckinney.com.

Tags author brand, branding, how to brand yourself as a writer, writer's brand, Writing purpose