Guest Speakers: Maurice Broaddus, Lynne Hansen, Gideon Marcus, Ellie Raine, Dahlia Rose
Track Director: Venessa Giunta
Assistant Director: Robby Hilliard
When you’re first starting out, it’s not just about “Who am I?” but also who you want to be. Bear in mind that evaluating your brand identity will be an ongoing process that doesn’t stop throughout the course of your career. For now, determine how you can best connect with others through your brand as it stands currently.
So what are the most important aspects of your brand? That would be your name and social media presence. The best way to be recognized as an author or brand is to already BE someone. Take your laurels where you can, and present yourself in a unique way. Be your authentic self, make friends, do what you love to do, and build around that as you go.
When you’re in the process of discovering your brand, it may be tempting to try and be something that you’re not. Take aspects of who you genuinely are, and focus on them with a succinct lens. It’s ok for your brand to evolve over time as you do. You do not have to do what everyone else is doing or copy other people’s methods – do what works for you.
Where do you find it most useful to propagate your brand? There’s always an abundance of new trends, but instead of chasing trends, it’s better to know where your people are. That’s where you’ll get the most engagement. If you post in places you don’t enjoy, it’s going to be a chore, will take longer, and will distract you from what you need to do – which is write. Focus on the areas that you enjoy. Time management is very important, because all of these aspects take time (social media, blogging, writing projects, etc.)
What about writing multiple genres under one pen name? While it’s advised not to, you can do it, and it can be a part of your brand. It’s all still in your writing voice. It’s possible to have a brand that features diverse genre elements, but you need to find the thread that ties it all together. Trust your readers to know the difference.
However, you may want a different pen name for Erotica.
Also, you’ll want to be careful if you’re writing for different age groups. For example, if you write children’s fiction, YA, and/or adult fiction. This may be another situation that requires different pen names.
Don’t get pigeon-holed, where you’re writing so far into a series that you’re no longer happy with the books you’re writing. Don’t write to cookie-cutter patterns. People can tell when you’re genuinely passionate about what you do. It’s imperative to know the genre you’re writing for, and therefore it’s practical to write in the genres you love to read.
Contrary to popular opinion, you can judge a book by its cover. Generally speaking, the amount of effort you’ve put into the cover reflects the amount of work that’s put into the story itself, editing, etc. There’s exceptions to the rule of course, though the cover is crucially important, especially to indie authors. You may want to spend some time figuring out what covers you love from other authors, and this will help determine your personal style. The cover must reflect the characters it represents, and also match the book description. Make sure that your covers are also reflective of their genres as well – it can be confusing to readers who are used to certain expectations for stories.
While this is your brand overall, you will not be able to do everything on your own. You will likely need editors and cover artists. While some things may need to be discussed, avoid arguing too much or over-exerting too much control. Learn to trust others in their areas of expertise who are a part of your team.
Are you a successful or aspiring author? Do you know other tips and tricks to building your individual brand? Let us know in the comments below!
If you’d like to see more panels like this and receive the FULL experience in person, check out Multiverse Con! Get your tickets here: https://www.multiversecon.org/ Hope to see you there! 🙂
By clicking “Subscribe,” you’ll receive blog updates in the future. We treat your information with confidentiality and respect. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Featured Image: https://pixabay.com/illustrations/magic-note-note-magic-paper-8836935/