Photo Credit: freeformkatia/Creative Commons
If you write, no doubt you’ve given some thought to your “brand.” (And if you haven’t thought about it, now’s the time!)
“Brand” to an author is what water is to wildflowers. It quenches, sustains, and breathes life into an otherwise drab existence.
Like our taglines, our brands are uniquely us.
- They’re the picture that comes to mind when folks hear our name.
- They’re ideas, thoughts, and feelings associated with who we are and what we write.
- They’re impressions that are left long after the introduction.
And it’s those impressions that can make us think ewww…
OR…
Wow!
In fact, most of the time, we can sum up within a few short moments the appeal of an author’s brand.
Naturally, not everyone’s brand will be our cup of tea, but some brands are indeed more enticing than others. For instance, the same things that grab our attention in food, clothing, and even furniture are good indicators of what we’ll notice about one another.
Bland is:
- Lackluster
- Disorganized
- Easily dismissed
Glam, however, is:
- Colorful
- Unique
- Memorable
Bland leaves us scratching our heads. Glam makes our heads turn!
Bland communicates laziness. Glam goes full-throttle!
Bland is ordinary. Glam is anything but.
Seth Godin talked about brand recently. He summed it up this way:
“A brand that stands for what all brands stand for stands for nothing much.”
See? Brilliant!
Since I write Heartfelt, Homespun Fiction (my tagline, BTW) I want to evoke “feel good” in my brand. I would hope words like faith and family jump to mind, with authentic, fun, and encouraging thrown in the mix. And since I’m from the Ozarks and I create characters from the Ozarks, my website team created the perfect cyber home that was so me.
When we’re new to writing, our footing may be a little unsure. It may take time to sync our brand with what we write. The overall picture of how we want to present ourselves to the world may need a little tweaking.
That’s not to say we should be someone we’re not. “Faking it” is not only tedious and stressful, it’s contrary to God’s will for our lives.
Each of us has special characteristics, abilities, and gifts that we bring to the table. It’s just a matter of honing in on those and presenting our strengths in the best light possible.
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What does YOUR “brand” say about you?
Do you think branding plays a significant role in an author’s success?
TWEETABLE
Bland or glam? What does your brand say about you? (Click to Tweet)
Photo Credit: freeformkatia/Creative Commons
Happy Friday!
Blessings Always!
Comments 8
I love your tagline. Your writing feels like coming home 🙂 A safe, smart place full of love.
Author
Lisa: Thank you for your kind words! That’s exactly how I want it to feel. (And I might add–I love YOUR heart for others. Such a joy to have met you in cyberspace!)
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Keli: Thank you, too! “Comfy” suits me to a tee! Lol
You definitely put the “V” in Victorian and you DO rock the purple! Your beautiful site, the colors you wear, the vivid imagery you evoke through your writing–they make me feel as though I’ve stepped back in time to a faraway place. You sweep me away! …And that’s aways a good thing.
I agree with Lisa. Your brand has a comfy, cozy, down home feel that suits you.
I like to think my brand says Victorian and romance with a backdrop of pretty purple.
I do think branding plays a significant role in an author’s success! It can take a little while settle into a brand…and I think it’s great for writers to take a little time discovering their voice, their unique personality, their “comfy” place brand-wise…I know it took me awhile…but once I settled in, I settled in. 🙂
Love your brand and your web home and how it all ties together so wonderfully. You are definitely living out your brand here on your blog!
Author
Melissa: I appreciate your kind words! I’ve never known how to be anyone other than myself. (And being from the Ozarks, sometimes I may even talk with an Ozarkian twang or use cultural terminology that may or may not be actual words. hehe
I enjoy your fun–and dare I say it?–“quirky” sense of humor! Knew it from the moment I heard you speak at ACFW last year. When I think of you, I think “cheery,” “real deal,” and “sold out for Jesus.” I appreciate the warmth you always demonstrate toward others and the ability to laugh at your own foibles. (Makes me realize that silly things happen to someone else besides me!)
I think an author’s brand is one more way to attract a reader’s attention. It’s more likely a reader will find something in common with an author through the branding.
Author
Patti: Exactly. Authors want their “brand” to say something unique about who they are and what they write, as well as attract those who share similar interests. It’s a beautiful thing, too, when a name, a “brand,” and a genre goes beyond an author’s intended target niche.
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Loree: I love your tagline, too! I think folks get an immediate feel of what you’re about.
I do love your tagline.
I’m still trying mine out. “Writing with one foot in the past.” I have a few other ideas too.