In a guest post on Jane Friedman’s blog, Andrea Guevara says that being yourself is the best way to help readers find your writing. “As an author brand strategist, I’m often fighting against the idea that a personal brand is just a cringey, commercialized outcropping of late-stage capitalism,” Guevara says. “Seeing our own value and then—and this next part is key—being able to communicate that and attract our people, doesn’t come so easily.”
So how can we do that? Guevara has some tips:
- Be honest with yourself. Guevara has clients fill out a questionnaire asking what sets them apart from similar authors, why they write, and how they like to share their work. She also asks them to describe their ultimate vision of what success looks like for them. “This self-knowledge is key to beginning to unpack and understand the unique value you bring to the world as well as the parts of yourself that you want to keep just for yourself, or those close to you,” she explains.
- Put yourself in your reader’s shoes. When it comes to branding, Guevara advises writers to start small. “When we focus our energy on who our IDEAL Reader is—the archetype of the one person who would most resonate with and champion your work—we begin to unlock the magic connection that exists between the unique value you bring and the people it’s meant for,” she says. While it might be tempting to say that your writing is for “everyone”, it’s probably not. Are you writing for teens, women, affluent readers, or a particular demographic group? Own it. “Once we understand this, we’re able to better speak to them in the language they need to hear,” Guevara says.
- Articulate your value. In the business world, names have value. M&Ms are candy, but it’s also a brand that is licensed out to ice cream products, toys, apparel, and other goods. Your author name is a brand with value. Your books are sub-brands, especially if you write series fiction. “When you do the work of understanding the value you bring, your niche, and your audience, you can begin to put together the pieces in a way that makes it easier for you to articulate this unique proposition to publishers and readers in more effective ways,” Guevara says. “In a practical sense, this can be evident in your book proposal, marketing plans, bio, website, social media—even in how you talk about your work with your publisher.”
