Branding is not subjective to models and marketing companies. It is very important to brand yourself as a person, no matter your career choice. For writers, however, it is even more important to refer to a particular word that inspires you. This word is your brand. It is the word you live by, the word you showcase in your work.
What is Your Brand?
Think about the work you've accomplished in the past and what you hope to accomplish in the future? Clearly, you have specific genres that you prefer to write about. What are they? Romance? Science Fiction? Historical? By taking all of the elements that interest you, you're better able to find a single word that describes you.
Branding Examples
Tyra Banks: We've all seen an episode (or 50) of Americas Next Top Model. What is that word Tyra uses to describe herself? Fierce! And she brings it. She surprises the modeling industry by always doing something unexpected, but she composes herself in a fierce manner.
Ellen Degeneres: All of the world knows Ellen by her unfathomable humility and generosity. Though she will never admit it herself, she is humble. Hilarious, yet humble.
Stephen King: Stephen King actually spoke about branding himself as an author. He utilizes the dream realm to encompass his next best seller. Giving him an unexpected brand name; Predictable. But it's his brand, and we still eat up every word he writes.
I Am Creative
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| Jason Wallace Photography |
After careful consideration and polling a few friends and family members, I came to the conclusion that my brand name is creative. My readers expect unusual topics and interesting ideas from me. I didn't realize how much people around me relied on my creativity. So, for the future, I will always encompass the word creative around my work.
How will I go about doing this? Well, I begin by utilizing my word while writing. If it's been said and done before, I'm not being creative enough. If my audience doesn't feel as though I'm being creative in my work, than I'm not doing my job as a brand name.
Who Are You?
Now, the question lays with you; who are you? What is your brand name? It's more than just choosing a word that describes you. It is choosing a word that you can commit to. Are you dependable? Vivacious? Wicked? What? Who are you?
You will discover that branding yourself is the most difficult task as a writer. But the benefits of it keep you consistent in your work. If I submit my next book for publication and I am told is wasn't creative enough, then I've let myself down.
Whoever you are, whatever your brand may be, stick to it. Completely surrender to your brand name. Just because someone else is known for your word doesn't mean you can't claim that title. Embrace who you are and show your brand in every single word that you write.
