Whether you’re a veteran bestseller or you’re sitting on a first draft dreaming of the day you get it published, you are an author. It’s time you start branding like it.
The author brand is not unlike the artist’s brand, or the musician’s, or even the politician’s (I don’t make the rules). That is to say that, as an author, you are your brand. You create products, yes, that are extensions of your brand – or perhaps it makes more sense to look at them as mini brands under the greater brand umbrella – but you are the star of the show.
Is that a little uncomfortable for you? That’s fair, and you’re not alone in feeling that way. Marketing yourself is awkward at first, especially when you’re showcasing something you’ve poured your heart, soul, and countless hours into. It can be quite overwhelming to find social media suddenly at the core of what you do when you’d never imagined yourself as an influencer, you just wanted to share your stories. That’s why we’re going to talk about what exactly it means to be your own brand, how to build that brand, and how to implement and sustain it in order to streamline that marketing process when the time comes.
Let’s start with the basics: what is a brand?
A brand is essentially a marketing identity. It’s what people perceive you as. Think the Nike ‘Just Do It’ logo, or Coca-Cola’s signature red. Branding is distinguishing yourself (or your product) in a way that is memorable and recognizable. For you, that looks like portraying yourself online in a way that makes it apparent at first glance that you’re an [insert genre] author. But it isn’t only about aesthetics.
When you are the brand, what you stand for and how you communicate with your audience is just as important as being recognizable. Think of yourself as an entrepreneur selling a product (because you are, really, even if that capitalist viewpoint is a bit upsetting). What your book is about and the audience you’ve written it for will impact your design choices and marketing strategies, which affects the perception of the overall brand – of you. But who are you? Why is your audience interested in the stories you have to tell?
Your personality, values, goals, ideals… these are all a part of your brand because they’re a part of who you are, which is reflected in the stories you write. Who you are will keep people interested in what you’re going to show them next. Wrapping yourself up in a nice, distinctive colour scheme that suits the vibe of your books doesn’t hurt any either.
I would like to clarify at this point that being your own brand does not necessarily mean you need to be featured in every photo, reel, or Tik Tok that you post – in fact, plenty of authors online prefer to remain faceless. That’s fine! The important thing is that your brand identity is clear and authentic. It sounds business-y, but at the end of the day, it’s essentially just dressing for the readers you want.
Let’s say, as an example, that you write epic fantasy novels about adventure and vengeance and all the delicious things we love epic fantasies for. You’ve decided your author brand aesthetic should reflect the motif of appreciating nature that persists in much of your writing. The aesthetic works for your brand because it represents your stories well, it represents you well, and it’s easy to achieve and maintain because long walks through nature are already a part of your routine.
It doesn’t have to be elaborate, it just has to be you (and, preferably, not too time-consuming). Once you have an idea of how you want to present yourself and your work, the following will help you turn those ideas into something tangible:
A Style Guide
Having a style guide can be incredibly helpful when it comes to establishing and maintaining consistent branding across your social media platforms, website, and all other media. You want to stay true to your brand everywhere – that includes in press and pitches and all that good stuff – so having a guide to refer to as you move forward in your career will ensure nothing is forgotten or altered unintentionally. Your style guide should include:
your logo/s
your brand colours & fonts
a mood board (inspiration)
graphics & imagery (ex. post templates)
a few professional photos (headshots)
props for the photos you will take yourself
A Content Guide
Again, creating a content guide to refer to when you’re feeling uncertain about what to share can make a huge difference in your ability to remain consistent and avoid the dreaded social media burnout. You also want to make sure you’re staying on track with the content your followers are there for. That’s not to say you can’t change it up every now and then, but if you’ve promised them weekly lore updates, you’d better deliver! Your content guide should include:
an overview of your brand identity and what you’ve promised to deliver
author bio
mission statement
target audience
what you bring to the table
a list of your goals
create tracking points that will allow you to measure your growth
a list of content ideas
regular posts (weekly, monthly, etc.)
new ideas (inc. photos/captions)
inspiration
a list of things that need regular updating
website
bio
resume
a marketing calendar to plan your posting schedule. This will keep you on track with your goals and maintaining a consistent online presence.
Congratulations: you’ve branded!
Now that you have all your branding tools, your style guide, and your content guide, the marketing journey will feel significantly less overwhelming. Use them to create content you’re proud of that showcases you and your work in a meaningful way (quality over quantity!). Be consistent with your social media posting and brand aesthetic to maintain engagement with the audience that matters. Set goals and create a plan to meet them. Have fun with it! Remember that you won’t please everyone, and that’s okay. Focus on the communities that will love what you do and that you enjoy being a part of.
If you made it this far, thank you for reading! I hope you found it helpful. If you have any questions about branding for authors, please do not hesitate to reach out and ask. I am more than happy to help.
Bio
Shay is an editor, author, and marketing extraordinaire currently thriving in Canada.
Shay specializes in developmental editing and substantive line editing of fantasy and genre fiction. She is also a fantasy writer, a plant lover, a cat mom, and a cozy game enthusiast.
If you have a manuscript prepped and ready to shatter some hearts, feel free to reach out!
For more from Shay, follow her on Instagram @vineandparchment.