Building My Brand . . . Or Being Me?

One of the difficult things about being a writer is putting yourself “out there.” Shortly after I started going to writing conferences, I realized that I was hearing one word over and over. Branding. Agents. Editors. Publicists. Everyone talked about the importance of building your brand. I’ve struggled with that. I mean, what is my brand? What is it about my writing that appeals to people?

Then it occurred to me – I am my brand. My brand is me. If you’re struggling with capturing your brand, take a minute and write down who you are, what interests you, what you do. Here’s a partial list for me to get you started:

Animal lover (especially dogs, cats, horses, turtles . . . )
Drive a Jeep (lifted, big tires)
Paralegal
Empty nester
Crocheter
Papercrafter
Scrapbooker
Shoot guns (I prefer my Browning semi-automatic pistol)
Love watching old TV (especially Star Trek, Wonder Woman, Batman, and recently discovered Dean Martin movies)

The idea behind this is to recognize that you have lots of interests, and a lot of things in common with your readers. Chances are, your interests will come through in your writing. For example, I’ve always loved horses . . . and my first book, Denim & Diamonds, is set on a horse ranch. Your readers won’t connect with a single book you write – they will connect with you.

Share with us in the comments below – what are 5 words/phrases that describe you?