Branding for Writers

Discover Your Author’s Brand

April 27, 2013

Branding is a simple concept. For an author, in a nutshell, it’s what people expect when they hear your name attached to a book (or story). If you think of the name Mark Twain, or Stephen King, or Toni Morrison, or J.R.R. Tolkien . . . many things likely pop into your head. For me,…

Branding for Writers – Beginning Principles

September 18, 2012

By PhilipMartin

Here’s a simple concept: You and your literary work are a brand. An older term was identity. Now, brand is a newer, broader term to talk about the perceived, implicit promise of what your writing will deliver to a consumer of it. Stephen King is a brand. His brand: thriller writer, author of familiar dark-fantasy…

Art of the Self-Interview – Web Marketing for Book Authors

June 18, 2009

By PhilipMartin

If you’re a book author, a great feature for your professional website is an author interview. Surprisingly, one of the best approaches is a self-interview. At first glance, this might seem immodest or an inferior version of a “real” interview with an outside journalist. But done well, it can be as good . . .…

Blogs for Writers: Simple Thank-You Posts

February 24, 2009

By PhilipMartin

(This is part of a mini-series for writers, with marketing value to almost any small business. For related posts, click here: “blogging for writers.”) In the last post, I talked about the benefits of a low-key, minimalist blog: one that functions as a mini-website, an online business card or directory listing. You post your contact…

Oh, The Places My Brand Will Go!

August 29, 2008

By PhilipMartin

I’ve been reading several biographies of the peerless Dr. Seuss, and realized how gifted he was . . . not just in the field of children’s literature but also as a practitioner of personal branding for writers. If you’re like me, you grew up with Green Eggs and Ham, Hop on Pop, The Cat in…

Mark Twain and Personal Branding

June 1, 2008

By PhilipMartin

“Earn a character first if you can, and if you can’t, then assume one.” – Mark Twain (pen name of Samuel Clemens) Samuel Clemens, writing as Mark Twain, was one of the first American writers to become a national celebrity. Clemens recognized and practiced many of the features of personal branding: He wrote in a…

Blue Zoo Writers – Online Learning Center

Branding for Writers

Discover Your Author’s Brand