Crafting Your Author Brand: An In-Depth Guide
Develop your online brand sooner rather than later.
As a writer, you may have heard the term "author brand" before. But what exactly does it mean, and why is it important?
In this guide, we'll break down the different pieces of an author brand, how long it takes to set up, and provide tips on creating a successful author brand that will help you stand out in the crowded world of publishing.
What is an Author Brand?
An author brand is the image and reputation you create for yourself as a writer. It's how readers perceive you and your work, and it's what sets you apart from other writers. Your author brand should be authentic and unique to you, and it should reflect your values and writing style.
When to Create Your Brand
It's never too early for a writer to start creating their author brand. Even if you're just starting and haven't published anything yet, it's important to begin thinking about your brand and what you want it to represent.
Developing your brand takes time and effort, so the earlier you start, the better. By creating a strong author brand from the beginning, you can build a loyal following of readers who are invested in your work and are more likely to support you throughout your writing career.
Pieces of an Author Brand You Need to Develop
Your author brand is made up of several different pieces, and it's important to develop each of them to create a cohesive and effective brand. Here are some of the key pieces of an author brand:
Your Writing Voice: This is your unique writing style, and it's what sets you apart from other writers. Whether you write in a specific genre or have a distinct way of storytelling, your writing voice should be consistent across all your work.
Your Author Bio: Your author bio is your chance to introduce yourself to readers and give them a sense of who you are. It should be short and sweet, but it should also capture your personality and writing style.
Your Book Covers: Your book covers are the first thing readers will see, so they need to be eye-catching and reflective of your brand. Whether you choose to design them yourself or hire a professional, your book covers should be consistent in style and tone.
Your Online Presence: Your online presence includes your website, social media profiles, and any other platforms where readers can find you. Your online presence should be consistent with your author brand, using the same colors, fonts, and imagery.
Your Online Brand
Having an online presence as a writer is extremely important. The sooner you can build and consistently contribute to your brand online, the more interest you can build before your first book is ever even published. Plus, having an online brand before you publish allows you to network with other writers, find beta readers, and be able to market your book (when it’s published) to an existing audience instead of having to build an audience from scratch after your book is released.
Start your author brand simply with a website and social media:
Author Website
Your website is the hub of your author brand, and it's where readers can go to learn more about you and your work. Your website should be visually appealing, easy to navigate, and provide all the information readers need to connect with you and your writing. Some key elements of a successful author website include:
Website Hosting
My two preferred hosts to set up a website are WordPress and Squarespace. Both provide website templates you can use, as well as widgets, and other add-ons you can install to customize your site. Plus, they are user-friendly to maintain. If you aren’t tech-savvy, we recommend getting help to set up your website.
The URL
We recommend using your name as your website URL. Whether you’re publishing under your real name or using a pen name, you’ll want the SEO of your website tied to your name. If your name is already taken as a URL, you can add “writer” or “books” or other similar words to your URL to find one that’s available. You can also include your middle initial if you need to.
Here are a few examples:
MorganMatthews.com
MorganMatthewsWrites.com
MorganMatthewsWriter.com
MorganMatthewsBooks.com
MorganLMatthews.com
MorganLMatthewsBooks.com
MorganLMatthewsWrites.com
MorganWrites.com
MorgansBooks.com
An About Page
Once you have your website set up, you’ll be ready to create public pages. The first page to create will be your “About Page.” This should be a brief bio that introduces you to readers and provides some background on your writing. You’ll also want to link to your social media profiles, so people will know where to find you.
A Books Page
If you’ve already published a book (or books), you’ll want to have a “Books” page set up. This should include information on all your published books, including book covers, descriptions, and links to purchase. If you haven’t published a book yet, that’s no problem. You can either ignore this page set up for now, or you can create it and add “Coming Soon” to the page.
A Blog
A blog is a great way to connect with readers and provide them with extra content related to your writing. Set a publishing schedule, so your readers begin to understand your cadence. This will keep them regularly coming back looking for information and updates from you.
Social Media for Your Author Brand
Social media is another important piece of your author brand, and it's a great way to connect with readers and promote your work.
For profile names, stay consistent with your website name. This helps people know how to find you on the internet. We recommend checking social media websites and URL availability at the same time. This ensures you find the same naming convention you can use across all of your platforms.
For instance, if your website URL is MorganMatthewsWrites.com. I would also use MorganMatthewsWrites as my username for Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and any other social media platforms I decide to use.
Some key social media platforms for writers include:
X (formerly Twitter): This platform is great for connecting with other writers and readers, sharing writing tips, and promoting your work.
Facebook: Facebook is a good platform for connecting with readers and promoting your books through targeted ads.
Instagram: Instagram is a visual platform that's great for sharing book covers, behind-the-scenes glimpses into your writing process, and connecting with readers.
TikTok: TikTok's short-form video format allows writers to uniquely showcase their creativity and writing skills, making it a great platform for writers to reach new audiences and gain exposure.
How Long to Expect to Set Up Your Author Brand
Creating a successful author brand takes time and effort, and it's not something that can be done overnight. Depending on how much time you can dedicate to it, it could take several weeks or even months to develop all the pieces of your author brand. It’s important, however, to remember that building a strong author brand is a long-term investment in your writing career.
6 Tips on How to Create a Successful Author Brand
Now that you know the key pieces of an author brand, here are some tips on how to create a successful one:
Be authentic: Your author brand should reflect who you are as a writer and a person. Don't try to be someone you're not.
Define your niche: What sets you apart from other writers? Define your niche and make sure your author brand reflects it.
Be consistent: Your author brand should be consistent across all platforms, from your website to your social media profiles.
Engage with readers: Connect with readers on social media, respond to comments and emails, and show them that you value their support.
Provide value: Whether it's through your writing or your blog, make sure you're providing value to your readers.
Be patient: Building a successful author brand takes time, so be patient and keep working at it.
Final Thoughts
Creating a successful author brand is an important part of building a writing career. By defining your niche, being authentic and consistent, engaging with readers, and providing value, you can create a brand that sets you apart and helps you achieve your writing goals.