Tag Archives | branding

Friday 5 – Tough questions about “brand” for you to answer.

By on September 30, 2011 in Friday 5, publishing industry, social media

I’ve seen lots of posts on branding. Everything from it’s a must to just be yourself. I’ve seen many different ways to go about it, the strict brands of paranormal romance, horror, classic middle grade, dystopian; to it being more about great writing.

Here are five questions swirling around in the gray matter of my brain. Pick one and answer in the comments.

1. Do you believe a writer can create a true brand before they even have a book or two out? Do you think about brand before you start a story?

2. Do you think brand equals genre you write in?

3. How many of you find the idea of a brand a bit constricting? Or do you not worry about it at all?

4. Have you ever been upset with an author that wrote a different story from what you were expecting? And did you get over it?

5. Do you think creating a brand is a make or break thing for a writer? Do you think an author can brand their career to a certain death when the trends change?

Share your thoughts. Curious minds want to know.

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Marketing lessons from dear ole Santa.

By on December 13, 2010 in social media

Marketing lessons from the guy in the red suit.

1. Santa knows his brand and sticks to it. He doesn’t try to lose weight, even when tempted by the latest Zumba dvds. Because he knows the big ole belly is part of his image. And he never contemplates getting a mohawk or shaving his beard.

2. When kids complain about their presents, or forget about the presents he worked so hard to build, he doesn’t write a blog post complaining about it.

3. He doesn’t reveal his secrets, so there is always an air of mystery.

4. He knows his target audience. When people stop believing, at whatever age, he doesn’t try to convince them otherwise.

5. He knows branding takes time. After all, he spent thousands of years building it.

6. Once he created his brand, he didn’t stray from it. Winter is his thing. He doesn’t try and take over summer or spring or go Hawaiian or anything like that.

7. He didn’t go solo. He recruited a team: Mrs. Santa, Rudolph, the elves – and then helped promote them too.

8. He didn’t make the whole Santa thing about him. He made it about others and giving, thus incorporating his audience.

9. He never lets marketing take the place of making good solid toys.

10. After creating his image and product, he didn’t spread himself too thin by tweeting about the cold weather or the icicles that form on his beard.

11. He never has negative ad campaigns against other toy makers, thus perpetuating his image of kindness.

Any other Santa tips? Please, share.

Comments { 28 }

You are not a real writer until…

By on July 9, 2010 in Random

Yeah, you can write a million words or read a thousand books in your genre but you’re still not a real writer.

You can read The Art of Fiction, The Art of War, and the hundreds of craft books out there dedicated to the topic of the three act structure, but you’re still not a real writer.

You can write a novel and revise a novel, but you’re still not a real writer.

You can query agents and receive your first rejections, but you’re still not a real writer.

You can even read Stephen King’s, On Writing, but no, you’re still not a real writer.

You can memorize Strunk n White’s style guide, but nope, not yet. You’re not quite there.

You can twitter and blog as if your life depends on it, but you’re not a writer, not yet.

So, you must wonder what in the blogosphere makes you a real writer? I’ll let you know. After hours of researching blogs, I’ve discovered the elemental truth, my dear friends.

I’ve finally found the secret…

It’s branding your candy.

Yup. What is it that you snack on while the butt is in the chair and the keyboard’s clacking? Cheap chocolate? Twizzlers anyone? Kit Kat bars?

I’ve been giving this some serious thought. If you are experiencing writer’s block. If you can barely muster the mental strength to flip the computer on and click on your document. If you haven’t landed an agent yet…maybe it’s because you haven’t connected with the right kind of candy.

And just like the whole “branding” thing, you need to claim your candy and let the world know. Just think about it, people are wandering in the grocery aisle, see your candy, and then have the sudden urge to go to the book store and buy your book.

So do you really eat candy/chocolate all day? Or is that just one big misconception out there. You know, a blogging/twitter thing.

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