What Is Author Branding?

And Do You Need It?

Branding. Is this one of those things we need to worry about? Short answer is no. Longer answer – maybe.

Because I think the term is the issue. The word “branding” is derived from the use of marks to distinguish property (like cows in one’s herd, and yes, as a Montanan I’ve been to a cow branding, and hated it for all the reasons you can think of).

But branding has also come to mean an overall “style” that marks or defines a particular business. “Style” suggests something more subtle.

This could mean you, as an author, have a particular writing style/genre/audience. If we look at it that way, or take it to the next level of your author “theme”, then it becomes more relevant, right?

As in, if you’re a romance author, your “style” may lean in to the color pink, to images of hearts, to floral motifs. If you’re promoting your work, you’d likely want to use those images/motifs to project the right idea to reach the right reader.

A Little Personal Branding Story

As some of you know, I’m marching into the world of self-publishing, primarily in order to bring my out-of-print books back to life. But also because I find it interesting and challenging and I like being in control of my entire author life.

As I uploaded my first manuscript into Vellum (which formats the book on Mac for upload to any platform) I saw a space for a “publisher’s logo”, and I didn’t have one.

And then I realized…I’m the publisher now. I need a publishing name. I might even want a logo.

Then I had a dream. Yes, dear reader, I woke up with a very clear memory of this dream. I was in a dark wood, and an owl perched on a branch right in front of me and it said (come on, it was a dream), “OwlFox Press. Owl for One Woman’s Legacy.”

One should never question a dream, especially a dream with a talking owl.

I connected with the wonderful designer who created my website a few years back and the colors, images, and branding I now use. I asked her to design a logo and some other useable imagery for OwlFox Press, which you can see here. (Isn’t it beautiful?)

Does This Branding Thing Matter?

If you are just starting out on your writing journey what might matter about branding is to think of yourself as someone who has a personal theme. How do you define your body of work?

Even if you’ve only written one book, is there something about that book that speaks to your view of the world? Some theme? Some message?

Think of authors who truly rise to the top: Nora Roberts; Stephen King; Rick Riordan; Shannon Messenger…I could go on, but you can see their books clearly, yes? They have a particular look, to appeal to readers who will read their books no matter what. That’s branding. They’ve defined themselves, their personal and professional themes, and so their books.

For me, the idea of recreating my books that are out of print is to create my legacy. No one else can ever take them out of print again – I’m in control, even after I’m gone. It’s a powerful feeling, and the owl and the fox represent that for me.

Power in nature. Power over dark. And all the things that owls and foxes subtly and thematically represent: wisdom; craftiness; survival.

So, rather than branding…what’s your theme?

PS: Want to know more about my courses on writing for children and young adults? Check out this short video.