| ARTICLE BRANDING What does branding mean to a writer? It means people know what to expect when they see your name. When you shop for books, do you look for new authors you've never heard of? Do you really want to give your hard-earned money to someone you know nothing about? I doubt it. Don't
feel guilty. They aren't interested in buying your book either. Why? Because they don't know you. For writers, your brand is usually your name. Unless you write something like Harry Potter. Then the series becomes your main brand, and your name is secondary. Your platform is what you are known for. It's what you stand on, what raises you above the crowd and makes you stand out. It's the thing that makes you different. For most writers, your books are the platform, and your name is the brand. The stronger your platform is, the higher you (your brand) will rise above the crowd. So the biggest part of branding is creating, building, and strengthening your platform. Kleenex is a brand. The company makes many products, but their best-known product is tissues. When someone says "tissue", don't you think "Kleenex"? There are hundreds of companies who make tissues. But Kleenex branded their name on the US. Many people don't even say tissue, they just say Kleenex. Building a platform takes time. But you can start immediately to build your brand. Then, when you get your platform together, you will already have something to put on it. Stephen King, Ann Rice, Dean Koontz, Janet Evanovich, Danielle Steele, Barbara Cartland…all are writers with a strong brand and a clearly defined platform. Many of their fans will buy their new book without question. The brand is on it, it's a sale. They aren't afraid to spend their money, because they know they're going to get what they want. If you are going to use a pen name, then that becomes your brand. And you will need to build a platform under that name. Sometimes, a brand can limit you. In that case, you usually have to create a second brand, and build a platform for it too. Stephen King – Richard Bachman. Nora Roberts – J. D. Robb. Once the second brand can stand on it's own, then you can safely let it be known that both brands belong to you. But by keeping them separate, you make sure your readers get what they expect when they pick up your books. The last thing you want to do is disappoint your fans. That can bring a
quick end to your career. Who are you? That's your brand. What do you do? That's your platform. So get branded! Build your platform. And find the success you're looking for. BIO: Audrey Shaffer has two brands. Audrey Shaffer Enterprises: Business consulting, accounting, website development, marketing and business writing. You may have heard of her other brand. The Writer's Chatroom: Bringing Readers and Writers Together. | 
