by Jenny Hansen

Last month, I talked about "the How and Why of a Strong Author Brand," and the comments were amazing. So many of you said, "I've been meaning to do this for ages!" This month's post is for any of you who felt like the Mysterious Branding Forest was just way too confusing to navigate based on that big picture overview.

This post divides your questions into seven distinct areas. You're invited to do them all at once, or (even better) to divide them up and do one every week. This would mean you'd have a much stronger author brand by the end of the summer. How awesome would that be?!!

7 Types of Branding Questions

Remember: Your brand is what builds recognition, loyalty, and trust.

Without those three emotions, no one will be moved to spend time or money on your stories. Marketing is largely a waste of your time and money if you don't build it around a strong, consistent author brand.

Taking the time and energy to build your brand thoughtfully is a love letter to your readers.

The 7 Question Groups

Below is what it would look like if you divided the groups into weekly tasks:

• Week 1: Core Identity and Voice
• Week 2: Mission, Message and Impact
• Week 3: Audience Clarity
• Week 4: Style, Aesthetic and Vibe
• Week 5: No-Cringe Marketing
• Week 6: Positioning and Differentiation
• Week 7: Bonus: Brand Personality Deep Dive

Let's go-o-o-o-o!

Your "Quick Guide to Author Branding"

This guide is for indie authors and solopreneurs who want to build a strong brand, but don't really know where to start. These questions are designed for writers looking to define a clear, authentic author brand without sounding salesy or sleazy, or (even worse) desperate or fake.

These 30+ questions are meant to keep you on track, especially if you decide to do a "branding extravaganza" this summer.

I've grouped these prompts into themed sections, mostly so none of you get too tired out. Maybe it's my ADD talking, but I need to break big projects into small pieces if I want to finish them.

Core Identity & Voice

This is the heart of everything about your author brand. What you write is a reflection of who you are. And most of us have an emotional impact that we wish to make on our readers. Keep in mind that most readers just want to be entertained, or have their heartstrings tugged.

Some questions:

• What kind of stories (or knowledge) do I feel most compelled to share?
• What topics, themes, or values keep showing up in my writing?
• What emotional experience do I want readers to have during or after reading my work?
• If my writing voice were a personality at a dinner party, who would it be?
• What 3 adjectives do I want people to use when they describe me or my books?

Mission, Message & Impact

Many writers have a message, whether it's personal or social or emotional. And if you do have a mission that is central to your life and you want to bring it into your writing, then do it. But do it with the knowledge that you are self-selecting (and narrowing down) your audience to readers who also hold that mission dear.

Note: I recommend that you keep political messages out of your brand, unless your brand is politics or unless that is a mission that is deeply entwined in your entire online platform. Politics can be a polarizing topic, and you don't want to drive away readers over something that's easy to leave off the pages.

Some questions:

• What do I want to be known for, beyond just book titles?
• Why do I write? Is there a personal or global problem I am trying to help solve?
• What transformation do I want to create for my readers?
• How do I want people to feel after interacting with my brand (not just my books)?
• What message would I put on a billboard (for free) to attract my readers?

Audience Clarity

This is a hard puzzle piece for most authors to define. If you're established and you know this answer already...awesome. But for a newer writer, this particular section of questions is going to take some extensive thought and research, and probably a LOT of asking around.

Some questions:

• Who is my ideal reader? What are their demographics, worldview, humor, hopes?
• What are they frustrated by or searching for? Why might they be attracted to me because of this?
• What inside joke, quote, or reference would make them instantly feel seen?
• Where are they hanging out online—and how can I show up as myself there?
• What t-shirt could I design that my reader would proudly wear? Is there a mantra, slogan, or photo on it (and what is it)?

Style, Aesthetic & Vibe

This is your "gimme" section. You know what you like, and you should absolutely share what you like with your readers. They'll feel your authenticity and love you all the more for it.

An example that applies to the third question below: I am a Gen Xer who grew up in the 70s and 80s. If a disco song comes on anywhere, I start dancing. Can't help it. It's part of my vibe.

Some questions:

• What visual style or color palette reflects my writing tone?
• If my brand were a season, what would it be—and why?
• What music, movies, or cultural references feel like part of my brand DNA?
• What type of book covers, merch, or graphics naturally fit my voice?
• If I had to distill my brand into one Instagram carousel post, what would it say?

No-Cringe Marketing

Most writers hate marketing. Like in the neighborhood of 80-90% of writers at least dislike marketing, if I were to take a guess.

But what if your marketing didn't feel like marketing? What if your marketing was just hanging out with your pals who liked the same stuff you do? And what if you shared some of the same stories you would tell your friends over coffee? Wouldn't it be fantastic if those stories made your readers laugh too?

Some questions:

• What’s a fun or weird way I can connect with readers without selling?
• How can I give readers a taste of my world before they buy a book?
• What kind of behind-the-scenes or “real talk” content could build trust?
• What’s a recurring content theme I’d actually enjoy posting about regularly?
• What email or post has gotten the most unexpected love from readers?

Positioning & Differentiation

Just so you know, it's okay if your genre and positioning is the same as someone else's. People like familiar things, whether it's people, music, books, or movies. But your differentiation focuses on the things that are unique to you.

Three examples:

1. Maybe you grew up in a small town and you now like to set books there?
2. What if you were adopted, and "found family" is a theme for you?
3. Perhaps you're an 80's kid, and you wish you saw more books with characters and cultural references from that decade. Write that book!

The more you do the things YOU like, the more you will find an audience that loves your books. Every single one of us is a product of our times, whether we've evolved or not. Have fun with this part!

Some questions:

• What do I offer that’s hard to find elsewhere in my genre or niche?
• What non-writing skills or quirks make me more relatable or memorable?
• How does my life story or path to writing help shape my author identity?
• If a reader had to choose between me and 10 other authors, why me?
• What do readers or friends say is “so you” when they describe your brand?

Bonus questions (Because you deserve some EXTRA)

• If my brand had a mascot, theme song, or tagline, what would it be?
• What pop culture reference or metaphor perfectly sums up my author vibe?
• What “hot take” do I have about writing or publishing that sets me apart?
• What story would I share on a podcast to win over new fans instantly?
• If my brand were a drink, would it be a cocktail, a coffee, or something else? What’s in it?

Final Thought

At the end of the day, thinking about branding is deciding how you want to show up in the world. Is it scary to be "seen?" Sometimes. But is it worth it if it puts your books in the hands of more readers? I say YES.

A thousand times YES.

* * * * * *

About Jenny

By day, Jenny Hansen provides brand storytelling, LinkedIn coaching, and copywriting for accountants and financial services firms. By night, she writes humor, memoir, women’s fiction, and short stories. After 20+ years as a corporate trainer, she’s delighted to sit down while she works.

Find Jenny here at Writers In the Storm, or online on Facebook or Instagram.

Top featured photo created in Canva.