So, how do you create your own brand as a writer? Well, it’s actually easier than you think. You see, your brand is essentially your trademark as a writer... it’s a promise of what your audience will  experience when they read and watch your content. 

Like it or not, everyone has a brand by just being a person! What do people say when they look at you? Are you naturally goofy? Romantic? Maybe series or always professional? When you realize who you are, your brand will naturally flow from that space. 

Brand can also coincide with  recognition. When you think of Tyler Perry, his character, Madea, naturally follows. When you think of Kerry Washington, a professional “Save the world Olivia Pope” pop’s in your head, right? Well, so it is as you... the writer! What do you want your audience to recall when they think of your work? Feel good rom-coms? What about sci-fi masterpieces? Or maybe a mix of both? Figure that out and you’ll be on the right track.  

So, what’s the first thing you want to do to build your brand?

 Well, number one: IDENTIFY YOUR AUDIENCE. 

Who will align best with what you’re writing? Who are you mostly marketing to? This might take some time and intentional thinking to really hone in on your audience. Are you mostly writing about the highs and lows about being a dad? If you are, then your audience would most likely be parents. Do you love writing about teen dramas and the adventures of high school? Then you guessed it, your audience would align with that age group. Knowing your audience goes back to knowing yourself. When you are being authentic to yourself, then your work will show that. 

Number two: BE CONSISTENT. 

The key to creating your brand as a writer is to choose a path and stick with that path. If you are a drama writer with sports undertones, it would be jarring to suddenly write a horror film.  If you mainly write biopic thrillers, it would be inconsistent to then write a romance movie with all the gushy kissing scenes. You get the picture, right? While it’s okay to be a writer who likes different genres, when it comes to your brand - you want to make sure people understand in a nutshell who you are in its most simplistic form. 

Number three: FIND YOUR SPARK! 

The key to thriving in this industry and creating your brand as a whole is to know your why! Why are you a writer? What stories really speak to your soul? When you as a writer are speaking about your project to industry professionals - having a WHY makes you stand out. Your story gives other people a reason to want to read your screenplay or pilot. Do you love writing comedies because you and your dad had a standing movie night as a kid? Are you a sucker for bio-pic’s because you’re a people person and enjoy capturing real-life stories yourself? When you figure out your spark, your brand will have more depth and clarity and will give you more confidence to write.  

Now, here are some take-a-ways when creating your own brand: As the great Dwayne Johnson once said, “My reputation precedes me now.” And he’s right! Your brand is your reputation! Your reputation is what you are advertising to the world, so make sure it’s something you’re proud of. 

Another take-a-way: Don’t be afraid to market yourself! Even if you haven’t sold a screenplay yet or have yet to even write one - that doesn’t mean you can’t market yourself! The first thing you can do is to create a website!  When you create a website, it gives people a chance to see your authentic self and offers insight to the kind of writing you can provide. 

Creating a website is the place where you can show people sample scripts, short films, awards you’ve gotten or at the very least, a bio of who you are and what they should look out for in the future. 

This creates a stronger bond with connections you meet while networking and it gives them a place of reference when they want to hire you for a potential project in the future. 

The very last take-a-way is to call yourself a screenwriter.  I know, I know... you technically haven’t sold anything yet. That’s okay! If you’ve written a script, then congratulations... you’re a writer and it’s okay to say that out loud.  Many times, we downplay ourselves because we don’t think we deserve a title. However, if you don’t believe you’re a screenwriter, chances are, others won’t either. You have to believe in yourself. Believe in your writing and believe that one day you will sell your amazing screenplay. 

Congrats! You made it to the end of this video. Today we learned about the art of creating your brand. I hope you learned something today. If you want to help us, please leave a comment on what videos you’d like to see next and make sure to like, share and subscribe for more videos like these! And remember, knowledge is power… the more you know, the better you’ll be. Peace.