Build your writer’s brand/ reputation so they know who you are

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You’re a freelance writer. To make freelance writing a profitable career, you must build your brand/ name/ reputation.

I’ve had several questions this week about WHY you should build your brand (your reputation/ name/ platform).

The short answer is: when people know your name, they take notice. Your queries to print publications and book publishers will be read. Your queries and proposals may not all be purchased, but editors won’t ignore you. You’ll also be paid more, because you’re a NAME - you’re a known quantity.

With editors receiving thousands of queries a month, you need to get known, otherwise your proposals will not be read: that’s the reality.

It takes time to build your brand - lots of time

Brand/ name/ reputation building doesn’t happen overnight. One book, a series of articles, a Web site etc won’t do it. I’ve heard it said that it takes five to seven years to build a reputation - maybe. Maybe longer.

Brand-building is constant. It should always be in the back of your mind.

Consider celebrities. A magazine cover, or a story on the front page of a newspaper helps build their brand. This is why celebrities hire PR staff: to keep their name in the public eye, preferably on the front page. A few front page stories, and they become a brand, and a brand SELLS.

You don’t have to be as gung-ho as an actor or singer in building your brand, but on the other hand, it couldn’t hurt.

Why not a business/ company name for a freelance writer?

Many writers want to hide under a business name. That’s fine, if you’re building a business in order to sell it. It’s a great business move. But if you’re a solo writer, and have no intention of selling your business at some stage, there’s no point in trying to brand a company name.

Over time, you may change what you write, so that a particular business name is no longer appropriate. You’ve just wasted an awful lot of time in branding something that wasn’t worth the effort.

Brand your name - get your name visible, in any way you can. It’s not easy. Here’s what someone said: “I’m a little disappointed that people are fairly shortsighted about building reputation online. It took my blog five years to get to where it is.”

Everything takes time. So build a Web site, create a blog, write for minor publications and publishers just for the credits: over time, the value of branding will become apparent to you.

Technorati Tags: freelance writing, writer, brand, branding, reputation, name, platform