What is a writer brand (and why every writer already has one)?
Why your brand exists, even if you’ve never thought about it.
➡️ Join the waitlist for Writer Brand Lab and build the kind of writer brand that readers remember, trust, and choose to support. Register your interest now. ✍️
Do you have a favourite writer? Or favourite brand? Or a combination of both?
When I sat down to write this piece, I asked myself those questions. I thought arriving at the answer would take a split second.
But, surprisingly, that didn’t happen.
I couldn’t immediately put my finger on any one particular favourite writer of mine, or why they’re my favourite (beyond Stephen King, maybe, but he’s a bit of an exception).
And it’s not because there aren’t a ton of writers and creators out there whose work I really like, and who I really admire as people. There 100% are. Many of them are good friends now.
I think I couldn’t immediately identify those writers in my mind because I couldn’t immediately articulate why I’m so drawn to them and what they do. And I believe that’s because properly defining the reasons behind that often-magnetic draw is more difficult than we think.
The reasons themselves aren’t always apparent; they’re harder to articulate.
The umbrella term encompassing all those reasons isn’t hard to pinpoint though. You’ll have heard it before. I never shut up about it.
We’re drawn to particular people in the creative industry because each of them has a strong, tangible, magnetic writer brand.
The big question
So what exactly is a writer brand?
I think it’s the sum of how people see you as a writer.
It’s the way your voice, your values, and your vision come together to shape a reader’s experience. It’s what makes someone think, “I want more from this person”, instead of scrolling right past their posts or articles.
I have a constant stream of email newsletters and publication posts flowing into my inbox every week. I read (or at least skim) the vast majority of them, just to see what catches my eye.
But there are some writers whose work I never skip, and rarely skim. I set time aside to read their words carefully. I’ll purposefully allocate less time to other creators in order to ensure I have enough time for my favourite creators.
Why? Because I feel like I’ve connected with them as people, not just as writers, or podcasters, or YouTubers. I feel like I know them on some level. Like I’d enjoy having an IRL conversation with them.
If you’ve ever had a reader buy your second book because they loved the first, or sign up for your Substack because they wanted to stay close to your ideas, you’ve already seen branding at work.
That’s the point at which it shifts from being something intangible to being something members of your audience can taste, and feel. Something they inherently understand.
And believe it or not, you already have a brand as well - even if you’ve never put conscious effort into shaping it.
Why does a writer brand matter?
When your brand isn’t clear, readers don’t know how to connect with you.
They might enjoy one piece of writing but fail to see why they should stick around.
When your brand is clear, it creates trust. It gives readers a reason to follow you across platforms, to recommend you to friends, and yes… to pay for your work.
And here’s the part many writers miss: your brand doesn’t only belong to you. It lives in the space between you and your readers.
Which means it gets stronger the more you build it in the midst of a community.
Community, as always, is key.
Understanding your writer brand
Think of your writer brand as three connected pieces:
Your voice: How do you sound? What words, tone, and rhythms make your writing unmistakably yours?
Your values: What do you stand for? Which themes, causes, or perspectives consistently show up in your work?
Your vision: Where are you going? What kind of legacy or long-term impact do you want your writing to have?
When these three align, your brand feels natural.
You don’t have to perform or force it. Readers recognise you because you’re consistent, and that consistency builds trust.
For example, I’m pretty open about what my day-to-day life looks like. I post silly photos of my dogs, or walks I’ve been on. I talk about movies I’ve watched. I gripe about football. I share what I’m learning as a writer and creator.
Every time I show up in my online community in that way, I add another brick to the Trust House I’m building. Every human moment I share nurtures trust and connection.
I’m not saying you have to be super open about your personal life, or share a million selfies, or try to force anything at all. You just have to be where your audience are, and spend time with them, and give them the chance to know you as a person.
That’s how you build your writer brand.
The role of community
Most writers try to figure this out alone. But the truth is, it’s hard to see your brand from the inside.
When you share your bio, tagline, or content plan with others in a supportive group, you get immediate feedback. What feels fuzzy to you suddenly clicks when someone reflects back what they see. That’s why community is the fastest way to refine your brand - it’s like holding up a mirror that shows you the version of yourself your readers already love.
I ran a trial version of my group cohort Writer Brand Lab in July and got to see that process played out time and again in every session. It’s amazing what happens when creatives gather together and bounce ideas.
If writer branding is the meat and potatoes, community is the gravy that turns it all into a delicious, hearty meal.
(And now you are hungry).
The writer branding transformation
Understanding what a writer brand really is changes how you show up.
You stop feeling scattered. You know who you’re writing for and why. You see the bigger picture of how your content, your books, and your online presence all connect.
That’s the foundation. Once you see it, you can grow it into trust, into community, and into income.
If you’re ready to shape your own writer brand with clarity and support, that’s exactly what we do inside Writer Brand Lab. It’s where you’ll define your brand, learn how to build trust, and start transforming your words into income.
Because, my friend, your brand is already out there. It exists.
The question is simply whether or not it’s working for you.
➡️ Writer Brand Lab launches in September. Join the waitlist now.
What you say is perfect and totally true. But is it actually possible create a brand to get to people and be authentic at the same time?