FINDING MY BRAND (With A Little Help From My Friends)

This week, Penny Sansevieri, author of Red Hot Internet Publicity had a great post on author branding.

Branding is something I've thought a lot about in the last year. I'd like to think I'm making some progress from the days of "designing" my own website, printing out my own bookmarks, and changing my blog template on a regular basis.

One of the areas that Penny emphasizes it that of Consistent Marketing Materials.

Thanks to the fantabulous Nathan Clement (graphic designer, author, picture book illustrator) for help in this department!

Here are a few of the items he designed for me.

Nathan and I began with the "center of the universe" as Penny calls it - a website that reflects my style.  And since I'm a history writer who tends to wax a wee bit nostalgic, I went for the old fashioned photo album look. I knew I wanted some movement on the home page so Nathan came up with the signature that writes before your eyes.

When we moved on to the bookmark, Nathan incorporated the signature into it as well.  I like that!

If you read Blue and its sequel, Comfort, you know that wisteria is a symbol in both novels. I love how, on my website, Nathan included a sprig of it in a blue bottle (also a symbol from the books).  He incorporated a stylized version of the wisteria vine on the website and as an overlay on the postcard below.

For Healing Water, Nathan used the same floral overlay technique as on the postcard for Blue and Comfort.With hibiscus, of course!

Of course I also wanted this blog header to connect to the look of my website and other materials. The incredibly savvy photographer, Johnna Brynn offerred to do that in exchange for publicity I gave to one of her projects.  Nathan sent her a screen shot of the webdesign and Johnna adapted it.  I love what she did with it!

My next project is a bookplate and maybe a brand new business card too.  Because after all, I'm still using one that I designed.  Penny Sansevieri would not be impressed!

TO ENDORSE OR NOT?

Right in the middle of thinking about my author brand, I got a request from a writer friend to read her manuscript and write a blurb/endorsement.

I met Selene a few years ago. It was obvious from the get-go that we probably write very different kinds of things. Well maybe not. After all, we met at a history writing retreat!

Selene and I connected during that week and although we haven't seen each other since, we occasionally swap emails. We affectionately refer to each other as Little Sis and Big Sis. (Yes, I'm the big one!)

Naturally I wanted to write the endorsement for her. So I emailed back. "Sure, send it."

Then I started reading. This one is not a middle school history manuscript. It's young adult fiction. Contemporary. With a little edge.

I am not so edgy. (Although I could name some people who think I've gone over the edge!) I tend to write the sort of books that elementary school teachers and cautious homeschool moms feel safe with.

Which brings up my dilemma. I've connected with lots of librarians, teachers, and students over the last several years. I have an ongoing relationship with some of them. I'm not sure what they'd say if I asked them to identify my brand but I have a feeling they'd assume that any book I write or recommend would be safe for fourth graders.

Selene's book is marvelous really. I love the quirky setting, the unique characters, the story line. And the voice. Oh, the voice. Selene has it! Her character has it!

The writing is really good. But the language gets strong. And the situation gets -hmmm what is the word? Gritty, maybe. And sexual too (although certainly not gratuitiously so). This is a book that struggles with deep emotional pain, self-loathing, and healing that comes through authentic friendship. It is a profound and highly readable story!

But when it comes to blurbing it, I think about the whole image thing and what responsibility I have to my readers. People come to expect certain kinds of books from a particular author. They don't necessarily like unexpected surprises.

I wonder if this bleeds over into endorsements. Might elementary and middle school librarians buy a book because I blurbed it? And might they end up with angry parents insisting it come off the shelves? How would I feel if some child who wasn't ready for the book, picked it up because I recommended it?

I've pretty much already declined blurbing the book for Selene.

But, I'm interested in your feedback. If you're a librarian, a parent, a student, fellow writer, or any sort of living breathing human being - what do you think?

WHAT'S MY BRAND?

I love this garden statue. Her name is Elsie. But she feels like she's me - reading in all sorts of circumstances.

I've been thinking about my author brand. What do I want the reader to think of when my name comes up?

I have image options that grow out of my books - wisteria, tear bottles, blue bottles, a little dog named Polio Pete, - all symbols connected to my stories. Basically all sorts of sad, sad things. But ultimately I think it all comes to down to one word - history.

It's conceivable that I could write a contemporary novel which would not fit a history brand. But it's unlikely. I expect all my books to have a history component.

So, as I explore options for a new website, bookmarks, blog banner, etc. I think that somehow history has to figure into the logo.

I have some ideas. Maybe too many. Maybe not enough. I could use some help with focus. I am glad to have a capable designer working on the project. And a technician too.

Surely between us, we can get me unconfused...