Want to become a successful writer? You can, even if you've never been published
before, if you understand one thing: you need to build your name until you become a
"brand name" writer.
Although you may never succeed in your brand-building efforts to the level of JK
Rowling or Stephen King, as long as some editors and other buyers know your name, you
will always have a long list of clients and will build a successful writing career.
It's very simple: the more people who know your name, the more people will buy
your writing. Large companies understand the value of their brand; much of their
advertising is solely brand-building - they want to get their name known, and they realize
that they must constantly remind people of their brand.
Brand-building is Vital: People Do Business with People They Know
Writing is actually a very small world. People pass your name around. So if you've
written for a magazine, an editor will pass your name on to another editor who's looking
for a writer for a book.
If you've sold several articles to a Web site, another site owner will see your name
and contact you. If you're writing a blog, many people will contact you to write for them.
It's been said that people have to see your name at least seven times before they'll
do business with you, so the more you build your brand as a writer, the more writing jobs
you'll get.
Brand-building for writers never, ever stops. If you understand this, you will
succeed beyond your dreams.
So let's assume you're a neophyte writer, and discover how you can start building
your brand.
It's a two-step process: decide what you want to write, and get your name in front of
the people who can buy your writing. I tell my writing students that a writer's life is a
simple one; there are just two things you must do each day - create, and promote.
1. Create: Decide what you want to write, and write
What do you want to write? Whatever it is, start writing. A writer by definition is
someone who writes, and writes every day. So whether your writing is selling or not, you
must keep writing.
If you're writing a book, send out proposals to agents and editors at publishing
houses, and when you finish the book, write another one. It's common for writers to send
out proposals for years, and finally get a multi-book contract. If you've only ever written
one book, you'll never get to the multi-book contract stage.
If you're writing articles, send out queries to magazines, and keep sending them.
Create a blog. Keep writing.
2. Promote: Get your writing out to people who can buy your writing
The second step (and remember that you do this every day, just as you create every
day) is to promote - to get your writing out to people who can buy your writing.
Remember that people need to see your name at least seven times, before they're
comfortable doing business with you. Whenever you contact an editor or other buyer of
your writing, that contact builds a relationship.
Even if it seems there is no response (the editor or agent never got in touch), you're
still building the relationship. Sooner or later, if you stay in touch, you'll get a phone call,
and you'll have made a sale.
Have you started to build your brand as a writer? Whether you have or not, create
and promote every day. And as you build your brand, you'll succeed as a writer.
About the Author:
Want to write more? Angela Booth's writing class, "Write More And Make More
Money From Your Writing: Develop A Fast, Fun Productive Writing Process" is based
on lessons she developed for her private coaching students. Her ebook "Top 70 Writing
Tips To Help You To Write More" shows you how to end procrastination for good and
write more.
