Your writer’s brand is like a signature–unique. Through your brand, you enter a compact with readers, telling them what to expect from your work or online engagements. Your brand separates you from thousands of writers vying for attention in a crowded industry and establishes trust and influence among followers and loyal readers.

WHAT IS A WRITER’S BRAND?

It is multifaceted and includes many elements. Writers form their brands through writing style, genre, themes/go-to premises, voice, website design, and social media presence. 

WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IN PRACTICE?

Flash fiction author, thought leader, (and newly-minted literary agent) Tommy Dean provides an example. Dean delivers premier fiction that’s emotional and focused. His signature themes include relationships, family, and social issues. His editing, publishing, and teacher credentials lend deep credibility, and his navigation of multiple social media platforms adds tech flare, drawing followers and readers. We examine his Intrepidus Ink flash fiction “Each Death Gets Us Closer,” published February 28, 2024, and selected Hollows (2022) stories to define only one aspect of how Dean’s flash fiction openings–his particular writing style–contribute to his writing brand.

Dean discusses his care with openings in a JMWW interview, saying, “I start all my stories with the line I’m thinking about in the moment and see where it takes me…They are the energy and the entry point that allows me to write the story” (Smith, June 6, 2022). In “Each Death Gets Us Closer,” a Best of the Net-nominated flash fiction, the opening rivets attention while demonstrating Dean’s structure mastery: “A flipped boat, he clings to the metal bench seat slick with mossy water, his feet spasming in the unknown depths below him.” Key nouns and verbs (flipped, boat, clings, slick, spasming) illuminate the narrator’s plight while raising alarm bells in readers’ minds, making the passage emotional. Notably, the sentence establishes character, place, problem, and high stakes; readers particularly look for Dean’s defined openings as a signature of his work.

Compare the opening of “Each Death Gets Us Closer” to stories from Hollows (2022), and one understands Dean’s style is intentional. For example, in “Flames, Licking, Impossibly,” the first line reads, “I stood outside this little shop of decorative mirrors, and I watched the crowd seethe and twist like a basketful of riled snakes. Revolution, they insisted…” The setup hints at character and setting, but Revolution at the start of sentence two electrifies. Revolution is a big, scary problem (later juxtaposed against his status as a child). One word catapults the narrator (and readers) headfirst into exceptional, tightly-written chaos. The final example is the micro “Three Boys in the Woods,” with the opening, “One holding a shotgun.” Here, Dean’s heartbreaking combo alerts readers to trouble in the blink of an eye. Thus, powerful openings are as particular to Tommy Dean as a signature and reflect his style–a defining piece of a writer’s brand.

HOW YOU CAN DEVELOP YOUR WRITER’S BRAND

Reflect on your writing. What sets you apart from everyone else? Do you write about unique topics or themes? Is your style zany, loose, or serious? You may like crossing genres–or not. List your findings and ponder them; there’s no rush. Knowing ourselves as authors takes time. Narrow your answers until you see your unique writing angles–your particular brand.

IN SUMMARY

Your writer’s brand sets you apart in the marketplace and is like a signature that readers recognize. Next week, we will discuss how you can work through your brand to build a presence on social media and gain followers who love your work.

And don’t forget, our submissions are open at Intrepidusink.com.

References:

Dean, T. (2022). Hollows (pp. 56, 68). Alternating Current Press.

Dean, T. (2024, February 28). “Each Death Gets Us Closer.” Intrepidus Ink. https://intrepidusink.com/each…

Smith, C. (June 6, 2022). “The Essence of Tommy Dean: An Interview.” Jmwwblog. https://jmwwblog.wordpress.com…