What's Your Brand? by Andy Scheer

When readers, reviewers, editors, and bookstore buyers see your name, what comes to mind?

The topic of branding isn't limited to writers in the realm of Tom Clancy, Nora Roberts, Clive Cussler, or Mary Higgins Clark. Or even those who write fiction.

This morning's email from a specialty publisher reminded me once again how branding doesn't have to be large-scale and nebulous. It can be highly focused and quite down to earth.

The promo encouraged me to purchase Organic Growing with Worms by David Murphy. “Australia has long been recognised as World leaders in growing and using worms,” the press release said, “and David Murphy is their guru.”

As someone who is far from being that book's target reader, I never suspected Murphy's brand was “worm guru.” But there was the evidence, six previous titles on the topic:

Worms for Everyone

Worms for Worm Farmers

Worms for Farmers

Worms for Greenhouse

Worms Gardeners

Worms for Waste Managers

He supposedly has a loyal following, including an “Australian farmer who … writes of doubling his carrying capacity in a few years and at the same time eliminating all fertiliser purchases” and a “big South African cropper [who] reported a trebling of her millet crop!”

What can this mean to you, with no aspirations to be the next worm guru creating “the best book on worms ever written”?

First, be grateful that you're free to be you, whatever your writing interests.

Then, whatever your writing style and expertise, make the most of them. Write – and market yourself – accordingly.