So today and for the next month I’ll be playing with various things to see what kind of author name and brand and who I am. I’m not a natural marketing person but I did spend hours with Rossie Cortes, an amazing PR person, yesterday. She gave me an assignment to pick my marketing brand in a month.
We’re working on a lot of things to make me a better brand and I’m excited about this whole thing. I was messing around this weekend with ideas. Right now this is one of my ideas. I have more. But in thinking about who I am and what I want to present to the world, I have to say I know I’ll never be sweet. I’m nice, but I’m way too determined about myself. It’s the Chinese Dragon sign in me or the 4 stars in ares if you want to blame eastern or western astrology.
So when thinking about who I want to be as an author and how to present myself, I do declare that I am way too much like Scarlett O’Hara than I am Melanie. Now minus out the picking the wrong guy who I want to control nonsense of Scarlett’s personality, I do have a lot in common with her. I’ll find a way to bounce. She’s self assured, determined, and will do anything for the people she loves. I have my yearly viewing on the movie and when RWA was in Atlanta, I was quoting the book and movie a lot. I have always loved Rhett Butler for one. (Sorry Ashley fans, he’s not for me.)
So if there is one iconic persona I see out in the world that I’m more like than not, I can think of no other at this time than Scarlett. (If my next post is all about being a hippy and that’s the brand I’m playing with, understand I’m playing for a month… I’d love thoughts on this but I’ve not idea how to collect that one yet. I’m bolding playing until I figure out which one I like the best. So this is day one… Today I’m Scarlett.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to develop a personal author brand?
According to this author’s experience working with PR consultant Rossie Cortes, a focused personal branding process can be completed in approximately one month. The approach involves experimenting with different brand identities, testing various personas, and narrowing down which one feels most authentic before committing to a final author brand and public-facing identity.
What is a good way to find your author persona when rebranding?
One practical method for finding your author persona is to identify a well-known fictional or cultural figure whose personality closely mirrors your own, then use that as a creative starting point. This author used Scarlett O’Hara from Gone with the Wind as a reference point, noting shared traits like self-assurance, determination, and fierce loyalty to loved ones.
Should I hire a PR consultant or figure out my author brand on my own?
Working with a PR consultant can provide structure and accountability that self-guided branding often lacks. In this case, spending time with PR professional Rossie Cortes resulted in a clear assignment — choose a marketing brand within one month — giving the author a deadline and direction. A consultant can help even non-marketing-oriented authors develop a focused, intentional brand identity.
