When you think about your favorite author, that person whose books you love to curl up with on a rainy afternoon with a cup of tea and your favorite blanket, what comes to mind? Is it their monthly newsletter they send out? Their latest social media post teasing an upcoming new release? The way they describe your favorite male lead? When you hear their name, do you immediately conjure their author photo or logo in your mind’s eye?

Personal branding is a big part of being an author! Whether you already have an established readership, or you’re just starting out, it’s one of the key ways to connect with your audience and make sure they name you when someone asks who their favorite author is.

Not sure where to start? We’ve got you covered!

  • Define your author persona. Maybe that just means you, exactly as you are. Maybe Author You is a little more serious. A little more goofy. But decide the tone you want associated with your public persona.

  • Headshots and/or Logos. You can always pay a professional, or bribe a friend to snap a pic, but you can also utilize that blank wall in your hallway, the one with the good lighting! Or head to Canva to design a logo (their free version will still get you something great and professional looking!). Whichever option you choose, you want to use that image across all of your channels – Radish, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc. – so readers associate that image with you and your writing.

  • Author bios. If you haven’t considered writing an author bio, make that your next project! Tell readers what they can expect from you and your stories. Get them excited! Let them know a little bit about who you are. You want to give your audience something to connect with.

  • Get on social media. If you’re looking to reach a wider audience, there’s no avoiding it. Pick a platform and dedicate some time to actually learning how to best utilize it. There are tons of videos and blog posts dedicated to the best times to post, hashtags to use, and every other question under the sun.

  • Engage with the community. Not just your readers, but fellow authors, too! There are tons of discord groups, message boards, Facebook groups, etc. that are genre-specific. You can learn a lot from what others have tried and tested! And the more you get your name out there, the more likely you are to garner new readers.

  • Have a consistent online presence. If you don’t already have a website, now might be the time to look into it! Blogs or substacks are also great ways to consistently put yourself in front of your readers. Even if it’s once a month or once per quarter, set up a regular cadence for putting yourself out there.

  • Make sure your online presence matches what’s on the page. For example, if you write science fiction, make sure your website/logo/social media reflects that. Maybe it means galaxy motifs and stars. Maybe it means a specific color palette. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s consistent so readers know what they’re getting. They might be confused by a sci-fi author whose website features bright florals and puppies (though we like those things, too!).

  • Be a student. Study your favorite authors and what they’ve done! What do you like? What don’t you like? Take inspiration and apply it to your own brand.

When you think about the above, have you…

  • Added your social media links to your Radish profile? (Especially instagram so we can tag you!)
  • Added a link to Radish to your social media accounts/website/linktree/etc.?
  • Recently updated your profile pic?
  • Added an author bio to your profile? Does your current one need a refresh?

⚠️ Reminder: Links to your website and socials are a-okay! But per section 5.13 of our Content Policy, links to other paid platforms (ie: Patreon, Wattpad, etc.) are not allowed and will actively be removed.