As you develop a platform for people to see your work, it will be essential to create a list of core identity concepts. As I said in my video, you may have just heard “Marketing Buzzword 1, Marketing Buzzword 2, Marketing Buzzword 3.” Believe me, the industry is saturated in amazingly hip sounding words that seem to have external value, but no core to build upon. “Core Identity Concepts,” when broken down and identified clearly, is anything but empty inside.
Rather, as Joyce Jensch stated in her two part series on Corporate Brand Platforms, “The core identity captures the set of associations the organization wants to create and maintain.”
This single quote deserves dissection because each piece, while aimed for corporate America, has completely applicable and transferrable reference points for writers, artists, you name it.
Now, take a look at the first part. “The core identity captures the set of associations…” It is important to note that the word “set” is chosen. This is of particular importance because there should never be just one core identity, unless it’s just that magical. (Hint: It probably isn’t. You’ll need more than one.) Don’t mistake this for multiple visions or taglines, by any means. “Instill Hope” is my tagline, as a writer. I won’t divert from that. However, within that I have multiple areas of my platform that creates a set, which fulfills that singular drive. Think about where/what/how your work will be seen, and identified with your readers.
Next, replace “organization” with “author,” or “writer,” “creative artist,” whatever term you wish to be identified with and will be proud to call yourself. Don’t spread yourself thin and make yourself sound like you’re a screenwriter, filmmaker, writer, painter, and martial arts enthusiast, especially if you’re just getting started. It makes you sound like you’re trying to prove that you are worthy of validation. Focus and talk about other pursuits as if they are a hobby, don’t boast them like you tackle all of them on a professional level. You will sound mediocre at all of them, instead of focused on one that you wish to master. Remember, it is believed that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to master any particular skill. That is open for debate, but the principle is there. If it sounds like you can’t focus on what you love, and want to do, why should anyone think your work is worthy of his or her time and money?
Next we have “…wants to create…” Now, whatever the set of associations you’re creating are, they had to exist. It is so frustrating when you hear about people pitching books who have no previous publications to their name, there’s no press or demand for that story to be told, they actually contact an agent, and try to convince them to give them an advance to write the book. And all they’ve written is an outline in a word document. It’s saddening and makes it harder for those who understand the business and just how hard it takes. It makes it difficult to be taken seriously and bogs down the querying process. Do the research because one thing I’ve learned is the writing industry is very communicative and smaller than you think. You burn a bridge; others are going to disappear before you even find them.
Finally, we have “…and maintain.” This is just as essential, if not more important, than the creation. Without consistent maintenance of your social media sites, blogs, website, and actual writing, readers will tune out. Twitter followers abandon people if you’re not giving them a reason to stay. Take a brief look at Molly Greene, she is a novelist and wrote the how-to guide “BLOG IT!” Her blog is dedicated to the blogging world, and helps you. She has nearly 25,000 Twitter followers, myself included. She has over 100 articles that started back in 2011. Through well over two years of maintenance of what she’s created, she has created a remarkable writing platform that many should be so lucky to accomplish. It wasn’t just what she created; it’s what she maintained that has made her who she is currently.
So there you have it, a complete and total breakdown of core identity concepts by dissecting one sentence like a madman. How one sentence can require such thought shows the true power of the written word. So what will your sentence be that everyone goes crazy about? Chime in at the comments section below, the conversation’s always continuing on Twitter @ThomasAFowler, use the hash-tag #WritersConquest with anything you want to discuss. Thanks for stopping by. Kick some ass and be proud of what you do.
P.S. This wraps up Level Three – Creating a Platform. The previous entries are listed shamelessly below:
THE WRITER'S CONQUEST 