What’s My Brand?
Who am I? What makes me unique as a writer?
In seeking to find my path as a blogger, I need to figure out what makes me different than the kazillion other unpublished writers out there. Whatever the intrinsic value of ‘me’ is will translate into everything I write, novels as well as blogposts.
Some of you have followed my writing for much of the last eight years since I started taking fiction seriously. Some of you are newer to knowing me, and a few of you are more familiar with Valerie-the-Person than Valerie-the-Writer.
So, what makes me tick? What distinctive attributes do I bring to the table? Here are some traits, none of which are unique by themselves, but which together make up ‘me.’
I’m a Christian
While that certainly doesn’t mean that everything I write proclaims my beliefs blatantly, they’ll always shine through to some degree and I wouldn’t want it any other way.
I Believe in Marriage and Family
Life-long marriage has been exemplified for Jim and I by our parents and many other couples. We’re approaching our 30th wedding anniversary ourselves. Of course there are still days (weeks?) when we drive each other crazy, but we’re in it for the long haul. We stood together to raise our two kids, who are now both married also. The strength of these bonds is vital to us, and we’re greatly looking forward to becoming grandparents within the next couple of months.
I’m a Country/Farm Gal
We’ve lived briefly in a small city, and I don’t see the attraction. Give me space, fresh air, and a simpler, slower-paced life any day of the week. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy an occasional visit to the city, but I can’t wait to escape again once the shopping’s done! Not only that, but I thoroughly enjoy back-country camping, hiking, snowshoeing, canoeing, etc. Experiencing nature is therapeutic.
I’m Passionate about Fresh Food
A long way from a rabid environmentalist, I still take clean, healthful food very seriously. My parents and my in-laws always had vegetable gardens, and so have Jim and I. We currently live on a farm, grow our own beef, keep honey bees, and purchase our grain through Community Supported Agriculture, to name a few examples.
I Have a Strange Sense of Humor
I blame my dad for this. Really.
I Love Books
That one is obvious, of course. I wouldn’t write them if I didn’t. I also wouldn’t review books or be involved in more than half my online activities if I wasn’t a bibliophile.
So why go through this exercise? To forewarn you that this blog is about to take on a much broader scope than it has been. All of the above attributes will be celebrated, some regularly, some occasionally. I hope you’ll enjoy the ride.
Do you have any other ideas about what makes ME unique? How about YOU?
I think a good look at your sweet-spot map might shed some light. “There is nothing new under the sun”, but there are infinite unique combinations. You’ve made a start here, but maybe find a few more, particularly things that you wouldn’t expect to find together. Some people think “Christian with a strange sense of humour” is an oxymoron (in my experience it’s the norm, but maybe that’s just the kind of people I attract). To me that’s where a ‘brand’ is born, something distinctive and/or unexpected.
Thanks, Bonne! Yes, the sweet spot map has been a help in this–in my whole reinvention, actually. It’s helped me to see what ties the stories in my head together.
Well, you put up with crazy writer friends, but you don’t have to blog about that. 😉
You have pets, too. They’re definitely a part of your life & how you deal with the day-to-day.
Yes, they are, Erin. I guess I see them as part of…marriage and family, lol. Oh my, that’s…just odd. Okay, definitely part of the family! 😛