A Tale of Identity

A few weeks ago, I got asked a question that tilted my world off its axis.What is your brand as a writer?I squirm inside, bothered by my own prying eyes that examine and question and wonder. I don't know – stop staring! – I don't know.Thinking of yourself as a "brand" is not the most fun exercise. You have to consider what characteristics of your work you wish to sell – that on itself a sad thought – or how do you want others to perceive you on a professional level. On a very personal note, I have been trying for years to detach myself from what others think of me, so not a fun thought exercise for sure.Personal crisis aside, let's take a look at some useful questions. Keep in mind, I have no idea what I am doing, although I do believe you could fit any type of creative work into them. Or non-creative as well? What do I know.How do people perceive your work? Strengths can be hard to assess on your own because we tend to see our own body of work as a journey, not the final product. This would be a good opportunity to ask people around you, like work colleagues or trusted fellow writers, to describe your past and present writing in a few adjectives. This helps surface common traits. You might have a particular lyrical vocabulary, or write great natural dialogue. You might have a way with underdog characters, or always add a sociological component to your stories. Or even be well-versed on a certain format or platform.Another angle to look at it is your style. Not just what you write about – also how. Style is hard to measure and even harder to explain. To give an outstanding example, José Saramago has an uncommon style because he writes with little to no punctuation. It is part of his brand, yet Saramago is also known for his extreme allegories and ironic parables that are part of his writer's voice. Style is a big component of individuality, when you think of what makes your work stand apart. But do you have an individual, recognizable voice? It's OK not to have an answer right away – I think voice is the one thing we spend our entire careers pursuing. Once you figure out yours, what parts of you leak into the page, you may realize that voice, style, themes and strengths are all part of the same package.All of this speaks to things you do well, and that's the catch. Your brand is about what you are known for just as it is about what you wish to be known for. Maybe you have had great opportunities to write coming-of-age stories while you in fact would like to write sci-fi. So how to brand yourself to steer towards this different direction if you haven't written sci-fi professionally before?Then comes what I will call curating. Your body of work, all the things you have created and set free in the world (or locked in a drawer), does not need to be represented in its entirety by your brand. Some things in there are not part of your style, or the voice you are seeking, or don't have the traits you would like to highlight. Let's face it, some of them are not you anymore, if they ever have been. So you curate for your brand. You select and distill the parts of your work that better represent what you want to be known for. (Obs.: this is similar to what you would do with your portfolio, presenting your best work or what you are most proud of, yet in this case I ask you to be an insufferable artiste and think of why are you proud of these pieces.)So, while I asked those questions, I had to acknowledge that I work in mobile games for long enough that writing for them feels natural and effortless. Which posed the question: is that what I want to be known for? As I reflected on my style and voice, I noticed a common thread in almost all the stuff I have ever written – humor. Not comedy per se, I am not that funny; sense of humor. Is that my voice, or is it my brand? Did this exercise end on a perfect closing note?At this point, you know me better than that.-Maíra

May 02, 2022

A few weeks ago, I got asked a question that tilted my world off its axis.

What is your brand as a writer?

I squirm inside, bothered by my own prying eyes that examine and question and wonder. I don't know – stop staring! – I don't know.

Thinking of yourself as a "brand" is not the most fun exercise. You have to consider what characteristics of your work you wish to sell – that on itself a sad thought – or how do you want others to perceive you on a professional level. On a very personal note, I have been trying for years to detach myself from what others think of me, so not a fun thought exercise for sure.

Personal crisis aside, let's take a look at some useful questions. Keep in mind, I have no idea what I am doing, although I do believe you could fit any type of creative work into them. Or non-creative as well? What do I know.

How do people perceive your work? Strengths can be hard to assess on your own because we tend to see our own body of work as a journey, not the final product. This would be a good opportunity to ask people around you, like work colleagues or trusted fellow writers, to describe your past and present writing in a few adjectives. This helps surface common traits. You might have a particular lyrical vocabulary, or write great natural dialogue. You might have a way with underdog characters, or always add a sociological component to your stories. Or even be well-versed on a certain format or platform.

Another angle to look at it is your style. Not just what you write about – also how. Style is hard to measure and even harder to explain. To give an outstanding example, José Saramago has an uncommon style because he writes with little to no punctuation. It is part of his brand, yet Saramago is also known for his extreme allegories and ironic parables that are part of his writer's voice. Style is a big component of individuality, when you think of what makes your work stand apart. But do you have an individual, recognizable voice? It's OK not to have an answer right away – I think voice is the one thing we spend our entire careers pursuing. Once you figure out yours, what parts of you leak into the page, you may realize that voice, style, themes and strengths are all part of the same package.

All of this speaks to things you do well, and that's the catch. Your brand is about what you are known for just as it is about what you wish to be known for. Maybe you have had great opportunities to write coming-of-age stories while you in fact would like to write sci-fi. So how to brand yourself to steer towards this different direction if you haven't written sci-fi professionally before?

Then comes what I will call curating. Your body of work, all the things you have created and set free in the world (or locked in a drawer), does not need to be represented in its entirety by your brand. Some things in there are not part of your style, or the voice you are seeking, or don't have the traits you would like to highlight. Let's face it, some of them are not you anymore, if they ever have been. So you curate for your brand. You select and distill the parts of your work that better represent what you want to be known for. (Obs.: this is similar to what you would do with your portfolio, presenting your best work or what you are most proud of, yet in this case I ask you to be an insufferable artiste and think of why are you proud of these pieces.)

So, while I asked those questions, I had to acknowledge that I work in mobile games for long enough that writing for them feels natural and effortless. Which posed the question: is that what I want to be known for? As I reflected on my style and voice, I noticed a common thread in almost all the stuff I have ever written – humor. Not comedy per se, I am not that funny; sense of humor. Is that my voice, or is it my brand? Did this exercise end on a perfect closing note?

At this point, you know me better than that.

-Maíra

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