Creating a Personal Brand for Writer Networking

The biggest mistake you're making in building your brand is hiding your story. One of the most critical steps to building your brand and the one many people get wrong - is taking complete and total ownership of your story. One of the first steps I have my clients take when they develop their brand is to write their story. When they share it with me, they are vulnerable and yet, often hide the most compelling parts of their stories from others. It’s tempting to hide parts of your story out of fear or shame, but the truth is, when we embrace every part of who we are, we unlock a sense of unshakeable confidence. Owning your story doesn’t mean sharing every detail or airing your dirty laundry. You don't have to share your darkest secrets to own your story. It’s about achieving 100% self-acceptance. When you do that, no one can use your story to shame you. Your self-acceptance is what will allow you to show up authentically, connect deeply, and build a brand that resonates with others. Storytelling creates a connection. People want to work with, do business with, and give opportunities to those they know, like, and trust. And by the way, it's not your achievements that make you relatable and likablele, it's your vulnerability. Here are a few tips for owning your story: ✅ Write It Down - Spend time reflecting and writing your story. Think about your experiences, challenges, and triumphs. Putting it on paper helps you process and identify the parts that matter most. ✅ Know Your Why - Consider why you’re sharing your story. Is it to inspire others, build trust, or show your expertise? Knowing your purpose will guide how you tell it. ✅ Identify Key Themes - What are the most important parts of your story that align with your personal brand? Focus on key elements and ensure they reflect the values you want to convey. ✅ Practice Telling It - Practice sharing your story in different contexts. The way you share with a potential client may differ from how you’d share at a networking event. Tailor it to your audience but always keep it real! ✅ Embrace Vulnerability Without Oversharing - You don’t need to disclose everything. Share enough to connect and build trust, but maintain boundaries that protect your comfort and privacy. The Latina LinkedIn Incubator I have been facilitating for the last 4 months has been working on sharing their stories and WOW, witnessing transformation in progress is powerful! When you fully own your story, you’re no longer just telling it - you’re living it with pride and purpose. Your story is waiting to inspire others. Will you own it?

I've studied 250+ personal brands over the last year. Read this for advice that isn't generic fluff. When you hear tips on building a personal brand - It's the same each time: Post content, be consistent, get attention, etc. That is very surface-level advice. Here's a deeper truth of strong personal brands: They're good at pattern interruption. Think about scrolling through LinkedIn right now. What do you see? Generic posts about morning routines. Cookie-cutter career advice. The same recycled business quotes. Your brain automatically filters this out. It's like walking past 100 people wearing black and white. But when someone walks by in bright red? Your attention snaps to them instantly. Look at my image below - I bet your eyes focus on the red dot. Why? Because it's bold & different. Strong personal brands works the same way. This is why controversial opinions work. This is why unique perspectives get noticed. This is why different writing styles grab attention. The best personal brands understand this principle: Blend in = scroll past Stand out = stop scrolling Look at Gary Vee. Look at Mr Beast. Look at Elon Musk. Love them or hate them, you can't ignore them. They don't just share content. They share perspectives that make you think. They challenge conventional wisdom. They spark conversations. Want to build a real personal brand? Stop copying what everyone else is doing. Find your red dot moment: • What opinion makes you nervous to share? • What perspective does your industry ignore? • What truth are others afraid to tell? That's where your breakthrough lives. The crowd is noisy. Being different is memorable.

Your #PersonalBrand is not just having a profile on LinkedIn or a refined elevator pitch ready to go 👀 Here are some things you may want to consider as you grow your personal brand ⬇️ ✅ Thematic elements are important If you want to be recognized and remembered, add a few thematic elements to your branding materials to stand out. I like pinks, purples, and yellows, but your color choices might be different. Use your LinkedIn banner to display a custom image with your signature style. I've had many people tell me my logo and branding stand out (thank goodness, because that's what I'm always going for!). ✅ Value has to be visible Adding information to your LinkedIn profile is one thing, but making sure it tells your unique story is another. If you're not taking advantage of the Featured section or sharing unique content, you're missing out on valuable opportunities to be discovered. Create your own website (Google Sites is a great place to start!) and maintain it. Most of my inquiries come from my website (thank you, SEO). ✅ What do you want to be known for? Think about this question every time you post something, participate in an event, answer an inquiry, and get some visibility. What are you sharing? How are you showing up? What do you want people to know about you? Do you want to be helpful and offer a service? Do you want to be a mentor? Be intentional about how you're being evaluated in person and online. ✅ Don't overlook outreach Sending messages, submitting proposals for conferences and workshops, and sharing your ideas widely, are necessary for building your brand. There's a balance between waiting for people to find you and doing some searching yourself. Over time, I've had to reach out less to be seen, but I value the power of could outreach, connection requests, etc.