HW #2 How to Create A Breakthrough Author Brand - Alyssa Guthrie
Homework For Thomas’ Talk
Step 1 - Look in the Mirror
What are your strengths?
● Storytelling (even everyday things)
● Connecting with people
● Talking to people I’ve never met before
● Teachable/willing to learn
● Love people
What are you the best in your world at?
● Encouragement
● Being interested in other people
Why do readers pick other authors over you?
● Because they have better worldbuilding
● Because they want stories that are more raw, and more trauma heavy
Why do people read other similar stories rather than your story?
● Because they want something that has more beautiful prose
● They want something more edgy
What do you do that exhausts you?
● Social media. But it’s also because I haven’t put in the time to learn to do it well/more efficiently
● Multiple deadlines/things to do
What are your unfair advantages?
● I’m dedicated. Once I know what I need to do, I will stay up to all hours of the night doing that thing. I’m also pretty good at descriptions and likeable characters. I love people and love listening to their stories. I can connect with 96-year old grandmas and listen to their stories, and play cowboys and pirates with my five-year old nephew.
What gives you the authority to write on the subject you’re writing on?
● I’m being trained in story structure and crafting high-concepts . I have spent hundreds of hours learning, brainstorming, and receiving and implementing critique.
What gives you the authority to explore the themes in your writing
● I know what it’s like to feel I don’t have what it takes to defeat the darkness in my life. I have had to face the darkness of temptation and sin, the abyss of resentment, and the crippling shadows of comparison. Some of these battles I have been able to overcome, others are an ongoing resistance.
Step 2 - Look at Your Readers
Who is your target reader?
● An 17 year old girl named Jessica. She’s looking for more clean fantasy stories in her life. She’s perused the library for books that will inspire her like Narnia, Fablehaven, Redwall, and Lord of the Rings and come up lacking. Modern fantasy has failed her. Too much of it focuses on the dark, edgy, and messages that encourage her to embrace the darkness as the way to achieve her potential. She’s desperate for books that remind her to cling to the light and remind her of her true identity and potential for good.
What does your target reader read currently?
● Books in the vein of Nadine Brandes, Kara Swanson, Victoria McCombs, and Brandon Sanderson.
How is your target reader different from other readers?
● She’s not looking for dark and edgy. She’s not looking for the spicy romance, the graphic violence, or another book that tells her that she has to embrace the dark side of her soul to achieve her potential.
Why does your target reader read books?
● To find light and hope-to be reminded of her potential to fight against the darkness. To be encouraged to rise, even when hope seems lost. To be carried away on an adventure that then gives her the courage to persevere through the darkness and obstacles in her life.
How can you thrill your target reader?
● By creating character who struggle but find strength to soldier on and overcome the darkness. By crafting stories that showcase the battle between good and evil without being explicit or gruesome.
Step 4 - Look in Your Reader’s Mirror
What does my brand let my readers say about themselves?
● That they can rise above the darkness. That they have potential to overcome.
What tribe does this brand give me access to?
● Teens and young adults who like fantasy with Christian values, who want to be reminded of light and hope, and reminded of their potential.
Who are your outsiders?
● People who like dark, edgy, more trauma heavy, and spicy romance
Homework For Jim’s Talk
What is the promise you are making your readers?
● An entertaining story that reminds them of who they are and encourages them to rise above the darkness.
What comes to mind when people think of you?
● Encouragement, Happy, Fun, Excited, Storyteller
What is the empathy you have for your readers?
● I see potential in everyone, but I know how hard it is, especially for teens and young adults, to feel like they have what it takes to defeat the darkness in their lives. My hope is that my readers will leave my stories with the courage to keep resisting the darkness.
What is the authority you have for your readers? What gives you the authority to write on the subject you’re writing on?
● I’ve been studying story structure and writing craft for the last four years and have been mentored by bestselling authors and professional editors.
What gives you the authority to explore the themes in your writing
Same as above
Find a website that makes it about them, and brainstorm how you would change that website to make it about the website visitor. What are two things you would change?
● The Writing and Wellbeing conference is definitely all about them. I didn’t see anything that told me anything about how the conference would benefit me, but only the credentials of the people running the conference. I would start by listing how the conference would help me and then have a stronger call to action.
Who is your target reader? Describe them in one sentence:
● 17 year old Jessica who is looking for clean, entertaining fantasy stories to inspire her and remind her of her potential to overcome the darkness in her life.
To stand out, we must shock/surprise/delight Broca on a regular basis. How have you, or how are you going to, shock/surprise/delight Broca during the next three days?
● Send excited email inviting people to my street team, street team member shout out, prep a IG post that focuses on my love of people and stories?
You know your brand has to be organic. What is different, unique, quirky, surprising about you that can/does define you as a person? How are you organically compelling?
● I have curly hair that makes me very memorable. I also have a memory that locks things in like a steel trap and which allows me to remember the most bizarre facts at random times. I also find ways to make mundane experiences really entertaining stories. I love people and get really excited to see and be around people.
● I dance around the kitchen to CCM, geek out over Rachmaninoff, and love to spout off really random facts.
In what areas do you need to give yourself permission to be you?
● Being goofy around my peers. I’m afraid of rejection, and often times I shut myself down and I need to give myself permission to share my thoughts.
In what two areas are you going to focus on where you’ll make your content surprising/entertaining/provocative/engaging?
● My email list
Interactions with my peers