If you’re a writer or author, you’ve probably heard the advice: “You need to build your platform.” And you’ve probably strained your eye-rolling muscles each time someone has said those words to you. But, like it or not, those folks are right. The good news is that building your platform or personal brand doesn’t have to feel gross or take away from your creativity.

What Is a Personal Brand or Platform for Writers?

So what does it actually mean to build your personal brand or platform, and why does it matter?

Your personal brand is simply how you present yourself and your work to the world. It’s what people say about you when you’re not in the room.  It’s the story you tell about who you are as a writer, what you stand for, and what readers can expect from you.

Your platform is the audience and community that forms around that story. It’s the people who read your blog posts, subscribe to your newsletter, follow you on social media, or buy your books. In short, it’s how you connect with readers, editors, agents, and publishers and how they find you.

Why Building a Platform Matters

Some writers resist the idea of building a platform. You might be thinking: “I’m a writer. I just want to write!” But building your personal brand and platform doesn’t take away from your writing. It actually enhances it.

When you build your platform:

  • Your work gets seen. Publishers and editors want writers who have a built-in audience. Even if you’re self-publishing, having a strong platform means more readers will discover your work.
  • You attract opportunities. A visible writer gets invited to speak, collaborate, teach, and publish more.
  • You strengthen your voice. Sharing your thoughts, stories, and creative process helps you clarify who you are as a writer and what you want to say.
  • You boost your creativity. Creating content for social media, writing newsletters, or sharing essays online gives you new ways to express yourself and test out ideas that might later become bigger projects.

Simple Ways to Start Building Your Brand

There are countless ways to grow your platform, but you don’t have to do everything at once. Here are a few examples to get you started:

  • Create consistent content. Share blog posts, newsletters, or social media updates about your writing journey, your creative process, or topics that inspire your work.
  • Submit your work to literary journals and magazines. Each publication expands your reach, builds credibility, and connects you with new readers.
  • Engage with your writing community. Join a writing group, participate in readings, and collaborate with other authors.
  • Show up as yourself. Authenticity always wins. Let readers see who you are behind the words and give us a glimpse of your life beyond the laptop. You don’t need to be “perfect,” just genuine. You don’t even need to be the “expert,” just passionate.

These steps not only help you grow your audience, they also help you grow as a writer. Each post, submission, or collaboration is another exercise in storytelling, creativity, and courage.

5 Amazing Things That Happened Because I Built My Personal Brand

To be honest, when I started building my personal brand, I didn’t know that’s what I was doing. When I started See Jane Write, I just wanted a group of women writers to hang out with. But from that community grew a blog and eventually a business. And as I was using my website and social media to get the word out about See Jane Write, I was also spreading the word about myself.

So many wonderful things have happened to me because I built my brand:

  • I had the opportunity to guest edit the 2025 Women’s History Month issue of the Birmingham Times.
  • I was asked to write for ELLE and Good Housekeeping magazines.
  • I was asked to write a monthly column for two different local magazines— and won an award for one of them.
  • I’m often asked to speak at conferences and other events.
  • Best of all, I’ve cultivated a community of like-minded women writers who are now some of my closest friends.

Ready to Build Your Platform?

If you’ve been putting off building your personal brand because it feels overwhelming or “not creative enough,” think again. Your platform is simply an extension of your voice, and learning how to share that voice intentionally can transform your writing career.

If you want to learn how to build your platform and personal brand as a writer in a way that feels authentic, not icky, join me for a free workshop that I’m hosting in partnership with the Alabama Writers’ Cooperative on Tuesday, October 14, at 6 pm CT.  In this workshop, you’ll learn practical, sustainable ways to grow your audience, promote your work with confidence, and stay inspired along the way. When you share your story with the world, amazing things happen.

Sign up here.