Day 4 of 365 days. 361 days left to go.

As a ‘newbie’ author, one of the most important things I have learned in the last year is how to build a solid brand. This is second only to writing a book.

And I have learned that it is harder than just designing a cool logo and posting it as your Facebook profile picture.

Now, before you say to yourself, ‘Well, shouldn’t the book build the brand for you?’ No, it doesn’t, not in a world of a million small business owners sharing four major social media outlets.

There have been times in the last year when I have been beaten down by the hype behind building a brand and interacting on social media. But as an author who wants to be traditionally published, I have no choice. My brand has to appear on my list of ‘to-do’s,’ and I need to create goals and actionable plans to achieve said goals.

Research: Every 30 days or so, I research key phrases and hashtags to see what the latest trends are. I mold my content (if I can) to fit into those trends. Fair warning: it will change, and you have to try to keep up with the ever-changing tide not only in your country but worldwide if you want to expand internationally.

Alternate content type: Some people say you can post the same content to multiple outlets. I don’t think you should. What works on Facebook, which is traditional for your more middle-aged audience who loves engagement, will not work on TikTok, where the audience wants sensational, eye-catching, and original content packed into 60 seconds or less. Twitter is a two-sentence blurb with gifs. Instagram is primarily used for reels and interest-not to purchase clickbait.

So, each product you create for your ‘brand’ needs to be tailored to fit different audiences. This means one post on all four platforms may take up to 2 hours to create and schedule. My recommendation, which I do not do, is to stay focused on 1 or 2 platforms and excel at engagement on those.

Why am I not listening to my own advice? Because I haven’t figured out what platform works for my brand yet, and I apparently don’t like sleeping.

Be consistent: Consistency is the key to being successful when owning a small business or being a writer. Yes, I know that between the day job, the family, the chores, and writing, there is hardly any room for planning and engaging. Here’s my advice. Get over it. I know it sucks. But unfortunately, you don’t have a million-dollar-a-year contract, so you’ll have to hustle. And hustling means you may need Botox and do things you don’t want to do.

And that leads me to my final point….

There are things that your not going to want to do- do it anyways.

Too often, I have found too many creators who get discouraged, bored, or assume that because they put in one or two weeks of hard work, all of a sudden, the world should adore them. That’s not how it works.

Look at all the big businesses. You may not ‘personally’ like their methods- but they have been consistent in researching how to appeal to a broader population. And they work hard behind the scenes to make it happen.

Owning your own business or creating your own brand means you will be working when others are playing video games, going to parties, or out to dinner with friends. Building your brand means that you might have to wake up at 3:30 in the morning because that is the only time you can get uninterrupted.

It’s a sacrifice, to be sure. But if you have already put in half the work and you want to make your dream a reality, that means there will always be something else to do.

This is not to say that you can’t take a mental break occasionally. That’s healthy, and I encourage it.

The uncomfortable truth is something the world avoids saying. Hustling is not for the fainthearted. You have to find inner motivation even on hard days and grind.

So here’s to you, my fellow hustler. I wish you the utmost success. And I encourage you not to give up. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Until tomorrow my friends…. keep reading and stay caffeinated!

Hustle until you no longer need to introduce yourself.

Unknown author.

If tales of legend, myth, and fantasy topped with a cup of coffee interest you, I suggest checking out my book, The Writer and the Librarian. It’s a historical fantasy about a middle-aged woman faced with a decision: accept what is written in the history books or find out for herself the truth behind the stories. Limited addition copies are now available on my website (Shop – R.L. Geer-Robbins / Author (rlgeerrobbins.com) or at

Amazon: https://a.co/d/flQhakX

Barnes and Noble: The Writer and the Librarian by Rose Geer-Robbins, Paperback | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)

Target: The Writer And The Librarian – (the Raven Society) By R L Geer-robbins (paperback) : Target

And on any of your favorite Indie Book Store websites!

Current sales as of today= 6

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