#19 Making a Brand Promise vs. Striking a Fae Bargain (Only One Won’t End in Eternal Doom)
So What Am I Promising My Readers?
A brand promise is exactly what it sounds like—it’s a commitment to your audience about what they can expect from your books. It’s the thing that makes a reader think, “Ah, yes, I trust this author to deliver.”
And unlike a fae bargain, it’s gotta be honest and trustworthy. No tricks allowed here.
What My Brand Promises Readers
✅ Authentic chronic illness & disability rep (because I live it)
✅ Fairytale monsters & folklore-inspired fantasy
✅ Flawed, morally complex characters
✅ A unique spin on tropes like “Deal with the devil (but make him fae)”, “Romance”, & “Betrayal” from a lesser-seen perspective
✅ Humor + dark themes, because life is both
A great brand promise isn’t just about what you say—it’s about what you consistently deliver.
So what promises are you making to your readers? Take a moment to brainstorm what you can commit to delivering with each new book you write.
Make sure you think about your target audience like you did when brainstorming your brand values. What things do you deliver with your work that they care about? List them on the page and build your brand promise from there.
My Final Brand Promise Statement
"I write YA contemporary fantasy with fairytale monsters, humor, and authentic chronic illness representation. My stories put unique spins on classic fantasy tropes while prioritizing disabled and chronically ill readers who rarely get to see themselves in this space.
Because feeling like you're getting rotisserie chicken roasted from the inside out every day doesn't mean you can't have your fairytale too. 🍗"
See how it all starts to build together? With each piece, we’re slowly cobbling together the foundation of our brand–brick by brick. And (hopefully!) it’s starting to feel consistent.
Next Steps:
Incorporate this promise into my author bio and website (notice it’s on my website homepage already because consistency 😈)
Use this as a guiding principle for EVERYTHING (This blog. My website. All social posts. Literally all the things!)
💬 Question for You: What does your author brand promise your readers? What can they always expect from your books? Is there an author you admire who has a really solid brand promise? Let me know in the comments!