As writers, it’s vital to be able to summarise what we offer in a few brief interesting words – as much for ourselves as for the readers we want to reach.

Whenever I write any article, let alone a book, I begin by drafting a rough lede which sets out the essence of the piece, and why it might be worth reading – part summary, part hook. Then, as I write, I can sense-check my emerging copy to keep me on track.

In the same way, developing a nutshell statement for yourself as an author is a helpful shortcut to tell people who you are as a writer and what you offer. There are lots of terms people use for this – author brand statement, USP (unique selling proposition), elevator pitch, but the basic idea is very simple. It’s an instant self-marketing tool that helps everyone from readers to bookstore managers to agents to get a quick sense of what you’re about.

The words aren’t many but the thinking behind them can be intense. You boil down what you do and make it appealing to people. Craft different versions and try them out on friends and family.

My overall nutshell statement is ‘funny-sad author’. It’s a phrase I snagged from a couple of early beta readers. It nails the dark humour I go in for and is more distinctive (and less arrogant) than baldly claiming to be ‘funny’ or ‘comic’, which tends to make people say, ‘Go on – make me laugh then.’ (It’s also less depressing than just ‘sad’). Here’s a longer version: ‘I write darkly humorous stories about dodgy gurus, lonely eccentrics and crap dads’.

Be specific and personal. Your statement needs to help you stand out from the huge market of other authors. Avoid blah wording that could apply to anyone – try adding in details of subgenre, target audience, or desired outcome, e.g. ‘Texan-born history nerd who spins epic Civil War romances’ or ‘I write YA adventure fantasy to empower teen girls to be the heroes of their own lives’. That one comes from this Book Designer article, which has lots more tips and examples.

Add a splash of personality or humour. ‘Builder of disappointing post-apocalyptic worlds, cracker of bad futuristic dad jokes’ tells me a lot more than ‘comic scifi author’.

Put it everywhere. Once you’ve developed a statement you’re happy with it, use it everywhere. Pop it in your email signature, your social profiles, your Medium and Substack bio, your Amazon author info – anywhere people might find you.

Develop different lengths. In some cases (e.g. an email signature) only 2-3 words is best, while elsewhere you may be able to use a sentence (e.g. signing off a guest post). Think too of a short para you could use when introducing yourself in person: what would you say to sell yourself and your work at an agency speed-dating event, for example?

Develop different statements for different hats. Many writers wear different hats, and it’s useful to have nutshell statements for each of them. You might write in completely different genres or different series. For example, Hope’s Carolina Slade Mystery Series is nutshelled ‘Justice Her Way’, while The Craven County Mysteries are ‘Southern Private Investigations’.

You may also have a writing day job that’s very different but still needs promoting. You may be a ‘crossword-compiling author of fiendish Yorkshire-based cozy mysteries’ in your own time, but a ‘Google-trained B2B scribe specialising in enterprise tech and SaaS scale-ups’ as a bread-and-butter freelancer. Check out LinkedIn to compare examples. Type in ‘writer’ under People and see which statements stand out: ‘Journalist and producer specialising in automotive content’ says a lot more than ‘freelance writer’. Use it everywhere. Once you have your wording, use it everywhere. Like an ad jingle or slogan, it gains power and memorability through repetition.

Finally, you can think of your nutshell statement as a north star for your writing ambitions too. Use it to capture what you really want to do and to choose which projects to prioritise, thus ensuring that your work stays aligned with your ambitions.
 

Dan Brotzel’s latest novels are Thank You For The Days and The Wolf in the Woods. He also writes widely on Medium