Paper blank as fresh snow - make your mark with words that overflow!
Right now I’m reading the first book in a series called Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World for My Retirement by the Japanese author FUNA. This is the third series of light novels I’ve started to read by this author, along with Didn't I Say to Make My Abilities Average in the Next Life and I Shall Survive Using Potions! Why do I like FUNA’s books? They’re all part of the isekai genre that I like, but they feature clever, capable female leads. Many isekai stories tend to focus on male protagonists, and I enjoy this divergence from the norm. Because of this I have a strong brand association with FUNA, and I’ll likely read whatever he ends up writing next.
Strategy:
This exercise is designed to help writers understand and define their unique brand within their chosen genre. By comparing their work to established authors (comps) and identifying what sets them apart (Unique Selling Points), writers can refine their style and narrative approach. This strategy encourages self-awareness in writing and helps in carving out a distinct niche in a crowded literary market.
Instructions:
Genre Analysis: Consider and write down the key expectations and elements that readers typically look for in your chosen genre. Think about themes, character types, plot structures, and pacing.
Analyze Your Comps: Note one author whose writing style or themes feel closest to your own. This can be an author you admire or one often compared to your work. Note down what they offer to readers. This could be their narrative style, thematic focus, character development, etc. (Repeat this step as often as wanted.)
Define Your USPs: Identify at least three unique selling points in your writing. What do you offer that your comps don't? Focus on elements like storytelling approach, character creation, world-building, or thematic exploration.
Write a Demonstrative Passage: Craft a short passage of fiction that showcases your unique selling points. This should be a clear demonstration of how your style or thematic focus differs from your comps.
Genre Fit (optional): Analyze your fit with your genre. How well do your unique selling points overlap with reader expectations for the genre? How can you telegraph these differences with your branding in order to attract the right audience?
Reflect and Align (optional): Reflect on whether your unique selling points align well with your chosen genre. Consider how they enhance or challenge genre conventions. Review your passage and note any insights or revelations about your writing style.
Tags: writing, branding, style, genre, comparison, unique selling points
Category: Manage Projects > Product Design
Example:
Genre Analysis: If the chosen genre is science fiction, readers might expect advanced technology, space exploration, ethical dilemmas, and complex world-building.
Analyze Your Comps:
Author: Arthur C. Clarke.
Offerings to Readers: Clarke is known for his scientifically accurate depictions of space, thought-provoking themes, and exploration of human and alien cultures.
Define Your USPs:
Unique Selling Point 1: Incorporation of philosophical and existential themes in a science fiction setting.
Unique Selling Point 2: Strong focus on character-driven narratives, exploring the emotional and psychological impacts of technological advancements.
Unique Selling Point 3: Use of poetic and metaphorical language to describe scientific concepts, blending the boundaries between science fiction and literary fiction.
Write a Demonstrative Passage:
As Captain Elena Rivera floated inches from the silent abyss of space, the stars outside her spacecraft twinkled like distant campfires, each a beacon in the overwhelming darkness. She pressed her palm against the cold, unyielding glass of the observation deck, feeling the vast emptiness that stretched beyond. It was a canvas of black, dotted with specks of light, mirroring the untapped depths of her own mind.
In this solitude, her thoughts drifted, not to the scientific marvels she had encountered or the groundbreaking discoveries back on Earth, but to the simple joys she had left behind. The laughter of her family, the warmth of the sun on her skin, the softness of her old dog’s fur—these memories glimmered in her mind, more precious now than the rarest of gems.
Elena closed her eyes, and in the darkness, she saw not the void of space but the vibrant tapestry of her life. Each moment, a flicker of emotion, a burst of love or pain.
The ship hummed quietly, a lullaby in the void. Here, amidst the stars, Elena understood the true nature of exploration: it was not just about reaching outward to the unknown, but also inward, to the depths of the human experience.
Genre Fit (optional): The unique selling points fit well within the science fiction genre, offering a fresh perspective that focuses more on the human element than just technological aspects. Branding can emphasize the literary and philosophical aspects to attract readers who enjoy deep, thought-provoking science fiction.
Reflect and Align (optional): These selling points enhance the genre by adding emotional depth and intellectual exploration, which may appeal to readers who seek more than just adventure and technological wonder in science fiction. The passage showcases a style that is distinct yet complementary to traditional science fiction themes.