The Strategic Art of Building a Personal Brand

How the branding triangle shapes your success as a writer-creator.

Hey there, it’s Darius here, and today we’ll talk about building your personal brand.

In our previous edition of The Look Out, John mentioned how some of his friends are paid subscribers to a newsletter—even though they don’t read (they’re “video-first” folks). That’s because they’re subscribing to The Kjellberg Mail, which is the members-only newsletter of Felix Kjellberg, also known as the former biggest YouTuber, PewDiePie.

This proves an important point about today’s creator economy: The creator is as important as the product. Many fans are willing to read (or subscribe and pay) simply because they are loyal to the creator.

So building your personal brand well is key to standing out in a crowded marketplace.

Now, I understand a lot of people’s hesitation when it comes to branding. We even talked about how to promote yourself when you hate self-promotion. But many writers don’t get the best results from their branding often because they haven’t found the right overlap.

The key is to identify the sweet spot between who you truly are and the image you curate. Because that’s the thing about personal branding: It’s not entirely you. What that means is:

• NOT to be fake or create a facade. Instead, highlight the parts of yourself that align with your goals and your audience’s needs.

• Focus on authenticity. Your work will feel fake if it’s too different from the real you. You’ll also lose motivation if you keep pretending to be someone else.

• On the flip side, if your personal branding is too raw and unpolished, it can muddle your credibility or distract from the skill and value you bring.

The key is to treat your personal brand like a living entity. People change and evolve. But as long as you stay rooted in the things that truly matter to you, you’ll manage without chasing trends.

When I first started becoming more interested in productivity, I didn’t like the many self-help books that were overly esoteric. So I focused on simplicity and practicality. You see that a lot in my writing.

Over time, as my interests expanded into topics like personal finance and entrepreneurship, I evolved my brand to include those as well. But I always kept the core focus on simplicity and practicality because that’s what I genuinely enjoy, and my audience has come to expect that from me too.

Personal branding is rooted in three key factors: Interest, Skill, and Demand. Here’s how each factor shapes your brand, and how to make each one stronger.

1. Interest: Know yourself better by asking the right questions

Without genuine interest, writing will become a chore. If you don’t actually care about what you write, people will notice, and you’ll eventually quit.

So, how do you figure out what truly energizes you?

The business consultant and author Peter Drucker discusses this well in his book Managing Oneself. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in improving their self-awareness and self-knowledge. (I personally re-read this 70-page book once a year or so.)

Inspired by Drucker’s framework, here are a few guiding questions:

1. What types of problems or challenges do you find yourself naturally wanting to solve, even when there’s no reward involved? Ask yourself this to highlight areas of deep personal curiosity and purpose.

2. When have you felt most proud of something you created or accomplished? What about that experience was so satisfying? Moments of pride are a good indicator of a process that you actually enjoy working on. Many people fail at things because they only want the results without enjoying the process.

3. Where do you receive the most positive feedback? External validation shouldn’t be your only measure, but if friends or colleagues often comment on how knowledgeable or passionate you are about a subject, take note.

Make it a habit to review these questions and journal your reflections regularly. Over time, you’ll see a pattern and theme—these are your real interests.

2. Skill: Find the “edge” in your stories

When most people think about “writing skills,” they default to basics like grammar, clarity, and structure. Yes, those are important. But having a signature style is even more important, especially with the presence of AI writing.

The key is to master a unique way of telling stories that only you can tell.

“Tell personal stories” is common writing advice. But what a lot of people miss is a personal “edge” in their stories. In my latest book, I’ve talked about finding your “edge”—the unique elements that set you apart and give you an advantage over others in the market.

In terms of writing skills, this can mean identifying the specific experiences, perspectives, and insights that you can uniquely communicate to your readers in a way that will be useful to them.

For example, I’m a basketball enthusiast. I watch shows and documentaries related to the sport. I read memoirs of successful athletes. I’ve also played in high school. These things find their way into my writing, like in an article I wrote about personal finance: I used the strategy of playing defense as the best offense in basketball and connected that with building sustainable wealth. By doing this, I wrote in a way that’s unique to me and insightful to my reader.

To find your edge, you can look at:

• Challenges you have faced that others can relate to.

• Unusual insights or solutions you have used in your own life that have worked.

• Framing: Think of how you can relate your experiences to fulfill your reader’s needs.

Your edge isn’t just about the stories you write, but rather how you tell them. It’s the difference between being informative and being unforgettable.

3. Demand: Find (and validate) your market

Finally, there’s demand, the market’s appetite for what you offer. Even the most passionate, skillful creators can struggle to gain traction if they focus on a product that no one truly wants or needs.

We have plenty of access to audience data: social media analytics, newsletter engagement rates. These help inform us what people like. But the sheer volume of information can also be paralyzing. Here’s how to approach it:

1. Look for unmet needs in existing communities: For example, if you’re a writer with a deep passion for healthy living and a knack for explaining complex health concepts in simple terms, explore fitness forums, subreddits, or online communities. Identify common pain points and think about what’s missing.

2. Run small experiments: Before launching an expensive personal blog or large-scale community, do micro-tests. Publish a short eBook or post articles online. Offer a free workshop. Gather feedback. If enough people show sustained interest, you may have struck gold.

3. Ask: Sometimes, the simplest way to gauge demand is to ask. Poll your readers, jump on a quick Zoom call with your most engaged subscribers, or run a Q&A session. Their insights can guide you toward creating offerings they’re willing to pay for.

4. Always adapt: Demand isn’t static. Keep an eye on shifts in your niche and be willing to pivot. Your personal brand will remain consistent, but your specific products or services (or how you distribute them) might need to evolve.

Combined with genuine interest and robust skills, this factor allows you to monetize your craft without feeling like a sellout.

Not all parts of the process will feel good, and that’s okay

The late author, Dorothy Parker once said, “I hate writing, I love having written.”

While she was referring to the often-difficult writing process, it also applies to building a personal brand. You might not love every tedious step. But eventually, you’ll need the outcome.

If you can find your interest, develop your skills, and be aware of demand, you’ll build more than just a following—you’ll create a long-term, sustainable, and financially rewarding writing career.