How to promote yourself in a single sentence

What do you write about?

Before you keep reading, see if you can write or say your answer in a single sentence.

(If that was difficult, no worries; just read on.)

Most writers cringe at the very phrase “self-promotion." But one of the simplest yet most effective ways to promote yourself is to clearly explain what you write about. When you can tell anyone—whether a potential agent or editor, a reader, or a random person you’re seated next to on a plane—what you do, you’ve just aced self-promotion 101.

Because here’s what good promotion really is: a succinct explanation that conveys the value of something and allows a person to decide whether that value is for them. (No faking-it-til-you-make-it bragging or slimy convincing necessary.) It’s truly that simple.

With that in mind, I want you to fill out the following:

I’m an author/novelist/writer who writes ___ stories/books about ____.

For example, I'm a bestselling author who writes witty, life-affirming stories about love and relationships.

You don’t have to be fancy about it. And actually, when a one-liner doesn’t work, it’s usually because the writer has tried to make it sound more marketable, highbrow, etc. What kind of stories or books do you write? While your writing instructors have probably told you not to use too many adjectives in your prose, this is the place to use them. And what are those stories or books about? That last part is far more effective than stating your genre, because genres like romance and science fiction have myriad sub-genres, and the labels themselves can mean different things to different people.

Once you’ve got a working one-liner for your writing, practice saying it until it rolls off your tongue. Repetition helps turn a thought into a belief—so every time you share your pitch, you’re building your confidence and solidifying your identity. Moreover, you’re going to quickly discover that it doesn’t have to be awkward to say what you do. In fact, it can be an amazing conversation starter—and might even lead to your next book deal.