Huh?
Your brand, your name, your moniker, something which will allow everyone to know it’s you. What sets you apart from the ABC or 123 reviewer?
Using a brand gives you an identity and having one is vital.
I started using ratings and symbols for The Muse Book Reviews, when I was encouraged to strike out on my own. I chose a trumpeting elephant as my rating symbol (something I no longer use as ratings didn’t give the full picture, more next month).
Your brand can also be your name. During the free Muse Writers Online Conference, I started using ChrisChat, a mix of my name and childhood nickname. Like everyone, who starts a website or blog, I needed a title. Using, ChrisChat, was the natural choice because I was already known by that identity.
Side note – as a writer, while you only have one name, you can have multiple brand names. You could use one name for your general fiction…Christine I Steeves…and another for your non-fiction…Christine I Speakman. Or a pseudonym for any genre you would rather keep separate from another…children’s from erotic.
And yes, this applies to reviewers, too. Think about what you’re reviewing. If you are reviewing children or young adult books and, say, erotica, would you be comfortable having both under one name? Nothing wrong with that; however, some readers may not appreciate having both these genres reviewed by the same person. Again, nothing wrong with their choices, but you could end up limiting yourself. Two identities could work to your advantage.
Picture brands used in your ratings could vary, as well. Think maybe flames or kisses for the more adult content, and a cell phone or mp3 player for the young adult genre.
Simply, you can be whomever you want by making a change to your brand name or picture. You can be recognized for all your work or maintain a separate identity for each.
The important bit…know who you are and what you expect of and for yourself.