Weaving meaning into your brand through storytelling
How to infuse your brand with emotional resonance, build trust through authentic narratives and craft stories that align with your vision and values.
Hi friends,
Welcome to the fourth and final chapter of our branding series with
, designer, mentor, writer and the voice behind , a publication exploring the rhythms of creative work and life.When Sarah first wrote for The Author Stack, she shared her approach to branding with purpose, a grounding read for any founder or writer building a creative business or publication. She then explored crafting a strategy and creating a moodboard to bring visual cohesion and emotional direction to your brand.
At the time of her last post, Sarah had just launched a successful Kickstarter campaign to fund the Brand Seasons Playdeck, a pocket-sized card deck of 48 prompts designed to support you with strategy, styling and storytelling, which you can still get your hands on.
She is currently preparing for Brand Camp, a summer email retreat designed to help creatives, founders and writers reconnect with their brand in a way that feels spacious and aligned. Over six weeks from Monday 14th July, you’ll travel through six trail markers — Vision, Values, Voice, Vibration, Visibility and Viewpoint — with a weekly rhythm of thoughtful prompts and simple practices. You’ll also receive early access to The Lookout, Sarah's new brand audit guide.
This is a slower experience by design — something you can ease into alongside family life, client work or a much-needed creative breather. By the end of summer, you’ll feel excited about where your brand is heading, equipped to make meaningful progress and energised in your vision, values and voice.
Join Brand Camp for £60 or if you’re a member of the Brand Seasons Clubhouse (currently 25% off for life) you can sign up for just £40.
Now, in this final part, we turn our attention to storytelling and how it weaves essence, emotion and meaning into your brand, and why it matters so deeply for creatives, founders and writers alike. You can subscribe to Sarah’s publication below.
The stories we carry
In each of us, there are many stories to tell, and they hold immense power.
They shape how others perceive our businesses or publications, how they connect with our message and whether they come along for the journey.
The founders, creatives and writers I work with often ask whether their voice is “enough” or whether it’s too small, too messy or too unremarkable to share. But here’s the thing: people don’t want polished origin stories or perfect narratives.
Storytelling as a branding practice isn't just for project launches or about pages. Your honest attempts and vulnerable experiences are what give your audience a soft place to land and help them feel seen and make sense of the world.
These stories can live in your day-to-day — in experiments, the ideas you’re turning over, in reflections. It’s less about information and more about intention. In many ways, brand storytelling is the bridge between how something looks and how something feels. No matter how insignificant it may seem in relation to your own business or practice, narratives help us connect.
Why storytelling matters
Before we get into how to build your brand story, it’s worth pausing to ask why stories matter in the first place, especially in a world where communication is fast and attention is short.
My belief is that:
It builds trust: When you share your story, you show up as you.
It sparks empathy: Shared struggles make us feel less alone, more attuned.
It invites action: Stories can uplift and bring people into your world.
One of my favourite perspectives on the power of story comes from Andrew Stanton’s TED Talk: The clues to a great story. Three of his simple yet powerful storytelling principles apply beautifully to branding:
Make a promise: A great story hints at where it’s going. A brand makes a promise then invites us to stay as that story unfolds. That doesn’t mean revealing everything at once. It means offering just enough for someone to follow along.
Build in wonder: Stanton speaks about wonder as those subtle, almost magical moments that move us. In branding, this might be a surprising metaphor, a line that lingers or a simple truth that lands with a reader at just the right time.
Use your knowledge: The most captivating stories come from what you know. When you draw from experience — your struggles and your turning points — you create texture. And your audience feels it.
When I settled on a tagline for my design studio, These Are The Days, the words ”craft a brand that feels like home” were shaped by my approach to branding and business. They captured how I wanted my clients to feel and, over time, that simple line has informed the stories I share.
But most of all? When I work on a project and a client tells me they finally feel at home in their brand — that they love it, recognise themselves in it and are proud to share it — I know I’ve delivered on my promise. It’s a quiet but powerful example of brand storytelling in action.
Whether you’re a writer, a founder or a creative of any kind, your brand story isn’t just a tool. It’s an offering. Your lived experience is your gold and the way you choose to express it creates resonance. A chance to show what you stand for and why it matters.
Three storytelling dimensions
Just as styling can be broken down into components like imagery, palettes and typography, storytelling can be approached in parts too.
Never an afterthought, story is the thread that brings your brand to life through content, contact and character. It gives your communication texture and evokes emotion in ways design alone can’t always reach.
Here are three core considerations that shape meaningful brand storytelling:
Function: Storytelling colours every aspect of your communication, from the way you write a homepage to the way you respond to a message. A well-crafted narrative uplifts and inspires, creating emotional connection. It takes time, but it gives your message staying power.
Authenticity: Your story should feel coherent and honest across platforms. If the tone of your social feed jars with your website, or your emails don’t sound like you, it creates subconscious friction. Think of it like moving between rooms in a house. The tone should carry through, gently and recognisably.
Meaning: This is where a brand story moves beyond clarity and into connection. When you speak to the desires of your audience, when you share your challenges and values, you create emotional resonance. This helps people not just understand your work, but feel something through it.
Thoughtful communication is vital. If your brand messaging hasn’t been revisited in a while, or you haven’t considered how you might weave elements of your own story into your marketing and promotion, now is a good time.
Five story types to try:
The low-to-high origin story: Share how a moment of challenge shaped your business or creative work.
The why I chose this path story: What deeper mission or motivation drives your work? Why do you really do it?
The human element story: Share the everyday moments, reflections, or conversations that shape your path.
The behind-the-scenes story: Offer a glimpse into your practice, showing how decisions are made and problems are solved.
The future-facing story: Paint a picture of what you’re building next, maybe a new direction or dream you’re working toward.
These are just some ways to build trust and make your audience feel part of the journey, not just the outcome.
Communicating your values through storytelling
Stories are universal, but the way we tell them evolves.
With each new platform comes new narrative potential. That can be overwhelming, but also full of opportunity.
We look to brands to stand for something. To offer substance. To communicate with honesty. When there’s alignment, people trust what they see and hear. When there’s dissonance, the connection is lost.
As you move forward, take a moment to ask:
How do I want people to feel? Begin with intention.
What stories am I telling? Think about your communication.
Is there something I’m ready to say that I haven’t shared yet? Get curious.
Where could I be more honest or expressive? Consider what needs attention.
What needs to shift so my story feels more aligned? Identify next steps.
And remember: your story isn’t a script, but a thread. Just begin and explore. See where it takes you.
Join the conversation
Want more brand reflections? You’re welcome to join Sarah over at
— a home for purposeful creatives, thoughtful founders and writers looking to bring more cohesion and clarity to their branding.She writes about curiosity, creativity and connection, hosts a podcast on branding and business and works with clients through her studio, These Are The Days, helping them define their vision, craft beautiful visuals and discover their voice.
If today’s article resonated, here are five questions to carry with you:
How do you currently use storytelling in your brand?
Where are you finding it hard to do so authentically?
Which of the brand story types resonates most with your creative journey?
Where in your brand might you be missing that vital emotional connection?
What part of your story are you ready to share next?
Let us know in the comments.
If you enjoyed this one, I highly recommend checking our archive, with over 900 posts about how to help you build your own author career, including our course, fund your book on Kickstarter. You can take it for free with a seven-day trial, or give us a tip if you want to support us without committing long term.
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Thanks for the opportunity to write the branding series, Russell! Hope your audience enjoys these reflections on storytelling.