Reader and A'Guild member L.A. Starks wrote in telling me that she agreed with Dan Cooper's recommendation of the book Differentiate or Die as a guide for helping bloggers and writer brand themselbes. She also recommended another resource:

A dense book published in 1980 by Michael Porter,a Harvard business school professor, called Competitive Strategy is another resource for this differentiate-or-die approach. Another competitive strategy is commoditization/least cost. Tho publishing seems to be heading there, it's a brutal strategy for authors. Chapter 2 of Porter's book, titled Generic Competitive Strategies, is the go-right-to-it reference.

Got a recommendation of a book, site, resource or tool that's been enhancing your professional life? Don't be square: share.