A Publisher's Conversation with Authors: What Is an Author Platform and Why Do You Need It?

 


It is Tuesday. Time to tall turkey. Monday's madness is over, and Wednesday will take us over the hump, so Tuesday it is for some serious discussion with authors. Tuesday talks mean to address authors in waiting and self-published authors who would like to go a more traditional route or who would at least like to take their steps with a publisher by their side.

Today's topic addresses an area not well understood by many new authors: the author platform. What do we mean by that? 

So, what is an author platform?

  • An author platform is the ability to sell books because of who you are and who you can reach.  
  • Jane Friedman provides a commonly accepted definition of author platform: "Publishing or distributing quality work in outlets you want to be identified with and that your target audience reads. Producing a body of work on your own platform—e.g., blog, e-mail newsletter, social network, podcast, video, digital downloads, etc.—that gathers quality followers or a community of people who are interested in what you have to say."
  • It is a body of work produced over a long period of time that reaches your target audience on our regular basis.
  • It is the development of a fan club or followership of some size (10K-50K) and a network of contacts.
  • It is a mechanism for attracting many people to you and your book(s) without begging them to buy it.

Is an author platform necessary?

  • To interest a traditional publisher in your book - usually yes.
  • To interest a hybrid publisher in your book - often yes, but not always.
  • To interest an agent in representing your book -- perhaps.
  • To ensure good sales - nearly always yes.

What comprises an author platform (understanding that this will vary by book topic and by author)?

  • It is typically social presence on a regular basis on a social media platform (generally, 1-2 platforms; it is better to concentrate than spread oneself thin),
    • Website. Generally a must.
    • Presence where readers hang out: GoodReads acount, Amazon Central author page, and the like. 
    • Blogs (your own or through partnership with an influencer -- sometimes, the influencer will pick up on your book without interacting with you, but other times, the interaction is important)
    • Daily or near-daily tweets
    • A monthly (or more frequent) newsletter or e-blasts (focused on providing content information, not on advertising)
    • A Face Book account with regular posts
    • Frequent posts on other social media platforms: Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, Reddit, etc.
  • It can be in-person presence as well, but, again, on a regular basis, not just occasionally. This presence can take the form of
    • Book seller shows (regional are as important if not more important than national)
    • Exhibits -- if frequent
    • Regular workshops, in person or online
    • Local presentations
  • It can be personal expertise and credentials. Examples include:
    • Ted Talks as an expert.
    • Routine consulting and training.
    • Routine publication in professional journals (or, for lay and journalistic topics, a newspaper column, better yet, a syndicated newspaper column) 
    • Frequent appearance on podcasts, radio, and television
    • Frequent interviews in media (including with bloggers)
    • Producing your own podcast, radio show, television show, or set of youtube videos

    So, what lies outside the scope of an author platform?

    • Book marketing, such as advertisement, running discounts, e-blasts for sales, and other direct means to draw attention to and sell your book. (However, a strong platform will provide the foundation for a good marketing plan.)
    • Book promotion, such as book signings, book readings, and launch activities. (However, a strong platform will provide a good jumping-off and coming-home point for your book promotion campaigns. 
    • Competitions, reviews, and other activities that bring attention to your book. However, they can reinforce your platform -- and they are necessary to bring attention to your book.

      The bottom line is that getting readers to purchase a book by an unknown writer is very difficult in general and becomes nearly impossible if that author is a secret in a dark corner. Authors need to stand out, become known, and develop credibility if they want their books to sell well. To become known (unless you are a political or social celebrity, in which case your celebrity is your platform), you need to have a base (platform) upon which to build your reputation. Beginning your platform 2-3 years before publishing your book makes the likelihood of your book's success much higher. Some tools and suggestions for building a strong platform can be found HERE and HERE.

      Lesson for today's Tuesday talk: Start now to build your platform. It is never too early, and it is never too late.

       Read more posts about publishing HERE.

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       (Publishing for Smarties: How to Find a Publisher available from MSI Press LLC; discount of 25% with coupon code FF25; currently on sale for $5, but that offer will not last forever).









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