I talk a lot about the author’s “platform.” I tell hopeful authors that they need to start building a platform or adding to the platform they have already established before approaching a publisher or before self-publishing.
Your platform is your following—your way of attracting readers. Your platform might involve your connections and or your history and expertise in your topic or genre, for example. I’ve heard some professionals say that your platform is not who you know, but who knows you. Are you well-known? Are you attempting to become more well-known?
Perhaps you’ve been writing articles for many magazines within your industry over the years. Because of this, you are already known to members of your audience. Maybe you have had numerous science fiction stories published in a dozen or so literary and science fiction magazines and websites. You might have quite a following of readers who like your work. Perhaps you are director of an organization related to the theme of your book, you have participated in a large project associated with the theme of your book. Some of you have been involved in the topic of your book all of your life, through your career, hobby or life circumstances. This is part of your platform.
There are numerous ways to build a platform and you should work on this even before your book is a book. Here are some ideas:
• If you are writing a guide for realtors, start now becoming known within the world of real estate. Interview some of the top officials in the industry and quote them in the book. Give workshops for realtors in major cities.
• If you are writing a historical novel, you may want to submit stories to appropriate magazines, newsletters and websites in an attempt to establish a following. Once the book comes out, you can, perhaps, get the editors of these publications and sites to review your book. Those who have read and enjoyed your stories will likely be interested in purchasing your book.
• Get involved in historical aspects of the community you’ll be writing about. Someone who is on the preservation commission in the city where the story takes place might entice more readers than an author no one has heard of.
• Devote your blog to aspects of your story and quips about how the story is progressing and where the research is taking you.
• Involve your audience through your Facebook and Twitter accounts. Ask for information or ideas for character names, for example. Don’t you know that people will be more eager to read a book they actually helped write?
• If you have a character with an affliction, a horse, a brain injury or an addiction, begin addressing people within these areas—post to blogs related to horses or brain injuries, become involved with appropriate websites, connect with key leaders in these areas as they might be interested in helping to promote your book.
Okay, so what do you do with your “platform” once you have developed it? For one thing, you keep adding to it. And you flaunt it every chance you get. In your promo for the book, let people know that you’ve been writing stories in this genre for twenty-five years, that you are a member of the board of realtors and you’ve sold 1,000 properties in your career or that you are active in an addiction recovery program.
If you plan to land a traditional publisher for your book, he will be interested in your platform.
I had a new author ask me over the weekend, “How does the publisher find out about your platform?”
You are going to tell him all about it. This is part of your sales pitch for your book. You might include information about your platform (your qualifications for writing this book and your way of attracting readers) in your query letter—certainly in your book proposal.
Do you have a platform? Are you working to build one? If you need help adding to or establishing your platform, consider taking my online Platform-Building course:
http://www.matilijapress.com/course_platform.htm