Writing and Publishing News

What is a platform and why do you need one?
Maybe you don’t need a platform—let’s see:
• Are you working on a book?
• Are you a published author?

If your response was, “YES,” then you need a platform.

So what is a platform?
• Your following
• Your way of attracting readers
• Your level of fame or recognition
• Your expertise, credentials, skills related to your book topic or genre

You already have a platform if:
• You are widely known in your field.
• You are a celebrity.

You might continue building on that platform by:
• Public speaking
• Presenting workshops and seminars.
• Building and widely publicizing a website related to your topic/genre.
• Establishing a Newsletter and a Blog related to your topic/genre.
• Affiliating with sites, organizations, charities related to your topic/genre.
• Going out and Making News and then report it.

It’s a matter of becoming visible and known in your field or genre.

And an excellent way to do this, of course, is to write articles on your topic and submit stories in your genre—lots and lots of them.

Are you aware that you are responsible for promoting your book no matter what publishing option you choose? Whether you get an agent and land a traditional royalty publisher, go with a fee-based POD “self-publishing” company or self-publish (establish your own publishing company), you will be expected to promote your book.

Start way before you ever begin to write the book.
Most of you will ignore this advice. You just want to write your book.
Some of you have already written your book. And that’s okay, too.
Best case scenario! You will establish yourself as an expert in your subject, field or genre BEFORE your book is a book.

And once you’ve completed the book, you don’t get to stop. Now you need to shift your article-writing efforts into high, high gear. Why? You’re still building your platform, but now you’re also in promotion mode.

If you need help establishing yourself as an article writer&#8212or even learning how to write those first few articles, consider signing up TODAY for my online Article-Writing Course. You’ll learn how to:
• Come up with article ideas or stories based on your topic/genre.
• Locate and understand submission guidelines.
• Locate and approach appropriate magazines.
• Write a query letter.
• Write a promotional article.
• Submit your article or story.
• Read a magazine contract.

If you are attempting to enter into the fiercely competitive publishing field with virtually NO credentials, notoriety or celebrity&#8212if you are not widely known in your topic/genre&#8212 spend the $125 for this 6-week course NOW and jumpstart your book sales in 2009.

http://www.matilijapress.com/course_magarticles.htm

There’s a course in progress. November 13, 2008 is the deadline to join in on this Article Writing Course.

This entry was posted on Saturday, November 8th, 2008 at 5:53 am and is filed under Book Promotion, Writing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.