The Writer's Journey Blueprint for Your Writing Success - Tip # 4
Tip #4: Create a platform to reach your readers and know that this will help you to attract the attention of publishers ...
Creating a platform to reach your readers directly is an excellent way to attract attention from publishers to help you secure a deal. Yet one of the mistakes that many authors make is to underestimate the importance of putting time and energy into the activities required to develop this area.
If you are self-publishing, your platform is even more important as your primary means of marketing, promoting and selling your book. When you are responsible for the whole writing and publishing mix, having a solid platform is likely to mean the difference between success and failure!
Once your book is actually published, your platform will genuinely be one of the most important cornerstones for real, long-lasting success. But it takes time to put the foundations in place and to generate the momentum you need to reap the rewards of your efforts. So it is important to begin your preparations now!
What is a platform, I hear some of you asking? There are undoubtedly variations on people’s interpretations of what a platform is, and so with that understood, let me offer you my definition:
A platform is the combination of all the different
ways you communicate directly with the people who are
interested in you, your ideas, your work in general,
and of course, your book(s) specifically.
Examples include: articles, interviews, media appearances, speaking engagements, seminars and workshops – which all contribute to creating a name for yourself and building your profile. And don’t forget your website, newsletter, your book(s), audio, video and other related products.
Of course not everybody will develop all of these ideas – so take a deep breath if you’re suddenly feeling overwhelmed! There are different levels at which you can focus your efforts on building a platform and it is extremely important that you choose the level that suits you – and your book - best.
The way to make the right choice for you as an individual is to refer back to your original motivation and objectives for becoming a published author in the first place. What results are you looking for? What outcomes do you dream of? What impact do you want published authorship to have on your life?
Here are my definitions of the three levels at which you can create your platform (naturally these distinctions aren’t quite this black and white in practice but they do provide a good starting point to enable you to focus your ideas):
1. All Out - includes a strong focus on media profile plus a sophisticated website that is set up for e-commerce to present a comprehensive range of products and services relating to your areas of passion – including your book(s).
2. The Middle Way - includes a mixture of articles and events alongside a professionally designed website which offers your book and other related ideas for reaching out to your readers with your message or story.
3. Individual Minimum Path - includes writing articles plus a simple showcase website.
I recommend that you start with the level that feels right to you in order to achieve the outcome you are aiming for – and be realistic. It is better to aim for a more manageable level - and achieve it - than to go ‘All Out’ initially but then feel overwhelmed and under pressure. You can always expand your activities once you have built a solid foundation and feel ready to stretch your boundaries just that little bit further.
Whichever level you choose, there are essentially two tasks involved with establishing your platform:
1. Creating content
2. Building a database
The content of course will be centred around your book’s main subject or story and related ideas that can be used to ‘point towards’ your primary passions. The database of people who have in some way given you ‘permission’ to communicate with them is totally crucial. Without this audience, there is no ‘platform’!
So how does this all fit in with what you can expect from your publisher in terms of sales, marketing and publicity if your book is published by a commercial publishing house? The situation has changed a great deal over the last few years regarding what publishers do (or don’t do) for authors - especially regarding marketing and publicity.
Today, publishers tend to concentrate their efforts, and their budgets, on their ‘lead titles’. If your book does not come within this elite band, the likelihood is that it will not receive as much attention as I am sure you would like it to – and believe it deserves.
One of the most common complaints from authors is that publishers have not done as good a job of marketing and promoting their book as they had hoped for. In many cases this is both understandable and justified. Yet the reality is that there is fierce competition for time, focus and money – both in-house and in the marketplace.
The best solution is for you to work in partnership with your publisher and understand that your role as an author does include engaging with these areas at some level. When you accept a share in the responsibility of making sure that your book reaches the widest audience possible by creating a solid platform, ironically your publisher is likely to give you and your book more support. Then between you, with a combination of energies and resources, you can work towards your book achieving the success it undoubtedly deserves.
INVITATION TO TAKE ACTION
1. Refer back to your original intentions for becoming a published author.
2. Choose a level to aim for in the knowledge that it is not set in stone.
3. Decide on 1 task that you can do this month to begin the process of creating your platform. Schedule the time … and just do it!
Enjoy!
PS If you have enjoyed this article and would like to know more about the coaching, mentoring and masterclasses I offer, send me an email summarising your current situation and let me see how I can help you to move forwards on your Writer's Journey.
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Julia McCutchen
Author, Writers' Coach, Publishing Consultant
www.JuliaMcCutchen.com (0) 1380 871331
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© Julia McCutchen 2007. All Rights Reserved. If you want to use this article in your ezine or on your website I’d be happy for you to do so as long as you use the complete article, including the copyright line, and include the following paragraph in its entirety: Julia McCutchen is the author of The Writer’s Journey: From Inspiration to Publication and works as a writers’ coach and a professional publishing consultant. She has over 20 years' experience of publishing and a track record which includes UK # 1 and international bestsellers. Julia has worked with literally hundreds of authors, many of whom were writing a book for the first time, and is passionate about sharing her wealth of knowledge and experience to open the way for people who want to write a book for publication. To learn more and to accesss free resources for writers, visit www.JuliaMcCutchen.com
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