Archive for the ‘Building a Writer's Platform’ Category

If you want to build a career as a published writer, you must take care of the business side of your writing.  Building a writing business means that you need to build a writer’s platform.  A writer’s platform is all of the things that you as a writer do to market yourself and your books.  The idea is to make your name a household name that everyone recognizes so that when the your next book comes out, you already have a list of readers that want to buy your book.

How do you build a writer’s platform?  In some ways building a platform has not changed. You’ll be doing some things in the same way that writer’s have been doing them for years.  However, cell phones and the internet and all the related technology has also changed tremendously.  Unlike writers of years past, you have at your fingertips the ability to build an audience of readers that numbers in the tens of thousands before you’ve even written your first book.  Along with this also is the end of writers who are unable to make a living on the money they make from their writing.

Start a file and keep track of everything you do.  Write down each speaking engagement, Write the date and the location, and if possible, a contact person and address, and phone number. Record each piece of writing that you publish.  Whether it’s an article in an internet ezine, a newspaper article, or a magazine piece, add them to your platform. You can use these “resume” accomplishments in your marketing, and in your press release.  Publishers like a “sure thing”.  If the opportunity comes and you’re trying to convince a conventional publisher to publish your book, a well-built writer’s platform and a list of readers can sway the publishers to choose to publish your book.

One of the key elements of a modern writer’s platform is building a reader’s list.  This is the same thing that other business people do when they build a client list.  As every business person knows, the success of your business depends on the quality of your client list.  You use this client list to keep in touch with your clients, to encourage them to refer other people to you, and, of course, to sell thing to them.  Place “list-building” at the top of your platform building goals.  Keep it in the back of your mind as you plan other platform activities.  Always ask yourself, “Is there a way to use this activity to build my list?”  By simply keeping your eyes open to list-building opportunities, you will find more and more ways to build your list.

In future blogs, I’ll go into more detail about the various aspects of building a writer’s platform.

You’ll find a step-by-step blueprint for your writer’s platform that’s integrated with the novel-writing process in my new book, Write Your Way to a Million Dollars. Just click on the link to find out more.  Get a discount during this introductory period!