HOW SOLID IS YOUR AUTHOR PLATFORM?

Building a solid author platform is something every writer should strive for. Whether you’re seeking a traditional publisher or plan to go the indie-publishing (a/k/a self-publishing) route, without a well-built author platform, you can expect to struggle for success.

Most authors are unaware of what makes up an author platform, or just how crucial that platform is to prospective agents and publishers. However, don’t make the mistake of thinking that if you have no desire to secure a contract with a traditional publisher, an author platform isn’t something you need to build and nurture, because it’s just as important to indie-published authors if they’re seeking a successful career in writing.

This world we live in is constantly changing, and the publishing world is no exception. Tastes in reading material, the tropes we use in our fiction novels, and what makes an eye-catching book cover—just to name a few—change with the times nearly as often as the style of clothing we wear. More to the point, so does the business side of publishing and what prospective agents and publishers are looking for. But again, even if you’re not interested in securing a literary agent or a traditional publisher, a solid author platform is still a must-have if you want to be a successful author. 

An essential part of those changing times brought us more widespread

access to our reading material, with the convenience of browsing and buying online, along with the growing popularity of social media. In the early 2000s, the concept of an “author platform” came on the scene, and by 2020, an author’s platform had become a crucial factor for publishing houses when determining whether or not to take a risk on offering that author a contract. This is especially true for nonfiction authors.

Today, that platform is more important than ever, and as literary agents are more often than not a mandatory intermediary between the author and a prospective publisher, authors can expect any literary agent to put their author platform to the test. After all, the more well-built your author platform is, the more likely your book will sell.

So, what exactly makes up an author’s platform?

Well, for starters—and I apologize ahead of time for bursting any bubbles of misconception many of you might be living in—it is not all about how many followers you have on social media.

For authors seeking a traditional publisher, think of it as your author résumé. The more experience you’ve accumulated along the author path, the more solid your author platform will be, as it demonstrates that you have a strong ability to reach readers. And the stronger they believe that ability is, the more likely that agent or publishing house will take a risk on you.

For those authors preferring to stick with indie-publishing, building a solid author platform tells the same story: your ability to reach readers.

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Now, I’ve seen pie charts depicting what some believe the percentages are as to what aspects make up an author platform. However, I’m not going to use a pie chart here as I believe many of the factors named in those pie charts blur the lines and cross over from one to the other. 

Social Media

While your social media presence is certainly part of the equation, it is far from the whole. In those pie charts I mentioned above, social media is said to share just ten percent of the pie, right along with six other factors. However—and this is a pretty big “however”—this is where the lines are blurred the most because social media crosses over into nearly every other listed aspect of the author platform pie. 

Now, I can imagine that hearing this comes as quite a disappointment to many, as you’ve likely spent years building your social media presence and thought that was all you needed to do. And while that presence is certainly necessary and holds a lot of potential for more, it’s still not the whole of it.

Yes, racking up thousands of followers is awesome, but how much interaction are you getting, and how often do you post? Also, keep in mind that your popularity can easily shine by the number of reviews you’ve racked up, evidencing your fan base, as well as the number of followers you’ve secured, or owning a popular blog or newsletter. Each of those things can lead to landing those book deals. 

So, don’t neglect that social media presence, and be sure to continue to nurture it, expand it, and get everything out of it that you can. At the same time, read on and you’ll see just how social media plays into every other piece of the platform pie.

Expertise

For nonfiction writers, expertise takes up the biggest piece of that pie mentioned above. However, while verifying your expertise in the subject you’ve chosen to write about is certainly critical when it comes to nonfiction, fiction writers should also take this need into consideration because agents, publishers, and in a way, your readers as well, will be looking for that expertise, although perhaps not in the same way or to the same extent.

You may have a medical background that serves you well when writing stories that involve characters suffering from various ailments or injuries, or perhaps you suffered one yourself. The same goes for a background in the military, politics, law enforcement, and so on. Maybe you write historical fiction and have a vast knowledge of historical facts, proven by earned degrees or positions you’ve held.

For fiction writers, this “expertise” can be in the form of research or personal interviews with experts or people who have dealt with the subject you’re writing about firsthand.

Whatever your background, even if that background includes being a parent, spouse, or caregiver, be sure to highlight that expertise, no matter how small, when corresponding with prospective agents and publishers. Also, show off that experience on social media, your website, and any other opportunity that arises. 

Ability to Execute

Another piece of the pie that makes up an author’s platform is your ability to execute, one aspect that might not be so easy for some writers to show prospective publishers before garnering a book deal.

However, as any published author can tell you, there are a myriad of steps along the way from the concept of that new book, all the way to publishing and beyond, and many of those steps will have a deadline.

When it comes to proving you’ve got what it takes, your editor, as well as other members of your author team, can play a big role by verifying your track record at meeting deadlines. If you’ve already indie-published a book or two (or more), your team is typically your developmental editor, line editor, proofreader, cover artist, and interior designer. There may also be others in the publishing business who can vouch for you as well, so don’t be shy about mentioning those connections.

Also, don’t forget to mention entry deadlines in writing contests, publishing deadlines for articles, pre-order deadlines (if you’ve published in the past), and so on.

Contacts

A contact who makes a difference could be anyone from a well-known published author or book reviewer to your literary agent or a celebrity. Their trust in you and the sellability of your book can go a long way toward convincing a potential publisher to take a risk on you.

If you’re writing nonfiction, seek out someone in the industry you’re writing about, someone whose name will stand out, to write a foreword. And if fiction is where your book fits on the shelf, try getting an author with name recognition in your genre to write a one-line review for the cover of your book.

Also, don’t hesitate to make the most of those connections you’ve nurtured on social media. Trading shares with other authors in your genre in newsletters and on various social media pages can go a long way toward getting your books noticed.

Personality

Some say personality is hard to gauge, but it shouldn’t be. Although “writer equals introvert” is so common that it’s become a stereotype, everywhere we put ourselves out there is a place where our personality can shine through if we let it, and often even when we don’t realize it. So be careful not to tarnish your reputation while putting yourself out there.

Standing out from the crowd isn’t always easy to accomplish, but far from impossible. Put that personality into every post you make, whether it be a promotional video or a single meme, and let that personality (whether it’s a hidden one or not) glow.

Talk about what interests you, what you’re passionate about, and the things you love, while still keeping your private life private. This goes for what you post on social media, your website, and anywhere else you appear online or in print, as well as what you say during interviews or any time you interact with readers or anyone within the publishing industry.

Write what you would want to read, and that love for the genre will show on every page. And let your personality show through the choices you make with your book covers, your interior design, and all promotional media.

Now, some words of caution: Choose wisely before you speak, virtually or otherwise. This includes personal appearances, online or media-generated interviews, and any action you take on social media, whether it’s on your own page or someone else’s. And don’t fool yourself into thinking readers, agents and publishers won’t notice these things, because they do and will. For instance, imagine a children’s book author whose public page follows some rather questionable, or shall we say, risqué content, or posts that contain questionable content on their own page.

On social media, the memes you choose to share reflect your personality, or at least they should, so consider that, too, before you press that button. Be sure every action you take doesn’t say something about you that you’d rather not have out there, because that reflection will eventually come back on you.

Develop your personal brand early, and keep in mind that even though social media and personality alike take up just ten percent—so some say—of the platform pie each, breaking out of the pack can take you far when you remember to take bites from all the other pieces.

Previous Media and Previous Books

I’m packing these two into one as, to me, they go hand-in-hand.

The more media experience you can rack up, the better, so get yourself out there. This includes interviews, whether in print or through radio, television, podcast, or social media platforms, and the like. Any media appearance is a valuable asset to add to your author platform. And let’s not discount how it crosses over into personality, ability to execute, and more.  

And whatever published work you have in your library, whether it’s a magazine article, a blog, a newsletter, a contribution to an anthology, or a full novel, every publication adds to your sellability, so be sure to show it off.

Some believe that if you are an author seeking to garner a book deal with a traditional publisher, the last thing you want to do is indie-publish. However, this is so not true. Having prior published books in your repertoire can only be a bad thing if what you published was of mediocre quality or worse. After all, we should always strive to present a quality read.

That said, never forget that every book, article, or whatever medium you write in has the potential to be a first impression for many readers, so make sure that first impression is a good one.

Existing Readership

Existing readership is the last-named piece of the author platform pie. Evidence of your readership can be found in book sales, your reviews, your following, and readership participation, just to name the most obvious. And let’s not forget your mailing list or subscribers to your website or blog. 

Highlight readership by posting pics of readers posing with you at special appearances, and share any pics they offer with your books.

Many readers don’t leave reviews, so any opportunity you can find to highlight a reader is an asset you shouldn’t let get by you.

There is so much more I could offer on this subject, but I’ll end with this: Building your author platform takes time and effort. It doesn’t happen overnight, and it’s not meant to. Also, just like marketing or building a relationship, the work never stops. So don’t get discouraged and don’t give up.

Keep at it, and if you’ve got the passion, you’ll get there.