by Jeff Yeager
“Jeff, you’re a wonderful writer!”
Coming from the seasoned New York literary agent, I just wanted those words to hang there, in suspended celebration, while we enjoyed a leisurely lunch at the trendy Manhattan eatery she’d chosen for our meeting. Even though I’m not a dessert fan, I started thinking that maybe I’d stick around after all for some crème brûlée and an espresso or two.
“But the fact is,” she continued, “there are lots of wonderful writers—and even lots of truly great writers—who never get a book published.” Darn it, so much for basking in the moment. I hadn’t even started my salad. Check please!
“The thing that interests me about you, and frankly the reason I agreed to meet with you today, is your platform. I know you’re just starting out, but I think publishers will be impressed with the exposure you’re already getting and what that means for your platform going forward.” I thoughtfully crunched on a crouton from my salad, hoping to suggest that I was contemplating the wisdom of the agent’s words. But I’m too honest to be a good bluffer.
“That’s fantastic!” I said, enthusiastically spraying the woman I hoped would be my future agent in a shower of soggy crouton crumbs.
“Look,” I continued, trying to divert my gaze from what appeared to be an entire crushed baguette clinging to the front of the poor agent’s Ann Taylor dress suit. “I really hope you’ll agree to represent me, and I want you to know that I always believe in being honest. So I have to confess: I have absolutely no idea what a platform is … although I’m delighted that you think I have such a good one.”
With that awkward self-confessional a few short years ago, I began my journey—and more importantly my education—into the über competitive, promotion-driven world of book publishing.
Simply put, a platform is a writer’s capacity to help promote and market his own work to potential readers. It’s a writer’s ability to attract a fan base of his own, outside of the promotional efforts of his publisher. It’s a writer’s ability to get his message out to the world.
Ideally, a platform has more than just one plank. For example, it’s more than just a strong website or a weekly column in your local newspaper, although either of those planks would be a terrific start. It’s a combination of assets, skills, expertise, activities, and professional connections that both strengthen each other and enhance the writer’s chances for commercial success.
Ideally, a platform has more than just one plank.
In my case I was lucky enough to inadvertently receive some national television exposure early in my writing career (see 2008 Writer’s Market Freelance Success Stories), which I then opportunistically parlayed into more press exposure and a growing network of media contacts. By the time I went looking for a literary agent to represent me in a book deal, I’d only had a few articles published and most of those were online. And while the media visibility I’d received prior to that point was not inconsequential, it wasn’t nearly enough to carry a book.
But it was a start, and it proved to an agent—and then to a publisher—that I had the wherewithal to build a viable platform; that I was a horse worth betting on. That was two book deals ago, and my platform has since grown to include professional speaking and television reporting gigs, as well as blogging on a number of high traffic websites and authoring articles for a range of national publications.
At first blush my story might seem plucky to the point of being irrelevant to the careers of most writers. After all, how many newbie writers make their media debut on NBC’s Today show, as I did? But what I’ve come to appreciate about platform building is this: Even with luck, you need persistence and promotional savvy, and—even without luck—persistence and promotional savvy is probably all you need.
It’s also true what they say about making your own luck. Or, as quote-meister H. Jackson Brown, Jr. puts it, “Opportunity dances with those already on the dance floor.” The key to building a successful promotional platform is to make sure you’re always out there on the dance floor, shakin’ what you got.
Given the laundry list of possible tactics for developing a platform (see sidebar), you need to set priorities in order to use your time and resources effectively, while at the same time remaining flexible enough to quickly act on unanticipated opportunities as they come your way. After all, you never know who’s going to ask you to dance once you’re out there on the floor.
Logically, the first step is to identify the target audience(s) for your writing. The more focused you can be in defining your audience, the more effective you’ll be in reaching out to them. For example, if you’re writing a book about dieting, you’re obviously looking to reach people who would like to lose weight. But can you be even more specific? Maybe your niche is really middle-aged women hoping to lose weight, or parents who want to help their kids lose weight. Or say you write young adult fiction. Does it appeal more to boys or girls, teens or preteens, urban kids or rural kids, or particular YA book discussion groups, etc.?
Now that you know who your audience is, you need to figure out where and how you can best reach them. This is when the brainstorming really starts. What websites or online discussion boards do they frequent? What magazines and other print publications do they read? Are there certain TV or radio shows that appeal to them? Are there any special events they attend, or clubs or associations they join? In short, what are their favorite dance floors?
Identifying publications, media, and other forums through which you can reach your target audience is a never ending process, because they’re constantly changing and you’re always looking to expand your platform. When you’ve tapped into one forum, for example a website that caters to middle-aged women hoping to lose weight, always ask the people you meet there what other websites they visit, magazines they read, books they’ve enjoyed, and so on. I call this a progressive focus group, relying on everyone I meet in my target audience to educate me further about themselves and where I can find more folks just like them.
Once you’ve identified your target audience and started building a list of dance floors where they hang out, it’s time to introduce yourself, to get to know them, and to make sure they get to know you. For most writers, this means providing content; content that helps to establish your reputation, builds name recognition (AKA “brand recognition”), and ideally creates for you a positive notoriety or even celebrity status among members of your target audience.
If you’re a nonfiction writer, you typically provide content from the perspective of being an expert in the field (again, a weight loss expert, for example). If you write fiction, the content you provide is hopefully deemed desirable because of your creative and literary prowess. Who wouldn’t want to read the words posted on some obscure website by a future J.K. Rowling?
Content, of course, can take many different forms. It’s an article or story you get paid handsomely to write for a national magazine, as well as something you write without compensation for an association newsletter read by your target audience. It’s the content of your own website and the guest blogs you write for another high-traffic website frequented by your target audience, and it’s also every word you type in a chat room where your audience hangs out, even if it’s just passing the time of day. It’s the talk you give at the local library about what you do for a living. It’s the interview you give on radio or national TV.
Remember, the most valuable words many authors have ever written are the words they most wish they could take back.
The content you provide is the basic building block of your platform, so make sure you have plenty of it and that it reflects the quality and style you want to be associated with. Remember, the most valuable words many authors have ever written are the words they most wish they could take back.
There’s no denying that the Internet has had a profound impact on the enterprises of writing and publishing, and also on the ability of an author to develop a platform. Pre-Internet, writers had to rely on traditional print and broadcast media, as well as public appearances and other in-person networking, to gain visibility and establish credibility.
But is it possible to build a promotional platform entirely through online activities—a virtual platform, if you will? If you have your own winning website, soft-market yourself through online chat rooms, maybe blog or contribute content to other sites, will that do the trick?
Timothy Ferriss, author of the bestselling book The 4 Hour Workweek, attributes much of his success to viral marketing, particularly his efforts to befriend fellow bloggers who then hyped his book. But viral or old school, it all comes back to content. Ferriss said in an interview with Leo Babauta on writetodone.com, “Marketing can get you an initial wave of customers, but you need a good product to go viral … Focus on making yourself a credible expert vs. pushing a book.”
Clearly a strong presence on the Internet can not only be a major plank in an author’s platform, but it’s also a logical place for many writers to begin building their platforms.
“The barriers (e.g. cost, skill, etc.) for gaining exposure through the Internet are very low,” says Kristine Puopolo, Senior Editor with Doubleday Broadway Publishing. “The good news is that almost anyone can publish a blog or create his own website. The bad news is that almost everyone does publish a blog and create his own website,” she says. Getting noticed on the information superhighway has become increasingly difficult as traffic congestion has increased. “The Internet is a terrific place to create buzz about a book or an author,” Puopolo says. “But success is getting that buzz picked up by other media, like TV and print.”
So if you were hoping to build your platform solely by sitting at a computer keyboard, Google “try again.” Even Ferriss says that his relationships with fellow bloggers were not forged so much over the Internet or even by phone, but by speaking at events they attended and—talk about old school—joining them for some beers afterwards.
Keep these things in mind as you build your platform, or you’ll kick yourself later:
BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, NOT JUST A ROLADEX FILE. Do you still see yourself in the writing business five years from now? Nurture the relationships you develop with press contacts, readers, and the other folks you encounter in the publishing industry, rather than just milking them for a one-off interview, etc. Keep in touch, do them favors, and treat them as friends so that they’ll be glad to help you out again in the future.
NO PUBLICITY IS BAD PUBLICITY… or at least that’s the way the saying goes. And it’s true in a great many cases, particularly when you’re just starting out and you’re relatively unknown. But also remember that it can be hard to shake an unfavorable reputation once the publicity Gods have saddled you with one, so think twice before jumping at publicity for publicity’s sake.
MAILING LISTS ARE GOLDEN. Capturing the names and contact information for everyone you meet—from readers and potential readers to press contacts and booksellers—is key to building your platform. Distribute sign-up lists at your events, collect business cards religiously, and start building a computerized database of your contacts from day one.
REMEMBER THE “SOFT” IN “SOFT-MARKETING.” Particularly when it comes to promoting yourself online, in social networking forums, chat rooms, etc., tread lightly. First get to know the community and contribute content that’s not self-promotional before you ever start talking about yourself and your writing. I’ve never encountered an online forum that doesn’t have an eager Spam Master (or ten) to bounce you out if you come on too strong with self-promotion.
RECOGNIZE YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES. It’s a truly rare and talented writer who has the skills, resources, and time to develop a robust platform without outside help. Consider hiring a publicist, getting professional “media training,” taking a public speaking class, or securing other professional assistance to compliment your strengths and weaknesses.
THAT’S NOT MY JOB, MAN. Talk to anyone in the publishing business, and the answer is always the same: Gone are the days when authors were just expected to write books and publishers were expected to market them, if those golden days ever existed in the first place. Luke Dempsey knows how it works from both sides of the desk. He’s the editor-in-chief of Hudson Street Press, a division of Penguin USA, and he’s also author of A Supremely Bad Idea, published by Bloomsbury in 2008. “These days book promotion is, at best, a partnership between an author and a publisher. If an author has a strong platform, it’s also more likely that the publisher will get excited about the project and put their backs into it as well.”
ONLY NONFICTION AUTHORS NEED A PLATFORM. It’s true that the publishing industry has historically expected most nonfiction authors to have a strong promotional platform of their own. After all, nonfiction writers are usually considered experts regarding their subject matter, and their expertise should be both in demand and validated by appearing in the media, serving as a source, and writing articles and other content related to their field. But as the book industry has become more competitive, fiction writers are now commonly expected to come to the table with a promotional platform as well.
“It used to be that fiction sold pretty much just as a result of good reviews,” Puopolo says. “But with so many books on the market today and the increased competition for media attention, a fiction author with a compelling personal story, winning personality, or a degree of celebrity definitely has a leg up.” Puopolo says that fiction writers can develop their platforms using some of the same techniques as nonfiction writers (e.g. blogs, personal appearances, etc.), and also with things like “virtually hosting” book discussion groups online or by phone, joining local and national literary organizations, and participating in other genre specific forums. Fiction or nonfiction, Puopolo says effective platforms grow out of the “authenticity” of the author. “Follow who and what you are. Don’t try to be something that you aren’t.”
OKAY, I’VE BUILT MY PLATFORM. NOW I CAN GET BACK TO WRITING. As you probably appreciate by now, your platform is not a static set of achievements, but an evolving portfolio of capacities which will hopefully grow and expand along with your writing career. Everything you write, every media appearance you make, every book talk you give, opens a new avenue for extending and strengthening your platform. You need to start building your platform as soon as you start writing—not when you go shopping for a book deal—and the process continues as long as you continue writing. When it comes to your platform as a writer, it’s true what they say: “If you’re not growing, you’re dying.”
by Lisa Abeyta
I often hear from other writers who take one of my workshops or online classes that they do not know how to market their own work. Writing the entire novel was an easier task than approaching stores, newspapers, or online venues about carrying their book. But whether a writer landed a coveted spot with a major publisher, chose to go with a small local press or ventured into the world of print on demand and vanity presses, it often falls on the shoulders of the author to market their own book. A few fortunate authors will gain access to a publicist through their publisher, but many will be completely on their own.
Writing a press release does not have to be a daunting task. In fact, for anyone who has already written a query letter, you are well on your way to mastering a press release. The goal is the same: catch the reader’s attention right away, build interest in your project, and motivate the reader to act on your request.
BASIC PRESS RELEASE FORMAT
Beyond the basics of not using all caps (nobody wants to be shouted at, even if you’re excited) and checking your grammar, start your press release with the following headline: For Immediate Release. The next line should be in bold and should contain the headline of your press release. Follow this with a very brief paragraph summarizing the content below and then with the body of the press release. Finish with a short About the Author paragraph and end with your contact information, including your address, phone number, email and website.
QUALITY CONTENT IS A MUST
One of the best ways to get your press release past the intern who screens the incessant influx of information is to write your release as a completed article. If your text is compelling, interesting, and complete, you have a much better shot of finding that same text in the Sunday Arts section of the paper. Editors are busy people, and the gift of print-ready text is hard to pass up.
Years ago, when I was working as an artist’s representative, I sent press packages to media outlets ahead of each performance in a new city. Editors would often print the press release verbatim, although some would call the artist and conduct an interview. But the press release did its job either way by gaining invaluable publicity before a performance.
Study articles about authors and books. Learn the voice and tone of those articles. Mimic it in your own writing, and you’ll be far more likely to generate interest in your project.
WHERE TO SEND YOUR RELEASE
A press release can be a stand alone product or as part of a press package. A package should contain a headshot of yourself and art from your book, both printed and on cd in low and high resolution where possible. The more options you provide, the more likely art will accompany any story published from your press release. It should also include a press copy of the book when possible. You can also attach a sheet with upcoming appearances, other titles, and any other pertinent information.
Press releases can be e-mailed directly to the appropriate editors or reviewers or uploaded to a variety of online PR distribution sites. And while these sites are great for getting the word out on the web, it is still recommended that you take the time to directly contact the editors who will possibly run your story in print or online. And remember to follow up your press releases with a personal phone call. Nothing will set you apart from the pile of press releases like a friendly follow-up call.
There has been a proliferation of online distribution sites focusing on public relations. Someof these include www/PRWeb.com, www.PRLeap.com, and www.24-7pressrelease.com, and www.epressreleases.com. While many of these sites offer free basic online distribution, there are additional fee-based products for you to consider.
Another common misconception, particularly among new authors, is that platform building is simply a step—perhaps even a necessary evil—in getting your book published.
But here’s a bright point to end on: From a business perspective, a robust platform is an author’s business. In manufacturing terms, it’s the sum total of product lines that a writer has with which to earn a living. And the payout is that in many cases the non-writing product lines that make up an author’s platform may grow to be even more lucrative than writing.
Stacey Glick, a literary agent with the prestigious firm Dystel and Goderich in New York, says it best. “The thing you need to understand is that most authors can no longer afford to be one dimensional; that is, just authors,” she told me. “An author’s appeal to a publisher is largely his platform, and his platform in turn benefits from the books he writes. Round and round you go.”
And I always value Glick’s advice. After all, she’s not only my agent, but she didn’t even send me the dry cleaning bill for her Ann Taylor dress suit.
JEFF YEAGER is the author of The Ultimate Cheapskate’s Road Map to True Riches: A Practical (and Fun) Guide to Enjoying Life More by Spending Less and The Cheapskate Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of Americans Living Happily Below Their Means (both by Broadway). Yeager has appeared as a guest on CNN, ABC News, CNBC, FOX News, PBS, and dozens of local TV stations around the country. www.ultimatecheapskate.com