A Definition of Author Platform

by William Pearce / via Flickr

This station was primitively published successful 2012; it has been revised and expanded.

Author level is 1 of nan astir difficult concepts to explain, partially because everyone defines it a small differently. But by acold nan easiest explanation is: an expertise to waste books because of who you are aliases who you tin reach.

Platform is simply a conception that first arose successful relationship with nonfiction authors. Sometime during nan 1990s, agents and publishers began rejecting nonfiction book proposals and nonfiction manuscripts erstwhile nan writer lacked a “platform.” At nan time—before nan advent of nan Internet aliases societal media—publishers wanted the author to beryllium successful nan nationalist oculus successful immoderate measurement (usually done mainstream media appearances) with nan expertise to dispersed nan connection easy to waste books. In different words, they weren’t willing successful nan mean Joe sitting astatine location who wanted to waste a nonfiction book but who had nary peculiar professional network aliases nationalist presence. Then, arsenic now, publishers and agents seek writers with credentials and authority, who are visible to their target assemblage arsenic an expert, thought leader, aliases professional. 

• Visibility means: Where do you aliases your activity regularly appear? How galore group spot it? How does it spread? Where does it spread? What communities are you a portion of? Who do you influence? It’s typically not capable to say you person visibility. You person to show really and wherever you make an effect and springiness impervious of engagement. This could beryllium quantitative grounds (e.g., size of your email newsletter list, website traffic, blog comments) aliases qualitative grounds (high-profile reviews, testimonials from A-listers successful your genre).
• Target assemblage means: You should beryllium visible to nan astir receptive aliases due assemblage for nan activity you’re trying to sell. For instance: If you person visibility, authority, and proven scope to orthodontists, that astir apt won’t beryllium adjuvant if you’re penning a book meant to target Fortune 500 companies.

Do you request a level to get published?

It depends. If you’re a fabrication writer, no. Fiction writers should attraction connected crafting nan champion activity possible. That’s not to opportunity a level is unwelcome if you person one, but an supplier aliases patient will make a determination first based connected nan value of your manuscript and its suitability for nan existent marketplace. (That said, if you’re a immense personage aliases Internet star, it’s imaginable you’ll get a book woody based connected that alone, and beryllium paired up pinch a ghostwriter aliases publishing squad to thief you nutrient a bestselling book to return advantage of your stardom.)

New writers often definitive disorder and worry astir their platform, particularly erstwhile they person not a azygous book aliases in installments to their name. Well, it’s not a enigma why level is truthful confusing erstwhile you whitethorn not yet know who you are arsenic a writer. First and foremost, level grows retired of your assemblage of work—or from producing awesome work. Remember that. It’s very difficult, adjacent to impossible, to build a level for activity that does not yet beryllium (unless, again, you’re some benignant of celebrity).

However, if you’re a nonfiction writer seeking a book woody pinch 1 of nan Big Five New York publishers, past you’ll request to create aliases show that you person a platform. I talk that much successful my station connected book proposals.

For memoirists and different writers moving connected communicative nonfiction, you tin sometimes find yourself disconnected nan hook erstwhile it comes to platform. With narratives, nan attraction tends to beryllium much connected nan creation and trade of nan storytelling—or nan value of nan writing—more truthful than your platform. So a batch tin dangle connected your credibility arsenic a bully writer; an existing way grounds of newspaper aliases mag publication tin often beryllium capable to get yourself a book deal. However, 1 look astatine nan existent bestseller database will often deny publishing’s continuing liking successful a platform: you’ll find books by celebrities, pundits, and well-established writers occupying a adjacent stock of it. To thief flooded nan level hurdle, it helps to beryllium penning a communicative that is timely and taps into existent basking topics.

Nonfiction authors shouldn’t despair if they feel for illustration their level is nonexistent. You whitethorn simply request to reconsider what type of patient is simply a bully fresh for your book. Small presses, and particularly assemblage presses, person much liking successful nan value of your activity than your platform. And it’s not uncommon for successful authors to statesman their careers pinch quieter publishers, past later motion pinch a New York location erstwhile they’ve built visibility and a beardown way record.

What level is NOT

A batch of group confuse level building pinch marketing, promotion, and publicity. While those types of activities tin build your platform, let’s beryllium clear: being an extrovert connected societal media will not, by itself, lead you to a level that interests publishers.

Platform is not astir bringing attraction to yourself, aliases by screaming to everyone you tin find online aliases offline, “Look astatine me! Look astatine me!” Platform isn’t astir who yells nan loudest aliases who markets nan best. It’s much analyzable and integrated than that.

What activities build writer platform?

Platform building requires consistent, ongoing effort complete nan people of a career. It besides intends making incremental improvements successful extending your network. It’s astir making waves that pull different group to you—not astir begging others to salary attention.

The following list is not exhaustive, but helps springiness you an thought of how platform tin grow.

• Publishing aliases distributing value activity successful outlets you want to beryllium identified pinch and that your target assemblage reads.
• Producing a assemblage of activity connected your ain platform—e.g., blog, email newsletter, societal network, podcast, video, integer downloads, etc—that gathers value followers aliases a organization of group who are willing successful what you person to say. This is usually a longterm process.
• Speaking astatine and/or attending events wherever you meet caller group and widen your web of contacts.
• Finding meaningful ways to prosecute pinch and create your target audience, whether done content, events, online marketing/promotion, etc.
• Partnering pinch peers aliases influencers to tackle a caller task and/or widen your visibility.

You can’t build a level overnight—unless you someway go celebrated overnight. (If you do, return advantage of it, of course.) Platform is not thing you tin buy—buying followers aliases email addresses isn’t a level because that’s not a meaningful assemblage who cares astir you aliases your work. Being capable to many times scope and speak to group who cognize you and spot you is meaningful.

Some group person an easier clip building level than others. If you clasp a highly recognized position (powerful web and influence), if you cognize cardinal influencers (friends successful precocious places), if you are associated pinch powerful communities, if you person prestigious degrees aliases posts, aliases if you different person public-facing work—yes, you play nan section astatine an advantage. This is why it’s truthful easy for celebrities to get book deals. They person “built-in” platform.

Platform building is not 1 size fits all

Platform building is an integrated process and will beryllium different for each azygous author. There is nary checklist I tin springiness you to create a platform, because it depends on:

• your unsocial story/message
• your unsocial strengths and qualities
• your target readership

Your level should beryllium arsenic overmuch of a imaginative workout and task arsenic nan activity you produce. While level gives you powerfulness to marketplace effectively, it’s not thing you create by posting to societal media a fewer times a week. You’ll request to usage your productivity and imagination, and return meaningful steps. It’ll beryllium a agelong journey.

I for illustration trying to seduce authors of nan worth of platform—at slightest erstwhile built organically—because it represents a meaningful finance successful your lifelong profession arsenic an author. You shouldn’t trust connected a publisher, agent, aliases advisor to find and “keep” your assemblage for you. If you find and nurture it connected channels that you own, and connected your ain terms, that’s for illustration putting money successful nan bank.