Your Author Platform

Navigating the bustling marketplace as an author these days involves so much more than just writing a fabulous book. Surprisingly, crafting your novel may actually be the least complicated part of the process.

I can already sense some of you rolling your eyes or scoffing in disbelief. But when you understand that marketing and selling your books is YOUR job, things take a sharp turn. Suddenly, you’re hit with a learning curve in book marketing that can feel as steep as a mountain.

There are so many things that need doing. Setting your book up to sell on Amazon and getting reviews can seem like daunting tasks. THEN you find out you should be setting up, developing and maintaining …

Your Author Platform!

If you’re new to the term, an Author Platform refers to an author’s presence and influence in the market. It’s about being visible to your audience, establishing credibility, and understanding who your target readers are.

Visibility

Visibility is about ensuring your work doesn’t go unnoticed in the vast sea of books available today. Regardless of the quality of your work, if potential readers aren’t aware of your book, your chances of success are limited.

Visibility means creating and maintaining a strong online presence. This can be through a professional website, a regularly updated blog, a newsletter, and social media engagement. You must consistently show up in places where your potential readers spend time.
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Authority

Authority in this context refers to the credibility you establish with your readership. You can’t be just another nameless book writer; you’re must be a writer who knows what they’re talking about. This credibility can come from a track record of published work, speaking engagements, or articles related to your genre.

For example, if you’re writing a book on health and fitness, having a background in the field (like being a certified trainer or nutritionist) would significantly increase your authority. If you are a fiction writer, authority comes with writing more than one book … so be sure to consider a series.

Target Audience

Understanding your target audience is crucial in shaping your Author Platform. It’s about identifying the specific group of readers who would be interested in your work. If you’ve written a fantasy novel for young adults, for instance, you should be engaging with readers who have an interest in the fantasy genre.

Online Presence

For many authors, a website is their home base. It’s where readers can find out about you and your work at any time. A well-designed and regularly updated website can help boost your visibility. It should include an “About Me” section where you establish your authority, a “My Books” section for visibility of your work, and potentially a blog for updated and engaging content that appeals to your target audience.

Email Newsletters

You NEED to maintain an email newsletter. While it might seem old-fashioned in the age of social media, email remains a direct and personal way to communicate with your readers. Through a newsletter, you can share updates about your work, provide sneak previews of upcoming projects, or even offer exclusive content. This not only keeps your audience engaged but also reinforces your authority as an author.

Social Media

Social media is a powerful tool for increasing your reach. Each platform has a unique demographic, so understanding your target audience will help you decide which platforms to invest your time on.

Sharing relevant content can help boost your visibility and establish your authority. Remember, the goal isn’t to build a platform for the sake of it. The goal is to connect with your readers, to understand them, and to provide them with the content they enjoy.

Leveraging Other Channels

Aside from your website and social media, there are other channels you can use to bolster your author platform.

Public Speaking and Networking

Engaging in public speaking events, such as at literary festivals or writing workshops, also enhances your author platform. It provides opportunities to showcase your knowledge, thereby solidifying your authority. Networking with other authors and industry professionals at these events can lead to collaborations, which will further boost your visibility.

Media Publicity

From talk radio and TV guest appearances, to guest spots on podcasts and YouTube channels, the possibilities are endless.

Consistency and Authenticity

Building an author platform isn’t a one-time event;

it’s a continuous process that requires consistent effort.

Regularly updating your website, posting on social media, sending out newsletters, and seeking public speaking opportunities are all integral to maintaining and growing your platform. There ARE ways to streamline this process, so you STILL have lots of time to write!

Authenticity plays a crucial role in building an effective author platform. Your platform should reflect who you are as a writer and a person. Authenticity resonates with readers and helps build trust, which is vital in maintaining a loyal readership.

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Your Author Platform:
ONE Step At A Time

Now that you understand the power of the author platform, it’s time to take action.
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Start by assessing your current presence and developing strategies to boost your visibility, establish authority, and engage with your target audience.

Building your author platform might seem daunting, especially if you’re new to the game. But remember, every successful author started somewhere. It’s a journey that unfolds one step at a time. As you focus on building visibility, establishing authority, and understanding your target audience, you’ll gradually see your platform(s) take shape.

Stay committed, stay focused, stay consistent, and most importantly, stay true to yourself and your writing. With time and effort, you’ll see your author platform(s) grow, and with it, the reach and impact of your work will also grow.

Where should you start?

There are three main elements in most Author Platforms: A newsletter, a website and social media accounts.

I will be covering each one of them, with all the ifs, whys and hows.

Get started today by spending a bit of time taking an inventory of what you already have. What social media platforms are you on, or which ones do you frequent. Which ones do you love? Which ones do you groan over? Do you have a website? Do you have a newsletter list?

When you think about your self-publishing “empire,” what do you see? Are you a one book writer, or are you planning on writing a half-dozen series with dozens of books in each series?

When you have an hour or so to do some research, dive into the books written by your favorite author or authors. Do they have an email list? Do they have a website? Are they on Facebook or other platforms? Follow them and get some ideas about what YOU can do. Take notes about HOW they do what they do. Take notes about how many books they have. Are they stand alone books or part of a series? How many series?

Let all that information percolate in the back of your mind for a few days or weeks. The decisions you make about your author platform will have a HUGE effect on how your self-publishing business is doing several years from now.

My mission is to make creating an Author Platform as easy as possible, and show you how to maintain them all, effectively and efficiently … leaving plenty of time to keep on writing!