Platform Challenged - putting promotion into a book proposal

Moving from Typepad to Wordpress

I have one sentence for you about this:  It took ages!

I kept thinking I had finished but then I would find more things that needed sorting out.  My advice: If you are thinking about doing it - move over now rather than later, the more pages, the more pictures, the more time.

For my English slang site (for the Japanese market) I have tried the Lifestyle theme by Studio Press.  It looks good, although I had to add a plugin for mobile phone viewing as that is huge in Japan.  Lifestyle was terrible for a mobile phone on its own. 

Anyway I did it, it sucked and took far too long.  Now onwards with changing the other blogs over - gah!

Wordpress vs Typepad for your author site

Not been around much as I am crazily busy trying to move my websites to wordpress from typepad.  Typepad was great to start off with.  Very easy to run, no need for much technical know-how.  If you are thinking you just want a website with your very own domain name (eg: sarahhorth.com) and maybe a blog as well, you can do that easily with Typepad.  But I really outgrew it last year.  I think I managed to stretch Typepad to its limit with my loveslang.com site - teaching slang to Japanese.  As soon as you get quite a bit of content going, Typepad starts to get messy. 

It is impossible to customize it the way I have needed to for a long time now.  But it is a huge job to move it!  So that is me right now. Chained to my computer!  Wordpress.org is self-hosted (so you have a separate company as your web server).  It doesn't have a whole lot of built-in themes like Typepad, you need to find (some free, some you pay for) themes and upload them.  There is a bit more of a technical learning curve.  But I am managing it slowly.  In some ways I am OK about starting with Typepad, as I was a complete novice and it gave me time to focus on the blog writing and my manuscript. 

Now though, it is time to move up a grade.  I've moved my first blog over: breakupbitchpoems.com - take a look and let me know what you think.  I am using the flexible thesis theme, which is an even bigger learning curve!

If you see your web future as simple, I would still recommend Typepad.  Nice and easy.  If you can use PowerPoint or word, you'll be fine with Typepad.  But if you see yourself moving into webmarketing in a big way, start the way I should have - with Wordpress.org.

Understanding your audience - language

It was interesting the responses I got from my class of fellow writers about working out your niche and audience.  I think my using quite business terms like 'target market' turned some of my classmates off - so perhaps 'reader' is a better term.  Also the use of 'expert' was not popular, so I suggested 'focus.'

Coming from a  business and training background, I didn't think twice about using those terms. It shows how important knowing your reader (or workshop attendee or presentation attendee) is!  I turned off some of my readers just because of my choice of language.  It really didn't occur to me that those words would be seen as problematic. 

When I read Get Known Before the Book Deal, I thought the author Christina Katz, went into overkill about explaining how important building a platform was.  I thought that part was overdone, but perhaps she did it because she knows the audience so well.

A fascinating experience for me - as it's been a while since I haven't understood my audience. 

First steps: Your niche and audience

Here's the link to the short eBook : The First Steps to Your Author's Platform: niche and audience

It covers how to work out what your niche is - for both non-fiction and fiction authors.  I put this together for my writing class this week.  I needed to create a short online workshop on one topic that I learnt a lot about this year, and this sure was it for me.

Writerly vs Marketing

Even though I have a marketing background, it took a bit to bounce between what I call 'writerly' thinking and having my marketing hat on.  The focus is quite different.  I am lucky in my course that I have 30 hours with an editor who goes through my ms and my book proposal.  Early on, I wanted to write up a competitor analysis, looking at the other books out there like mine.  I wanted to make sure that I wasn't writing a book that was already written. 

A book review is not a competitor analysis

As part of the course we do book reviews, looking at what works in a book and what doesn't - a writerly way of looking at other books (I recommend it - I learnt so much).  This is very different though to how you need to look at other books in a nonfiction book proposal (not sure about fiction here), which is more like a business analysis.  And somehow I still had my writerly hat on when I did that first competitor analysis - my mentor tore it to shreds!  And she was right, I was in writerly-land not in marketing land.  So I changed hats and redid it properly.  I'll write about what you need to do in your competitor analysis for your book proposal (and platform building) next week. 

PS If you are interested in my course it is the Diploma in Advanced Applied Writing at Northtec.  All online (except when you send your work to your mentor), great support for getting through a big project like a first draft of your ms.  I can't recommend it highly enough!

The what and why of an author's platform

Why do we need an author’s platform?

Publishers spend less on marketing books and authors (unless they are in the Dan-Brown category) so it is up to you to attract readers.  If publishers have to choose one out of two well-written books to publish, they are likely to favour the author with a following – it’s a business, and they are in the business to sell books.

The reality is most books fail…they don’t sell thousands of copies…they don’t sell even one thousand copies.

                                  Christina Katz, Get Known Before the Book Deal   

         

The benefits of having an author's platform:

• You will have an impressive ‘promotion’ section in your book proposal

•  You will be more attractive to publishers
•  You will sell more books
•  Your book will stay in publication for longer
•  You will have other income streams (from teaching, articles etc)
•  Your career will be in your control

What things might be part of my platform?

•   Presentations and speeches about your specialty

•   Classes about your subject
•   Your media presence – you are the ‘expert’ they call on to comment about your topic
•   Leading, or participating in, a related group or internet community
•   Writing articles for mainstream and online media
•   A popular website and/or blog
•   A mailing/email list of people who are interested in your topic

See also the definition of an author's platform, and a review of How to Get Known Before the Book Deal

Radio interview: Author Mark Penn - Microtrends

I like this radio interview with author Mark Penn, who wrote Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Tomorrow's Big Changes.   Great author interview and the content is interesting for nonfiction writers - looking at the small trends that are the future big changes. 

'What I find is that microtrends -small groups of about 1% with intense choices now..., are really driving society in so many big different directions.'

Some of the trends in his book:

Pet parents

Late-breaking gays

Office Romancers

Stay at home workers

Looks like an interesting read, and a worthwhile interview to listen to.

For Amazon shoppers:    For NZ shoppers

                                     at Fishpond.co.nz

Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Tomorrow's Big Changes

Book review: Get Known Before the Book Deal

This is a great book about building your platform as an author.  For NZ readers I see that Fishpond has it at a good price at the moment - only $31.95 - well worth it! 

Get Known Before the Book Deal: Use Your Personal Strengths to Grow an Author Platform

Get Known Before the Book Deal had me reaching for my notebook to take notes as I read it, giving me many ideas to work on.  Continuing on her theme of showing readers how they can make a career of writing, Christina Katz, the author of Writer Mama: How to Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids, offers a practical tips on how to build the all important ‘platform’.  

What is an author's platform?

Billed as a way to develop a sustainable writing career, Get Known Before the Book Deal offers a step-by-step plan on how to create and maintain a platform to help you get a book deal.  Katz defines ‘platform’ as ‘all the ways you are visible and appealing to your future, potential, or actual readership.’  This includes your presence on the web, classes you might teach, the media contacts you have, published articles that you have written or where you have been interviewed, and any public speaking you have done.  

The first steps

The early chapters of the book were repetitive as she initially drove home the platform idea.  She also tackles issues such as focusing on your niche, narrowing your topic, finding your style and discovering your target market at this time (she also includes information for fiction writers) – all necessary topics for someone early in their book process.  I found myself skimming, but I imagine that there are people that need convincing of the importance of platforms and finding your niche.

Once Katz reaches the second part in this book– setting up your platform – she shows her strengths.  She offers an abundance of ideas of how to develop your platform, with each chapter including easy to follow, step-by-step activities.  She includes chapters on networking including joining professional and writing organizations and the benefits of volunteering at related events.  She then delves into teaching, hosting events, writing articles, consulting and public speaking, giving basic but sound advice.  

She covers detailed activities

She then moves on to growing your platform, looking at branding and marketing issues that authors may face that include bigger issues like:

• building your bio
• using testimonials
• writing a mission statement.  

She also goes into the smaller detailed activities including:

• writing a tag line
• developing email signature
• having a photographs at the ready. 

She then looks at developing your web presence, including your professional site – which includes a thorough check-list of what to include.  She also looks at blogging, email newsletters and building your mailing list.  Again she goes through each activity in detail, leaving the reader with many items on their to-do list.  She is down to earth about the new technology, warning to:  ‘put the lion’s share of your energy into the work you do that earns you money, and keep your blog growing slowly and steadily on the side.’

Clearly structured with many examples

The structure of each chapter is very clear with an overview, then the content signposted with frequent sub-headings, and then a short activity to stimulate the reader to think about their situation.  It is a book to be used rather than just to be read, and if the reader works through the steps, I would imagine that they would have a very workable project plan to get started.  

Katz focuses on doing – giving many suggestions under each topic.  In the public speaking/performance chapter, she offers seventeen different suggestions to how to get involved, from children’s story time to appearing in voice-overs.  In the writing articles chapter, she gives twelve steps to working out what to write, and who to query.  This includes finding the right kind of publication and working out what types of articles your target publications accept from freelancers, encouraging you to find the patterns (length, style, topics) in the publication.  Like most of this book, it is useful, practical advice that the reader can apply immediately.

A book I recommend to any aspiring writer.  Now I just have to find the time to do all she writes about!

Katz's other books include:

And for people wanting to order from Amazon - here are the links (in US$)

Definition: What is an author's platform?

Quotes from the experts answering the question: What is an author's platform?

It's harder than ever to attract people to books. The way to do it is increasingly through personal connection, and that means YOU, the author, making connections with your readers.

(This discussion applies mostly to non-fiction writers, but you novelists, take note. It will help you, too, if you want strong sales on your book.)

Rachelle Gardener, Literary Agent

A platform is what you currently do, in addition to writing, to connect your readership.

Christina Katz, Get Known Before The Book Deal

Platform: An author’s following and media presence.  Usually this means the author has achieved renown as a frequent speaker and/or writer, for hosting a popular Web site, for having a large list of names, or for receiving wide media coverage.  

From Author 101: Bestselling Secrets from Top Agents

As an acquiring editor, one of the first things I look for in an author’s proposal is the “platform”, that is, the writer’s reputation and public visibility – and the ability, willingness, and experience to promote themselves in the marketplace.

Alan Rinzler

It's your way of attracting readers for your book. It's your following, your level of notoriety and the power of your personal and professional contacts. The extent of your platform can be the defining factor in landing a publisher for your memoir, novel or self-help book. But the scope of your platform will also determine your book's ultimate success.

Patricia Fry

Building my author platform: website strategy challenge

Today my author platform challenge has been to work out what my different website strategies are.  I am feeling quite overwhelmed with the four sites, so I have decided to do very clear plans for each one to make sure I am clear about what my objectives are.

The four sites are:

1. My Japanese blog: loveslang
2. My breakup blog: the breakup bitch
3. My breakup book site: the smart woman's breakup
4. and of course this site, my professional site: Sarah Horth

I am working on separate marketing plans for each, as they have different purposes and different audiences.  Then I will have to answer the question: how do they work with each other? 

There's a bit of work to be done for each one - overview, target market, SWOT analysis, objectives, strategies and tactics - and then of course my budget to achieve this. I think when I thought about everything as one big lump it was daunting, but now I am breaking the plans into smaller chunks, the work is definitely easier to face!

  

Example of a (very interesting) presentation by author Mary Roach

We are told that as writers, we should be ready to promote our books through making public appearances - making presentations, teaching classes, doing readings. Your book proposal will stand out if it shows that you do these things now.

Here is an example of an author presentation by writer Mary Roach - the author of Bonk - the curious coupling of science and sex.  She is an excellent presenter, keeps the audience entertained with stories and anecdotes as well as making the points she needs to.  She starts off with a *bang* - you can't help but be hooked into her speech, right from the beginning!