Grow Your E-mail List by Jim Hart

One of the best things you can do to grow your author platform is to grow an audience of subscribers to your blog. A healthy e-mail list is attractive to potential publishers.

Lack of author platform continues to become one of the top reasons we see proposals declined from a publisher.

According to a recent blog from Rob Eager e-mail is forty times more effective at “acquiring customers than all social media combined.”  That’s a bold statement. But consider that your e-mail list allows you to communicate directly to your readers. It’s more targeted than Twitter or Facebook. (BTW- I just noticed the Pope has 8.75 million Twitter followers, he should have no problem getting a book contract.)

A very effective way to grow your e-mail subscription list is to offer some free content as an enticement for a reader to subscribe to your blog. In the same blog Rob Eager addresses the myth that giving away free content could have a negative effect on current and future sales. He counters this by explaining “free content is a low-cost effective way to gain new customers.”

So what content do you have that you could format into a short, downloadable PDF?

·         An unpublished short story

·         A five-day devotion series

·         A short collection of your poetry

·         A handful of your favorite recipes that tie in with your current book or work-in-progress

·         A how-to manual for one of your hobbies

But whatever content you offer, it needs to have value to the reader. It should be something that they feel they may not be able to find elsewhere. Think about content that is unique to you as a writer.

In addition to using your blog to collect e-mail subscribers, using a site like Noisetrade is a great way to offer content to potential readers. Noisetrade originally started as a ‘pay what you want’ site for musicians to release content. They are also now allowing authors to offer content – everything from a complete book, to a short story. With Noisetrade the consumer can pay you a small ‘tip’ or download for free if they so choose. But either way they have to supply you with their e-mail address.

Remember the larger your e-mail list is, the stronger your online marketing asset becomes. And that could get you a J from a publisher.

Can You Say Yes to These Questions? by Andy Scheer

They’re what publishers will ask.

Would you like a large publisher to say yes to your book proposal?

To increase the likelihood, make sure you can say yes to most of these diagnostic questions, recently provided by an acquisitions editor for a larger Christian publishing house:

“I could love the writing, but if the author platform doesn’t look promising, I couldn’t take it to our publishing committee. We’re using this list with all agents and non-represented authors now.

• What is the author’s sales history? (If the author has been previously published, we need to know houses and numbers and years of publication, as well as the sales numbers being specifically broken out with hard goods to indicate whether trade or mass, and with e-books, is any of the total promotionally priced or free?)

• Does the author have a website?

• Does the author blog? How often?

• Does the author regularly guest blog? Where? How often?

• Does the author have a newsletter? How often does it come out?

• What are the author’s numbers for social media? (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram)

• Is there anything else we should know about what the author does to raise his or her discoverability quotient?

• Are there any known names who would be willing to promote the author’s work through endorsements, recommendations, reviews, etc.?"

As you prepare your next proposal, or consider strengthening your platform, these are all questions you can’t afford to ignore. For your sake, and for all the audience you’d like to reach, I hope you can say yes to most--and cite specific numbers.

no book, nothing to promote by Terry Burns

I hear that a lot.

"I can't do a website, I don't have a book to promote."
"I can't go talk to groups, I don't have a book to promote?"
"I can't be interviewed, I don't have a book to promote."
And on and on . . .

Actually if we wait until we have a book to promote before we start trying to build some name identification and get some visibility, we are way behind the curve. By the time we manage to get our name out there the peak selling season for our new release may be over.

Not to mention the fact that "platform" is now very important to publishers of all sizes when deciding what to acquire. It used to be that platform was only important in non-fiction books and it still is a primary factor there, but these days it is important in fiction as well. I've gotten responses on a lot of submissions that said it was a good book and well written, but the author has no platform.

Did you get that? BEFORE they even take on the book they are wanting to see an author with some sort of following or some sort of name identification.

The famed showman P.T Barnum said "I don't care what they say about me as long as they spell my name right." There have been convicted felons elected to office strictly because the name sounded familiar to people. For people browsing bookstores name familarity is one of the largest purchasing factors. Name recognition is huge.

How do we get it? Social media? Attending conferences and events? Developing topics and seeking places to speak? Family? Churches and organizations we attend? Having a website and a blog? Yes! All of the above and anything else that will get out name out there.

I think it is a waste of time trying to figure out what is good publicity and what isn't working for us. Like P.T Barnum said, the key is to get all the visibility we can get. We never know WHAT put our name on a readers mind when our book is out there and they finally see it, just that they recognized the name and picked it up. Nobody can buy a book without first being attracted by the name or the cover and picking it up.

And one of the easiest ways to get our name out there is to visit other people's blogs AND LEAVE A COMMENT, preferably something that will cause someone to take note of you. Same thing on social media. We shouldn't just follow people but should make comments on posts that interest us.

Sure, this can use up valuable writing time, but it's an advance payment on your book by getting name recognition now. When is the right time to start doing this? At least ten years ago, but if we haven't started until now . . . now will have to do.

Social Etiquette by Diana Flegal

In the picture to the left are folk crafts made by my Amish relatives.

Skunks.

Lately, on FaceBook, I have seen some authors acting like stinkers.
 
I realize we all have and are entitled to our opinions. I am very opinionated myself. Ask anyone who knows me. :-)  But people, we need to think before we speak (post).

I had a conversation last week with a client about her FB posts being a little too controversial. She defended herself and my only recourse was to say, "Well if you want to insult the editors you are hoping to sell your book to- go ahead. Just realize that an editor will google you and the audience you are trying to sell your book to might not share your political stand". If you write for the general market, doesn't it make sense not to insult your reader?

A FB friend recently posted this: "I realize I will most likely lose many friends by posting this but I really don't care." BAM! Can I say, "This is NOT the way to build a platform"? Or as Dale Carnegie would say, "not the way to win friends and influence people".


Another friend posted a note something like this: "I am leaving Facebook because of some things that happened at my church and the things that have been said to me about it." Yikes. Really people? That made me sad. I apologized for us all, although I hadn't seen what was said and I do not know what happened at his church. 



Unless my job is in the political arena, maybe I need to refrain from posting 'in your face' political remarks? Especially since I use Facebook largely to talk about publishing and connect with writers and editors of publishing houses, general and Christian. 

A sister-in-law of mine disappeared from FB a few years back. When I asked her where she went when I saw her at a family gathering, she said, "I just was not enjoying it".  I was OK with that. She just rode off quietly into the sunset. 

I think we need to be careful. Let's ask ourselves why we are on Facebook and other social media sites. If it is for the purpose of building your platform and connecting with readers, lets show everyone a little love and consideration.

Blogging Fluff Isn't Wanted Content by Jennifer Hudson Taylor

#blogging #platform #social media

As a publicist, there is one thing I hear all the time. "I need to build a platform so I need to create a blog. Where do I start?"

Well, you might need a blog, but it may not do you any good. It all depends.

It depends on if you:

• Have time to blog
• Have the determination to be consistent and keep at it
• Have a niche theme that isn't already over saturated in the market
• Can recognize change in the times and in your audience and be flexible enough to change with it and them
• Genuinely like to blog

Now that the trend word platform has made significant rounds for several years, and everyone has figured out they need one, social media is exploding, blogs are saturating the web, and podcasts are increasing in quantity like wildfire. The big trend word right now is content--and has been the buzz word for awhile now. In fact, last year I wrote a blog post on Everything is Content. In spite of our ideas of what content is or isn't, we need to realize it takes many forms and isn't just words--images, podcasts, videos are all content.

This brings me back to my title, merely blogging a bunch of fluff isn't what people want. It will be ignored, deleted, challenged, and criticized. So what do people want and what should your blog content contain?

Your blogging content needs to be:

• Informative - It should not be repetitive or sound like everyone else. Share and teach others what you have learned. This will give you credibility and make others appreciate friending and knowing you. This is what it means for content to have value. 
• Interesting and entertaining - Include a mixture of images, illustrations and videos to make your point. Be yourself and use your writing voice in your blog. It should not sound like a work report or scientfic study.
• Full of variety - Take different approaches to your topic and explore ideas and thoughts. You don't know everything, even in your field and niche. Invite other experts and colleagues to guestpost on your blog. In return they will promote their post and you will gain new visitors you normally don't have access.
• Consistent - People are creatures of habit and like knowing what to expect so they will know how to fit your blog into their reading schedule. If you blog once a month or every couple of months, they will forget about your blog and fill that time with other content. My advice is weekly, post a blog schedule on which days you will blog and stick to it. Keep in mind that it doesn't have to be everyday, but 2-3 times each week.
• Organized and legible - When someone lands on your blog for the first time, they may want to read more of what piqued their interest and brought them there. Have a good archive system in place. I'm not referring to the auto-archives arranged by months and dates on your sidebar. I'm talking about using static pages on your blog to organize some of your best posts under specific categories. For instance, my blog has specific pages categorized by Writing Tips, Historical Research, and Inspirational Devotions. Also, include a search feature in the sidebar. Make it easy for people to find the content they are looking for. 
• SEO - It's true that Search Engine Optimization is important and helps in ranking your pages higher on a web search. However, I caution people against writing a bunch of fluff in order to get those SEO words in your title and in your post. Make sure your content is relevant and helpful. This is where less is more and the value of quality is better than quantity. If you can't come up with original content each day, then daily blogging isn't for you. Blog once or twice a week. Your readers will appreciate you not wasting their time and save you from losing credibility and followers. 

Have you ever seen a blog title and clicked to read more, but was disappointed at the content and felt like you wasted your time? Did you take action and leave a critical comment, stopped following, or ignored their next few posts?

Authors Shifting from Book Store Signings to Virtual Campaigns by Jennifer Hudson Taylor

We have an interesting conversation going on my  Facebook Author Page. I've asked readers if they ever attend author book signings and why or why not. Most of the comments favor "no" because most book signings are too far away. A few said they would drive a long distance only if they really like and want to meet the author. Then there are the various ideas of what is reasonable distance 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours.

On my writing loops, I've "listened" in on a few discussions among authors who are booking fewer and fewer book signings. Most reasons are obvious ranging from the cost of travel and book stores closing to more readers are buying ebooks and no one bothers to show up. Is there any wonder that authors are looking for more ways to reach readers where they hang out in a cost efficient manner that won't break our near nonexistent budgets?

For most, the answer has been building a blogging or podcast platform and feeding it through network connections via social media. When new books come out, authors launch promotion campaigns and go on blog tours ranging from interviews, guests posts to book review spots. Others hire publicists such as Litfuse for Facebook Parties and Upon the Rock Publicist for Twitter Campaigns, and a host of others for blog tours. Some simply post online announcements and hope for the best.

Online bookclubs are becoming a popular way for authors to promote themselves and their books, such as Yahoo Groups, ACFW, Goodreads, and The Bookclub Network.

Of the following online activities, which ones have you tried and would you do them again? What promotion efforts have you done that are not listed or mentioned? Share with your colleagues!

• Online Bookclubs
• Facebook Parties
• Twitter Campaigns
• Blog Tours (book reviews, interviews, guest posts)
• Social Media Announcements 
• Virtual Book Signings

Platform By the Letters: A Beginner's Guide by Lisa Lawmaster Hess

Platform. 

If we writers had a dollar for every time we read or heard that word, the accumulated pile of cash might even be as large as the elusive advance we've been dreaming of. 

So, what is a platform? A wooden contraption? A blog? Social networking? Finally getting to that magic number of hits when you "Google" yourself? 

All of the above. And though you're probably safe without the traditional wooden contraption unless you intend to literally get up on your soapbox, the visual is a good one. Just as that wooden platform allows you to be seen in a crowd, so does a virtual platform, consisting of an online presence in a variety of places. Although the physical world doesn't allow us to be in more than one place at a time, the virtual world has no such limitations. 

And that is exactly what editors and agents are looking for in a publishing world with ever-tightening budgets. Authors (especially first-time, unknown authors) are expected to play a significant role in promoting their books. Consequently, blogs, Facebook pages, Twitter accounts and other social media have become integral pieces in the promotion puzzle. 

If you feel overwhelmed (and perhaps a little overexposed) by this whole concept, don't despair. The process doesn't have to be daunting. Read on, and take one letter at a time. In any order. In whatever time frame works best for you. Build at your own pace.
If, of course, you happen to be the lucky writer who has a book deal in hand and whose editor and/or agent is strongly suggesting you wave your flag from your platform, say, yesterday, you may want to build with a bit more alacrity. 

Pick up your hammer (or your mouse) and let's get started! 

Put yourself out there. This is the foundation of your platform. Anything that gets your name in the public eye qualifies. Book signings. Speaking engagements. Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Linked In. Like Legos, some building blocks have bigger pay-offs than others, but anything that makes a connection between you and your (potential) readership is a "plank." Online presences are the most universally noticeable, but e-mailing everyone in your contact list about an upcoming book-signing, speaking engagement or published article is a start as well. 

Let go of modesty - professionally speaking. This isn't so much a step in the process as a necessary mindset. You have to believe that there's an audience for your blog, your book, your Twitter posts and your Facebook status. Then, you have to engage that audience. Otherwise, why are you writing these posts in the first place? For writers who are naturally reclusive, this can be the hardest part...until they discover that posting all of their book signings, events and publishing coups online not only sells books, but builds relationships. These posts are also great exercises in writing tight and getting the same point across to different audiences in different ways. Keep your audience and the protocol of the space in mind, though. While an overwhelmed reader can scroll past endless self-promotion posts on Facebook, she may un-follow you if do the same thing on Twitter. 

Access other writers. Your best audience is other people who know what you're going through. This part can be the most fun because you're building relationships and nurturing your creativity through these interactions. The best place to find these folks is in the same online PR improvement stores you're already haunting - social networking sites - which can lead to following one another's blogs and careers, as well as sharing what works and what doesn't. Conferences and online forums are also great places to make connections, build camaraderie and share great ideas. 

Take advantage of free resources. When I first started blogging, I paid a monthly fee to the site that hosted my blog. Later, I discovered that despite my technological inadequacies, I could blog just as easily and look just as professional on a free site. Don't make the same mistake I did, assuming that sites that cost money look more professional than a free site. Check out all your options and choose the one that best fits your needs.
Find a partner in crime. Blogging is so much easier when you do it with friends and colleagues. Ditto book signings. In addition, if you are one of the aforementioned reclusive writers, having a fellow author along takes the edge off and gives you someone to laugh with, as well as potentially drawing a bigger crowd. Take advantage of guest posts - invite people to post on your blog and accept (and pursue) invitations to do the same on other writers' blogs as well. 

Online presence is essential. Google yourself. Go ahead. What do you find? That's exactly what an editor or agent will find when they look you up after reading your query. Are you out in the open, or playing hide and seek? Bear in mind, though, that everything you write online - good or bad - contributes to your public image, so edit all posts in all forums for both quality and professionalism. 

Read widely...and then comment. Read in your genre, not only so you'll know what's out there and who's publishing what, but also so you can speak intelligently about the competition. Read blogs, too, and comment on them. Don't be shy, but do be polite and articulate because once you post, you can't take it back. And, if you get in the habit of commenting on editor and agent pages, these publishing professionals may recognize you when your query crosses their desks, or when you meet them at a conference. In addition, your blog comments will increase the number of hits search engines return when you type in your own name. 

Make sure you don't lose sight of your real goal. We are, after all, supposed to be writing content, not just tweeting and posting status updates. You don't want to find yourself perched atop that platform with no book to wave!
Unless you're in a hurry for some reason (the aforementioned book contract, for example), building a platform can easily be a weekend project - one that you undertake in small pieces over a period of time. Start where you are most comfortable (Facebook, perhaps?) expand from there, and from time to time, step back to review your work and see if it looks the way you want it to. If not, make changes to the content or the aesthetics until you have it looking the way you want it to. As your platform expands and you become more comfortable, seek out other resources on the subject to see where small tweaks can yield big results. 

For a writer, a platform is simply another work-in-progress. And who knows? Maybe you'll even learn to love the possibilities revision brings. 

reprinted with permission from the Institute of Children's Literature

Lisa Lawmaster Hess is a writer and retired school counselor on a constant quest for organization. The author of Acting Assertively and Diverse Divorce, Lisa is currently at work on an ebook as a means of putting off revisions on her novel. She indulges her teaching muse as an instructor for community education classes and classes for retirees. Her blogs are The Porch Swing Chronicles and Six Children and No Theories.

TickyToes@urgggmail.com By Cindy Sproles

Platform, platform, platform. Where do we begin? It's easy. You begin with your email address.
 

Texting has overtaken the phone while email has breezed past the post office. When email came into existence we found it fun, never anticipating it would become the businessman's way to communicate. Who would have thought?

Families set up email accounts and from that, individual accounts, whose addresses became as unique as the people themselves. Now we stand at the threshold of a new era. One where instant gratification is most important. So what does that mean to the writer? What is the impact for you? It could be devastating.

There are many pros. Just the fact a manuscript can be sent electronically within seconds - cover letter, proposal and entire manuscript in one transmission, definitely makes the cost of postage null and void. Editors no longer have to carry large briefcases filled with submissions when, with the flip of a switch, they have them at their fingertips. Technology has made paper clutter manageable. What a plus for the writer. Correspondence has become instantaneous. Writers can submit to multiple editors, agents and publishers with one simple email. It's wonderful.

But what about the editor or agent receiving the email? With the creative mind of writers, email addresses become a true headache for the editor or agent.

Imagine this:
You're an agent. You've just left a conference and asked for 15 writers to send you their work. By the time you arrive home and turn on your computer, here's what you see.
shessopretty@hotmail.com
Lovenfamily5@jojomail.com
lollipoplickingal@monster.net
kissandtell@....uh....you get the idea? Right?

Not only are these email addresses less than professional, they appear somewhat...well...risque'. As an editor, I can tell you first hand, I've received some pretty questionable email addresses. Though there is humor in these addresses, it's time for the writer to grow up and meet the publishing world with professionalism. How can we be treated as a professional if our branding comes in the form of lollipoplickinggal...?

For the editor and agent, these emails are a disaster. Here's why?

*Scams come in various forms from sneaky ploys to get money to less than desirable websites. Junk fills our email box and it's hard to know what to trust and easy to delete what seems "questionable."
*Viruses are attached to some of these emails. Some spam programs pick out obscure email addresses and dump them into spam, simply because phrases or key words raise a red flag. And if a virus is attached, it can destroy an agents full list of stored work.
*It's hard to respect a writer who's email address paints an unpleasant picture in your mind.

So how do we fix this?

Start by thinking of yourself as a professional. As a writer you are in business for yourself. It's important you have an email address that is both professional and respectful of the work you do. Develop an email address that is recognizable to you as an individual. Begin with your name. For example, years ago, when I began my own email, I set it up under my ministry. i.e. mountainbreezeministries@... Though this is a respectful email address, it doesn't identify me to an editor. More than likely, they don't know who Mountain Breeze Ministries is. Not only that, but by the time you add the remainder of the email address (the carrier), it's way too long.

As I became an editor, I learned the importance of sending an email that identified me to the receiver. I developed a professional email address that clearly stated to the receiver who was sending the email. cindyksproles@....

For those  people in the professional world who worked with me, it was easy to identify my email. They can remember Cindy when Mountain Breeze easily slipped their minds.

Most email carriers allow you to forward your email to a secondary account. And I do that. I allow my cindyksproles email to forward to my mountainbreeze account which is the workhorse account. For those on the professional side, there is no issue in locating me when they need me and I'm respected among my editor and business peers.

For me, it's almost too late to change the mountainbreezeministry email. For years peers have finally grown to know who mountainbreeze is, so by the time I figured out the importance of an email that was easily recognized, the retraining process became difficult.

Your assignment this week is simple. It's all about looking at your personal branding. How do you want people to identify with you? What do you want them to picture when they think of you? And more so, when you send that manuscript to an agent, will they remember YOU?

Perhaps you have a website and your email runs through that. Develop an email address through that site that identifies you in a professional light.
i.e. cindy@cindysproles.com

Utilize your name or first initial and last name into an email address that makes it easy to locate. Of course there are tons of John Smith's. So the chances of getting johnsmith@....com is slim but you can become creative. JohnSmithDevotions or J.Smith100@... Use your imagination to make a name for yourself.

Look over your personal branding. What is the theme of your blog or website? Is your name clearly stated on the site other than under ABOUT? Is there an email address that matches you and your branding. SusieSmithWrites1@....

If you don't have a website, blog or a professional email your assignment is to begin to research and develop this all important first step to building a platform.

Blogs from Blogger.com are relatively user friendly for the beginner. WordPress blogs are a bit more advanced but again, fairly user friendly. Companies such as GoDaddy.com offer web building tools that teach you along the way and provide support should you get stuck. There are individuals who specialize in building websites and blogs you can easily maintain keikihendrick.com.

The point is, your platform as a writer begins on this very basic level. Your email address. If you do not have a business email, get one now. Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, ComCast, Charter, all provide free email addresses. When you type in your email address, if is says something on the order of sassygalinboots (I got this once from a writer), then get a new one.

Begin to build your platform with a professional and recognizable email address. 

This article is provided for by Cindy Sproles and is part of basic training for Writers Advance Bootcamp. Check out this North Carolina writers conference at  www.writersadvancebootcamp.com.

What to Put in a Newsletter by Jennifer Hudson Taylor

Over the past 2 weeks I've discussed reasons you need a newsletter and some services you can use to create and distribute it. Today, I want to talk about what to put in your newsletter.

Your newsletter should not be a repeat of everything you're already offering on your website/blog and/or other social media accounts. It should be an extension of what you're already providing.

For instance, you need to offer your newsletter readers something they won't find anywhere else, and give them a bit of special treatment for subscribing to your newsletter and allowing you to drop info into their personal inbox. Below are some tips in how to do this.

• Save some of your news and announcements for your newsletter. Later, you can post those announcements on your blog and social media sites. Reward your newsletter subscribers by giving them the chance to first hear the news. 


• Offer some contests and giveaways to newsletter subscribers only. For instance, for any new subscribers between one newsletter and the next, automatically go into a drawing for their choice of a free book. This means I give a free book away each quarter. I've also offered free Celtic CDs when my Celtic books were released.


• Connect with readers on a personal level. Share a little of you with them. Share a photo of you and your family enjoying a vacation, an outing, something special that you might not have posted anywhere else. Outside of your writing, what have you been up to lately? You do not have to go into private details, but what info would you share with a friend you might run into at an event? Someone you haven't seen in a while, but you only have 2-3 minutes. This is how you should communicate with your readers. 


• Be real with your readers. Again, you don't have to go into details, but what snippets of challenges have you been facing that you can share as a testimony with them? No one has a perfect life, and people need to know you are real and that you aren't hiding behind your computer status updates. This will help you connect with them better. Are you celebrating 5 years being cancer-free after a battle? Are you recovering from an accident?


• Make news announcements and updates. Post your book covers, video book trailers and new photos. People want to know if you have something new coming out, if you have a short story in between your longer works, if you have an article that was recently published elsewhere, or if you're going to be in town near them. However, don't make this your main news. This info should be as an inclusion. 


• Post at least one new article. Keep it short and relevant. By relevant I mean it should be related to something in one of your books, your research, or a life experience. 

You can always subscribe to a few author newsletters, save them in a file folder in your email, and compare them by taking notes on what you like about them and what you dislike. This will help you form a strategy plan for your own newsletters that will suit you and your readers. 

What prompts you to subscribe to an email newsletter. Is it free giveaways? Interesting content? What prompts you to unsubscribe?

Platform: A Buzz Word You Can't Ignore by Jennifer Hudson Taylor

The problem with buzz words is that we start hearing them so often that we're tempted to ignore them because we think we've gotten the message or we're tired of hearing it . Platform is a buzz word that has been making the rounds in the publishing industry for a few years now and looks like it might become one of those permanent fixtures. 

Agents and editors have blogged about it, and marketing professionals and publicists have taken it to a whole new breakout level. There is now the Marketing Platform, Online Platform, Speaking Platform, Blogging Platform and now the Social Media Platform. It seems that we need a substantial platform in every area of our lives that has the potential to amplify our names and promote our work to increase possible sales. In short, this platform buzz word isn't going away.

A few years ago when the economy began to tank, publishers became more selective than ever in what they accepted for publication. The competition got tough, and as I've always said, in my humble opinion it was already tough.

So what is platform?

My personal definition is that platform is a buildup of readership and/or a following of people who like to read what you write enough to buy and/or promote it. The bigger your platform, the higher your ability to sell your books in large volume and to get your books published through a publisher. 

One reason why some have come to dislike the word platform, is because so many good authors are being rejected due to their lack of platform--or at least that's what they're being told. Their writing is good enough for publication, the concept interesting and applicable to the present, but if the author doesn't have a great platform, it can be rejected based on that alone. In the old days, it was the quality of a writer's work that meant publication. They were told to keep improving their craft and a door would eventually open. 

Times have changed!

Now authors are expected to build a platform before publication while they improve their craft. It wouldn't hurt to have a marketing degree, but if not, writers need to be reading all the marketing and promotion blogs and articles they can find, and implement what they learn. It isn't enough just to store away the information for later use. Somewhere in all this time while learning the craft of writing and platform building, writers must squeeze in a full-time job to pay the bills and have enough left over for writing organization fees, conferences, and workshops.

So the great question for every author is: How do I build a platform? It all boils down to marketing yourself as a writer, promoting what you write, and connecting and networking with people. Those who are great at promoting themselves, speaking in public, and building that public awareness will build a bigger platform and have the edge over writers who don't promote themselves well.

I'd like to point you to some great articles that have been written on this topic:

Need A Platform? by Agent Terry Burns

Fiction Platform by Agent Rachelle Gardner

How Important is an Author's Platform by Michael Hyatt, Board Chair of Thomas Nelson Publishers

What are your thoughts on platform? Are you feeling overwhelmed by this buzz word? Have you been able to implement what you learn? What are your most difficult challenges in building a platform?

Why Author Business Cards Are Different by Jennifer Hudson Taylor

The Rest of the World
The purpose of business cards is to promote your business--the company you work for. There is usually a small graphic for your logo and a tagline that will explain what kind of products and/or services your company provides, and your professional title will give people an idea of how you fit into that business.

If you are an author, forget the info above.

Be willing to change your mindset.

Switch gears now.

The Author World
If you are an author, you ARE the business. The author is the company. Therefore, you are going to promote yourself. Your logo is your photo.

Your products are the books you write.

Your service is the genre you write. Therefore, you need a tagline that promotes what you write--your genre or subgenre.

CBA Authors
Because the Bible calls us to be humble servants, Christian authors worry that they are exalting themselves when they promote themselves and/or their work. We worry what others will think. We worry if God will be pleased or displeased.

How can people hear about the message in our books--the stories and help that God has given us to share with others, if we don't step out in faith and promote ourselves and our work?

You can be humble and still promote yourself. Give God the glory for all your work. Never forget who is helping you along the way. Remember who opens those doors for you. Be patient and kind to others, even when you're tired and you don't feel like it. This is being called to humbleness. It is beyond putting our name and face out there to promote our books--the very gift that God has given us.

So don't be afraid to use your photo on your promotional materials. People want to connect with you. They want to know who you are and that includes what you look like. It gives them a mental image to go by and it makes them feel like they know you better. Don't worry that you aren't supermodel material. If you want to be real to people, you can't be flawless. If you want to be humble, be yourself.

What to include on an Author's Business Card
1. Email Address
Your business card doesn't need to have a postal mailing address. Save it for the sell sheets and the book proposals. Provide your email address so they can contact you and connect with you after the conference. Most people prefer email.

2. Your Photo
This helps people remember that interesting conversation they had with you so that it doesn't blur into the thousands of other conversations they might have had at the conference. Also, nothing is worse than looking for a 20-something person who no longer exists because someone hasn't updated their photo in 20+ years.

3. Website or Blog Url
Give people the ability to find out more about you if they are interested later. That way you're not trying to give out too much information to people who don't want it. Writing conferences can be overwhelming so try not to overload others with more than they can handle.

4. A Tagline
This will serve as a quick reminder of what you write without going into a detailed summary blurb. Besides, you might have written many different books, but what category do they all or most fall into? Use that if you don't have a creative tagline.

5. Your Name and/or Pen Name
If you write under a pen name, feel free to promote it, but use your real name. An editor or agent doesn't want to go around calling you Bob if your real name is Ben. Even if you don't mind, it will make them feel awkward when they discover their mistake. Help them out. They have to remember a lot of people with many different names and faces. Anything you can do to stand out from the crowd without annoying them will be a huge help and a great benefit to you.

6. Genre or Subgenre
If it isn't clear in your tagline, mention the genre or subgenre you write in. Be brief. If you write in more than one genre, simply list them. Don't worry about long explanations. Save it for your proposals.

7. Phone Number
List at least one phone number in case an agent or editor does want to call you for some reason--or maybe another author. Don't worry about listing all your numbers between your home, cell and work. Use the one that is less likely to change and where you will most likely be reached.

Some people will try to be creative with their business cards. If you can do it tastefully without making it look too busy--go for it. If you already have a customized website and/or blog, I recommend using a graphic or background that will match your online presentation since that is how most people will look you up--online.