Wednesday, April 20, 2011

A Writer's Platform: Why is it important? How to Create One with Websites and/or Blogs

By Joan Y. Edwards

Publishers want to know your Writer’s Platform (Marketing Platform) – They want to know: “Who is going to buy your book? Who is going to entrust their money to purchase what you have written?”

What Readers Are You Bringing to the Selling/Buying Table?

The following are articles that tell a little more about the Writer's Platform (Marketing Platform):

1. Rebekah Sabek http://savvy-writer.com/2010/12/writers-must-have-a-marketing-platform-for-their-books/

2. Book Marketing Experts http://workingwritersandbloggers.com/2011/02/28/what-is-a-platform-and-how-can-you-identify-it/

3. Joel Friedlander http://www.thebookdesigner.com/2010/03/author-platform-what-are-you-waiting-for/

4. Bill Henderson http://writeabetternovel.net/a-writer%E2%80%99s-platform-want-to-publish-start-building-yours

Who Knows You?

In other words, publishers want to know how many people have heard or seen your name in person, in books, or on the internet. The number of people who know you increases your chances of selling your book.

Jonathan Fields http://tribalauthor.com/author-platform/ says publishers want to know the answers to the following questions:

How many people are on your email list or subscribers to your blog?

How many followers do you have on Twitter? (You want thousands.)

How many Facebook friends or fans do you have? (You want hundreds.)

How many monthly visitors do you get? (I think you want to have a steadily increasing number.)

Blog or Website

• A blog is a website.

• A website does not necessarily have a blog.

• A website is not necessarily a blog.

• A website has static pages that look the same and have few changes.

• A blog is technically, a guest book with posts and comments.

• A blog is not static; it changes with new posts and/or new comments.

Websites and Blogs Are Part of a Writer’s Platform

Read Jenny B's article, "Why All Writers Should Have Their Own Website:" http://www.bukisa.com/articles/321187_why-all-writers-should-have-their-own-website

Makes them known by more people.

Gives a place to market the writer’s books or products thus making a plus for publishers to publish their works.

Web Presence Is Part of a Writer’s Platform

Search on the internet for your name. It’ll show webpages, blogs, comments on blogs, facebook, twitter, and other links.

Each time you create a blog, website page, or leave a comment, you create a listing for Google’s Search. You are increasing your web presence.

My Web Presence-Website and Blogs

A search on the internet for Joan Y. Edwards today gives you thousands of possible links. It didn’t start out that way. In 2001, I started out with one link on our church’s website. I wrote devotionals and puzzles for children’s liturgy for children who might not be able to get to church.

In 2002 I took an online course at CPCC to learn how to create my own website. Because I had a website, I got a job writing and consulting for Liturgical Publications for four years. My website and my writing got the editor’s attention. He liked my style of writing.

Because I started my Never Give Up blog, writers joined me in submitting their work to publishers and/or agents on a monthly basis in a group called PubSub3rdFri. Submitting more often, increased our chances of getting published. I’ve been a guest blogger on other blogs. My ideas have appeared in the SCBWI-Carolinas Pen & Palette. A college writing instructor shares my blogposts with her students. I was chosen to interview Jeff Herman, author of Jeff Herman’s Guide to Publishers, Editors, and Literary Agents 2011. The number of visitors has grown from 1 to 8,316. All of these things increased my web presence. Now more people know me or about me.

Why am I telling you this? I want you to know it doesn’t happen all at once. It all happens one click at a time. One word at a time. One learning venture at a time. Believe in yourself. Begin that website. Start that blog. Take a step to increase your web presence and make your writing platform stronger today.

Joan Y. Edwards

10 comments:

  1. Very interesting and informative, Joan. Some great information there.

    Jean

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  2. Very good. This article will lead into mine a week from tomorrow.

    Thanks, Joan.

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  3. Thank you, Joan, this is excellent information!

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  4. Dear Jean,
    Thanks for saying the post was very interesting and informative. I appreciate it. Do something good to celebrate being you.
    Never Give Up
    Joan Y. Edwards

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  5. Dear Vivian,
    Thanks for writing. What coordination that your article will follow this train of thought next week. Awesome. Do something good to celebrate being you.

    Never Give Up
    Joan

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  6. Dear Laurie,
    Thanks for stopping by. I'm glad you found the information helpful. Do something good to celebrate being you.

    Never Give Up
    Joan Y. Edwards

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  7. Hi Joan,

    Congratulations on your book contract with 4RV and on your first blog post here. You have so much to offer. Thanks for sharing it with others.

    Linda A.

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  8. Dear Linda,
    Thank you for your congratulations. Thank you also for your kind words. 4RV Publishing is a high-quality publishing company. I'm proud to be under contract with them and able to add blog posts to their newsletter. Do something fun today to celebrate being you.

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  9. Thanks for all the links. Will check on them. It's so true. People have to know us and it takes a lot of work to develop a following.

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  10. Dear Beverly,
    Thanks for reading and leaving a comment. You're welcome for the links. I hope they fill you with inspiration.
    Never Give Up
    Joan Y. Edwards

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