Building Your Author Platform
And what this really means
If you’re an author with a minimum of one book published, or self-pubbed, or indie pubbed, you will have heard someone mention the words “author platform”.
Having worked with and spoken to hundreds of authors since launching Build Your Author Brand, I know that these words do tend to strike abject fear into the hearts of most.
To aim to take some of the sting out of the tail of these two words - I want to stress that an “author platform” does not have to mean having an Instagram following of 100K plus. Nor does it mean having to record YouTube videos of yourself speaking about your book on a weekly (or daily) basis. I caveat this to say: these are of course some of the perfectly valid ways that you can build an author platform.
But in fact, an author platform is how you show the reading public (or your community of ideal readers) that you are credible as an author, that you have authority to write what you write, no matter what genre you’re writing in. Finally, that you are authentically an author. And not, say, a bot or AI or someone who a reader finds it difficult to trust because they can’t sense a human connection with your book.
Your author platform then can be built in many different ways. It’s about finding a way for you to communicate your authority, credibility and authenticity as an author, to your reader community. This could be done via social media, once you’ve figured out which of those platforms is the right one for tracking down your particular readers. It could also be through other mediums, that in our technological world can get overlooked.
Some of the biggest successes that authors have gained through working with me, have been building their platform close to home initially. Using your local resources is a fantastic place to begin to build recognition and credibility as an Author. For example, some of my authors have had great success beginning with pitching to and being interviewed by their local radio stations. Then going on to their local magazines, newspapers and
Authors who have taken steps to amass media coverage and radio or TV appearances, now have a valuable “bank” of media evidence - that acts as powerful social proof or testimony that they are
Being seen and heard by an audience
Are credible enough to be endorsed by a third party
Are confident in being visible
Are “media-savvy” in knowing how to deal with things like interview questions (that leads to more opportunities in itself as you are seen as a safe bet that doesn’t have to be coached in giving interviews)
Beginning to build engagement with your readers and knowing how to communicate with them is the first step to building a successful author “platform”.
I’d also like to let you know about my newly opened Author Brand Community.
This is a monthly membership space, where we focus on the business of being an Author - that is, how are you engaging with readers (where are you finding them and who are they?)
How you present yourself as an Author and communicate about your books, to attract readers and buyers to your books. (Not to mention agents and publishers if that’s the path you’re choosing.)
To find out how my authors
- regularly stocking their books in bricks and mortar retailers
- getting book launches in Waterstones (that are paid for by the store…)
- winning literary awards
- gaining Bestseller status on their books
- running their marketing as a seamless part of their author business
- engaging with their readers regularly
- getting speaking opportunities
- understanding exactly where their readers are hanging out
- evolving and growing their author businesses
And make all of this happen for you,
I invite you to join us in my new
Author Brand Community
You can join now for just £30 or $40 for your first month - ask me (comment here or drop me a message) for the discount code
Plus get a special 1:1 bonus 📖 if you join by Monday 12th May.
Find all the details about the ABC here: https://www.buildyourauthorbrand.com/the-author-brand-community