How to Create an Amazing Author Platform for Your Book
Dear Evergreen Authors:
I keep hearing I need to build an Author Platform in order to sell my book, but I don’t even know what that means or how to do it. Help!
We get asked this question all the time from authors, and we totally understand why.
"Author Platform" has become a buzzword in the publishing industry, yet when you ask someone what one actually is, you're usually met with blank stares and mumbles about social media and email lists.
Here’s the quick and easy definition of Author Platform:
Author Platform: Your ability to sell books based on who you are, or who you can reach.
So what does this mean exactly?
Selling books based on who you are is exactly how it sounds—it’s about YOU being the special sauce that sells books.
Celebrities and big name bestselling authors are examples of selling books based on who they are.
But what if you’re not at a celebrity, how do you build a platform as a regular person?
Author Platform: Who You Are
There are several ways:
Through your profession or academic credentials
Your unique skills or talents
If you have a compelling real-life story
For example, say you published a cookbook and work as a chef in real life. You could build your author platform around your profession and post recipes from your cookbook.
Or if you have a compelling true story—you can build a platform around that single story. All your posts could be related to that story, or the stories of others who share a similar story.
An example would be if you wrote a book about overcoming cancer, your platform could be around your story along with the stories of others who also overcame it.
The point is to find something that is unique to you and also relates to your book.
Author Platform: Who You Can Reach
Imagine for a minute you’re about to publish your book. Who could you sell it to right now?
Do you have an email list with thousands of subscribers?
Do you have a large social media following?
Do you know how to run targeted advertising to let readers know about your book?
Do you have a book tied-in with a trending current event that will find an audience quickly?
When it comes to who you can reach, it’s about who you can reach at this moment to sell it.
So now that you know what an author platform is, how do you build one?
How do you build an author platform?
The most effective way to build your author platform is to start where your readers are—don’t build your platform on places they aren’t hanging out.
So, if you’re a fiction writer who writes in the vampire dystopian romance genre, building your author platform on a place like LinkedIn doesn’t make much sense.
But, if you write books in the business genre - LinkedIn should be at the top of your list.
Many readers are on Amazon, which is why it’s a great place to start building an author platform, and, you can build a large platform to sell books from quickly using targeted advertising.
Other great ways to build your author platform include:
Your author website
Writing a niche blog around your book
Author or book specific social media pages
But when it comes to building your author platform - please don’t feel like you have to be everywhere at once.
Choose one platform to focus your energy on and use it to its full potential. That will save you time and connect you more deeply and much more authentically with your audience.
When should I build my author platform?
The answer to this one is simple: NOW.
No matter where you are in the writing journey, you want to start sharing your process, what is inspiring you, the ups and downs, and your thoughts on topics in your genre ASAP. Why?
Well, because by the time your book comes out, you'll already have an established fanbase ready to ready your work.
