Self Promotion and Social Media

As a young girl, I dreamed of becoming an author. I wanted to write a book, submit it, and have it accepted by a publisher followed by becoming a top selling book.

Finally ready to pursue my passion, I continued to write and plan. The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know. A few years ago, a friend of mine explained that a writer needs to develop a platform, a fanbase ready to buy a book before it’s even been accepted for publication.

Holding on to be outdated beliefs, I refused to work on creating a platform, thinking it would come after the book.

As I moved forward with my current novel, I realized that I need to spend time cultivating my own platform in order to become more marketable to agents and publishers. I dread creating and managing social media accounts, and adding my author accounts to the mix was something I never wanted to have to do.

But, here I am, partially done with a novel that I’m in love with, and working on developing my social platform.

Some things I’ve learned:

1. Reach out to friends and family. I was surprised how many supporters existed in my personal social accounts. It made the challenge of getting followers a bit less daunting. I was nervous about putting my intentions out into the world, but I was met with resounding support and encouragement.
2. Blog Consistently. An area of weakness for me has been consistency in blogging. Each time I post however, I gain new followers on the blog and social media. Plus, having author social media accounts provides me a way to share my blog with interested people.
3. Keep Going! The longer I stay interested in promoting my work, the more interest I gain. If I can’t keep my own attention, I certainly can’t hold anyone else’s.
4. Make Connections. Almost two years ago, I joined the Women’s National Book Association and became the blog editor. During my time with the organization, I have made some amazing friends and connections. Attending events, participating in social media conversations, and supporting other authors helps develop your own platform.
5. Get Involved. One of the most effective methods I have found thus far, is becoming involved in the writing community. Participating in NaNoWriMo, attending writing events, supporting other authors and subscribing to writing blogs have all helped expand my network and platform.

Have tips for developing an author platform? Share them in the comments.