Fiction writers working towards publication often get this advice–create an online presence and author platform. This suggestion seems to pop-up everywhere and is usually in all those “top five” lists for aspiring writers.
I’m going to break with tradition here and say that I strongly disagree with this advice.
An online presence usually consists of one or all of the following: Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, personal or group blog. What does each of these have in common? They take up time that aspiring writers could use for well. . .you know. . .writing.
If you want to be on Facebook or Twitter to keep up with writing friends, see what other authors are doing, or stay up on the latest industry developments, that’s great. Just don’t feel obligated to do so because you think you need a social media presence. After you sell a book it generally takes a year for it to be published. For the sake of argument let’s say your book only takes six months to get sold and published. That’s still plenty of time to attend conferences, start a blog, and hit Twitter and Facebook every day if that’s what you want to do.
I think it’s really important to think about what your motivation is for having a presence online. What happens if your first or second book doesn’t snag an agent or sell? Will you still be willing to keep your blog going? Are you still going to want to spend as much time online?
I firmly believe that published authors benefit from including social media in their overall marketing plan. I don’t think writers working towards publication need to be concerned about marketing a product they don’t currently have to sell.
If you love to blog or enjoy Twitter I say go for it. However, don’t buy into the idea that you “have to” do it in order to create an online presence for a book you haven’t sold yet. Time is a precious commodity and the best thing you can do as a fiction writer is to write fiction.
At least that’s what I think.
{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
Mary-Frances:
I must respectfully disagree. When Writer’s Digest Books expressed interest in publishing a self-published book of mine in a revised and updated edition, their first questions for me were all about my “platform”. Do I have an author website, and how many unique visitors does it get? Do I have a blog, how frequently do I update it, and how many unique visitors does it get? Am I using social media (e.g., Twitter, Facebook)?
I was surprised that these questions came even before questions about how well the self-published book was selling, as was my agent. But my agent confirmed that in her experience, publishers are all very interested in this information. And if the author’s answer is that she doesn’t have a platform or audience to speak of, that does not bode well for the possibility of an offer.
Building up your own audience before you try to sell something is the way savvy aspiring authors reduce publishers’ risk in acquiring their manuscripts for publication. If you’ve already got a readership and have already shown you can and will take the initiative to connect with your target audience, you’ve made it a lot easier for a publisher to say “yes”.
.-= April L. Hamilton´s last blog ..Amazon v. Macmillan: Authors, Are You Backing The Right Horse? =-.
Hi April,
Thanks for taking the time to comment–other points-of-view are welcome. Also, congratulations on your success both in self-publishing and selling your book to Writer’s Digest!!
As Anne R. Allen mentions below fiction and nonfiction are really different when it comes to marketing. I agree that if you’re writing nonfiction it’s essential to have an author platform in place long before you sell your book. Also, since you were self-publishing you definitely needed to have a website going to get the word out about your books.
Everyone needs to do what’s right for them but I still stand by what I’ve written here. It takes a lot of time to build up an audience and with so many blogs on the internet vying for attention I don’t think it’s a good return on investment for most people.
Lastly, I think it depends on who you talk to in the industry. I know one top agent has often been quoted as saying that he thinks none of this online stuff matters before you get published–again this is for fiction.
Ultimately, I think when you write a great book and it’s been polished to perfection, it will find an audience.
Also, just to be clear I’m certainly not against anyone establishing a social media presence. I just think aspiring fiction authors shouldn’t feel they have to do so.
Thanks for your response too, MF. I guess we’ll agree to disagree on this one, but we’re probably in agreement on one point, at least: marketing is a job authors shouldn’t *have* to do themselves.
Even though I’m very comfortable with author platform and happen to have a tech background that makes the online aspect of platform something that’s not difficult for me to manage, I realize I’m exceptional in this. I don’t mean exceptional in the “superior” sense, but in the “not typical” sense. And despite my own comfort level with platform, because it’s so time- and energy-consuming, I wish I could feel it was an optional, rather than crucial, activity for my success in authorship.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy interacting with my fellow authors and readers; sometimes I just wish I didn’t feel the constant pressure to “work my platform”, especially at times when I’m feeling particularly motivated to write.
.-= April L. Hamilton´s last blog ..Amazon v. Macmillan: Authors, Are You Backing The Right Horse? =-.
Hey April,
I think we’re probably more in agreement in general and it’s just a timing issue we’re going back and forth about. One thing I’ve learned is that everyone’s journey to publication is unique–which is kind of cool and frustrating at the same time. Cheers!
Amen, Mary-Frances! It takes about 10 years of practice to learn to be a good fiction writer. Don’t waste time putting up a storefront until you’ve got inventory to sell.
April–if you’re talking about a WD book, you’re talking nonfiction. Mary-Frances is talking FICTION. Whole different kettle of aquatic wildlife.
.-= Anne R. Allen´s last blog ..Great Advice on Plotting =-.
Anne,
Thanks for your comment. Yup, I’m finding that the writing life is a long and winding road!
I totally, totally agree, Mary Frances.
Hey Anne,
.
If I knew then what I know now. . .I probably would have held off on trying to build up an audience until after I sold a book. I thought getting an agent meant I was on my way so I really dove into it. Also, I think most writers tend to procrastinate and focusing on building up an audience and spending time on twitter can be a lot easier than actually writing a novel
My agent (and others I’ve spoken to on this, as well as publishing house acquiring editors) say the same “platform” questions are directed at *all* writers/authors under consideration by big publishers nowadays, both fiction and nonfiction.
It takes a huge amount of time. I belong to Twitter and Facebook, but hardly do anything there. I haven’t posted a blog on my personal blog in a couple weeks, though I am active in my group blog. I also volunteer for two chapters, which takes up time. I’ll be glad when the year is over and I can hand my volunteer duties off to other people.
It’s rewarding, and I’ve gotten to know many wonderful people through all this. I’m not sorry, but I can’t do it all.
Hi Edie,
I agree. I’ve met a ton of great people via twitter. . . like you! I don’t regret it because of all the amazing people I’ve connected with. I just think if I had it to do over again I might do it a bit differently. You know what they say, “Hindsight is twenty-twenty.”
I’m always glad to see your comments, thanks for stopping by!
I think Burger King may show us the way:
Say a writer, during the year after the submission of her manuscript, spends three hours per night tweeting and facebooking and building up a following of 2,000 (probably on the high side). Say 100 of those folks end up buying the book (again, a stretch, but let’s just go with it).
Now, say instead that the writer spent that same three hours per night as an assistant manager at Burger King, earning $10 an hour (actual figure). That gets her $10,950 over he course of the year. With $10,000, she can afford a heckuva publicist who might reasonably account for a sales spike of 2,000 books.
If you’re not freakishly good at social networking, or you aren’t in it for the joy of it, the numbers seem to say it’s not worthwhile.
Have it your way.
Hey Keith,
Yes, I think that sums it up very nicely. Thanks for taking the time to put in your two cents.
I’m looking forward to the March 9 release of Once a Spy! I hope everyone pre-orders their copy soon. FYI you can visit Keith’s site at keiththomsonbooks.com and download an excerpt.
I’ve been following along with the conversation; I think Keith hit it on the nail. Which begs the question, why do publicists put so much weight on online presence?
.-= Screwed Up Texan´s last blog ..Cleansing is Good for the Soul =-.
If you’re talking publicist, you’re changing the metrics immediately. You get, say, 100,000 followers in the bag. Going to a publicist is like advertising your book in a big city newspaper with a couple hundred K circulation (this analogy will probably die along with newspapers in two years, but bear with me) versus your kids’ school bulletin, read by 534, and read closely by 57.
Keith, I realized that about 3 am as I tossed and turned in bed grumbling to myself why I chose the word publicist rather than publisher/agent.
Argh, that’s what happens when I write comments well past my bedtime. I’ve got to work on that.
.-= Screwed Up Texan´s last blog ..Cleansing is Good for the Soul =-.
My head was in the same place, Texan; I should have realized that’s what you meant. Your revised question is a good one. I don’t know, but I’ll lay a theory and a half on you. I have worked at two major publishers (St. Martin’s and Doubleday) and had social networking suggested by marketing/PR folks only insofar as “Why not?” From their standpoint, my social networking costs nothing, at worst beats me doing the kind of networking that takes place in bars, and at best just might work. Part 1.5: I think very few people in entertainment marketing have a handle on social networking’s potential. So maybe there’s a reluctance to squander it just in case it might be something.
I hope people will re-read Mary Frances’s initial comment, because it’s important: if you’re a newbie just scratching out your first novel, put your time and energy into learning how to write, not into marketing.
If like Keith, you’re already published by St. Martins or Doubleday, of course–use social networking and any other marketing tool at your disposal.
In other words, don’t invite people to come see you compete in the Olympics until you learn to skate.
I love that last comment about the Olympics!
I took the advice of starting a blog to get a web “presence” and guess what. I have ONE follower, who is a friend of mine in real life. After writing six posts I said to myself why the hell am I wasting my time – time that could be used to work on my novel – when no one is reading this??? These agents tell you to get out there and get a “following”, but they don’t tell you HOW. Where am I supposed to get followers from, pull them out of my a-s-s????
Meghan -
Just putting your posts out there isn’t enough: you have to let people know about them.
- If you’re on Twitter, tweet when you post a new blog entry. There are LOTS of publishing pros and authors on Twitter, and most of them *aren’t* using it to announce what they had for breakfast or that their dog just got back from the groomer. They’re using it to share links to resources, articles and posts of interest to their industry, and to make themselves available for direct comment and discussion with their peers and the public. Look at my Twitter profile as an example:
http://twitter.com/indieauthor
- Use more comment forms like this one, which allows you to include a website link. Use the link field to link to your blog, and comment on high-traffic, high-visibility blogs and sites related to your area of interest. From time to time I’ll do a Google search on topics of interest to me, read a few of the articles that turn up and comment on them. I don’t do any promotion in the comments themselves, but I do use the ‘website’ field in the comment form to let people find my sites or blogs if they’re so inclined. I’ve gotten a LOT of traffic from comment forms I’ve filled out on Huffington Post, Wired.com, and other high-traffic sites. But again, I don’t comment *just* to promote, I try to add something of value to the discussion.
- Facebook is another good way to get the word out. You can have your blog entries automatically pulled into FB with a clickable link and a ‘teaser’ every time you post to it.
- If your book is listed on Amazon, get signed up as an Amazon author; you can have your blog posts automatically pulled in there, too.
- Go to Publetariat.com, a site I founded and for which I still act as Editor in Chief, and click on the “Sell” department link at the top of the home page for LOTS of great, free author platform/book promo advice and instructions. One of the articles there explains in detail how to link your blog to your FB profile.
This is really just the tip of the iceberg. There are so many easy, free ways for authors to promote themseves and their books nowadays, the main limitation most of us face is time.
.-= April L. Hamilton´s last blog ..Avast Ye Lubbers, And Hear Ye Me Pirate Tale of Two Clicks! =-.
Meghan -
Also see the extensive Promotion chapter in my book, The Indie Author Guide, which I’ve made available for free viewing from cover to cover on my author site. This is the book I mentioned in an earlier comment above, which will be released in an updated/revised edition in November. The new edition will have lots of new and updated info, but the existing Promotion chapter is filled with good ideas.
http://www.aprillhamilton.com/iaguides.html#BB
.-= April L. Hamilton´s last blog ..Avast Ye Lubbers, And Hear Ye Me Pirate Tale of Two Clicks! =-.
Thanks for your responses, I will definitely look into all of those suggestions. It’s also generous of you to put your book on your website for everyone to take a look at.
I guess what I am really wondering is what would make MY blog stand out to a complete stranger and make them want to take time out of their busy day to read it? There are thousands (hundreds of thousands?) of blogs out there, how am I supposed to make *mine* facinating enough to attract readers/followers? (I don’t really expect an answer, it’s more of a hypothetical question, but if you DO have any tips I’m all ears!)
.-= Meghan´s last blog ..My nemesis is mailing out queries =-.
I believe Facebook is a wonderful marketing tool, and you can network easily with successful authors/editors/agents/poets/creative inspirations without being pushy and/or stalker-ish. In terms of creating a blog, I am thinking about it; however, my blog would have to have more depth than a daily dose of ernest and soulful navel-gazing. But don’t dismiss the fact that it is an enormous timesuck. Because it is!! I’m not exceptional, technically. And no one can guarantee that blogging will help you land a publisher or mean your book will be a bestseller. Also, solicit your favorite blogs. Sometimes contributors need to decommit or a blogger might appreciate a guest contributor. Give that your best shot and create a presence for yourself without owning the whole nut.
Mary Frances,
I’m totally behind you. Is writing about being a writer? Or is it about marketing?
The problem is that unpublished writers think publishing books will get them a career as a writer. The truth is that publishing books will get them published books. If you make contact with a certain number readers, and it turns into a greater community of people all interested in the things you’re interested in, and that leads to appreciation of the work you’re doing and terrific relationships with readers, that’s wonderful. It’s wonderful to have an audience for the work you love.
But don’t confuse an audience for your work with an audience for yourself. You still have to pay the rent. And you still have to live your life in two-way relationships, not one-way sales.
It’s all about the greater community of writers and publishing professionals. If you mistake salesmanship for membership in a community, you might make more bucks than the guy next to you in the short run, but you’re going to find yourself on the outside looking in when it comes to the real value behind writing—community.
.-= Victoria Mixon´s last blog ..Guest blogging =-.
Thanks for this post, M.F. It is right on. And whoever mentioned fun or joy in all those comments, I’m down with it. If it isn’t fun [and most of the writing process just isn't] then I’d rather spend LESS time doing it. The fun, for me, is the having done it and the reading it aloud.
Glad I found your blog; keep it up.
T.
.-= Teresa´s last blog .. =-.
Oh, and rewriting. That’s fun too.
T.
.-= Teresa´s last blog .. =-.
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