The Creative Penn

Writing, self-publishing, book marketing, making a living with your writing

  • Write A Novel
  • Write Non-Fiction
  • Publishing
  • Marketing
  • Make a Living Writing
  • Author Mindset
  • Start Here!
  • Books
  • Podcast
  • Blog
  • Audio
  • Courses
  • Tools
  • About
    • Speaking
  • Contact

What is an “Author Platform” and Why Do You Need One Now?

June 26, 2009 by Joanna Penn 48 Comments

Tweet43
Share73
Pin
Share8
Stumble1
+13
Share
Email
Pocket
Buffer1
Reddit
Shares 129

OLD POST ALERT! This is an older post and although you might find some useful tips, any technical or publishing information is likely to be out of date. Please click on Start Here on the menu bar above to find links to my most useful articles, videos and podcast. Thanks and happy writing! – Joanna Penn

istock_000006428830xsmallThe phrase “author platform” has started to become more of a catchphrase in the publishing and book world, so I thought I would explain it if anyone is confused.

What is an author platform?

The author platform is how you are currently reaching an audience of book-buying people, or how you plan to do so. It is your influence, your ability to sell to your market. It is your multi-faceted book marketing machine!

Here are some examples:

  • Are you already famous? Maybe just in your niche but are you already a household name because of something? If yes, you have a platform and will likely get a book deal. Think Paris Hilton or George W. Bush – they don't need to know how to write to get published! I suspect this category does not include anyone reading this blog!
  • Do you already have a speaking platform? Can you get audiences of several thousand to pay to come and see you?
  • Do you already have an existing business with clients and customers who will buy your book?
  • Do you have a popular blog or website that reaches thousands of people? Think Gary Vaynerchuk and Christian Lander's “Stuff White People Like”.
  • How big is your email list of people who subscribe to your newsletters or ezines?
  • Do you have a huge podcasting audience who are raving fans and want to buy your books? Think Scott Sigler and JC Hutchins.
  • Can you develop a massive following using web 2.0 technologies? Think Tim Ferriss who used the leverage of bloggers to promote “The Four Hour Work Week” into a huge hit.
  • Do you have hundreds of thousands of followers on Twitter, Facebook or mySpace? Can you convert those into book buying fans?
  • Have you already had a self-publishing hit book that you have successfully marketed yourself? Think Lisa Genova's ‘Still Alice' and Christopher Paolini ‘Eragon'.

If you don't have any of these right now, never fear. Most of these people took time to build their platforms.
We all start somewhere! If you start a blog today, or a podcast

Why do you need an author platform?

If you want to get a publishing deal, you need a platform to prove your books will sell. Many agents/publishers will not even consider you if you don't have a platform already. If you don't believe me, check out this post by literary agent Rachelle Gardner who says “you really need to show that you are willing and able to put the time and effort into marketing yourself and building a readership online“.

If you are a self-published author, you need a platform to sell your books.
If you haven't written a book yet, you need to start building your platform so you have one when your book is ready.

Book-selling is a business for publisher and author alike. We all need to eat! Some of us would like to eat really excellent food at superb seafood restaurants, and not just mince and beans. So selling books is important to us all. There are thousands of books published every month. There are millions of blogs online. What makes you stand ahead of the pack? Why will people buy your book?

How can you build your author platform?

So many ways! They all take some time and effort. There is no magic bullet. You will get there, but only if you get started!

Tweet43
Share73
Pin
Share8
Stumble1
+13
Share
Email
Pocket
Buffer1
Reddit
Shares 129

Filed Under: Author Entrepreneur, Marketing and Promotion Tagged With: author platform

Comments

  1. Phil Houston says

    February 11, 2013 at 1:51 pm

    Great website. There is so much to learn for a new author. People like you make it easier for the rest of us.

    Reply
  2. Ayaoba says

    May 6, 2013 at 6:33 pm

    Joanna,
    I’m really overwhelmed by what I came across on your website. I won’t be able to work for a long time and it gets me thinking of what to do with my time. Like you said, it can be overwhelming with the amount off books out there and getting noticed looks like a big start. I will download your software and go through it and decide on my brand and direction

    Thank you so much for the info

    Reply
« Older Comments

Trackbacks

  1. Pinterest for Your Writing Life | Playing with Words says:
    April 17, 2013 at 12:37 pm

    […] This is, I think, a little bit more fun and artistic than creating a portfolio. According to Creative Penn, a platform can be described in the following […]

    Reply
  2. Platform: Yes, You Need One….. | This College Dropout says:
    April 30, 2013 at 7:27 am

    […] Penn, author and book marketing expert,  describes  it on her site […]

    Reply
  3. Author Marketing: It Begins With You & Only You! says:
    June 5, 2013 at 5:03 am

    […] Joanna Penn talks about this brilliantly, so check out the link for some more info on author platforms and the importance of building one. […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Become a more successful author

Looking for something?

Subscribe to the blog by email, or connect with me on social media

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Get started right now with links to the best content below!

Need a professional editor?

Need a professional book cover design?

Inspiration and Information every Monday!

Need help with book marketing?

Want to make a living writing? Here are some ideas how you can

How to set up your own author website in under 30 mins

Useful Books on Writing, Publishing, Marketing and Making Money Writing

My J.F.Penn author blog, for fans of my thriller novels

Stronger together! I’m a proud member of The Alliance of Independent Authors

Topics

  • Author Entrepreneur
  • Creativity
  • Ebooks and Technology
  • Intellectual Property Rights
  • Marketing and Promotion
  • Publishing Options
  • Writing

Recent Posts

  • Finding Your Perfect Niche In Fiction
  • Audiobooks For Authors With Will Dages From Findaway Voices
  • 5 Tips To Spice Up Your Amazon Author Profile
  • Writing Tips: Digital Forensics for Screen Writers and Novelists
  • How To Be Successful In Writing Horror With Iain Rob Wright
  • Writing Tips: How To Turn A Thesis Into A Book That Sells
  • How To Take Your Creative Business To The Next Level With Tara McMullin
  • Book Marketing: Social Media Tips For Introvert Authors
  • Writing a Novel: Top 10 Editing Tips
  • Author Email List And Newsletter Tips With Tammi Labrecque
  • Writing Tips: Writing Beyond The 5 Senses
  • How To Be A Successful Company Of One With Paul Jarvis
  • How To Make Your Audiobook Work For You
  • The Importance of Having a (Well-Designed) Author Website
  • Voice Technologies For Authors With Bradley Metrock

Archives

Thanks for visiting The Creative Penn!

Most of the information on this site is free for you to read, watch or listen to, but The Creative Penn is also a business and my livelihood. So please expect hyperlinks to be affiliate links in many cases, when I receive a small percentage of sales if you wish to purchase. I only recommend tools, books and services that I either use or people I know personally. Integrity and authenticity continue to be of the highest importance to me. Read the privacy policy here. I hope you find the site useful! Thanks - Joanna

Connect with me on social media

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
© Copyright Joanna Penn. The Creative Penn Limited. All rights reserved.

Search The Creative Penn

Inspiration and Information every Monday in The Creative Penn podcast

Thanks for visiting The Creative Penn

Most of the information on this site is free for you to read, watch or listen to, but The Creative Penn is also a business and my livelihood. So please expect hyperlinks to be affiliate links in many cases, when I receive a small percentage of sales if you wish to purchase. I only recommend tools, books and services that I either use or people I know personally. Integrity and authenticity continue to be of the highest importance to me. Read the privacy policy here. Read the Cookie policy here. I hope you find the site useful! Thanks - Joanna

Copyright © 2019 · Beautiful Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

I use cookies to ensure that I give you the best experience on this website. If you continue to use this site, I will assume that you are happy with this. Thank you. OkRead more