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is an older post and although you might find some useful tips, any technical or publishing information is likely to be out of date.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
I was excited to read this post from Mike Shatzkin, who is a veteran of the publishing industry and also passionate about digital change.
I rant about building an author platform, self-publishing and ebooks and I am “just” a self-published author who loves being online. I am new to this industry so hearing the following from Mike is so encouraging and backs up what I talk about on this blog. It will also keep me blogging as well as writing!
Click here to read Mike's whole post “What advice do you give a writer”
The key points for me are:
- The gatekeepers of the publishing industry are still there, but the gate isn't attached to a wall and you can just go around them (paraphrased). Anyone with a computer can publish online through Smashwords, Scribd and other sites as well as get a printed book on Amazon with print-on-demand
- Self-publishing may be a good way into traditional publishing. “It is increasingly the case that the self-publishing of various kinds is the best way to get on the publishers’ radar screens and it has the additional benefit of beginning to build an audience and a response loop that are essential components of any successful writer’s platform“. If you can't get an agent or a publisher, self-publish anyway and get on with promotion and writing the next one. You are more likely to get picked up this way.
- Start a blog, or build the one you've got. “Agents and editors finding authors through blogs and self-published books“
- Understand your author brand and your niche. “Understand your vertical world on the web, and participate in it.“
- Use social networking. “Build your connections on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn” and get an agent who understands online promotion.
This is fantastically encouraging for me, and hopefully for you too. Sometimes blogging and social networking can feel like a long slog as well as investing time in writing and improving the craft. This article renews my faith that these efforts will pay off in the long run. Remember that your internet presence builds over time but that eventually your online author platform can be significant.
Thanks Mike!
View Comments (3)
Thanks for this post. It is very relevant, especially at this time when getting published is even harder than normal.
This was a great article. I think authors don't place much value in blogs and think there's little value in getting their book out there and building their reader base. Instead, they are too consumed with the query letters and submissions. With the way things are changing, it makes sense that agents and publishers would start looking at things from the angle of what the author has already done, rather than starting from scratch. (Hope that made sense.)
I'm still surprised by how many people who want to get traditionally published won't take the steps to be proactive about building their platform first. Anyway, great article. Thanks for sharing!
Joanna: thank you for an informative article. (as always)
You always have your finger on the pulse of great resources.
Best wishes from Dover, NH, USA