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It seems there are two opposing camps in terms of author marketing.
On the other hand, there is the “build your author platform” camp advocating blogging, social networking, speaking, podcasting, videos and more. Obviously all this marketing takes away from writing, so which should you focus on?
I try to be very careful on the blog to only talk about things I've done myself. I don't have a huge back-list of novels ready to load up into the Kindle store, I'm not making thousands per month on ebook sales. I have built a reasonable author platform and I have enjoyed every minute of it, so clearly I sit in the second camp at the moment.
BUT/ Amanda Hocking's sales numbers gave me pause so I thought we'd better discuss it here. Justine Musk also wrote a brilliant post over at Tribal Writer on the same topic.
Here's my thinking on the matter but please leave a comment as to what you think at the bottom as this is a critical discussion point as we all have limited time.
What are your overall goals for your career as a writer?
I want to be able to define myself as an author, speaker and blogger and I want to help people. I'm also an entrepreneur and sell my speaking services as well as online products. I make the least amount of money from fiction ebooks and the most from other products and services (at the moment anyway). Therefore my author platform gives me more than just a sales platform for fiction.
I speak at least once a month and last year spoke at a writer's retreat in Bali, all from my online presence. I couldn't do those things if I just had books. So my overall goals involve having a platform to run my online business from. I'm also passionate about sharing what I have learned in order to save you time, money and heartache so I have an inner drive to get the message out there.
What do you enjoy spending time doing?
Writing and being a blogger can be a solitary profession and as much as I love being alone, I also enjoy the community we have online as bloggers and also on Twitter and Facebook. I enjoy connecting on Skype and making my podcast and videos. I love being part of a group and improving my blogging/online marketing skills as well as my writing. So my author platform also serves a personal development and social purpose that goes beyond selling books. Blogging has given me so much joy in the last few years that I would continue doing it if I won the lottery! Writing a novel is a totally different feeling altogether.
What do you think is more effective for author marketing? Writing lots of books or spending time building an author platform? Why do you do what you do?
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1 2 3 … 6 Next »I must admit, the further I get into this, the more and more I'm listening to the pros like Konrath and Dean Wesley Smith and K.K. Rusch et. al. I've watched enough social media and platform builders flash, then burn out--some of them friends--and I've seen enough success to see the wisdom of the pro's strategy. Of the people making a living in the new business model, ALL of them that I've been able to find are very prolific with their writing and very disciplined in the amount of time they spend on platformish activities (i.e. they blog, or podcast, etc. but it is a limited portion of what they do, and even the ones who used to be publicity-mad no longer knock themselves out with self-promotion, gimicks, etc.).
I've never made a secret of the fact that I'm in this to make a living--and, like you, my endeavors are not limited to fiction. However, due to lessons learned I've also *really* backed off self-promotion and marketing over the course of the last year. Result: I'm writing LOTS more, and I'm building a backlog of properties of all sorts, so that when I come back to podcasting in May I'll be able to carry on with the cast on a bi-weekly basis for *years* without taking the kind of time away from my writing that it used to.
If you'd asked me two years ago, I'd have come down on the platform side. Now? Other side of the fence, firmly so. A platform is great, and it's worth having enough of one that people can find you if they're looking. But beyond that? The best return-on-investment for time spent is creating new material, whether fiction, non-fiction, music, or audiobooks. Here's why:
When you create a new property, you're building a pyramid. When you do marketing, you're pedaling an exercise bike. Each of those new properties are forever: they will pay out in streams of nickels for years or decades. On the other hand, every contest you run, ad campaign, fancy new gimmick, etc. will only last so long as you're actively putting effort into it.
My 2c, for what it's worth :-)
-Dan Sawyer
Dan - I crazily read this on my phone before bed and have had a bad night's sleep over it! I think because you have crystallized my thoughts for me. I need to make the shift and back off on the marketing side. Now I have one novel out there and successfully launched, the most important thing is to write another one.
I needed to build a platform so I could push this one over the top, but it should take a lot less effort to keep the ball rolling as such now it's moving. Watch this space - I'll be making some changes.
Thanks, as ever, for your wisdom.
Well put, Dan. I write and promote, and I haven't actually put a lot of thought into an either/or situation until now. After reading the blog and your reply, I think I write fiction, promote it, but am not focusing on a platform through blogging or speaking. I run fun promotions and giveaways from my author Facebook page and try to steadily promote all my books. They have all sold steadily since publication, starting in 2007. I want to think you're right, that all my books will add up and promote each other.
What you're basically saying is the argument of quality versus quantity and I am firmly on the side of quality. But....
I want to be a full time writer and if I am able to generate enough income to do that (I have simple needs) then I might be prepared to sell my metaphorical body for a short time so I can get into a position where I can write full time and concentrate on quality.
Is that fair? Or am I going to end up selling my soul like the late great Robert Johnson did at the crossroads one night?
I don't think it's quality vs quantity in terms of writing. The prolific guys like Dean Wesley Smith say they are not fast writers, they just write more hours than others do and produce more within a timeframe.
I find the idea that you CAN make a living on the books alone encouraging. I should think that if you go that route it takes longer to build up to the point where making a living is possible, though.
I think your questions are very pertinent. My writing goal has always been to be a novelist. I've now added writing non-fiction to that, but I want to make my living from the novels. And I don't want to be rich and famous, I really do just want to make a living.
I enjoy blogging as well, but I find the idea of 'hard core' marketing intimidating, to say the least! That kind of thing doesn't come naturally to me, and admit I do resent the idea of eating up my writing time! :D
I think you're right - each individual has to find their own path. We need to follow our own dream, not someone else's. :)
I guess by hardcore marketing I mean doing a lot of it - making it a main focus. I think small amounts of marketing need to use the same devices, but the approach may be different.
So much food thought-you have to do what works best for you-sometimes you have to experience a process, see how it fits in with your life goals n be willing to adapt n adjust as you grow. We are human beings n its our nature to evolve and adapt to whatever environment/circumstances we are in. its that yin n yang balance we all seek-so, for me, its finding out, taking that chance to explore n see what mixture works for you n being open to change. Namaste
Thanks Ntathu,
I think it's also different at different stages. I think I'll focus more on writing for large chunks and then ramp up marketing for book launch.
This is such an important discussion!
I wonder if like most things in life- balance is the key. You have to have an on-line presence, but it's so easy to get lost in this time-sucking world and spend the majority of precious time actually here rather than writing.
For me, it takes A LOT of discipline and carving out time for each to to not spend my time blogging, reading, visiting other blogs. Speaking of... :)
I'm glad that you put this one on the table and I'm looking forward to hearing what others have to say.
Thanks Galit. I'm not a balanced person! I'm definitely a workaholic - but I like to work - the question is, am I working on the right stuff?
My dad and I were having a conversation somewhat similar to this one a few weeks ago. I told him I was going to be rolling out three new books this summer and he told me I should be more focused on getting my name out there.
I too have seen Amanda Hocking's brilliant success with the sheer number of books she's put out. But she did do a bit of marketing and social networking to make those sales happen.
I think to be a truly successful author in this digital age, you have to have a foot in each - social networking and platform building, and writing.
I just find it extremely difficult trying to balance them both out, and I do this full time. I can't imagine how difficult it is for those who work a conventional job during the day/night and try to do marketing/writing in their spare time.
I do have conventional job David! I work 4 days a week as a business IT consultant so I already have limited time, basically 3 days with maybe 16 useful hours. I'm currently spending those mainly marketing whereas perhaps it should be 80:20 - I've put in 3 years of brand building so I think it's time to write more now!
"But she did do a bit of marketing and social networking to make those sales happen."
But did she? She did do some social network/marketing but did that have anything to do with her success? My guess would be mostly no.
I started out trying half-heartedly to build an author platform, but the more time passes the more I lean towards the write tons of books camp.
Hi Lovelyn - you're right, half-heartedly gets you nowhere!
I've definitely whole-heartedly build a platform, now it should just need a little less feeding and more books have to be written!
I do a bit of both, but lean toward writing more books. About 6 months ago I made a business plan for the next 10 years because I wanted to start treating my writing like a small business--not just something I was doing in hope of someday maybe making some money.
When I did that, it focused me in a way nothing else ever has. I categorise 'platform building' as part of my promotional efforts, and I have a set amount of time I spend on that every week at a minimum, and periods where that amount of time increases by necessity (pre-release).
But when it all comes down to it, it's the books people want. Having more books a happy reader can buy is more important than having x blog posts per week.
To people who say you can't put out quality work in that time, I say two things: 1. Experience makes it all much, much faster. The first book is the slowest, by FAR. 2. You'd be surprised what I can do when I get motivated. =)
Thanks India. A 10 year plan is exactly the right thing to do. Last night I went over what I want to achieve in the next few years and realized I need to speed up the writing as well.
Terrific post, and lots of food for thought. I've been thinking about what I want my author platform to look like, and while it's tempting to just hang out with other writers and keep writing blog posts on craft or being an indie author, I don't particularly want that platform. Other people like Konrath and Smith are already doing that part so well that I'm not sure I need to. I'd rather be seen as a terrific author of fantasy and adventure stories who always gives her readers something fun and entertaining. I think in order to do that I have to channel my prolific writing nature into more stories and content and less social networking.
The time issue is very real, too. When my kids are in school, I have about six hours in a day to work on content. While it's tempting to use that time for blogging, tweeting, and facebooking, I can't really justify it. I need to focus on writing stories while I have the time to write! :)
Great post!
Amy
Thanks Amy - yes, choosing your niche is a hard one but it kind of finds you as well when you write passionately.
I would really like to believe the "write it and they will come" model, but I've had most of my backlist up since early December and sales have remained at roughly the same low trickle the whole time. I'm not sure the author platform is the solution either. We fiction writers tend to spend too much time talking to each other instead of seeking out actual readers. Getting your name mentioned favorably by someone with a lot of people listening still seems to be the best way to get momentum--but how to do that? My vote is for a little of everything, but don't stop writing!