Platform

Social media has taken the concept of “platform” to a new level. As writers, we know we need to have one, but sometimes it’s hard to figure out what to do. After all, there’s Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Shelfari, Goodreads, Pinterest, YouTube, and several other sites that you can use to promote your work. You also need to have a website, and a blog doesn’t hurt either.

I’m sure you’ve heard before that publishing houses like writers who already have a platform and established followers. Does that mean you can’t get your book published without a platform? Absolutely not. But as Christina Katz points out in Get Known Before the Book Deal (read my review here), a platform takes a long time to develop, and it’s a good idea to work on your platform before you are published.

I’ve heard that publishers rarely put big money into book promotion for authors, and expect the author to do most of the legwork. That is why it’s so important for us to get busy, get ourselves out there, and get known. If you’re a non-techie like me, that spells instant trouble. And if you’re like me and have a life that involves work and family, that spells double the trouble.

My solution was to find help. I could not have done my fantastic author webpage on my own (www.JoanneHirase.com), nor could I have figured out how to make a Facebook author page (https://www.facebook.com/Author.Joanne.Hirase), or optimize my Twitter (www.Twitter.com/@JHiraseStacey), and LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/in/joannehirasestacey) accounts. Thanks to 2 Rivers Communication and Design, my name is out there. I haven’t delved into the other social media sites yet, but it may be in my future.

Yes, we need to put the time into self-promotion, but we also need to make room for writing. After all, if we don’t produce something, there is nothing to promote. Self-promotion can be difficult, but in this digital and fast-paced world, it is necessary.

If you don’t have the time, energy, or know-how to have a strong online presence, ask for help. There are several experts out there that you can hire, or who can give you the guidance you need. You don’t have to have a presence in every social media site, so target the ones you think will be most valuable for you. After all, you can always jump into another site later. Just start somewhere and see where it takes you.

Promotion

You’ve written your book, have your publication date, and now need to sell. How can you maximize your sales creatively?

I’m sure you’ve heard it before: authors are largely responsible for their own marketing. Some people struggle with self-promotion, while others aren’t sure where to begin. Some people don’t have much money to spend, while others don’t know where to spend it.

What is right for one author isn’t necessarily right for another. To successfully promote your book, you have to be comfortable with the way you’re doing it. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t stretch yourself if the right opportunity comes along, but you also shouldn’t try a method that makes you feel like your integrity is going to be called into question.

If you’re looking for ideas on how to market your book and yourself, take a look at Sell Your Book Like Wildfire, by Rob Eagar (read my review here: http://www.readablewriter.com/Reviews.html).

To me, the book is a comprehensive view of several ideas that you can try, modify, or ignore. I believe every author can find at least one tool to utilize, and many more to mull over. Mr. Eagar shares stories that illustrate how his marketing suggestions have worked, and they bring his concepts to life.

For my novel , 2012: The Rising, I was on a short timeline from the date of publication to the December 21, 2012 event that my book is about. I wish I would have read Mr. Eagar’s book earlier in the year because there were so many ideas that I could have put into motion.

I will return to this book over and over again, as well as Mr. Eagar’s website, because I believe that with patience and the right promotional tools, I can market myself like wildfire.