Author Platform

[Kazaza 56]

Do any of you already have an author platform? Or are working on one? Am I the only one who finds this aspect of the process daunting?

[HK1 1,879]

4 minutes ago, Kazaza said:

Or are working on one?

Currently, I have an author website, a Goodreads account, and this account.

5 minutes ago, Kazaza said:

Am I the only one who finds this aspect of the process daunting?

I can only speak for myself, but I definitely find it daunting. I think the important thing to remember is that it's one step at a time.

[Kazaza 56]

Yes, I agree with one step at a time with everything in life, but I'm sure you'll agree that the first step is the hardest . Just the thought of it alone is a lot of work for my brain... feels like a big creativity killer. 

 

I read that an author platform is mainly for the non-fiction writer, but I'd imagine it's important for both if you're planning on self-publishing.

 

Are you actively driving traffic to your website?

 

 

[Zee 1,940]

2 hours ago, HK1 said:

Currently, I have an author website, a Goodreads account, and this account.

I can only speak for myself, but I definitely find it daunting. I think the important thing to remember is that it's one step at a time.

 

What’s your website? I want to follow you.

[HK1 1,879]

1 hour ago, Kazaza said:

I'm sure you'll agree that the first step is the hardest .

Definitely! I'm an introverted person, so that doesn't help...

1 hour ago, Kazaza said:

I read that an author platform is mainly for the non-fiction writer, but I'd imagine it's important for both if you're planning on self-publishing.

I've heard it's important for both fiction and non-fiction. Even traditional publishers want their authors to have the platform.

1 hour ago, Kazaza said:

Are you actively driving traffic to your website?

I've only had my website since Saturday. So far today, I've had three visitors. LOL!

[HK1 1,879]

Just now, Zee said:

What’s your website? I want to follow you.

Aw, thanks! It's https://kristinahallauthor.wordpress.com/

[Ky_GirlatHeart 1,307]

I don't have either, but I would like to in the future Lord willing if God leads me to get a book published. I wouldn't be surprised if it's daunting. I have never created a website before; so I don't know how that's like exactly!

[Jeff Potts 532]

I have a website, ad accounts on goodreads, gab, parker, twitter, facebook, minds, clouthub,need, youtube, and rumble. Building them up is daunting, but it seems I have a lot of time to do it.

 

 

[suspensewriter 5,239]

Yep, I do, too.  And you won't find a website that hard to do, @Ky_GirlatHeart.  Believe me, if I can do it, anyone can!!

[Kazaza 56]

6 hours ago, HK1 said:

Definitely! I'm an introverted person, so that doesn't help...

Totally with you on this one! I am too! And on top of this, I'm also private person as well. A great combination for creating an author platform...

 

6 hours ago, HK1 said:

I've heard it's important for both fiction and non-fiction. Even traditional publishers want their authors to have the platform.

Yes, but, from what I've read, I've always figured non-fiction writers who wanted to go the traditional route needed to have built that author platform first but with fiction writers it can more or less come after.  

 

I wonder what happens when a person wants to write under a pseudonym...

6 hours ago, HK1 said:

It's https://kristinahallauthor.wordpress.com/

Now see, I've also read that an author has a website and a blog... you've provided a link for WordPress so I imagine it's your blog?? Boy, this author platform business is a lot.

[Kazaza 56]

3 hours ago, Jeff Potts said:

I have a website, ad accounts on goodreads, gab, parker, twitter, facebook, minds, clouthub,need, youtube, and rumble. Building them up is daunting, but it seems I have a lot of time to do it.

 

 

Time, good ol' time, that I do not have to dedicate to it, just yet. Plus, websites cost money... I really don't want to have a site that is basically left under construction because of the above reason.

 

Do you blog too?

Sorry if one of those listed is a blog site. I'm not familiar with most of them. It's an impressive list, I must say.

[Kazaza 56]

2 hours ago, suspensewriter said:

Yep, I do, too.  And you won't find a website that hard to do, @Ky_GirlatHeart.  Believe me, if I can do it, anyone can!!

Are you actively driving traffic to your site?

[Claire Tucker 2,468]

Right now my platform consists entirely of here and Instagram I do have a Facebook account (that I never use) and a LinkedIn one (that I'm on occasionally, but still haven't posted anything there). I am planning to take the plunge and set up a website this year (maybe the next couple of months...) 

 

My approach to building a platform has been that I want (translation: need) it to fit in with my life. In other words, if I don't feel that I can be on a platform or social media without having to carve time out to dedicate to it, or feel that adding something will force me to have to work on it in the evenings during family time, then I don't go there. I'm building slowly, adding one thing at a time as I'm ready for it. 

 

As to "putting myself out there", I'm not one who enjoys talking about myself, so this has been a journey for me, where God has given me the courage to try one thing, and then He gets ready and grants me the courage for the next. It really helps to try and make the conversations/posts etc about the other people, putting the focus on them, asking them for their opinion, encouraging interaction. That has made it a lot easier for me to start with the whole platform building thing. 

[Zee 1,940]

6 hours ago, Kazaza said:

Time, good ol' time, that I do not have to dedicate to it, just yet. Plus, websites cost money... I really don't want to have a site that is basically left under construction because of the above reason.

 

Do you blog too?

Sorry if one of those listed is a blog site. I'm not familiar with most of them. It's an impressive list, I must say.

 

Not all websites cost money. Wordpress and Blogger.com both have decent free options. So far I’ve written, edited, designed covers and self-published three novellas, and I haven’t spent a penny. However, it does take a lot of time, and I’ve had absolutely massive amounts of help and advice—largely from people here.

 

And speaking of blogs, I’m currently running a series on mine which shares information about the best and most useful (free) sites that I have discovered over the past year in my self-publishing journey. If interested, you can check it out here: https://shardsofsevia.wordpress.com

[Zee 1,940]

12 hours ago, HK1 said:

Aw, thanks! It's https://kristinahallauthor.wordpress.com/

Looks great, HK! My only suggestion would be to make it so the last word in your title (perspective) is all on one line.

[Shamrock 1,633]

Yes, I have a website which I built using WIX. Not hard to do but don't forget to add in the cookies policy and privacy policy.

 

It has a feed to my twitter account on it. At the moment it is pretty simple as I don't have much published. 

[lynnmosher 7,682]

4 hours ago, Claire Tucker said:

In other words, if I don't feel that I can be on a platform or social media without having to carve time out to dedicate to it, or feel that adding something will force me to have to work on it in the evenings during family time, then I don't go there. I'm building slowly, adding one thing at a time as I'm ready for it. 

 

Actually, this site is not considered part of a platform. It's the social media connections you have. The time you carve out is up to you. However, it doesn't take much time. Ten minutes on, say, Facebook isn't much. You could do that twice a day. At different times of the day, you will encounter different people.

 

4 hours ago, Claire Tucker said:

As to "putting myself out there", I'm not one who enjoys talking about myself, so this has been a journey for me, where God has given me the courage to try one thing, and then He gets ready and grants me the courage for the next. It really helps to try and make the conversations/posts etc about the other people, putting the focus on them, asking them for their opinion, encouraging interaction. That has made it a lot easier for me to start with the whole platform building thing. 

 

I've never talked about myself. I rarely even put up pictures of family. I'm an introvert, well, seasoned now by an outgoing husband. And yes, it's always about others. But remember: you're building relationships. How do you become friends with someone? How do you treat them? How do you interact with them? Do you always talk to them about writing?

That's what you need to aim for: making friends. When people get to know you and like you, they will want to check out what you've written. So writing shouldn't be your main subject on social media. Also, join writing groups on FB or wherever. You'll get support, info, and make friends.

[EBraten 1,383]

8 hours ago, Kazaza said:

Yes, but, from what I've read, I've always figured non-fiction writers who wanted to go the traditional route needed to have built that author platform first but with fiction writers it can more or less come after.  

 

I wonder what happens when a person wants to write under a pseudonym...

I can speak a bit to your concerns, because I had exactly the same worries. I found the idea of building a platform daunting, especially since I'm an introvert like you. Plus, I was starting from zero.

 

Fiction authors need a platform as well, but it looks different from a non-fiction platform. Ultimately, you want it to be a place where you can showcase your expertise in your niche and connect with your readers and author network. The hardest thing for me was figuring out exactly what kind of content I should be posting. I resisted the idea of having a blog because I didn't understand what I should even be blogging about that made sense as a fiction writer. Eventually, I did start a blog. At the moment I use it to share promotions (books on sale) and book reviews from other authors in my genre. God willing, I'll also post short stories.

 

I started building my platform in late 2019, first with my website, then with Instagram (January 2020), Facebook, and finally a mailing list (from August 2020). I didn't start everything at once, but would begin one thing and try to maintain it before adding the next thing on. God willing, by the end of this year I plan to have two more prongs to my platform. You can see my website here. You're welcome to join my mailing list and see how I use it. And to answer one of your comments, that is a pen name.

 

A year and a half ago, I had nothing. Now, I have a tiny but growing platform. There's still a very long way to go, but I'm amazed of how far God has brought me. If I can do it, you can, too.

Edited January 20 by EBraten

[Kazaza 56]

Thanks, Ebraten. This is a great help! It's definitely eased my concerns. 

 

You mentioned that you use a pen name, is this for your entire social media presence? What happens when people know you and see your photo, do they question that? Just wondering how it works when people know it isn't your real name.

[Kazaza 56]

2 hours ago, Zee said:

And speaking of blogs, I’m currently running a series on mine which shares information about the best and most useful (free) sites that I have discovered over the past year in my self-publishing journey. If interested, you can check it out here: https://shardsofsevia.wordpress.com

Okay. I'll check it out sometime.

[EBraten 1,383]

3 minutes ago, Kazaza said:

You mentioned that you use a pen name, is this for your entire social media presence? What happens when people know you and see your photo, do they question that? Just wondering how it works when people know it isn't your real name.

Yes, I use my pen name for all my reader-facing platforms. With other authors, I use my real name. People in "real life" know that I use a pen name, and it's not a big deal.

[lynnmosher 7,682]

Zee, I don't want to be the bearer of bad news, so let's just call it concern. You really don't want to build your site on a book title...unless you have a main site. What happens when you publish other books? A writer's site, especially for fictionists, should be their own name or something other than a book title. Unless, like I said, it's a shoot-off of your main site. Sorry.

[Kazaza 56]

12 minutes ago, EBraten said:

Yes, I use my pen name for all my reader-facing platforms. With other authors, I use my real name. People in "real life" know that I use a pen name, and it's not a big deal.

Okay. Great. Thanks again. 

[HK1 1,879]

12 hours ago, Kazaza said:

I wonder what happens when a person wants to write under a pseudonym...

You can use a pseudonym for your website too.

12 hours ago, Kazaza said:

you've provided a link for WordPress so I imagine it's your blog??

It's a blog/website. From my limited understanding... LOL!

[Zee 1,940]

3 hours ago, lynnmosher said:

Zee, I don't want to be the bearer of bad news, so let's just call it concern. You really don't want to build your site on a book title...unless you have a main site. What happens when you publish other books? A writer's site, especially for fictionists, should be their own name or something other than a book title. Unless, like I said, it's a shoot-off of your main site. Sorry.

 

That's a good point! This site is technically the series website, though it contains a blog where I post book reviews and other writing-related (but not series related) "stuff."  

If I go on to write other books when this series is over, I may try a less backwards approach and create a more generic author website first. We'll see...