Being a fiction writer is a job encompassing more than writing, but requires us to build a powerful author platform.
In these days of the publishing world—whether you intend to go with traditional publishing or independent publishing—you need to build a powerful author platform to succeed.
An author platform is many things, but primarily it is a place your readers can gather to learn about you, your writing, and basically become fans of your writing even before you publish a novel.
An author platform is the foundation that supports your outreach to readers, a home for all that you do as a writer.
Nowadays, the center of this platform often arises in the form of a website, and expands into social media, guest appearances on blogs, and in-person events.
Sound like a lot of work? I won’t lie to you: it can feel overwhelming at times.
But you are not alone! There are so many resources, softwares, and even people you can hire to help you build your author platform.
Today, though, we are not discussing the nitty gritty strategies and technology you need to start this journey. Instead, I want to focus on the mindsets—or traits—you will need to conquer this feat.
You can have all the knowledge in the world, but without these traits you’ll find you can build a platform, but not the powerful author platform you hoped for.
Before we continue, I’d like to point out one more thing: if you do not see yourself in the traits and mindsets below, don’t be discouraged. I am a solid believer in the power we have to nurture new traits within ourselves.
If something doesn’t come naturally to us, it does not mean we will never attain our goal. We may just have a little more work ahead.
Before we start, when should I start to build my author platform?
Great question!
If you have recently decided to give writing a shot and aspire to be an author, I think it’s the right time for you to start thinking about building an author platform.
Building a platform takes time, and can involve trial and error. Honing your blogging, podcasting, or video voice + style (or however you choose to share your content with readers) takes time, too.
Just experimenting with what topics you want to write about on a website is a process in itself.
So if you are doubting this blog post is for you because you don’t feel ready to start something this big, I would ask that you keep an open mind.
Humans are creatures of comfort, and most of the time we don’t feel ready to act on uncomfortable things. So perhaps building a powerful author platform is too much right now—totally valid—but don’t wait until after you publish your first book.
An author platform is meant to be built even before your novel sees the light of day.
Related Reading:
31 creative writing prompts to challenge you to pursue fiction writing every day—even if only for ten minutes.
Send it!
1. Service
Serve your community all. the. way.
We writers build an author platform to be a house for our writing—we need a place to gather a readership for our books.
All of that is good, but to attract our audience we need to be willing to give and serve our readers sincerely.
Yes, getting those readers on your email list and eager to read your fiction is a good pursuit, but to build a powerful platform we need to shift our thinking to serving others instead of ourselves.
Release yourself from being concerned with how every action will impact your goal, and simply focus on giving to your community something entertaining, informative, or inspirational.
Whatever you create to share with your community, be yourself and share something that you believe your readers will value.
To do this successfully you can survey people who follow you with a Google survey, direct message someone on Instagram, shoot an email, or even call someone.
Find out what they need help with, listen to your instinct for what you will enjoy writing about, and then give it your all.
Nurture a giving spirit inside of yourself, and then do some fun, helpful, and maybe even original things.
Not only will you be providing value, but you will connect with some amazing humans when your intent is serving your community, not what you can get from people.
2. Willingness to Try and Learn
There will be mistakes made when we build an author platform—like anything new in life.
I have made a ton of mistakes, or at least tried a bunch of things that didn’t work out how I hoped they would.
Between what website hosting service to use, choosing a good email service provider, finding reliable plugins, starting strategies to attract people to your website, etc., there are bound to be a misjudgment or a hundred.
When this happens, do not beat yourself up for a setback or failed experiment.
When trying something new don’t clutch to the stress of needing to succeed the first time. Instead, be open to trying something that may not work, and practice accepting whatever outcome emerges.
Personally, I’ve spent too much energy banging my head against the wall after a defeat. I’ve also wasted time in stressful procrastination from fear of my platform crumbling (or not growing at all).
Give yourself freedom to try and learn. When something doesn’t work, accept it, and learn what you can do for the next time.
Actually, when we make mistakes, it could endear us to our audience even more, because it shows we are just like them—human.
Don’t cower from mistakes. Use them to your advantage.
3. Vulnerability + Honesty
If find the blog and social media posts where I am vulnerable and honest about what I believe in storytelling get better engagement than when I post something I think people expect to hear from me.
Our readers notice when we are being fake and fluffy.
Before you write a blog post or post on your author accounts on social media, take a breath and be mindful of what you are truly thinking and feeling about your topic.
Try posting a picture without shame if it isn’t perfect.
Perfection is a prison. It lures you in with sweet lies that it exists to serve you, but in reality it causes stress and disappointment.
Be yourself. Be honest. Take a few risks.
4. Courage
Like fiction, unleashing your non-fiction into the world for everyone to see can be exciting and hide-under-your-covers scary.
We need to bolster the spirit of courage inside of us.
This doesn’t mean we need to abolish fear—we don’t always get that luxury. Good thing we don’t need to.
Courage isn’t banishing fear from our lives. Courage is acting despite the fear we feel.
Funny thing, the blog posts I feared pushing publish on, or doubted they would do well, have been some of my most popular and relatable pieces of content. I’m so glad I scraped together enough courage to publish them.
Sometimes we’ve got to leave our comfortable nest and see what is waiting for us in the wide world.
Related Reading:
5. Trust Your Instinct
I’ve mentioned our storytelling instinct in previous blog posts, and today I am expanding the reach of our instinct when it comes to being an author.
When confronted with a decision concerning our author platform, be silent for a moment and notice what your instinct is saying.
We have this voice inside of us guiding our storytelling, and I believe the same instinct can be a helpful influence in guiding our decisions in the author platform world.
When it comes to what to write about, how to promote it, or an awesome event we could throw online or offline, listen if your instinct thinks it’s a good or bad idea.
Logic doesn’t always lead to the right decision. Experts don’t know every answer on what is right for you and your readers.
Sometimes we need to listen and follow what feels good and fun to us and our readers, not what others tell us we need to do.
All that to say, don’t forsake learning from legitimate experts (people who have found success themselves in what they teach) on how to do something right, but don’t fear going your own path either.
If what you try doesn’t work, you know better for next time (remember trait #2?). But if it does work, how awesome would that be?
Go Build Your Author Platform
These 5 traits—or mindsets— are what you need to nurture within yourself to build a powerful author platform.
Remember, if any of them feel foreign or overwhelming, take a breath. I have complete faith that with mindfulness and commitment to change you can foster these traits in your personality.
Now, go out and find some readers to serve. ?
Tell your story,
Sarah
Related Reading:
Writers, what do you think? What else does a writer need to build a powerful author platform that I left out? Let’s talk below.
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S.J. Siedenburg is a thriller & fantasy novelist, an editor, and a bibliophile with a passion for stories and helping writers finish their novels. She’s the author of the guidebooks Character Presentation, Before the First Draft, and the How to Write a Novel online course. Six of her short stories have been published through writing contests. Sarah lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” —John 1:5