Why Platform?

The idea of a platform is smart, something every author should think about. Let’s go one step further, though—an author needs a platform.
The platform, essentially, is a place where an author self-promotes their name using social media like Twitter, Facebook, a website, and sometimes even a blog (blogs are outdated now and I don’t recommend having one, but it’s a personal choice). The better your platform is, the more exposure you’ll have as an author, which translates into more exposure for your novel.
Yet, with all the push for author to have platforms, I wonder if people forget something.
You have to be able to keep writing, too.
What makes a manuscript stand out?
The writing, always the writing
Let’s not forget that you’ve got to be able to make time to write and deliver a killer manuscript at the end of the day. Therefore, the platform has to be secondary here.
A literary agent on Twitter once said, “My advice is to permit yourself not to be on every platform. Pick the one you like and use it well. Different platforms have different purposes. Use the tools differently. Twitter is not Facebook and vice versa. Don’t just talk about yourself all the time on your blog. Show you care about other people, and they’ll come to you.”
Another agent said, “I wish people would spend more time writing and less time blogging, Facebooking, and Twittering. I think that the best thing you could do for your career is to write an even more awesome next book, not blog.”
What good is a platform for an author if you have nothing to sell?
Now, I’m not saying don’t have a platform. Glance back to the beginning of this post. I believe in platforms. I’m on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. I will always be an advocate of platforms.
I just want everyone to slow down for a second and realize that you need to write—that needs to be first.
Don’t lose sight of the writing. Platforms are important, but writing is more important.
Writing trumps platform any day. Spend time reading books on how to write. Read books on self-editing. Learn about the industry. Read your competition—authors writing in your genre.
And build your platform. This is something publishers look for in an author.
It’s a must.
But so is another novel. So keep writing…
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