Can I be honest with you? I get tired of talking about platform, and I’m sure writers get sick of hearing people like me talk about platform.
Why is this?
I think it’s because the work writers do to build an audience often feels other than and separate from doing art.
The Difference between Art and Platform
After all, when I do something that really moves the needle for my own platform (scheduling a partner webinar, creating a lead magnet, reaching out individually to people who might be interested in my work), I’m not usually engaged in artful writing.
Having said that, we must never overlook the gradual audience-building power of consistently producing the best content we can.
I just started reading the wonderful book Atomic Habits by James Clear, and in the beginning of the book he recounts the rapid growth of his audience. Clear started a habit of publishing a new blog post every Monday and Thursday. His email list grew to hundreds of thousands in a couple years.
His case is exceptional, but it points to the effectiveness of consistency. Certainly, his story and others like it make me believe consistency is worth a try. Could it be everything rises or falls on whether or not we are consistent?
Joseph Michael, recently profiled in Entrepreneur magazine, hardly blogged at all, yet he has a large platform too. His consistency came in a different form: he scheduled a lot (I don’t know how many, but it was a lot by any measure) of partner webinars over a period of years.
Platforms can be built in a variety of ways. The trick is finding what works for us and doing more of it.
Where Art and Platform Come Together
I also think it’s important to question how separate doing art is from building a platform.
I don’t mean inviting people to our email list is the same as creative writing. What I do mean is when we invite someone to our email list, we are asking for the opportunity to serve that person with our art.
Is a writer doing art at her book signing? Not in the strictest sense, but she is doing work that supports her art, and so the two are not opposed to each other. They are allies.
Your platform is not your art, but it is an ally to your art.
Question: Do you struggle with building your platform? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
Hi Chad — Helpful blog post … thank you! And I have James Clear’s new book, Atomic Habits, but haven’t started reading it yet. Now you have me anxious to get into it. My question is this: Do you think it’s important for an author to have a blog, especially those of us working on a first book? From your blog post above, I understand that there are various ways to build a platform, but is a blog the best way to build a mailing list? Thanks so much, Chad!
Tess, great question. In my experience blogging is one of the best ways for writers/authors to build a platform because the medium–writing–is the same for both blogs and books. Yes, there are differences, of course, but the difference between a blog and a book is smaller than the difference between, say, a vlog and a book. Having said this, many, many authors have built significant platforms with podcasts, vlogs, and social media. And of course you don’t have to choose just one. I tend to think social media is a must for any writer these days.
To my mind, it all comes down to which possible means of growing a platform is the best fit for you who you are. This is true not least because it’s the most sustainable approach. If you hate talking into a microphone, for example, it doesn’t matter how effective podcasting can be for others, you’re going to have trouble doing it consistently. But if you love it, then you’re more likely to stick to it, which will make it the most effective means for you. I hope that makes sense!
Chad, this is exactly where I am. I have a very slowly growing subscription to my blog but I havent been consistent to post in a routine way since I started writing my book. Thanks for the encouragement to get back on a schedule. I can totally see how growing my blog audience will directly affect the influence of my book in the future, but sometimes they feel like separate endeavors, you know? Thank you!
I know! I’m glad my post was helpful. Honestly I wrote it at least in part because I need to tell myself this stuff, but I’m thrilled it’s helpful to others too!
This article made me stop, click, and read. There’s so much noise out there about platform building that frankly it feels numbers driven, but is it relationship driven? Keeping all the platform strategies moving is exhausting. Frankly, I burned out. I’m beginning to think I need to focus on one, do it well, and often. Thanks for the article.
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Marisa, well said. I think the whole thing is about relationship. No one is going to listen to us (let alone buy a book from us) if they don’t trust us. Trust is relational glue.
Chad, this topic is one that I’ve struggled with since I started blogging. Thanks for the insight.
Denise, you’re not alone! Thanks for commenting.
I feel the key word is “consistency” and I have been posting every week, sending out new PM’s, my blog post are hitting on key issues of life lessons. I am producing consistently, a new level of writing – which is some of my best writing ever. But I am getting discouraged in platform building. I am struggling with why post good content that hardly anyone is reading. I am going to go back to my old blog site and import that mailing list. I understand what you are saying Chad but nothing I try is really working for me and I don’t know how to get out and be seen. I feel I can’t build a community to support people if they don’t take time to read.
I agree with this wholeheartedly. For one thing – people seem like they are too busy on social media to read blog posts. I have wasted so much time writing blog posts that basically no one read. The internet has changed a lot since I started blogging and it is hard to figure out how to best change with it… also, I find blogging and “growing platform” to be distracting and discouraging. So, I aim to be consitent with posting on social media and interacting there but most of my energy is directed towards writing books and working on my bigger projects. I don’t know if this is “right” but it is working for me in this season.
I agree with people acting too busy. I am spending a lot of time on book, research, first draft writing. If they would leave comments I would be excited to answer. I don’t think we are wasting time but I am considering re-posting older posts. in the New Year
Resposting old posts is definitely an experiment worth trying!
Can’t argue with what works, Faith! Thanks for commenting!
How long have you been posting every week?
Actually 1 1/2 months I took a long time off when I had a hip replacement then 18 hours after discharge I was found in acute repository distress admitted to the larger general hospital through ER and spent 5 days in ICU and then 10 on floor and ended up in rehab for the last 4. When I was in ICU they discovered I had a paralyzed right diaphragm. Post the double pneumonia I had a lot of downtime rebuilding strength and breathing. Before that I had a year run every other week.
I do a fair amount of public speaking on mental health topics but I find publishers don’t consider it very important in platform building. It’s frustrating that having a network of professionals and groups that know me is not valued. I don’t have time to see clients, write my book, teach, lead workshops and to blog. I don’t have a big online presence but I have a network. It’s discouraging. Any advice on how to sell the network I have as a good platform?
Great question! The ultimate measure of an author’s platform is how many books an author can sell. So ask yourself, realistically, if your book was out today, how many could you reasonably sell via your network over the course of 12 months? You might go the extra step of asking, If I really pushed, how many could I sell?
Now, in your book proposal, in addition to including information about your network and marketing plan, let the publisher know that you’re committed to selling X number of copies, and you think that’s very doable. Mind you, publishers may ask you to commit to buying this many in your contract.
Assuming your number is big enough, publishers will likely read this and think two things:
1. “Wow, we can add her copies to ours in the print run, which will lower our unit cost.”
2. “Hm, if she can sell that many copies, she’s going to be a good partner for us. Hopefully her sales as well as ours can help us get this book launched really well!”
Thanks so much, that gives me some ways to frame my platform. I was feeling discouraged but I have a direction now. I appreciate that!!