When Ariel Curry approached me to run an excerpt from her and Liz Morrow’s book “Hungry Authors: The Indispensable Guide to Planning, Writing, and Publishing a Nonfiction Book,” I couldn’t resist—I take being a digital surrogate seriously!
Super helpful—thanks. I especially like the point about using others’ platforms. If we just broaden our aperture and look for who else can carry our message, it’s a whole new world out there!
Omg thank you for this. A limiting belief I have that tries to creep up as I write my first book is that "my platform isn't big enough for agent and traditional publishing deal." This eased my mind a bit.
Thanks for choosing to post this excerpt. While my audience is in mg/ya fiction, I still ended up with multiple takeaways—and some optimism! This succeeds as digital surrogacy—I want to buy the book to see what else Morrow and Curry have to say!
A very helpful post, as usual! I go for a broad platform so that all of my eggs aren't in one basket, which is why I've worked hard to build a social following (which is hard and doesn't necessarily spark joy in me), while building audiences by writing for other outlets (local and national), meeting other baking and food folks, trying to get on local media, and collaborating. All while writing the darn book.
If everything revolves around platforms and followers, how on earth did our favourite authors eg. Lewis Carroll, Enid Blyton or Beatrix Potter, sell their books before the internet was invented? It certainly isn't easy for a newbie starting her journey, especially with no idea where to go first!
Very true, although they had no problem becoming well-known or selling their books. How did we exist without the internet!? I have no idea where to start, especially as I don't want to film myself promoting my work for platforms. I would be thinking that people are judging more on how awful I look instead than taking notice of the books I have written! I have a good website and would love to get people to see my work, which I also self-illustrate, but I have nobody to ask for advice or recommendations. Any help is greatly appreciated!
I love this so much, because it is so TRUE. I once had someone tell me their MS was turned down because it "wasn't going to be an Oprah Book Club selection" and I was all, "Mmm... I don't know what they told you or what you heard, but 99.99%+ of the books published are not picked for Oprah's book club.
Similar with social media, depending (as the article makes clear) a social media platform is not a barrier for entry, but it's a convenient thing prospective authors tell themselves to feel better when their project isn't getting traction.
I once made a wannabe author cry (unintentionally) when I interrupted her telling me that she couldn't afford to hire an SEO expert (this was in the days of blogs) to expand her reach to tell her, "You can't pay people to be delighted by your content."
That's what it boils down to, no? Internet influences get book deals because they have a proven track record of creating delightful content. We all know that doesn't *always* translate into book sales, but the quality, originality, credibility and timeliness of the work is what really matters.
That is often the reasoning behind influencers getting book deals. Hopefully they also have a truly compelling idea to offer and can deliver it effectively in writing too!
I’ve always sensed this. My premise is attraction, not promotion. It works. I’m interested in turning the stuff (as well as my professional expertise) of my life into art and I believe my readers will find me.
Platform myths enable the commodification of books and writers as profit driven entities. This only benefits Amazon and Meta who supply writing for the algorhythm. Yet the purpose of books is education,enlightenment even entertainment? Marketing and publicity can work well with freedom not to conform.
Sometimes I hate this industry; it seems ruled by such shallow metrics. Am I popular? Feels like I'm in high school again. How many followers do I have? I might as well be a woman starving myself to look good for other people—and get a boob job while I'm at it. It seems like the ability to recognize and appreciate real, true, intrinsic value is a thing of the past, a romantic notion that went out with chivalry and class and everything else that was once right with the world.
Book publishing is a business, and this is the way the business is run now. They are certainly other options if you don't want to deal with having a platform to sell your book.
Numbers are definitely not the only criteria "ruling" the industry but they are important considerations when you're trying to determine whether (as a publisher) you're going to get a return on the very substantial investment you're making into an author and their book.
Super helpful—thanks. I especially like the point about using others’ platforms. If we just broaden our aperture and look for who else can carry our message, it’s a whole new world out there!
Yes, that's such a smart strategy! Endorsements and forewords matter too, bc that person is more likely to share your work!
The same I thought
Omg thank you for this. A limiting belief I have that tries to creep up as I write my first book is that "my platform isn't big enough for agent and traditional publishing deal." This eased my mind a bit.
Very helpful! I'm curious if anyone knows what publishers think about platform for genre & speculative fiction, especially SFF?
I'm guessing it's not as essential.
Good question! You're right - it's not as important in fiction
Thanks for the excelent excerpt
Thank you for reading!
Thanks for choosing to post this excerpt. While my audience is in mg/ya fiction, I still ended up with multiple takeaways—and some optimism! This succeeds as digital surrogacy—I want to buy the book to see what else Morrow and Curry have to say!
I'm so glad you found it applicable to fiction too and I hope you love the book!
A very helpful post, as usual! I go for a broad platform so that all of my eggs aren't in one basket, which is why I've worked hard to build a social following (which is hard and doesn't necessarily spark joy in me), while building audiences by writing for other outlets (local and national), meeting other baking and food folks, trying to get on local media, and collaborating. All while writing the darn book.
Good for you!! It's hard work but it sounds like you're being super smart. Best of luck!
If everything revolves around platforms and followers, how on earth did our favourite authors eg. Lewis Carroll, Enid Blyton or Beatrix Potter, sell their books before the internet was invented? It certainly isn't easy for a newbie starting her journey, especially with no idea where to go first!
There wasn’t even 1/2 as much competition for people’s attention back then. The other problem right now is that literacy rates are dropping.
It's definitely not easy. There was way less competition that authors had to deal with in generations past
Very true, although they had no problem becoming well-known or selling their books. How did we exist without the internet!? I have no idea where to start, especially as I don't want to film myself promoting my work for platforms. I would be thinking that people are judging more on how awful I look instead than taking notice of the books I have written! I have a good website and would love to get people to see my work, which I also self-illustrate, but I have nobody to ask for advice or recommendations. Any help is greatly appreciated!
You don’t need to film yourself!
Thank gawd for that!!
I love this so much, because it is so TRUE. I once had someone tell me their MS was turned down because it "wasn't going to be an Oprah Book Club selection" and I was all, "Mmm... I don't know what they told you or what you heard, but 99.99%+ of the books published are not picked for Oprah's book club.
Similar with social media, depending (as the article makes clear) a social media platform is not a barrier for entry, but it's a convenient thing prospective authors tell themselves to feel better when their project isn't getting traction.
I once made a wannabe author cry (unintentionally) when I interrupted her telling me that she couldn't afford to hire an SEO expert (this was in the days of blogs) to expand her reach to tell her, "You can't pay people to be delighted by your content."
That's what it boils down to, no? Internet influences get book deals because they have a proven track record of creating delightful content. We all know that doesn't *always* translate into book sales, but the quality, originality, credibility and timeliness of the work is what really matters.
Very smart thinking
That is often the reasoning behind influencers getting book deals. Hopefully they also have a truly compelling idea to offer and can deliver it effectively in writing too!
So insightful as always and looking beyond the obvious! Thanks, Kathleen!
So glad you liked it!
I’ve always sensed this. My premise is attraction, not promotion. It works. I’m interested in turning the stuff (as well as my professional expertise) of my life into art and I believe my readers will find me.
Interesting reframe as attraction - I like that!
Great post Ty!
Platform myths enable the commodification of books and writers as profit driven entities. This only benefits Amazon and Meta who supply writing for the algorhythm. Yet the purpose of books is education,enlightenment even entertainment? Marketing and publicity can work well with freedom not to conform.
Sometimes I hate this industry; it seems ruled by such shallow metrics. Am I popular? Feels like I'm in high school again. How many followers do I have? I might as well be a woman starving myself to look good for other people—and get a boob job while I'm at it. It seems like the ability to recognize and appreciate real, true, intrinsic value is a thing of the past, a romantic notion that went out with chivalry and class and everything else that was once right with the world.
Book publishing is a business, and this is the way the business is run now. They are certainly other options if you don't want to deal with having a platform to sell your book.
Numbers are definitely not the only criteria "ruling" the industry but they are important considerations when you're trying to determine whether (as a publisher) you're going to get a return on the very substantial investment you're making into an author and their book.
Is that really what you took away from that excerpt? SMH
It’s unacceptable to make a comment like that in my comment section.