This is really thought provoking, most publishing and communication is relying on traditional media "press releases"
I have two books published (the second one was just published) and I have to agree with relying on an audience engaged through the trendy content is really key right now. This audience helped me by telling their networks about the book or even buying it themselves as gifts to share with others.
It is tough keeping up, and as you said sometimes I also want to not touch my phone, but basically this is my work now.
As an author publishing her first book in 2025, this lights me up. Maybe I’m a control freak who likes to be in charge, maybe I am naive and new to publishing, maybe I drank too much coffee today but i didn’t dredge this book out of the depths of my soul for it to miss its mark because there’s a rutted road to follow. I also have some tangible steps to take when it comes to building out my platform but that too feels like good action.
Thank you for your analysis, Kathleen! I feel like there are two issues here.
1. The way publishers promote books. They are actually well placed to build communities of readers. They’ve got the IP, they’ve got access to the authors. They can introduce readers who love certain authors or sub genres to other related books. Market that way!
2. Authors who are trying to build a platform. I think that requires less marketing tactics and more ‘how can I bring my essence to what I write and where and how I show up in person and online’. I think that can cultivate the connections, and ultimately, platform we seek - step by step.
I started Margo Has Money Problems last night and am already in love. First, third and even a little bit of second person? Plus it has a kind of cheery energy I NEED right now.
Margo's Got Money Troubles is my next-up read! I also liked All Fours but didn't quite get the craze around it, and I don't think it's awards-worthy. I thought it kind of slowed and dragged in the last third or so.
Great analysis. Publishing may be shaken by the election to consider media they don’t know, rather than swimming in place. You well outline the peril that poses.
Thank you for this - so many smart observations and also BIG problems to solve. My team is meeting to discuss this post next week.
A former boss of mine once talked about her job as head of the M&P team for a general trade publisher to a marketing consultant. His eyes bugged out and said, "It's like if you were Revlon and had to sell each color of lipstick separately."
That's very true. I think the problems are solvable IF people are willing to listen. It is too hard to ignore the fact that legacy media is flailing right now, and audiences are not looking to them for info.
I agree, you need to hire a publicist to help build your platform months out before the book launches, particularly if hybrid or small publisher publishing. I also think it’s important to note that not all traditional publishers have a marketing campaign for all the books they are publishing. Advertising/marketing has become more expensive and the budgets are smaller. This means even large traditional publishers have to choose which books they will spend the marketing budget on. The problem is that they don’t inform the author if they aren’t running any publicity or advertising/marketing their books. As a result of this, these books often flop. More authors have savvied up to this and now are hiring publicists. But, this is at least US$15,000 for a six month campaign with a reputable publisher. Most people don’t have this kind of money available for this sort of thing, which actually makes building up their platform even more important.
If authors shopped around, they'd find people who charge less than $15K for six months. My fees align with people's budgets and the scope of work and are not as high as you might think.
How much do you charge? author@catharinasteel.com (I’m publishing a MG adventure fantasy with a mystery element.) It’s up on Simon & Schuster’s website already (and Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple, etc)
It’s hard to find them and know who is legitimate. When I was searching I struggled to find any. I have signed with BooksForward for my upcoming release. I just hope this helps to build my platform enough (and sell a few copies.)
The thing that worries me about the future of media in general, is that the platforms we have today can disappear tomorrow. So while everyone is shifting to their flavor of subscription, in the end, a fragmented market is the result. With the big data brokers selling individual profiles, the gatekeeping on who is reachable where is totally going to belong to the business entities that have formed to kill independent media. The Gawker example is now on steroids, links to old content is now a paid service and it is not everything. Libraries are using a paid service to distribute content. Facebook, where every government and non profit has steered their people to use because it was free, have now created the blueprint to who knows who, what their interests are, where they are location-wise everyday etc.
I don’t look at it that way. It’s always going to evolve, and publishing needs to pivot if they want the attention of future generations. What they’re doing now is not working and we can’t be too precious about what may or may not happen with platforms. Our data is everywhere.
Of course publishing has to pivot, but jumping into a different frying pan, is not quite what I hoe for. I would like to see more publishing startups though and for them to start innovating new ways to publish.
Your views are much appreciated but bring me back to the same daunting questions: where does and author go to learn how to truly build a worthwhile author platform and how does that same author realistically define their audience and then target it?
I appreciate your rational and realistic thoughts and advice. As an author I agree wholeheartedly about defining my audience very clearly and platform building accordingly. The tricky thing about that for me is the variety in what I write. I have published middle grade contemporary books as well as middle grade horror. As if platform building as a children's author wasn't tricky enough, I'm now working on pivoting to adult fiction as well (adventure + romance with middle-aged characters). Any advice on how to define an audience when what you write is so all over the place? I fully acknowledging I'm just making things hard on myself here, but I can't help it!
You have to identify a primary and secondary audience. Your primary audience for the adult fiction will align with the subject matter. Your secondary audience are the people who were interested in your middle grade work.
Ok that seems so simple but is honestly so brilliant! I don't know why my brain couldn't come up with that, but that's totally something I can wrap my brain around.
SO hard! I've been publishing MG for almost five years now which sometimes feels long and sometimes feels like I'm still a publishing bebe. But basically I'm still figuring this out myself. My main strategies so far are building up an audience here on Substack, and focusing on connecting with teachers and librarians, figuring out what resources I can create and offer them, etc.
That’s a great idea! I’ve been thinking about recording myself reading my lead magnet and putting that on my YouTube channel. I’m also looking into those apps where people can subscribe to you and you post a chapter every month or something that.
Good question! I'm in a similar situation -- reasonably well known in the small world of cozy mystery, but finding it harder to find the audience for my suspense and historical fiction.
Think about what kinds of things your audience likes that align with your books--but are not books. What podcasts do you think they listen to? What movies do they watch? What shows do they stream? This will help lead you to them.
This is really thought provoking, most publishing and communication is relying on traditional media "press releases"
I have two books published (the second one was just published) and I have to agree with relying on an audience engaged through the trendy content is really key right now. This audience helped me by telling their networks about the book or even buying it themselves as gifts to share with others.
It is tough keeping up, and as you said sometimes I also want to not touch my phone, but basically this is my work now.
As an author publishing her first book in 2025, this lights me up. Maybe I’m a control freak who likes to be in charge, maybe I am naive and new to publishing, maybe I drank too much coffee today but i didn’t dredge this book out of the depths of my soul for it to miss its mark because there’s a rutted road to follow. I also have some tangible steps to take when it comes to building out my platform but that too feels like good action.
Really good article. Thank you.
Thank you for your analysis, Kathleen! I feel like there are two issues here.
1. The way publishers promote books. They are actually well placed to build communities of readers. They’ve got the IP, they’ve got access to the authors. They can introduce readers who love certain authors or sub genres to other related books. Market that way!
2. Authors who are trying to build a platform. I think that requires less marketing tactics and more ‘how can I bring my essence to what I write and where and how I show up in person and online’. I think that can cultivate the connections, and ultimately, platform we seek - step by step.
Can we discuss “All Fours”. I definitely had strong feelings after reading as someone that has been a single mom well over a decade!
I started Margo Has Money Problems last night and am already in love. First, third and even a little bit of second person? Plus it has a kind of cheery energy I NEED right now.
Margo's Got Money Troubles is my next-up read! I also liked All Fours but didn't quite get the craze around it, and I don't think it's awards-worthy. I thought it kind of slowed and dragged in the last third or so.
Agree re: All Fours. Margo is so fun. It is completely quirky and unlike anything I've read recently.
Great analysis. Publishing may be shaken by the election to consider media they don’t know, rather than swimming in place. You well outline the peril that poses.
Thank you for this - so many smart observations and also BIG problems to solve. My team is meeting to discuss this post next week.
A former boss of mine once talked about her job as head of the M&P team for a general trade publisher to a marketing consultant. His eyes bugged out and said, "It's like if you were Revlon and had to sell each color of lipstick separately."
That's very true. I think the problems are solvable IF people are willing to listen. It is too hard to ignore the fact that legacy media is flailing right now, and audiences are not looking to them for info.
I agree, you need to hire a publicist to help build your platform months out before the book launches, particularly if hybrid or small publisher publishing. I also think it’s important to note that not all traditional publishers have a marketing campaign for all the books they are publishing. Advertising/marketing has become more expensive and the budgets are smaller. This means even large traditional publishers have to choose which books they will spend the marketing budget on. The problem is that they don’t inform the author if they aren’t running any publicity or advertising/marketing their books. As a result of this, these books often flop. More authors have savvied up to this and now are hiring publicists. But, this is at least US$15,000 for a six month campaign with a reputable publisher. Most people don’t have this kind of money available for this sort of thing, which actually makes building up their platform even more important.
If authors shopped around, they'd find people who charge less than $15K for six months. My fees align with people's budgets and the scope of work and are not as high as you might think.
How much do you charge? author@catharinasteel.com (I’m publishing a MG adventure fantasy with a mystery element.) It’s up on Simon & Schuster’s website already (and Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple, etc)
Ah, I don't work on middle grade. Kids' books are the only area where I don't have experience!
It’s hard to find them and know who is legitimate. When I was searching I struggled to find any. I have signed with BooksForward for my upcoming release. I just hope this helps to build my platform enough (and sell a few copies.)
The thing that worries me about the future of media in general, is that the platforms we have today can disappear tomorrow. So while everyone is shifting to their flavor of subscription, in the end, a fragmented market is the result. With the big data brokers selling individual profiles, the gatekeeping on who is reachable where is totally going to belong to the business entities that have formed to kill independent media. The Gawker example is now on steroids, links to old content is now a paid service and it is not everything. Libraries are using a paid service to distribute content. Facebook, where every government and non profit has steered their people to use because it was free, have now created the blueprint to who knows who, what their interests are, where they are location-wise everyday etc.
I don’t look at it that way. It’s always going to evolve, and publishing needs to pivot if they want the attention of future generations. What they’re doing now is not working and we can’t be too precious about what may or may not happen with platforms. Our data is everywhere.
Of course publishing has to pivot, but jumping into a different frying pan, is not quite what I hoe for. I would like to see more publishing startups though and for them to start innovating new ways to publish.
Consider this: New ways to publish still require platforms to promote the books/company. That will not change.
Of course!
Have you heard of Bindery Books? It's a new social media-focused independent press, and I'm happier to be publishing with them (next year) every time I read your posts (and I read every single one! Love your wisdom and perspective). Bindery just published its first books a months ago and those books were all over my social media feeds--even as I had a hard time finding much traditional media about them. If you're curious, here's more info: https://web.archive.org/web/20240204145702/https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/92795-a-new-startup-proposes-influencer-driven-publishing.html
Yes, I’m aware of them. It’ll be interesting to see how the books sell.
You get it. <3
Your views are much appreciated but bring me back to the same daunting questions: where does and author go to learn how to truly build a worthwhile author platform and how does that same author realistically define their audience and then target it?
I appreciate your rational and realistic thoughts and advice. As an author I agree wholeheartedly about defining my audience very clearly and platform building accordingly. The tricky thing about that for me is the variety in what I write. I have published middle grade contemporary books as well as middle grade horror. As if platform building as a children's author wasn't tricky enough, I'm now working on pivoting to adult fiction as well (adventure + romance with middle-aged characters). Any advice on how to define an audience when what you write is so all over the place? I fully acknowledging I'm just making things hard on myself here, but I can't help it!
You have to identify a primary and secondary audience. Your primary audience for the adult fiction will align with the subject matter. Your secondary audience are the people who were interested in your middle grade work.
Ok that seems so simple but is honestly so brilliant! I don't know why my brain couldn't come up with that, but that's totally something I can wrap my brain around.
Building an author platform for middle grade is so difficult. I’d love to hear some of your strategies and tips around this.
SO hard! I've been publishing MG for almost five years now which sometimes feels long and sometimes feels like I'm still a publishing bebe. But basically I'm still figuring this out myself. My main strategies so far are building up an audience here on Substack, and focusing on connecting with teachers and librarians, figuring out what resources I can create and offer them, etc.
Have you checked out BookTube (Book influencers on YouTube)? That is some untapped territory.
That’s a great idea! I’ve been thinking about recording myself reading my lead magnet and putting that on my YouTube channel. I’m also looking into those apps where people can subscribe to you and you post a chapter every month or something that.
Good question! I'm in a similar situation -- reasonably well known in the small world of cozy mystery, but finding it harder to find the audience for my suspense and historical fiction.
Think about what kinds of things your audience likes that align with your books--but are not books. What podcasts do you think they listen to? What movies do they watch? What shows do they stream? This will help lead you to them.