Why Does Platform Matter? Best Platform For Writers, 2023
With publishers using the word platform so often, you may wonder why does platform matter? What is the best platform for writers? Generally speaking, before a publisher will offer a traditional book publishing contract, today’s writers must:
Establish themselves as a good writer
Create a wide range of connection to potential audiences
Build a personal brand
We can condense these three points into a single word: platform. Building a platform is particularly important for aspiring authors who hope to break into the publishing industry.
Did you write a book but aren’t sure how to move forward? Do you dream of one day becoming a successful author? This article is for you. Below is a short table of contents to give you a quick overview of the questions I cover.
Why does platform matter? What’s covered
Why do you need an author platform?
Traditional publishing houses frequently favor authors with a platform. This may seem unfair, especially for debut authors, but it boils down to a business relationship. Authors must sell books to stay in business. To sell books, readers must purchase the author’s books.
The more potential readers a writer has when approaching a publisher, the higher chance the publisher will offer them a contract. Why? Because it helps show the author can likely bring in a certain number of book sales on their own.
When a publisher offers a contract to a new author, it’s a risk on their investment. They can’t guarantee the author will bring in a positive return on their investment (ROI). New authors don’t even have a sales history on which to base their sales trajectory.
However, consider the author who already knows their target audience and built a following. If the publisher sees this audience as a readership, it’s much easier for the writer to secure a publishing agreement.
If you already built an audience, this alerts publishers to two key facts:
You have specific dreams
You know how to follow your dreams
After all, publishing a book is just one step in your writing career. If you want to build a full time writing career, you must take many steps. (Visit my article, take charge of your creative passion, for four steps on how to do so.)
Why is a platform important?
An author platform matters because it shows the writer is likely to financially benefit the publisher. Remember, at its core, the relationship between authors and publishers is a business relationship.
Raise awareness
Why does platform matter? Without your potential audience knowing your work exists, there is no way to sell to your audience. Platform acts as a way for authors to build awareness about their books.
Create value
Platform isn’t just about sales, though. Without adding value to your audience, they won’t stick around. But more than this, time is not a commodity, it is a precious resource.
There is a level of trust between authors and their readers. The author writes a book and offers it to their audience.
This communicates the author believes their audience will enjoy their work—that it won’t be a waste of time. Platform matters because it provides a space for authors to provide value for their audience.
Establish credibility
For writers, credibility is often quantified as the numeric followers they have on a specific social media platform.
Publishers equate this credibility, these numbers, as potential book sales. Because of this, it’s important not to buy followers or share a false representation of your true following.
Do your best to raise awareness, create value, and establish your credibility outside your phone screen as well.
Journalist and author Katelyn Beaty further describes the role that platform plays for new authors. (She spends an entire chapter on it in her book, Celebrities for Jesus. Read her book for more nuance on this topic.) Platform by itself it not the only factor in earning a book contract.
But for better or worse, platform does play a role in a writer’s perceived credibility.
Directly market to your target audience
Think of platform as a way to communicate directly to your target audience, and therefore, market. This is one reason why people frequently dub social media as the best platform for writers.
The publisher must sell a certain number of books to stay in business. Likewise, the author must write great books the author can sell.
Different publishers vary in how much they invest in marketing a new author. Regardless, bringing an established platform to a publisher goes a long way in securing your first book deal.
Which social media platform is best for authors?
There is no hard and fast answer, but often the best platform is the one you choose to engage with. You could create an account on TikTok, Instagram, X (Twitter), Pinterest, YouTube, and any other platform you choose to.
However, if you only show up once a week on each one, it’s unlikely your platform will grow much. It is highly likely it won’t grow enough to garner the interest of literary agents or publishers. The best social media platform is the one you use, and use frequently.
Ways to use social media
The best platform is the one you habitually show up on. So what are a few tips on how to show up?
There are countless ways to use the various social media outlets available, but here are just a few key tips. You may already know these and can use them as a refresher. If this is new to you, use these tips to build a solid foundation.
First, choose a space where you will show up.
Do you want to create reels on Instagram?
Share TikToks that rake in views?
Write tweets that get comments flowing?
Whatever you choose, be sure to show up regularly.
Second, as you learn to show up online, use your engagement to help articulate your brand. Which posts do followers resonate with? Which one brings in the most engagement? Which add to your follower count?
Third, stay on top of changing algorithms. Instagram used to be a feed of still images. TikTok wasn’t popular in the US until several years ago. Twitter recently changed to X.
And Facebook…well, most of us probably have a more or less dormant profile somewhere.
Staying on top of current trends allows you to establish yourself as credible on social media. It also helps you keep your work at the top of your followers’ feeds.
Author website
Don’t forget the importance of your author website. The more email addresses you can add to your newsletter, the bigger you grow your website platform.
It’s also crucial to note that writers do not have full control over their social media platforms. The algorithm can change, the word count allowed for captions can grow or lessen, etc. Because of this, the best platform for writers is often their individual author website. Social media plays a large role in platform. However, it’s your website and newsletter list you have the most control over.
All of this said, there is one caveat to social media platforms…
Which platform is good for writers?
If you want to become a full-time writer, I would argue that the best platform for writers is the book you write. Great writing sells. Mickey Spillane once said, “The first chapter sells the book. The last chapter sells the next book.”
Writers often fall into one of two camps:
Do you want to use your completed manuscript to become a social media influencer?
Do you want to publish a book to build a lasting writing career?
Today’s writers often feel bogged down with the amount of time they must spend building a social media following. I get it, because I’m right there with you. However, in the long run, it’s your compelling stories that keep you selling the books you write.
Influencers often work with ghostwriters to publish quality books. Their talent lies in marketing, showing up, and being the face of their brand. They want to share their message and naturally gravitate toward public mediums of doing so.
Writers often work with a publisher to market quality books. Their talent lies in writing, showing up to the keyboard, and being the creative behind the story. They want to share their message and naturally gravitate toward written mediums of doing so.
Some creatives thrive at both. But if this isn’t you, don’t worry about it. Simply do your best on social media, continue to engage, and focus on writing the absolute best story you can.
Why does platform matter? It helps bring in book sales. But why does good writing matter? It helps those sales continue to come in.
Both are important and both take practice. But if you want to be a full time writer, being good at writing is crucial. Focus on building a grit and growth mindset and refuse to give up.
Short and long term goals: your next step
Now it’s time to take action and push your dream forward. For more guidance, check out platform building for creatives.
Or, if you prefer personalized help, set up a time to talk. This time covers the specific steps you should take to build your platform.
Whatever next step you choose to take, focus on action. Knowing why platform matters does little to help if you don’t take steps forward. You’ve got this!
