When writers are trying to build platform—in order to land a book deal—they often ask me questions like:
- How many Twitter followers do I need?
- How many Facebook likes should I have?
- How many website or blog visits are required?
- How many people need to be on my email newsletter list?
Every agent or publisher will throw out a different number to such questions, and usually that number is made up. What’s even more frustrating: building a platform only to land a book deal usually ends up short circuiting. (Here’s why.)
A smarter and more strategic author should evaluate their platform strength on three levels:
- ability to reach new readers,
- ability to engage existing readers, and
- ability to mobilize super fans.
Over at Writer Unboxed, I explain how to take a holistic view toward building your author platform.
Jane Friedman has spent nearly 25 years working in the book publishing industry, with a focus on author education and trend reporting. She is the editor of The Hot Sheet, the essential publishing industry newsletter for authors, and was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World in 2023. Her latest book is The Business of Being a Writer (University of Chicago Press), which received a starred review from Library Journal. In addition to serving on grant panels for the National Endowment for the Arts and the Creative Work Fund, she works with organizations such as The Authors Guild to bring transparency to the business of publishing.
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[…] Friedman reminds us that a strong author platform is about more than numbers, Kristen Lamb dissects what platform is and why do authors need it, and Jami Gold asks if your […]
Hi Jane, thank you for your dedication and for sharing your insights. Question. How many pages make for a good marketing plan?
It’s kind of like asking how long is a piece of string, because so much depends on context, but you can find good examples over here in some nonfiction book proposals: https://businessofwriting.org/supplemental-resources/