I read a guest-post on Jeff Vandermeer’s blog on the subject of “Author Platforms”. For those of you who don’t know this bit of newspeak, an “Author Platform” refers to the idea that writers need to have something that defines them and their audience, something that illustrates the writer’s salability. It’s generally understood to mean that authors need a “built-in audience”, and many writers take the suggestion that they need to start promoting themselves now if they’re ever going to get their novel published.
The reason this idea has grown so popular is that there has been a meme perpetuated on the masses of young, undiscovered writers that agents and editors won’t even look at their book unless they have a “platform”, a “built-in audience”. The meme goes further to suggest that if said agent or editor googles your name, and you’re not the first hit that comes up then your query is an instant-fail.
And let’s be honest with ourselves: I’ve bought into this meme as much as the next guy. Why the heck else did I start a blog titled “Stephen Watkins, Writer” to compliment my “Undiscovered Author“?
But this post makes an important point: write first, promote later. In other words, if there’s nothing to promote, then there’s no point to the promotion. Okay… raise your hands if you’re guilty.
Guilty.
On the other hand, there’s another side to this, as well. One thing I’ve learned since starting my first blog is that there is an incredible amount of community support that can be very influential in keeping we undiscovered authors at the keyboards, actually writing. The fact is, the numbers – the statistics – just aren’t in our favor. There are so many people who dream of becoming writers – real, honest-to-goodness published writers – and there are so few slots open on publishers schedules that many of us – most of us – simply won’t make it. That’s a pretty tough pill to swallow. Many of us will give up, eventually, because of that.
But some of us will not. And if we don’t give up, and if we do succeed, we’ll largely have the support of our fellow writers-in-training to thank for it.
So, blog on, fellow undiscovered authors. Blog on.
But also: write. Write your story. Finish it. Please.
Now, to slay the hypocrite within, and actually write something, myself. Ha! Soon, perhaps, I shall set words down again. Now that I’ve got some good ideas for a novel (a different novel than the one which I’ve been writing since forever), I actually have something to write, too, besides short stories…
I think you’ve banged the nail right on the head there – there are entire books out there now, dedicated to helping you build a “profile” and “audience” in preparation for getting published. and, in my eyes, these volumes belong on the same shelf as “How to meet your soulmate” and “Just believe in yourself and the rest will follow”.
But yes I’ve got my hand up, my initial dabbling with blogging and twittering was due to following that very same advice but the rewards have been much greater, and unexpected. I’ve met some truly inspiring and helpful people, read some great posts and some thoroughly enjoyable fiction. I now feel like I’m part of a community, all striving towards a common goal and helping each other along the way.
I will make one point though – in this age of eBooks and self-publishing, having an online presence is critical and its not something that can be built over night. I think Seth Godin recently said something like “you have to start promoting yourself at least a year and a half before release – if you’re launching next week then there’s nothing I can teach you”.
I agree completely with your post. Rome wasn’t built in a day, so goes the old cliche. And neither was an online presence.
But, ultimately for we writers, writing is more important than the platform/presence/promotion. Or else what is all of the latter for. But… blogging it out while we write that book isn’t a bad way to go, by no means.
And I agree… since I started blogging I’ve virtually met a number of great, talented people and read some very great fiction. There are a good number of people here who are really good, and on the verge of making that final leap, I think, over the bar to publication.
If you’re a writer I believe the social networking, should be secondary to the actual writing. Some days I find I’m slacking off from doing real work because I feel like I need to keep to my blogging schedule. It can become another excuse for procrastination.
That being said, I’d still recommend starting a blog (at the very least) even to the unpublished. It takes a while to get into the knack of blogging, twitter, and other social networks, and as you both mentioned, there are benefits beyond promotion.
The audience of your blog/network will change as you progress, and there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s just a part of natural evolution.
I agree with everything you just said.
I agree with Tessa, social networking should be secondary to the actual writing. I also agree with everything you said in your post Stephen, the community support is very motivating; people give each other constructive criticism, try to help you when you have a problem with your writing and that sure is a big deal since being an unpublished writer is not an easy job
The odds of the industry are definitely against us, but working hard and not giving up should get us where we deserve to be.
Yep.