Dear O'Abby,
I keep hearing about "platform" and how important it is for writers to have one, but I'm not sure what it means or why it is so important. Can you please explain?
Yours,
Unsure
Dear Unsure,
Platform is something that is critical when you are a non-fiction author, but less important if you write fiction. Basically "platform" means the built-in audience for your book, the people who are already engaged with you and whatever it is you are an expert in and who are already listening to what you have to say.
Platform could be a popular blog or social media channel. It could be a newspaper or magazine column. It could be a television show. The larger your platform, the more likely it is that you will be able to reach a large number of people to talk about and sell your book.
As a non-fiction author, your platform will indicate to agents and publishers that you are the right person to write this book, that you are already an expert in the field and have people following your work. Before your book is published, your platform may be relatively small, but the aim is to grow it through the additional content. The publication of your book is one step in growing your platform. Any tours or interviews or media coverage you get as you publicise the book will help to grow your platform which will hopefully help to make publishing a second book easier.
Platform is not so important for fiction writers because there is no expectation that a fiction writer is an expert. For fiction writers it's more important to write the best possible book for the audience you are writing for. Platform for fiction writers will come from the readers who become fans of your book.
Hope that's at least a little bit helpful.
Best,
O'Abby.
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