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It’s been a while, but I’m going to have to get crafty today. I have discussed the three writing touch points before in my old blog. Basically, you write for yourself, for your audience, and for the book. I called it the writing triangle or something like that. Well, book marketers and writing coaches have a similar model when discussing writing platforms. So if your eyes haven’t glazed over yet, stay tuned. There’s a pretty good takeaway for writers and readers alike.
The three main platforms models are product driven (the books themselves), personality driven (getting to know the author), and community driven (the author’s playground). These three touch points are like three legs to a stool (or a chair for those of you who feel dirty when you say that word). The problem is that they are almost never equal. Okay, it’s not really a problem, but it can be a mindset issue. Quit yawning and I’ll explain.
Unfortunately, my platform model is product driven. I’m an introvert, specifically and ISTP, so I like to let my books speak for themselves. This isn’t easy to do. Trust me. I love my books, but I can’t make you love them. I have to put them out into the world continually in hope of making contact with the right audience. It’s kind of like fishing from your recliner.
The second model depends on personality. This is where people engage with their favorite social media butterflies and may buy their products because they relate to the author. Nope. Not me. Now, I’m a pretty good guy and all that, but I will never be the kind of person who puts his face out there on video talking to his phone and dancing or whatever the kids are doing these days. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this model, but I’m not doing it.
The final model is my favorite as a reader. The community model is based on engagement of the fans. This is where the world building is so cool that people want to spend time in it. It’s basically the playground that the author created for readers. Here’s where you have your Tolkiens, your Pratchett’s, your Sandersons, and your Rowlings. While this is the home of a lot of epic fantasy and science fiction, historical romance is really big here too. It’s the realm of fandom.
Okay, so how do you level up your platform? First of all, don’t be something you’re not. Play to your strengths. I actually enjoy talking about my books, making their covers, and writing them. That’s why the product based model is my default platform. But I can do a few things with the other touch points to give it strength and stability.
Here’s what I decided to do. First of all, especially with the rise of AI, it’s important to let your readers and followers know that you are a living, breathing human. My New Year’s resolution was to put my face on my Instagram once a month. This could be a video (which is quite rare) or just a pic. I also throw in a few photos of my dogs because, well, they’re my dogs. People don’t want to see continual advertisements from their authors. They want to get to know them (a little bit). It’s okay to let them.
I’m never going to have a community based platform. I just don’t write those kinds of books. That’s okay, but I can still strengthen from this touch point too. Middle Grade Fantasy books just don’t have the real estate for effective world building. It’s an easier task if you write a series. My books are mostly standalone fiction, though. However, I have “Easter Egged” a few things in my work. At first it was by accident. Later on, I saw opportunities to provide continuity across my writing world. Only now, with my latest work-in-progress, has it all come together in a pretty cool way. This mostly cameo appearances of characters across stories and relative proximity of regional settings. Do I think this is ever going to catch fire or go viral? No, but I like it. Also, readers eat it up like candy because it’s so fun. It sparks the imagination, which is what I always wanted to do.
Here’s my list of titles that are now connected in my author’s playground. Okay, I’ll link them too. Sheesh!
🏰The Other Curse of Mr. M’s Castle
Sorry, no link for WHITE yet. It should be out before the end of the year, though.
National Southpaw day is coming up this week. Be sure to tell your awkward brethren to you appreciate them. They may not make it another year in this cruel right-handed world.
Until Next Time, God Bless!
