Most people have no idea what an author platform is because it is a term often used by nonfiction writers. Other writers that can also be included based on their platforms are memoir and novel writers. The term author platform is a term that is common among editors and literary agents. It represents an author’s relationship with his/her audience. Let us dig deeper into the meaning behind this term, why editors and agents take it very seriously, and if authors need to have them.
Author platforms in practice: An author is expected to have a strong platform when he/she writes a proposal for a nonfiction book. There are many components that make up the author’s platform. These include things like: the author’s popularity, experience in the field, and whether or not he/she is an authoritative figure in their field. An author’s platform is simply his/her background in a field and it affects whether or not he/she is the person that people would bet on to publish a book in the field and make many sales.
Strong and weak platforms: Authors could have strong or weak platforms, depending on how well they are suited for writing about specific fields. For example, if an author is writing about a revolutionary new treatment for a certain type of cancer, if he has a strong platform, then he would be: a highly educated doctor with several degrees and a specialist in cancer treatments; has previously published positively peer-reviewed articles on cancer treatment; has published many popular articles on experimental cancer treatments; enjoys some preliminary media coverage on experimental cancer treatment; runs a blog that has a strong following of people who have successfully undergone cancer treatment with experimental procedures; and has led well-attended seminars all over the country about the new cancer treatment.
If the author has a weak platform, he would basically have the opposites of the above accomplishments.
What do platforms mean to agents and editors?: If an agent wants a book that will sell very well, they will prefer a book from an author that already has a strong following. Some authors wrongly believe that their great ideas for books and their own personal experience is enough to guarantee success.
However, competition for readers’ attention is usually very high and people with already existing platforms do better than newcomers. However, if an agent likes an author’s ideas very much, they might decide to invest time and energy to help the author build a platform and impress editors. This is, however, very rare.
How can an author build a better platform?: Building a solid platform is no easy feat. In order for an author to build a better platform, he/she has to be an expert in their field – no exceptions. He/she also has to create a strong online presence using blogs, author websites, and leveraging social networks. The author also has to write for large commercial magazines and be approachable as an authoritative source of information in their field. He/she must also organize seminars and become known as a good public speaker. Hiring a publicist to help with media exposure is also recommended.
