Get Known Before the Book Deal

Do Fiction Writers Need To Build A Platform?

Yup.

Just like nonfiction writers, fiction writers need to begin working on a platform long before the manuscript is complete. They can follow all the same strategies I describe for nonfiction writers in Get Known. It’s not like if you write wonderful fiction, that’s the end of the line. Most fiction writers cross over to nonfiction writing fairly easily.

Naturally, the quality of a fiction manuscript is paramount and most fiction writers tend to underestimate how long it will take to go from idea to finished book. But if a writer lets the writing process take as long as it takes and works on platform development in the meantime, she’ll be a lot better off.

Typically, after their book is published, fiction writers will spin off a series of topics based on their book that they can explore to help promote themes they’ve written about. Other things fiction writers often learn from their writing process include knowledge of a place, familiarity with a topic from their research, insight into a time period, a truth or phenomenon that may be mostly unknown to the general public, universal human themes, a particular time or phase every person experiences (like coming of age), or the creative process itself.

Memoirists and children's books authors can try the same strategies. Diving into these topics as writing material makes great promotional opportunities (sometimes even paying ones like article-writing) that spark book sales.

Any author who is thinking about authorhood as a multi-phase process is going to be more successful. It's not just: write a book and get famous. It's build a platform, write a book, rewrite the book ad naseum, and market the book, market the book, market the book, market the book, which requires copious amounts of sustained energy over many years.

Ask any successful fiction writer--they'll confirm everything I've said here.

Seattle, Here I Come!

The illustrious Deb Schneider was kind enough to invite me to come to Seattle to visit several branches of the King County Library System.

Deb is the Public Programming Coordinator for King County Library System. I met her at the Pacific Northwest Writers Conference a few years ago. I attended one of her presentations there and that's when I decided that she rocks.

And I'm not the only one who thinks so. She's been named Romance Writer's of America's "Librarian of the Year." Go, Deb!

You can read more about Deb in her interview with Lori Russell from my e-zine, Writers on the Rise.

While in Seattle, I'll be visiting three branches of the library over three days to offer my platform development checklist, an easy, painless way to assess the state of your current platform and prioritize your best next steps!

I love chatting with readers and former students. I hope you will come and meet me!

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON SCHEDULE:

Sunday - Tuesday
May 3-5, 2009
King County Libraries Tour
Seattle, Washington

• May 3: Mercer Island Branch, 2 p.m.
• May 4: Covington Branch, 7 p.m.
• May 5: Belleview Branch, 7 p.m.

More Info

The Intention Behind "Get Known Before the Book Deal"

If you are ordering or buying my book, Get Known Before the Book Deal, there's a good chance that you might wonder what other books to get with it.

To set the record straight, I never intended to cram every possible thing on platform into one book. Instead, I intended for GKBTBD to be a helpful primer. The book you'd likely read before or with Michael Larsen's How to Write a Book Proposal (learn more) or Elizabeth Lyon's Nonfiction Book Proposals Anybody Can Write (learn more).

There's a time and a place when writers tend to think about platform and that's when they are on their way to a writer's conference to meet agents and editors for the first time.

In Get Known, I'm suggesting that you think about platform as far before then as possible.

I am not sure that it would have been wise for me to cram in chapters on social networking, book promotion, and self-publishing into this book. In fact, I take that back: I am SURE cramming it all in would have been a bad idea. Get Known is a primer, not an encyclopedia.

To illustrate my point, a grateful reader recently e-mailed me and said:

"I particularly like the short chapter style [in Get Known]. I think that format makes the book "user and reader friendly" particularly for creating a writer's platform, something most writers find confusing.

You weave a seamless guide that ends with the reader saying, "I can do this!"

That was my intention. To help writers get platform and get that they can build theirs over time.

Also, let's get real. Social media books will likely fare much better as e-publications and Get Known was written for traditional print publication. What I had in mind was that like Larsen's and Lyon's books, the book would become a reliable book in its field. A great starting point with many books in many forms to come before and after.

Get Known covers the basics of platform development. If you read it and start to brainstorm ideas, as many readers say they do, then your platform will be off to a great start. Then, when you approach an agent with a book idea and that agent says, "So tell me about your platform," you won't be standing there with your mouth hanging open wondering what she means.

As I wrote in my last post on the definition of platform, the primary objective of Get Known is to help writers understand platform, so they can get theirs in gear.

So will there be more to do after the steps in Get Known?

Yes, there is always more to do. There's writing the book. There's marketing the book. There are all the breakthroughs in technology that are going to happen during the lifetime of your book (you hope). In these times that includes social media and reviewing other people's books in a variety of formats.

But the stage covered in my book is clearly described on page two. It's the preparation stage before writing a book proposal and pitching a book. Or, perhaps, you can develop your platform and your book concept simultaneously. I've seen people do it.

But whatever you do, don't try to throw the whole deal up overnight because it just doesn't work. And if you project an unholy urgency, that's just going to turn people, agents and editors included, off.

If I know one thing about writers after working closely with them for the past eight years, it's this: we get easily overwhelmed. We don't always need or want an encyclopedic approach. Sometimes a primer is all we need to get the idea and get going in our own way. And I hope you will actually be in the process of your platform and not just trying to use my book to wrangle a buck.

Because if you are a writer just starting to think about platform development for the very first time, you really don't have to think about social networking, book promotion, and self-publishing all at the same time...unless you are ready for all that.

I suspect, if I had tried to throw everything that's hot now into the mix of Get Known a lot of writers would have walked away completely overwhelmed.

What do you think? Should I have taken an encyclopedic approach and tried to cover everybody's everything and kept the whole thing up to date for traditional publication? (Would that even have been possible or would the book have already been outdated by now? I think so.)

Or do you find what's in Get Known to be enough? I'd like to hear what you think.

Happy platform building, writers!

Christina Katz' Definition of Platform for Authors and Writers

Have you seen my definition of platform coming out of someone else's mouth or pen or keyboard lately?

I sure have.

At first I think, Wow this person is really bright.

And then I think, Hey! Wait a minute. I wrote that!

To set the record straight, here's my definition of platform. I spent a year developing it while writing my book and I've been building on it in continuing conversations with others since my book came out.

In blogs and websites that have interviewed me, clear credit is always given to me. These are my words. They are portrayed as my words.

A platform communicates your expertise to others. It includes your Web presence, any public speaking you do, the classes you teach, the media contacts you’ve established, the articles you’ve published, and any other means you currently have for making your name and your future books known to a viable readership.

Basically, your platform is everything you do with your expertise. A platform-strong writer is a writer with influence. Once you establish a platform, it can work for you 24/7, reaching readers even as you sleep. Of course, this kind of reach takes time. If many others already recognize your expertise on a given topic or for a specific audience or both, then you likely have an active platform.

I find it helpful to define a platform as a promise writers make to not only create something to sell (like a book), but also to promote it to the specific readers who will want to purchase it. This takes both time and effort, not to mention considerable focus.

~ Christina Katz
Author of Get Known Before the Book Deal & Writer Mama
(both from Writer's Digest Books)

I do not believe that I have "cornered the market" on platform development or anything like that. I am absolutely not trying to do that.

I would just like to be given credit for my words when folks quote me. That's all.

Platform Talk This Past Week

Sharing a round up of the best of what's in my Google Reader:

Agent Rachelle Gardner has a series of posts (re-posts) on Platform. Here they are in order they were posted:

Let's Talk About Platform

Non-fiction Platforms

Fiction Platform

Alan Rinzler has a helpful article in his blog, The Book Deal, called "Build Your Author Platform, 10 Tips from a Pro.

Hang on a sec! Platforms aren't important? I don't think so, Michael Hyatt. His blog post won't have a negative impact on a superstar, brand-name author. But certainly hurts a writer like this one, who is happy to have one less list of items to add to her to-do list.

Barbara Mountjoy talks about how writers need to be Thinking Outside the Traditional Writer's Box in these evolving times. I couldn't agree more and I'm always trying new things. Most recently I visited 31 blogs in 31 days to promote the two-year anniversary of my first book, Writer Mama. View the complete blog tour list here.

Robin Mizell is way too kind to me.

I try new things using online tools but I also try to keep a sense of humor about new things I try...like when I saw this post from one of my book winners.

Thanks to former student and friend, Susan W. Clark, who said a lot of nice things about me in her blog, Writing for a Sustainable Future. Susan writes regularly for In Good Tilth magazine and is a co-founder of Oregon Sustainable Agriculture Land Trust.

Most of the ideas of the best ways to sell more books and build a platform in this survey by Mosquito Marketing Blog are covered in step-by-step depth in my book, Get Known Before the Book Deal. (Sound of me patting myself on the back.)

Have a great week balancing platform development with writing, selling, and professional development, writers! And don't forget to subscribe to Writer's Digest magazine so you won't miss the forthcoming 20-page section on standing out to agents and editors.

The May/June Issue of Writer's Digest is Coming Soon!

I am now holding the forthcoming issue of Writer's Digest magazine in my hands and it's a doozey.

First of all, whose fabulous idea was it to have a dialogue between Stephen King and Jerry B. Jenkins?

Whoever thought of that, please tell them I think they are brilliant.

Secondly, this is the PLATFORM ISSUE that I've been talking about for the past few months featuring a Spotlight section -- we're talking 20 pages -- on how to stand out to agents and editors by developing a power platform.

Articles are by Christina Katz (hey, that's me!), MJ Rose, the Writer's Digest Staff, Jeff Yeager , and Jessica Strawser (the fabulous editor of WD).

Writers, I don't care what you write, I don't care when you plan on writing a book, if you are an aspiring author, you don't want to miss this issue.

And I noticed over at Writersdigest.com that there is a special on magazine subscriptions right now, so you can pick up a whole year's worth of this fantastic magazine for $19.96. That's a great deal. (And it's tax deductible!)

Whoa, Whoa, Whoa... I NEVER Said That Writing Craft Wasn't Important

Lately, I've noticed that some authors seem to be offended by my new book, Get Known. Apparently, they think that I because I'm stressing the importance of platform development that I am suggesting that the quality of writing no longer matters. However, I don't recall saying this.

This is not the first time I've experienced backlash, there was some immediate and delayed backlash to my first book, Writer Mama. (ie. I shouldn't be allowed to be a mother, I should get a plant instead of a child...really kind stuff like that).

Just to clear the air, I never said that quality of writing doesn't matter. In fact, I would say to all writers, if your work is not imminently readable, then back to the writing board because nothing less will do. And I'm pretty sure that I said this repeatedly in the book.

Since there are hundreds of books on the craft of writing, I thought I'd write a book on a topic that had not already been thoroughly covered. Not a book intended to replace books on craft, but a book intended to supplement every writer's reference shelf. A book to fill a gap on the bookshelves. So writers could stop spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on info-products full of "insider information." A book to demystify platform and break it down into do-able steps.

I think I wrote the book I intended to write. A really helpful book that offers ample choices and helpful ideas to writers. Continuing my defense, I publish what I think is a wonderful e-zine, Writers on the Rise, that very thoroughly covers the topic of craft through the experience and advice of seven esteemed writers.

So just to clear the air, Get Known is no way an accusation against any currently published author implying that their writing stinks and they only got the deal because of their platform.

As a teacher, I continue to witness that not enough has been done to assist aspiring authors with selling their words and promoting their platforms, so that's how I'll continue to focus on in my work...while I too continue to work on my craft.

I hope that clears things up.

Walkin' My Talk: See You In NYC and Chicago!

Well, if you've read Get Known, you know that I am a proponent of getting out of the house and joining organizations and attending conferences. And though, I have some challenges in this regard (one six-year-old and six pets who all need care when I'm not home), I really make an effort to walk my talk because I know how crucial it is to get out, connect with other professionals, and be immersed in a quality learning experience, like the kind you can only get at a conference.

In February, I'm pleased to announce that I will be attended the Tools of Change for Publishing Conference in New York City and the Associated Writing Programs Conference in Chicago. I'm very pleased to be invited to Tools of Change where I will blog on the conference and offer a round-table discussion (TBA by the end of the week). If you want to learn more about the conference, Joe Wikert is blogging about some of the highlights.

The AWP Conference in Chicago is one I've wanted to attend for a long time. And I'm thrilled that my Alma Mater, Columbia College Chicago, is a co-sponsor of the event. Even though I am an independent writing instructor, and always have been, I have an MFA in fiction, so I should feel right at home with all the other teachers/professors. And I'm looking forward to getting to meet some very cool writer mamas from Literary Mama, who will be offering a session. I'm also really looking forward to seeing one of my favorite authors of all-time, Dorothy Allison.

In the meantime, there's been some buzz about Get Known:

Check out my interview in Joe Wikert's blog.

My editor, Jane Friedman, has some sweet things to say about how she feels about Get Known now that she has been promoted from Editorial Director of Writer's Digest Books to Publisher & Editorial Director
of the Writing Community for F+W Media.

And just in case my old book, Writer Mama, is feeling neglected (though it shouldn't, there is still a ton going on over at The Writer Mama Riffs blog and reader feedback continues to flow in daily), here's a nice plug and giveaway from Vanessa Druckman over at Chefdruck Musings.

Christina Katz's January Calendar

Christina's Upcoming Events/Classes: January 2009

Reminder: Don't miss a single issue of my three FREE e-zines:

• Writers on the Rise (celebrating five years of publication)

• The Writer Mama (companion to my book: Writer Mama)

• Get Known Groove (companion to my book: Get Known Before the Book Deal)

Subscribe to any or all, including the announcements for the Northwest Author Series at: www.christinakatz.com

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Winter E-mail Classes Begin for six weeks:

Writing & Publishing the Short Stuff

Platform 101: Discover Your Specialty

Craft a Saleable Non-fiction Book Proposal

Personal Essays That Get Published (with Abigail Green)

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Northwest Author Series, Wilsonville, Oregon

"A Platform Primer"

2:30-4:30 p.m. at the Wilsonville Public Library

Books on sale after the event

Cost $3-5

More info

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Northwest Association of Independent Book Publishers

"Get Known Before You Self-Publish"

More Info

Saturday, January 31, 2009

Live Three-hour Workshop Intensive: Self-promotion Round Table

At the Wilsonville Public Library

12:00 - 3:00 p.m.

More Info

Meeting Schedulers/Event Planners:

If you would like to invite Christina to your conference or event, please email her at “writer mama at earthlink dot net.”

Robin Mizell Gives Get Known Five Stars

Imagine my surprise when my friend Robin, who had told me she would give Get Known whatever review she thought it deserved, read it and gave it not only five stars but is recommending it on the resource page of her website alongside such classics as "How To Write A Book Proposal" by Michael Larsen.

Here's the review on her blog, Robin Mizell, Ltd. Treated & Released

And here's the plug on her website, Robin Mizell, Ltd. Literary Representation

Phew! I was nervous...