Publisher’s Weekly called 2007 “The Year of the Platform.” At every conference I attend, you just can’t get away from the question of editors and agents, “What kind of a platform do you have?” The bottom line is you will have to come to grips with the fact that having a platform is practically required if you want to become a successful author.

 What is a Platform?

I can almost see the question forming in your mind. What is a platform and how do I get one? Here are a few good explanations:

Most bestsellers have authors with a “platform” – the publishing industry’s term for authors with a built-in audience, usually from a large church or media exposure.

Christianity Today, June 2007
“Looking for the Next Big Thing:
A Christian publishing update”

Platform: defined as a presence, ideally national, at which you are recognized in your area of expertise.

“Ask Allison,” March 3, 2008
Allison Scotch, Novelist & Blogger

Why You Need a Platform

If you’re going to be effective in developing a platform, you first must understand why you need one. If God has given you a message, then your book must reach the hands of those who need to read it. The larger your platform, the more your words are read. Here are the top five reasons why you need a platform.

1) To sell books. Bottom line is, publishers want to know how many books you, the author, are going to sell. And if you are custom publishing and expect to make it a successful venture, then you’re going to need to sell lots of books. A platform will help you make that happen.

2)To develop a following. If you have something to say, and answers for people, then you will become a resource for them and they will continue to come back to you for more, hence you develop a following. That means people will want to hear more from you, whether it be in ancillary products or more books on similar topics.

3)To prove yourself to a publisher. Many authors work with us at WinePress as a springboard to traditional publishing. Having a book in print helps you start building that all-important platform that you can then utilize when negotiating with a royalty press.

4)To be able to quantify your results. When you sit at that negotiating table, you need to share hard facts and numbers. You need to be able to say, “I have 5,000 people on my e-zine subscriber list, I speak to 10,000 women a year, I have 4,000 unique visitors a day on my website, I’ve sold 7,500 books in the last 18 months,” and so on.

5)To reach large numbers with your message. If you want to get beyond your local community and congregation, a platform will help you reach people you could never hope to find in your back yard. It can help you access countless people who need to hear what you have to say.

On virtually every editor panel I sit on, editors declare their single most important requirement next to a great book is a hefty platform. So, the reality is, build a platform or perish! As you consider this necessity, seek the Lord as to how He would have you begin to build or expand. We’ll talk more next time about the elements of a platform and get some feedback from others I’ve been interviewing lately.