(rewrite of 2019 article)
The professionals will tell you that to sell your writing you need a platform or following--an instant audience to market to.
But many writers are introverts who love storytelling about fictional characters or simply writing about something they feel compelled to write about. They don't want to go out and meet people to build an audience or gain a doctorate degree so they can be taken seriously. But does this mean they shouldn't write or become published?
Writing for the Love of Writing
Most of us writers will write regardless of having a platform or not. But that being said, getting our writing out there is our ultimate goal. We want it read.
As a result, many of us willingly write for free in formats such as this one. Having access to a worldwide audience through the Internet makes the process and dream of being a writer even more powerful.
Finding Your Niche For Building a Platform
The question for having our writing read or starting to build a platform comes down to this:
Finding Your Niche For Building a Platform
The question for having our writing read or starting to build a platform comes down to this:
How do we find our target audience? How do we build a following? Who will we ultimately sell to?
I suggest the focus shouldn't be our own family or church members. Focus, instead, on the world abroad through the Internet.
When I became a life coach, blogging was becoming popular. I started a blog just to see what would happen. When I received feedback, I was amazed and a little scared. Someone WAS reading my posts!
Nevertheless, I continued adding posts until I saw a direction forming. In those days, analytics were everything. I could see what someone had put into their search bar to find me, so I saw areas of greatest interest forming.
It was seeing those statistics that I decided I could write a book putting most of what was in my blog posts into it. I did, and my books continue to sell. Somehow, I'd reached an audience.
I suggest the focus shouldn't be our own family or church members. Focus, instead, on the world abroad through the Internet.
When I became a life coach, blogging was becoming popular. I started a blog just to see what would happen. When I received feedback, I was amazed and a little scared. Someone WAS reading my posts!
Nevertheless, I continued adding posts until I saw a direction forming. In those days, analytics were everything. I could see what someone had put into their search bar to find me, so I saw areas of greatest interest forming.
It was seeing those statistics that I decided I could write a book putting most of what was in my blog posts into it. I did, and my books continue to sell. Somehow, I'd reached an audience.
(Now, in 2024, blogs aren't as popular. Updating this post first written in 2019 will be a test. We'll see if anyone finds it. Now we are inundated with online forums, videos, reels, and social media platforms all taking away time from blog reading.)
Using Social Media
I admit, I still haven't defined what I want my social media to do for me. I know I want it for social interaction--being an introverted writer I like the connections.
I DO have my friends divided up into lists. When I post to Facebook, for instance, I decide who I want the audience to be for that specific post.
A temptation for many people on Facebook is to gather friends as a way of finding buyers for their products. I don't like that at all. I have had friend requests from those I know see me as a possible customer. I don't want to be one of those people I push my writing or copyediting services on.
Marketing in social media from my standpoint is always relational. If you're never going to visit my post and comment, why do I need you as a friend? I will read your posts and comment in most cases, but your posts had better be about more than what YOU'RE DOING and selling. Relationships are important in any type of sales.
Well, a writer gets to spew his or her feelings in a blog and that's what's come out today. Hopefully, something in this post resonates with you.
Best wishes in your writing endeavours and if you are able to build a great platform, share what you did in the comments.
Using Social Media
I admit, I still haven't defined what I want my social media to do for me. I know I want it for social interaction--being an introverted writer I like the connections.
I DO have my friends divided up into lists. When I post to Facebook, for instance, I decide who I want the audience to be for that specific post.
A temptation for many people on Facebook is to gather friends as a way of finding buyers for their products. I don't like that at all. I have had friend requests from those I know see me as a possible customer. I don't want to be one of those people I push my writing or copyediting services on.
Marketing in social media from my standpoint is always relational. If you're never going to visit my post and comment, why do I need you as a friend? I will read your posts and comment in most cases, but your posts had better be about more than what YOU'RE DOING and selling. Relationships are important in any type of sales.
Well, a writer gets to spew his or her feelings in a blog and that's what's come out today. Hopefully, something in this post resonates with you.
Best wishes in your writing endeavours and if you are able to build a great platform, share what you did in the comments.
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