Most people vote in elections for
the person who has made his/her name the most visible on social media, someone
with whom they identify.
Other than family and a pocketful
of indebted friends, very few vote for Mr. or Ms. Name Less. No Names are
usually the bottom lot, forgotten by the press when election results are
tallied and posted.
A Writer’s Platform works the
same as a politician’s platform. It relies on the same principles. The writer
has to establish a public persona, one that makes the writer’s name not only recognizable
but THE preferred choice of many.
When a person prepares to vote
(it does not matter – mayor, governor, president), the voter studies
(hopefully) the candidates. The person researches, gathers information, and observes
through the only means available for most of us – regular media (TV and
newspapers) and social media (media that allows for two-way communication). The candidates’ platforms - voting records,
their public statements, their integrity (or lack of) - are on display.
Candidates are eliminated and the voter chooses the person who best represents
his or her own interest.
Likewise with a writer’s platform
-
When a publisher, editor, or agent
decides who to contract as a writer, or when a reader reaches for a piece of
writing to read, they will most often choose someone with an established
presence, someone who has acquired an audience.
They will choose a writer whose platform they recognize and with whom
they identify. They will choose a person who they enjoy, someone with a
distinct voice, an ability to say something in a unique, new, and interesting
manner.
Like a politician, a writer must make him or
herself visible to the public. There are many different forms available. Research states that serious writers who are establishing
a platform should make themselves available on at least two social
media outlets, choosing the two that best fit their personality and
their product. The introverted writers have the option to choose two social media outlets that fit their personality
and the extroverted writers can choose two that fit theirs.
Remember, most overnight
successes take years to develop, so start now on establishing your writer’s
platform.
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