The Author's Guide to Building an Online Platform: Leveraging the Internet to Sell More Books

The world of publishing has changed in recent times and as authors if we are to succeed, we need to understand it and be adaptable in accepting these changes. Publishing is a very competitive field, so we need to take the bull by the horns, so to speak, and do all we can to find new and innovative techniques, which will assist us in promoting our work.

Stephanie Chandler, author of The Author's Guide to Building an Online Platform puts it in a nutshell: "Even if you have the biggest publisher on the planet behind you, it is unlikely that they will run your entire campaign for you. You will still be required to do the majority of the work."

In reading this book, I found out that what I thought would be the best way to promote a book, namely book signings, is actually not the best way at all. So what can authors do to promote their books successfully? As the title suggests, we need to build an ONLINE platform in order to leverage the Internet to sell more books. Interestingly enough, this platform should actually begin to be founded before we even begin writing.

To teach us how to do this, the author begins by telling us the truth about publishing. She then takes us through website strategies and discusses how to setup a Website and which tools can help enhance it. Learning to build our expert status is another aspect tackled, along with knowing how to take full advantage of marketing strategies and media opportunities.

At the end of each chapter there are author interviews to help give us that needed edge. Utilizing the extensive directory of resources will also further build our platform.

Chandler takes apart the publishing puzzle on piece at a time, breaking things down, organizing checklists, even showing how to start a newsletter. She gives the reasons why we need to follow the outlined steps closely to cover all bases.

Do you need to information on public speaking, as it is the best and most traditional way to build an audience for yourself? This book covers that piece of the promotional process in detail.

If you want to market your book, using video and audio tools (and you should), check out Chapter Four. Chapters Six and Seven are filled with a tremendous amount of online marketing strategies and opportunities, which are discussed at length.

One cannot forget to include Amazon.com as a part of their promotional strategy. Chapter Eight takes you step-by-step into the process of sorting out all the options it offers to authors, thus adding to your success.

The Author's Guide not only gives you a storehouse of ideas but it will get you started and walk you through the sometimes confusing world of publishing, so that you too can be a successful author.

Title: The Author's Guide to Building an Online Platform: Leveraging the Internet to Sell More Books
Author: Stephanie Chandler
Publisher: Quill Driver Books (2008)
ISBN-10: 1884956823
ISBN-13: 978-1884956829
My Rating - 4 out of 5