As you can see, I haven't posted in a while, and for good reason. We're overhauling our WinePress blog and will be combining my You Can Do It blog with that one, making it more of a "WinePress Team" blog.  We've also been updating and revising my You Can Do It book, now named "Your Book In Print: How Custom Publishing Can Work for You."

But more than that, I'm making a point of keeping focused on the Lord's will for me right now, and that is working with new WinePress authors in determining the best strategy for their book project. That is taking so much of my time that keeping up on this blog has just simply not been possible.

There is much here to glean from the old posts, so please excuse my absence so that I can be attentive to our authors and their needs. And be sure to visit the WinePress blog for consistent updates and posts. See you there!

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.
 

I had the opportunity to interview Theola Kelly about her internet radio show, and would like to share her insights with you.

1. How have you used internet radio to expand/build your platform?

Absolutely. My vision is global, and without internet capabilities like that of my radio broadcast, my reach would be limited to my immediate surroundings.

2. Can you tell what kind of traffic to your website has it produced?

My host page is used for all of the ministry outreach banners, notes, shout outs, or ads that I want and therefore I have been able to credit the radio show for pointing many to my church website, my speaking website, and my business website.

3. Since your book is not yet in print, do you see this venue more as creating a presence and “expert” status on the internet?

Internet radio for me has created more than just a web presence used to promote my particular spin on women’s issues. It has been the foundation for which I credit all of the connections both personally and professionally that have allowed me to go beyond my four walls. Yes it adds the kind of credence that has probably moved me up a notch or two in the minds of some, but the connections I make are what make the difference for me.

4. What has been the most rewarding aspect of hosting your radio show?

Well, I guess I should have read this question before I answered number four. (smile)
But certainly to add to what I said before it is truly rewarding when out of no where I can be contacted from someone in a whole other country that wants to thank me for what they feel was a job well done on one of my shows. Also, being given special permission to host during certain hours that are normally reserved for more experienced hosts, but then having my listener base be considered and finally seal the deal for me has been awesome!
 

As a person who enjoys engaging in dialog, I think it’s awesome that others actually want to hear what I might have to say.

5. What has been the biggest challenge?

Technical difficulties always make me feel less than professional. I realize that most people understand that it is usually not my fault, but still.

Also, being a speaker who is used to a live audience, I am finding it challenging to be at complete ease with no immediate response or eye contact. I’m learning.

6. What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned by hosting a radio show?

People matter. Whether or not I am face to face with them, I must be mindful of my motive when I speak on any particular topic. I don’t agree with using radio, since I can’t be seen, as a platform to just say what I want to say without any regard for those who may hold a different opinion. I make no bones about my position mind you, but I try my best to see the biggest picture possible.

7. What pitfalls should authors considering this option avoid?

If I understand the question correctly, I would say, over doing it.

In my opinion it’s probably not a good idea to build an entire radio show around one or two books. Slamming listeners with just one message is boring and will probably hurt in the long run. I suggest having a radio show that promotes other authors and then as you gain a solid listener base, accept invitations to be the guest author on other shows that have listeners that will benefit from reading your book.

8. What kind of budget is needed to develop this type of platform?

When you host your show from an outside state, you will incur long distance charges as will your listeners who call in from an area code outside of your listener line calling area.

9. Anything else I should have asked but didn’t? :)

No, but just to add, those who are considering doing internet radio broadcasting can be certain that if they have relevant content for a target audience and can be dedicated to their listeners, their platform will see growth. Authors, ministries, entrepreneurs, etc. this method can be for everybody. There are several online radio opportunities, not just radio but online telecasts as well, that can all be used to expand your potential growth.

Theola Kelly is president of women’s ministry and a published poet. She has sold several of her works around the Seattle/Tacoma areas and is currently working on the publishing of her first book. Visit her at www.pugetsoundwow.com and listen to her radio show at  http://www.blogtalkradio.com/pswow.

Conference season has kept me from keeping things current on my blog. My apologies!

Jana Tether, one of our authors, is very active in building her online presence. Here are a few things she shared with me:

<<Yes, I enjoy Goodreads. It's an online network where people
who love books connect and share their opinions and thoughts on
books. Also those signed up as authors can write articles that
everyone else can read and review/rate. The people on this site
are very active which is a good thing...many seem to be very
passionate about books.

Right now I'm doing as much online networking as I can.
My book sales don't look that hot right now, but for me
it's about building a foundation. Getting the word out there.

The fact that the world is now connected through the
internet is such a plus for anyone who has anything to share and
this is incredibly exciting for me. I not only hear from people
in the USA (through my website & online networking) but people from
several other countries as well.

Here is a list of online networks that I'm a part of (there are more that
I'll be signing up with later):
www.shoutlife.com
www.myspace.com
www.jcpeople.com (Christian version of MySpace; a bit limiting in promoting
book but you can at least set up a page & network)
www.youtube.com (I have my book trailer on here -the one Jacob did an
awesome job on! , plus other videos on this one)
www.shelfari.com (somewhat similar to Goodreads)
www.godtube.com (Christian version of YouTube)
www.facebook.com (It's OK, not as freeing as MySpace where everyone
can see your page)
www.bookmarket.ning.com (where authors come together)

Also, on www.amazon.com authors can put a blog on their book page.
Plus you have a profile page where you can share some information about yourself.>>
 

I read an article recently in Publisher’s Weekly about authors hosting their own internet radio shows. The site that was promoted in the article was BlogTalkRadio.com.

“The company is based in New Jersey and has about 14 employees. Levy, who has a background in the telecommunications industry, says, “Anyone can host their own show. All you need is a phone.” Signing up for BTR is free. New members get a logon that provides access to their site’s “switchboard” technology, which allows each show to field up to six live phone calls and upload music or recordings. Hosts can offer weekly, monthly or occasional shows.”
Publishers Weekly, December 24, 2007, page 6

As I perused the site I saw just about everything you could imagine, some of it pretty vile. But I did find an author of ours already utilizing the technology. Rebecca Totilo had this to say:

“Yes, the Blogtalk radio show has been very instrumental in getting the word out regarding my book and teachings. I do recommend it to new authors. However, like everything, it takes work and lots of networking. I am spending about 1/2 hour a day managing the radio emails, then added to that MySpace, YouTube, GodTube, etc. So many now, it is a full time job just to keep things going. It seems to be really catching on, but you have to work to get people to tune in. There are lots of programs for doing interviews - so plenty of opportunity if someone would prefer to just do an interview on their book and not a talk radio show. I am just starting off - having only been on Blogtalk for a couple of weeks, so it is a growing process and many of the listeners listed on my profile have shows too, so it’s just networking. I added the link on my website and people can find it there and tune in. I like it better than Paltalk because you can upload prerecorded programs, interviews, etc. And do it at your convenience and not be bothered with having to sit down and "do it live". The best thing is it’s FREE!”

I interviewed another author and talk show host, Dave Baum. He uses a higher end internet radio option called TalkZone.com. Here’s what he had to say:

“As a longtime over-the-air talk show host, I have found Internet radio to be an
exciting new way to be heard on a national and worldwide basis. Knowing that I now have listeners around the globe is terrific, as it allows me to really delve into topics that affect everyone, everywhere. Another advantage of Internet radio over traditional radio: all of my past shows are available on TalkZone on-demand, for 24/7 listening. This allows people to hear my shows anytime, even months or years after the original broadcast.

There are many ways to do a radio show on the Internet -- everything from amateur podcasts, to freebie talk sites, to posting audio files on a personal website, and so on.
TalkZone is more professional. The sound of my shows, the look, and the marketing has all been top notch. Knowing my show is being presented in such a quality way has been rewarding to me, as this is my first venture into Internet radio. Also, the worldwide response I've been getting to my show has been very gratifying.

There are many amateur talk radio sites, vanity talk radio sites, blog radio sites, and mass consumer sites out there. Some of these have hundreds of talk show hosts, all competing for listeners.

I am afraid that if you host a show on a site like that, you will get lost. So I suggest you look for an Internet Talk Network that is professional and has high standards. This will help you stand out from the crowd and make a real impact with your show. Also, you will probably have more revenue opportunities at a well-run site, because the quality of the shows will attract advertising dollars.

If you want quality and support, then you should expect to pay something for it. It shouldn't cost you a fortune, though. Hosting a show on TalkZone is fairly affordable for the average person. But only you can decide if having a quality show is important to you, and whether you're willing to pay for it. If not, there are free sites out there you can use.”

Dave Baum is a media trainer with Extreme Marketing.

Check out his show on Talkzone.com

We’ll be looking into this more in the future and getting more feedback from those actually utilizing this technology.