I wasn’t gonna share this article (except to my Facebook and Twitter page), but I loved what Kristina was saying so much I just had to share it here as well. If you’re still trying to decide on Self-Publishing or not this article should clear some things up for you. I am always talking to new Self-Publishers about the importance of platform so I found the following statement an important one to share:
The assumption that traditional publishers will do all of your marketing for you is one of the biggest myths when it comes to traditional publishing. The more a publisher pays for a book, the bigger the marketing budget. Unfortunately, unless you already have a big platform, it’s pretty unlikely you’ll get a fat cheque or a decent marketing budget. Publishers pay more for celebrity books—and market them heavily—because they already have an audience. They know the books will sell if they reach the right people. The lower the risk, the happier they are to invest.
I think it’s a good idea for Indie Authors (myself included) to seek to learn more about the publishing industry as a whole (to include Traditional Publishing even if we aren’t seeking that route) because it can help us to better understand the business of publishing, such as the importance of having a platform, and can possibly help us to better sell and market our books. For example, “Most agents and publishers—particularly the bigger ones—won’t even consider you unless you already have a social media following of a few thousand. This shows them that you already have a fan base that will buy the book, and there’s already a market out there for you and your book(s).” (source: https://www.writerscookbook.com/indie-publishing-vs-traditional-publishing/)
I think Self-Publishers can benefit from this same kind of information. We may not be seeking agents but we do still need readers and the bigger the platform, the better our chances of finding those readers. Just a thought.
The PBS Blog 
Thank you for sharing. Articles like this are interesting & helpful💫e
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Indeed.
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Reblogged this on When Angels Fly.
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Thanks for sharing 👍
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Welome!
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Good share.
Thanks
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You’re welcomed
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Very helpful information! I wish there was more information on how to build a following for authors
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There are some great blogs that provide resources on a wide range of things for authors. I can’t list them all here at the moment but I would recommend following Chris Blog: https://thestoryreadingapeblog.com/
Anne R Allen: http://annerallen.com/
Don: https://donmassenzio.wordpress.com/
Also be sure to check under my Writer Tips and Resources page.
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Ok, thanks so much!
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Welcome 🙂
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As an editor, it’s refreshing to read someone talking about harsh realities. Most writers make a dream out of publishing, envisioning fame and being able to never work their awful day job again.
That’s ultimately a very dangerous mindset when trying to enter the publishing fray. You have to let the simple joy of writing be your motivation. Otherwise, the constant rejections and setbacks will start to break you.
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Well said.
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I think that Indie authors and self-published authors need to just learn more about marketing in general, because at the end of the day our books are products just like any other product. The publishing industry can teach us a lot but not enough. There are too many differences between being self-published and traditionally published to focus just on that side of it.
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