The plans for Open Door Publications’ Third Annual Winter Writers’ Weekend are well under way. Since you have asked for it, the 2015 event will have even more information and speakers. We are offering two separate tracks: One for writers who have not yet published, or possibly even finished, their books; and a second track for authors who have already published and want to learn more about how to develop their Author Platform. The weekend will be Friday, Feb. 27 through Sunday, March 1, 2015.
Whether you have published your book yet or not, the most important thing you can create for yourself is an Author’s Platform. But exactly what is it? An Author’s Platform is all of the ideas, materials and plans that you need to promote your book. In fact, I would suggest you start promoting your book at least a year ahead of its release. This may sound extremely early – particularly for the writer who is still saying, “I wonder if I’ll ever finish this book?” or “I wonder if this book is really good enough to publish?”
The first thing you need to develop your author platform is the confidence that you will write a good book and that you will be able to sell.
An author platform is all about creating buzz – spreading the word about you and your awesome book. Much like any brand, creating awareness takes time – and now that you are an author, you are a brand. You can’t expect to sell hundreds of books your first week if no one has ever heard of you. It doesn’t matter how great your title is, how wonderful the content is: no one is going to buy your book until they hear about it.
And that is what the Winter Writers’ Weekend is all about. Helping you write a great book and then sell it. Here are some things you’ll learn about during the weekend.
- Your options for distributing your book through Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other sources.
- How to make sure you book is the best book it can be. Learn how an editor, a proofreader, a book coach, a graphic artist and marketing professionals can help you.
- How you can use Twitter to build a tribe of people who will want to buy your book and write great reviews about it.
- How to blog about your book’s subject – and why you should do it.
- Why guest blogging is so important.
- How to make a book trailer for YouTube.
- What you need on your book website.
Most important of all is the opportunity to meet both authors and professionals in the publishing world. Develop relationships and networks that help you grow as an author is what it is all about.