Build an Authors Platform by Becoming an Internet Radio Show Host

Build an Authors Platform In todays ever-changing age of publishing, acquisitions editors at many publishing houses evaluate authors’ worth based on how many fans they have, how much publicity they can acquire and what kind of network theyre tapped into. According to Dr. Deborah Siegel, a writing coach and co-founder of SheWrites.com, the editors definition of a writers platform is qualifiable proof that youre the person to write this book and quantifiable proof that you have the ability to promote it. In today’s digital age, promotion means online promotion, having a social media presence, followers and fans. Internet radio has become one of the fastest and most popular ways to distribute the story and message of your book even before it is published. Each week for my radio show, â€Å"Giving Voice to Your Story,† I interview expert bloggers, speakers and authors of notable influence on the issues of craft and writing the personal story. Most recently, Ive interviewed popular blogger, author and speaker Nina Amir, author of How to Blog a Book. Other lineups include: Linda Joy Myers, president of the National Association for Memoir Writing. Julia Cameron, creator of the well-known The Artist’s Way and The Right to Write appeared on my show on December 20th. When my mother passed away earlier this year, I shared lessons and writing techniques I developed while writing my memoir in progress, a story about what it was like growing up in the shadow of a famous classical pianist. Listeners called in and left comments on both my Blog Talk Radio and Facebook promotional pages. One listener even became a client! The most popular venue for Internet radio is Blog Talk Radio. Most radio stations use Blog Talk Radio as their infrastructure. As the most established venue, it offers an easy start up. One can open a very workable free account, but the best deal for a solo account is $99. Paying $249 gives the most promotion. The key to building a listenership is to work the Internet. Find your tribe. Find groups on LinkedIn and engage them At the end of the day, editors want to see quantifiable proof of the numbers of the people you can reach and how you can reach them. In the digital world of marketing and promotion, this is your â€Å"online footprint.† As you begin building your author platform, see how you can work from a deeper place of service rather than think about who you are and how you come across. Each time I broadcast, I ask myself what listeners and readers will gain from tuning in. Involve your listeners as much as possible and watch your listenership grow.