Platform Creation - 101

When I last blogged I talked a little about having a good critique group to help you become a better writer. Having a good group actually encouraged me to write more frequently and, because we were encouraged to bring up to 10 pages a week, I eventually eventually had enough for a 72,000 word book length manuscript.

My next step was to take the book through another workshop that focused on critiquing each others' books from end to end. It took twenty weeks of doing this to get entirely through Dirty Shirt, but was one of the best experiences of my writing journey. Great feedback on what flowed well and what didn't, plus a line-by-line edit of the entire book. I followed that up with having a woman friend of mine do a thourough read through with many edits as well.

But now I want to talk about promotion and marketing.

Once the book was accepted, I set to work right away on getting my Author page up and current. I already had a blog prior to getting published, so I just needed to get a separate Author site set up. I added my head shot, contact and bio information, and cover art. I included links to the publications I was published in as well as to the bookstore where my book could be purchased.

After a website, I determined that I needed business cards to give to point people to the website and that included the title of the book. It was a little strange having a business card with no book art on it (that came quite late in the process), but it was at least something they could take home with them and look up later.

Next I started my social media blasts. I created a Facebook author page as well as a Facebook book page. I know it seems like a lot, but the book site can be linked inside your regular posts and you can provide info on the book right there, so its a win-win.

The other thing I did, that I did not have before was create a Twitter account. I didn't really want to, but was encouraged to by my publisher. It turned out to be one of the better things I did. It is a great way to connect at a superficial level to a large number of followers who share the same interests.

There are a ton of other things I did during the process of promoting my book, but I'll save them for next time. If you're interested in seeing what some of my platform looks like, the links are all below.

I hope to see you in May!

Author Website: www.jimlandwehr.com

Blog: www.writerjimlandwehr.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorjimlandwehr

Twitter: @jimlandwehr61

New Release — ONCE A DROVER by Jerry Guin — Giveaway!

Sam Hall was ONCE A DROVER, but everything changed for him when he stood up for what was right. From small town saloons along the trail to the larger city of Fort Worth, Sam can’t stand by and watch when things start to go south—even if it means jail time for him.

When Sam meets beautiful Ellen Riggs, he thinks there might be a chance for a future with her. But Ellen disappears, and Sam returns to his aunt’s spread near Fort Worth, determined to stay on and help her. He puts away his fast gun for a more settled life, at last.

A chance meeting with the elusive Ellen Riggs makes Sam realize that she’s in trouble—a tight spot she can’t handle alone. When she goes missing, Sam knows her worst fears have been realized, and she’s in the hands of the cruel gambler she once married. Can Sam save her from the abusive John Riggs? Do Sam and Ellen have a chance at a future together? No matter what, it’s up to him to put on his gun once more and find her…

EXCERPT

     Ellen began to see, or perhaps pay attention, to some of the goings on in the gaming room. One night, John got into an argument with a disgruntled player who had lost a large bet. The man left in a huff.
     The next day, authorities searched the riverboat for a missing passenger, to no avail. The assumption was that the man had fallen overboard and had been swept away in the river. Ellen wondered if John had something to do with the disappearance, but kept quiet.
     One night, a week before they pulled into St. Louis, Ellen left the casino early, and was walking to her stateroom when she noticed two men struggling in a darkened side passageway. It was John Riggs and an unknown man. She stepped inside a doorway, out of sight, but she could still see what was going on.
     Suddenly, a hand raised a knife, the blade glinting in the moonlight. Ellen chilled when she heard a grunt, then watched as John rifled the downed man’s pockets, then rolled his still-twitching body over the side. She was going to leave, but was so awestruck she continued to watch as John stepped through a stateroom doorway, then re-emerged with some toweling. He wiped the deck of the blood from the man, then threw the towels overboard.

Be sure an leave a comment for a chance to win a free ebook of Once a Drover!

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