What's Your Platform?

When I told a writer friend I was going to self-publish my first novel, the first thing she wanted to know was what my “platform” was. In other words, how was I planning to promote my book? In hindsight, I should have given this more serious thought before I built an author website; capitulated to (Twitter) in the faint hope thousands would see my thread; ran around sending my book out for reviews by critics and reviewers who would never see it, much less publish a review; and paid to send free copies to fake literary competitions that just resold my book for less than retail, absorbing any paltry profit I might have earned through my official retail sales.

Having now launched my second book, I now see the wisdom of what another writer friend advises: Writing is its own reward. The rest is just an exercise in futility.

Consider:

·        No major publisher will accept unsolicited manuscripts for consideration.

·        Literary agents are almost as bad. You are encouraged to focus your agent solicitation effort by making sure your book fits the genres they specialize in; polishing a synopsis until it gleams; and honing your elevator speech to not waste their time—the same things you would do if you were to approach a publisher directly, except the agent gets 15% for access on your behalf. Even if a publisher agrees to publish you, there is still the marketing hurdle for an unknown.

·        The Library of Congress has two distinct gateways and numbering systems: one for established publishers, and one for the rest of us. This means even if you self-publish your book and send it to LOC for CIP registration, any library acquisitioner, bookseller, or informed reader who checks your copyright page will instantly wonder how much time they want to invest in giving your book serious consideration.

·        Even LOC registration and the whole copyright page metadata tradition seem to be falling away. I recently found a novel lacking most of the standard copyright page information other than the publisher and copyright. Confused, I approached the librarian and asked how her branch came to acquire this novel, much less know where to shelve it. It seems libraries make use of aggregator services, such as Baker and Taylor, and Library Journal, who compile, categorize, and bundle titles for library acquisition. And how do you think aggregators come by their lists? Publishers, agents, and professional reviewers who, again, will never have heard of you.

My conclusion: If your name itself is not already famous, be satisfied by producing a well-written book you are proud of. Then get on with your life.