Intentional Information Insanity

 (In case you haven’t guessed, it’s “I” week for the A2Z meme.)

As a writer, I type my fingers to nubbins because I love doing it. But beyond pounding on a keyboard and blurping out greatness is the fact that it’s hard work.

The creative process can be exhausting. Editing and revisions never end. Plus I have to expend precious brain cells working on my platform. 

What’s that you ask?

Basically, it’s about branding and marketing. Kind of like what celebrities do, but as a poor writer, I have to do it myself instead of hiring a fancy agency to do it for me.

Perspective agents and publishers want to see that you’re a force to be reckoned with. They expect you to come with a platform built, your name and reputation as a writer established with an intact fan base.

In other words, a presence.

So long before the first copy hits a bookshelf or you sign on the dotted line, there is much to be done.

Platform-building must be:

I = Intentional

Creating and branding yourself takes deliberate effort: It’s not just going to happen. And it can be nearly as time-consuming as writing itself.

I=Information

Today’s technology and the Internet has made the process easier. The information highway is endless and there are plenty of tools to tap into. To name a few:

Networking with fellow writers

FaceBook

Blogging

Contests

Magazines, newsletters, and various other forms of publications

Twitter

Pinterest

Traditional media (newspapers, radio, etc.)

I=Insanity

Not much needs to be said here…see above.

Slowly I’m exploring several of these areas. It takes discipline and perseverance. Sometimes it’s tedious, but all the little steps will add up and pay big dividends. Just in the short time I’ve been experimenting, I’ve noticed an increase in my blog traffic.

Pinterest is a neat site where you create boards to pin favorite photos to. When people look at them, they get an idea of who you are and what you like.

Twitter is interesting. I’m still trying to get the hang of it and tried an experiment the other day.

I was watching the Honda Classic golf tournament when Tiger Woods made an amazing comeback that put him in contention. He didn’t pull off a victory, but just to see him a bit more confident was nice. So I tweeted him on a job well done.

Maybe he'll answer. After all, his platform could use a little help these days.


(For more info about platform-building, check out Patty's blog.)