Whether you’re a writer, artist, or any creative professional, mastering the art of networking can open doors to collaborations, insights, and pathways that were previously out of reach.

This article will guide you through the top networking books that offer valuable techniques and insights tailored specifically for creatives like you.

How to apply ideas from the best networking books

To truly benefit from these networking books, you must move beyond reading to action.

Start by setting clear networking goals: What do you wish to achieve? Who are the key people in your field you need to connect with?

Incorporate one new strategy into your routine each week, whether it’s reaching out to a new contact, attending a networking event, or simply engaging more on professional social media platforms.

Keep a journal of your networking activities and outcomes to monitor your progress and refine your approach.

1 – Never Eat Alone – Keith Ferrazzi

This book emphasizes that networking should be a constant, ongoing process, not a means to an end. Ferrazzi introduces the idea of turning solitary meals into networking opportunities. To implement these ideas, consider joining groups or forums that meet regularly, where eating together fosters an informal atmosphere conducive to forming deeper connections.

2 – How to Win Friends and Influence People – Dale Carnegie

Carnegie’s timeless advice focuses on understanding and influencing people, a crucial skill in any creative field. By learning to listen actively and showing genuine interest in others’ projects, you can develop meaningful relationships that go beyond superficial connections. Start applying these principles at industry workshops and seminars where you can practice and refine your interpersonal skills.

3 – The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference – Malcolm Gladwell

Gladwell discusses how small actions can create significant change, a concept that can be particularly powerful in building a personal brand. Apply these insights by focusing on how you can use social media to effectively share and promote your work. Engaging consistently and authentically can help you reach a tipping point where your audience starts to grow organically.

4 – Networking for People Who Hate Networking – Devora Zack

Zack offers strategies tailored for introverts, who often find traditional networking challenging. She suggests choosing environments that naturally facilitate deeper conversation, such as small gatherings or online groups that focus on specific interests. Start by attending smaller, more intimate events where you can have one-on-one conversations, which can be more comfortable and rewarding for introverts.

5 – Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion – Robert B. Cialdini

Cialdini’s book delves into the psychology behind why people say “yes” and how to apply these understandings as a creative professional. You can use these principles to enhance your persuasive skills, crucial when pitching ideas or seeking project collaborations. Try implementing one of Cialdini’s principles, such as reciprocity or commitment, by offering something valuable to your network before asking for something in return.

6 – The Connector’s Way: A Story About Building Business One Relationship at a Time – Patrick Galvin

Galvin illustrates through storytelling the importance of building genuine, long-lasting relationships in business. For creatives, this means focusing on quality over quantity in your connections. Apply this by nurturing a small number of key relationships within your industry, regularly checking in and offering help or resources without expecting immediate returns.

7 – Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty – Harvey Mackay

Mackay advises that the best time to network is before you need anything, by establishing a broad and deep network. As a creative, start attending diverse industry events and participating in forums outside your immediate field to broaden your perspective and connections. This proactive approach ensures you have a robust support network when you need guidance or opportunities.

8 – Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success – Adam Grant

Grant explores how success in today’s world is increasingly dependent on how we interact with others. He categorizes people into givers, takers, and matchers, and shows that givers—those who provide support to others without immediate personal gain—often achieve the most success. Reflect on this by volunteering your skills in community projects or mentorship programs, thereby building a reputation as a generous collaborator.

9 – Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions – Guy Kawasaki

Kawasaki focuses on the power of personal charm in making changes and achieving goals. For creatives, enchantment can be about captivating your audience with your authenticity and passion. Apply Kawasaki’s techniques by enhancing your storytelling skills in your presentations or in the content you create, making sure they resonate on an emotional level with your audience.

10 – Superconnector: Stop Networking and Start Building Business Relationships that Matter – Scott Gerber & Ryan Paugh

Gerber and Paugh argue against traditional networking in favor of building meaningful relationships. They suggest using technology to manage your connections more intelligently. As a creative, use CRM tools to keep track of your contacts’ details, interests, and interactions, which can help personalize your communications and strengthen your relationships.

11 – The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters – Priya Parker

Parker offers a fresh approach to gathering that focuses on purposeful meetings. Creatives can apply these ideas by hosting or attending gatherings that are intentionally structured with clear objectives, such as feedback sessions, collaborative workshops, or thematic meetups that align with your creative goals.

12 – Making Connections: How to Network Effectively to Build Better Business Relationships – David Cotter

Cotter provides a step-by-step guide to effective networking, emphasizing strategic approaches to building and maintaining professional relationships. For creatives, this could involve setting specific networking goals for each event you attend, such as meeting potential collaborators or learning about new trends, and following up with new contacts within 24 hours to solidify the connection.

13 – Friend of a Friend: Understanding the Hidden Networks That Can Transform Your Life and Your Career – David Burkus

Burkus sheds light on the science of networks and explains how the existing relationships in our lives are instrumental in predicting our success. As a creative, leverage the friends of your friends by asking for introductions to individuals who could provide career guidance or collaborative opportunities. Begin by mapping out your network to identify potential connections that lie just one or two introductions away.

14 – The Networking Survival Guide: Get the Success You Want By Tapping Into the People You Know – Diane Darling

Darling offers practical advice for those who find networking intimidating. She breaks down the process into manageable steps. Creatives can apply this by starting with small, informal meetups rather than large-scale professional gatherings. This approach can help build confidence and gradually improve networking skills.

15 – Power Networking: 55 Secrets for Personal and Professional Success – Donna Fisher & Sandy Vilas

Fisher and Vilas provide concise, actionable tips that anyone can use to improve their networking skills. For creatives, this could mean focusing on developing a memorable personal brand or elevator pitch that communicates your unique skills and passions in a nutshell. Implement these tips at every opportunity to leave a lasting impression.

16 – Business Networking and Sex: Not What You Think – Ivan Misner, Hazel M. Walker, and Frank J. De Raffele Jr.

This book explores how gender affects networking strategies and outcomes. As a creative, understanding these dynamics can be crucial. Tailor your approach based on the audience and context to ensure effective communication and relationship building. For instance, emphasize collaboration over competition in mixed-gender networking situations to foster inclusivity.

17 – Networking Is Not Working: Stop Collecting Business Cards and Start Making Meaningful Connections – Derek Coburn

Coburn challenges conventional networking tactics and suggests a more strategic approach focused on deeper relationships rather than superficial contacts. Creatives should focus on fostering a few meaningful partnerships that provide mutual value over gathering a large number of loose connections. Prioritize quality over quantity by engaging more thoroughly with fewer people who align with your creative vision.

18 – The Introvert’s Edge to Networking: Work the Room. Leverage Social Media. Develop Powerful Connections – Matthew Pollard

Pollard offers tailored advice for introverts, who often struggle with traditional networking settings. As a creative introvert, use digital platforms to make initial contacts and then deepen those connections through one-on-one meetings in comfortable settings. Utilize social media and online forums to showcase your work and attract like-minded individuals.

19 – Click: Ten Truths for Building Extraordinary Relationships – George Fraser

Fraser emphasizes the emotional components of successful professional relationships, arguing that personal bonds can greatly enhance business opportunities. For creatives, this means investing time in getting to know your network personally. Share your passions and challenges and listen genuinely to theirs, which can lead to a stronger, more supportive network.

20 – Social Networking for Career Success – Miriam Salpeter

Salpeter highlights the importance of social media in modern networking, offering strategies to maximize online presence effectively. Creatives should focus on platforms where their work can shine, like Instagram for artists or Medium for writers. Use these platforms to not only display your work but also to engage directly with peers and potential mentors or collaborators.

21 – Little Black Book of Connections: 6.5 Assets for Networking Your Way to Rich Relationships – Jeffrey Gitomer

Gitomer presents networking as a vital asset to career success, emphasizing actionable advice to create and maintain valuable connections. For a creative, implementing Gitomer’s strategies might involve always being prepared with a well-crafted story about your projects or aspirations that you can share in any casual conversation, turning everyday encounters into networking opportunities.

22 – Mastering Online Meetings: 52 Tips to Engage Virtually and Build Influence – Michael Wilkinson

Wilkinson provides essential tips for navigating the increasingly common online meetings and virtual workspaces. Creatives should focus on mastering digital communication tools and techniques to present their ideas compellingly and professionally in virtual settings. Implement tips like maintaining eye contact through the camera and using engaging visuals to make your points more impactful.

23 – The 20-Minute Networking Meeting – Executive Edition: Learn to Network. Get a Job. – Nathan A. Perez and Marcia Ballinger

Perez and Ballinger boil down the essence of effective networking into concise, manageable meetings. Creatives can apply this streamlined approach by planning focused, time-efficient meetings with potential contacts, ensuring that both parties understand the purpose and desired outcome of the interaction, maximizing both relevance and respect for each other’s time.

24 – Connect: Building Exceptional Relationships with Family, Friends, and Colleagues – David L. Bradford and Carole Robin

Bradford and Robin, drawing from their experience at Stanford’s famed Interpersonal Dynamics course, offer insights into creating meaningful and lasting connections. Creatives should apply these principles by fostering transparency and vulnerability in professional relationships, which can lead to deeper connections and more collaborative opportunities.

25 – Networking for Dummies – Donna Fisher

This accessible guide demystifies networking for those who may feel overwhelmed by the concept. Creatives can take advantage of Fisher’s straightforward advice by starting with basic networking tasks and gradually advancing to more complex strategies, ensuring a solid foundation of networking skills that can grow and evolve.

26 – Networking Like a Pro: Turning Contacts into Connections – Ivan Misner, Brian Hilliard

Misner and Hilliard provide a step-by-step guide to transforming casual contacts into solid professional connections. For creatives, this involves regular follow-ups, sharing useful information or opportunities, and consistently showing genuine interest in the growth and success of their contacts.

Are you ready to take action on ideas from the best books about networking?

The books featured in this guide offer a comprehensive look at networking from various angles, each providing unique strategies tailored to enhancing your professional connections.

As a creative, choosing to actively engage with these methods can significantly boost your career.

Start with one strategy, one book, and one connection. Evaluate what works best for your personal style and professional needs, and let these newfound connections propel you toward greater success.

Embrace networking as a continuous personal investment, and watch as it opens doors to unexpected and enriching opportunities.

While this may sound like a fairy tale, it’s a testament to the power of networking in the writing world. 

In an industry where who you know can be just as important as what you write, mastering networking skills is no longer optional—it’s essential. 

This article will guide you through 17 crucial networking skills that can elevate your writing career to new heights.

What are networking skills?

Networking skills are the abilities that allow writers to build and maintain professional relationships effectively. 

These skills encompass a range of social, communication, and strategic competencies that enable you to connect with peers, mentors, industry professionals, and potential clients or employers. 

For writers, whether freelance or aspiring novelists, these skills are crucial because they open doors to opportunities, provide support and resources, and help establish your presence in the literary community.

17 powerful networking skills to learn

Read on to discover 17 of the most important skills for effective networking as well as some advice for getting better at them.

1. Active listening

Active listening involves fully concentrating on, understanding, and responding thoughtfully to what others are saying. 

It’s about hearing not just the words, but also understanding the complete message being communicated through tone, body language, and context.

As a writer, active listening allows you to truly understand the needs of potential clients, grasp the nuances of industry trends discussed by peers, and pick up on subtle cues that can inform your writing and professional relationships. 

By demonstrating that you value others’ input, you make a lasting positive impression, which is crucial in expanding your network and creating opportunities.

How to improve your active listening skills

Practice giving your full attention in conversations. 

Avoid interrupting and use non-verbal cues like nodding to show engagement. 

After the speaker finishes, paraphrase what you’ve heard to ensure understanding.

2. Clear communication

Clear communication is the ability to convey your thoughts, ideas, and intentions effectively, both verbally and in writing.

As a writer, your ability to communicate clearly sets you apart.

It helps you articulate your value proposition, discuss project details with clients, and share your ideas with peers.

Clear communication prevents misunderstandings and showcases your professional expertise.

How to improve your clear communication skills

Practice explaining complex ideas simply. Seek feedback on your communication style and actively work on areas of improvement. Remember, clear writing often translates to clear speaking.

3. Elevator pitch mastery

An elevator pitch is a concise, compelling introduction of yourself and your work, deliverable in the time it takes to ride an elevator.

You never know when you’ll meet a potential client or valuable contact. A well-crafted elevator pitch allows you to make a strong first impression and clearly communicate your unique value as a writer.

How to improve your elevator pitch

Craft a 30-second pitch about who you are and what you do.

Practice it regularly and refine it based on the reactions you receive.

4. Social media savvy

Social media savvy involves effectively using various platforms to build your brand, engage with your audience, and connect with industry professionals.

In today’s digital age, much networking happens online.

Being social media savvy helps you expand your reach, stay updated on industry trends, and connect with potential clients or collaborators.

How to improve your social media savvy 

Choose platforms that align with your goals.

Consistently share valuable content and engage meaningfully with others in your field.

5. Empathy

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others.

As a writer, empathy helps you connect more deeply with your network.

It allows you to understand others’ perspectives, which can lead to better collaborations and more meaningful professional relationships.

How to improve your empathy skills

Practice putting yourself in others’ shoes. Listen to understand, not just to respond. Reflect on how your words and actions might affect others.

6. Follow-up discipline

Follow-up discipline is the consistent practice of maintaining contact after initial meetings or conversations.

Following up helps you stay on people’s radar and shows your professionalism.

It can turn a casual encounter into a valuable long-term connection.

How to improve your follow-up discipline

Set reminders to follow up after meetings.

Send personalized messages referencing specific points from your conversation.

7. Adaptability

Adaptability is the ability to adjust your approach and communication style to suit different people and situations.

The writing world is diverse.

Being adaptable helps you connect effectively with various personalities and navigate different professional settings.

How to improve your adaptability 

Expose yourself to diverse networking situations.

Reflect on what works best in different contexts and be willing to adjust your approach.

8. Genuine interest in others

This skill involves showing authentic curiosity about others’ work, experiences, and perspectives.

Showing genuine interest helps you build deeper connections.

It can lead to unexpected collaborations and makes you more memorable to others.

How to improve your ability to show genuine interest

Ask thoughtful questions about others’ work and experiences.

Practice active listening and follow up on details they share.

9. Confidence

Confidence is the self-assurance in your abilities and value as a writer.

Confidence makes you more approachable and memorable.

It helps you articulate your ideas clearly and pursue opportunities that can advance your career.

How to improve your confidence

Prepare well for networking events. Remind yourself of your accomplishments and unique strengths.

Practice positive self-talk.

10. Value proposition awareness

This is the ability to clearly articulate what unique value you bring as a writer.

Understanding and communicating your value helps potential clients or collaborators see why they should work with you specifically.

How to improve your value proposition awareness

Identify your unique strengths and experiences.

Craft clear statements about how these translate into value for others.

11. Relationship building

Relationship building is the ongoing process of nurturing professional connections over time.

Strong, long-term relationships can lead to repeat work, referrals, and a supportive professional community.

How to improve your relationship building ability 

Regularly reach out to your contacts, not just when you need something.

Share valuable information or opportunities with them.

12. Event navigation

Event navigation is the ability to comfortably and effectively network at professional gatherings.

Writing conferences, book launches, and industry events are great opportunities to expand your network and learn about new opportunities.

How to improve your ability to navigate events

Set goals for each event you attend.

Practice approaching new people and joining ongoing conversations politely.

13. Professional appearance

Professional appearance involves presenting yourself in a manner appropriate to your industry and the specific networking context.

Your appearance can affect people’s first impressions and their perception of your professionalism.

How to improve your professional appearance 

Research dress codes for different types of writing events.

Ensure your appearance aligns with your personal brand as a writer.

14. Time management

Time management in networking involves balancing relationship-building activities with your writing work.

Effective time management ensures you can maintain a strong network without sacrificing your writing productivity.

How to improve your time management

Schedule regular time for networking activities. Use productivity tools to track and optimize your networking efforts.

15. Reciprocity

Reciprocity is the practice of mutual exchange of help, information, or support within your network.

Giving back to your network strengthens relationships and often leads to more opportunities coming your way.

How to improve your ability to show reciprocity 

Look for ways to help others in your network.

Share useful resources or make introductions that could benefit your contacts.

16. Digital networking proficiency

This skill involves effectively using online platforms and tools for networking purposes.

In an increasingly digital world, much networking happens online.

Proficiency in digital networking expands your reach beyond geographical limitations.

How to improve your digital networking abilities

Familiarize yourself with popular networking platforms in the writing industry.

Participate in online writing communities and virtual events.

17. Persistence

Persistence is the ability to continue networking efforts despite setbacks or slow progress.

Building a strong network takes time.

Persistence ensures you don’t give up before you see the benefits of your efforts.

How to improve your persistence

Set realistic networking goals.

Celebrate small wins and learn from unsuccessful attempts.

Remember that every interaction is a learning opportunity.

Are you ready to put these networking skills into practice?

Now that you’re armed with these essential skills, it’s time to put them into action. 

Start by identifying one or two skills you’d like to improve and create a plan to practice them. 

Whether it’s crafting your elevator pitch or improving your digital networking proficiency, every step forward is a step towards a more connected and successful writing career. 

Your next great opportunity could be just one conversation away!

I nearly died of excitement. Not only did it mean 60,000 people were willing to take a chance on my book, but it meant exposure, sales and several other big wins for a tiny little author like me.

How’d I do it? It took blood, sweat, tears and a little luck.

A look into my book marketing strategy

To understand my marketing strategy, we have to rewind about a year.

Around March 2022, I decided to make the first book in my series, Fire in Frost, permafree.

Permafree is a term that simply means the book is always free or “permanently free.”

Though I don’t make any money on downloads of this book, the idea is to capture readers’ attention so they’ll hopefully buy the next books in my series. When I made this decision, I had already self-published the first and second books, and the third was almost ready.

Fast-forward to December 2022. I submitted my free book to BookBub for consideration — for the tenth time. You can only apply once per month, and I was determined to keep trying.

I couldn’t believe it when I got the email saying they’d accepted my book for a feature and were planning to run my ad on January 4, 2023.

What is BookBub? And how does BookBub work?

If you’re not familiar with BookBub, it’s the holy grail of book marketing for fiction authors.

BookBub is what made all the difference in this promotion. If you hang out with other writers long enough, you’ll discover that BookBub is THE place to advertise your books if you can.

But you can read tons of BookBub reviews on the web, and I’d rather go a step further and help you use the tool.

So here’s how BookBub works. The company sends out newsletters to thousands of readers each day. You pay to get your book featured in their newsletters. The price varies depending on the price point of your book and which newsletter you want to be featured in.

They’re willing to consider permanently free books, but in general, they’re looking for book deals that are deeply discounted.

BookBub for authors: How to get a BookBub feature

While BookBub is incredibly effective for authors, it is extremely hard to get your book accepted.

I tried 10 times with my free book before finally getting accepted. I recently had another author friend say she tried 18 times before getting accepted.

With that in mind, there are a couple of things you can do to increase your odds that BookBub will feature your book.

Here are my suggestions for getting your book featured in BookBub:

1. Make it the best deal you can.

BookBub wants to give their readers the best deals, so try to offer your book free (if it’s the first in the series) or for $0.99. They usually won’t feature anything above $2.99, and they’re unlikely to feature your book at that price point if it’s always priced there.

2. Try with the first book in a series.

BookBub seems to like first in the series because (as I understand it) they will make money off affiliate sales of your other books if their readers buy the rest of the series.

3. Make your book available on all platforms and in all territories.

BookBub wants deals that appeal to all their readers. Although they sometimes feature books that are exclusive to Amazon, you typically have a better chance if your book is available on all platforms (Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and Google Play) and if the deal is available in all territories (US, UK, Australia, India, and Canada).

4. Have an amazing cover.

Believe it or not, readers really do judge books by their covers, and so do the people over at BookBub. If you have a cover that’s not eye-catching, it’s worth considering a redesign, not just for BookBub but because it will help in all your book promotions.

5. Finish your series.

BookBub finally accepted my deal once the entire series was available for sale on all platforms. This isn’t a guarantee that they’ll accept your book, but it helps because readers don’t want to wait around for the next one. Offering a complete series makes your deal more appealing.

6. Gather reviews.

BookBub doesn’t require a minimum amount of reviews, but more reviews give the impression that your book is more popular. It also gives BookBub’s editors an idea of how readers will respond to your book. You can gather reviews by including a call to action at the end of your book, giving away free copies, or encouraging reviews from people who’ve already read the book.

7. Talk up your book.

BookBub features a comment section when you submit your deal. Use it to talk up your book. Mention if it’s won any awards or what editorial reviewers or big-name authors have said about it. I mentioned that my series had over 200 5-star reviews on Goodreads (at the time), and I think that helped me land a feature on BookBub.

8. Be flexible.

BookBub is in such high demand that if you need a certain date, it might already be full.

Instead, consider planning your promotion around them. They’ll ask you if your date is flexible or not. Be open to anything, and it will increase your chances of getting a feature.

9. Keep submitting.

Submit as often as you can (once a month), and don’t give up!

How to leverage a BookBub ad

After paying for the ad (see cost details below), I knew I needed to devise a game plan.

I wanted to make the most out of this feature. I applied to multiple other ad sites and newsletter services and got accepted to most of them. I planned to run ads that whole week to boost my Amazon rankings.

Most of the ads ended up running on Monday or Tuesday, and the BookBub feature ran on Wednesday. Here’s how my investment broke down:

• BookBub: $115*
• EBook Soda: $15
• Book Goodies: $17.50
• The Fussy Librarian: $5
• Reading Deals: Free
• ReadFree.ly: Free
• EReader News Today: $35
• Many Books: $25

*BookBub ad prices vary depending on your category and price point. I ran my ad for a free book in the Teen & Young Adult category.

I also increased my Amazon ad spending to $10 per day and ended up spending $39.68 during the week of the promo. Plus, I ran Facebook ads for $10 per day and spent $43.69 during the week of the promo. For other free promos, some friends agreed to share the book in their newsletters, and I also shared the freebie with mine.

My goal was to reach as many people as possible with my book promotion. When all was said and done, I spent $295.87 to promote my freebie.

The result? These promos catapulted my free book from around #2,000 in the free Amazon Kindle store to #7 in the entire store. I hit #1 of all free teen books on Kindle.

Here’s what that looked like (see #7):

That high Amazon ranking further increased my exposure and kept the series selling well the entire month, and for months afterward.

Overall in January, I had 33,485 downloads on the Amazon U.S. site, 8,491 downloads on Amazon’s international sites, and 18,325 downloads between Apple, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo.

What did I get out of my BookBub promotion?

Here’s how I benefited from this book promotion:

I made a profit off my books

You might be wondering why I would do all this just for a free book. After all, I’m not making any money off it, right?

Well, that’d be the case if I only had the one book. By reaching readers with the first book, sales of the second, third, and fourth books also spiked.

By the end of the promo week, I’d already made my money back and more from sales of my other books.

I got lots of positive reviews

After running the promo, my reviews spiked. I’ve received well over 50 more reviews on book one on Amazon, and I’ve now exceeded over 1,000 reviews of the series on Goodreads. All this translates into even more exposure.

I achieved bestseller status on Amazon

Toward the end of the month, I decided to run a quick $0.99 sale on books two, three, and four.

Since the sales boost from this promo had already increased my ranking, this extra sale helped push my books to #1 in their Amazon categories. I also made the top 100 author list for teens.

Granted, it’s no New York Times bestseller, and I won’t be bragging about being an Amazon bestseller on my book covers or anything, but it was a personal goal of mine that I was happy to hit.

Whether you want to put more books into the hands of readers or offer writing services, great testimonials can be a positive influence on your goals. 

While you’ve likely heard of endorsements, and maybe even have some, testimonials are a bit different.

In this article, we’ll talk about the different facets of testimonials for writers. If you’re ready for a career boost, read on!

What Are Testimonials for Writers?

Testimonials for writers are a third-party review of you and your work. While they’re often shared through a written statement, testimonials can take various forms such as:

• Short video statements 
• Quotes posted on website
• Social media posts 
• Interviews

How Testimonials Help Writers

Whether you ask clients to write up a brief endorsement, share about their experience on social media, or engage in an interview, testimonials are foundational for building credibility. 

If testimonials for writers are such a crucial factor, how do they actually contribute to your ongoing success? There are many ways testimonials help, but below are the top three reasons you should start collecting them today.

Personalize Your Audience

Consider the following situation: You launched your book a year ago and have some traction. You wish you had more reviews, but you’re happy with your growing platform and newfound traffic to your author website. 

What if when potential readers come to your site, testimonials greeted them on your home page? As soon as your site loads, they see real readers who love your book and want to share how much they enjoyed it. In this way, testimonials personalize your audience.

Create Authentic Hype

With so many marketing resources today, almost anyone can create a good deal of buzz around their product or service. However, testimonials for writers take this buzz to an authentic level. Yes, people have used the word authentic so much that it’s a buzz word all on it’s own, but this is because individuals appreciate authentic reviews. 

The more testimonials you have from readers with names and lives, the more authentic your hype will be. What usually makes you want to purchase a new book more: The author tweeting how awesome their book is, or a reader telling you they couldn’t put it down?

Provide Resources

Particularly if you offer paid services such as editing or marketing, potential clients want to know you’ve been vetted and are worth the price point. Testimonials, for writers in particular, are a helpful way to provide the credibility future clients need.

If individuals can see a list of clients you’ve helped, look them up, and perhaps even reach out to them for a referral, they will feel much safer hiring you.

How To Get Testimonials

If testimonials for writers are this important, the next question to answer is how to get them. Your first testimonials will likely be the most difficult, but don’t worry. With a few well-crafted sentences you’ll be well on your way. 

Offer the possibility to current clients 

Many clients are focused on their project and getting it done well. Leaving testimonials for writers is simply not top of mind. When I’ve asked for testimonials, I’ve found offering the possibility to a client is all they need to write a review. Most clients are happy to help but don’t realize how much power their few sentences wield. 

Ask for testimonials from previous clients 

If you have worked for clients in the past but didn’t realize the value in testimonials for writers, a simple email can help you. Write up a brief template thanking the client for working with you. Ask them to write a sentence or two of review if they enjoyed the collaboration and are comfortable. 

Write a draft to send to clients 

If you work with bigger name clients who may not have time to craft their own testimonial, you can treat testimonials similarly to blurbs. Write a sentence or two describing how you imagine the client felt about their experience working with you. 

Then follow a few steps: Email them asking for a testimonial. Include that you wrote an outline to make it easier for them. Allow them to edit as they see fit.

Tip: You can legitimize testimonials by including first and last names if possible, or first name and last initial. Asking for clients to include where they work or what they are known for is also a helpful way to add detail that builds rapport. 

Examples from Real Writer Websites

What about writers who have done this well? Let’s start with the bestselling author of Atomic Habits, James Clear. When you visit the book page on his website you immediately see a sentence or two of testimonials from other professionals.

Clear highlights Mark Manson’s testimonial, another bestselling author. He also includes one from Arianna Huffington, Founder of Huffington Post and Thrive Global. 

Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic has inspired creatives in innumerable ways. Despite the massive success of her book, she too includes a testimonial on her book page. 

If you’re not a bestselling author yet or offer services, testimonials are still tremendously helpful in your success. The freelancer behind Hear Ye Writing includes numerous testimonials on her website.  

Testimonials For Writers: Parting Tips 

While there is no right or wrong way to include testimonials, there are a few steps you can take to help them stand out. Testimonials that include the following will help legitimate both your testimonials and your product or service: 

• First and last name of client
• The client’s credibility 
• Where they work 

Consider the following testimonial examples: 

Example one: “I loved working with Jane Smith. Her turnaround time was impeccable and her quality was just what I was looking for.” 

Example two: “I loved working with Jane. Her turnaround time was impeccable and her quality was just what I was looking for.” —John Smith, CEO of Fake Business Name and author of Book Title

Do you see how adding these three small factors levels up the testimonial? Always be sure to ask clients if they are comfortable for you to include their name and credentials prior to posting. 

Additionally, if you write a template testimonial for past clients, receive the okay before publishing it live on your website. 

For Those Starting From Scratch 

If you’re just getting started and haven’t worked with clients before, there is still a place for you. Testimonials for writers can apply to unpaid coaching services, feedback, beta reading, and more. When posting these type of testimonials, be clear about what you offered. 

For instance, if someone from your writing community asks you to beta read their book, consider asking for a testimonial. Use the template below to inspire your request: 

“I’m a new writer and asked [your name] to beta read my book. He was more than happy to provide great feedback. I’m thankful for his insight on my manuscript!”  

It can feel intimidating to start out, but take your first step boldly. The first request is usually the most difficult. It only gets easier! 

No matter what type of writing you are doing, learning how to use storytelling to your advantage can help your work stand out and draw in readers.

If you don’t know how to use storytelling in writing, thankfully there are some tips you can use to bring your writing to life, even if you are not doing creative writing.

Throughout this article we will break down the fundamentals of storytelling, why all writers should learn the essentials, and then dive into some tactical things you can use in your writing.

What Is Storytelling?

Storytelling is the art of using a story to convey a message and to draw readers in and give them a reason to be emotionally involved in your writing.

Storytelling is the social and cultural activity of sharing stories, sometimes with improvisation, theatrics or embellishment. Every culture has its own stories or narratives, which are shared as a means of entertainment, education, cultural preservation or instilling moral values.

From Wikipedia

Once you know the core elements of storytelling, you can start to use those tactics in everything you write to make it more engaging and interesting.

Most of us think of fiction writing when it comes to storytelling, but you can use it in almost any kind of writing. Even if you do not write fiction, it can be good to practice storytelling as a way to draw more attention to your writing and level up as a writer in general.

Why Is Storytelling Important?

For the most part, humans remember and become more attached to stories than almost anything else. There is a reason we love reading books, watching movies, and telling stories at social gatherings. It is because we love that stories do to us.

For example, we can hear statistics and data about events in the world, but we connect to it and remember things more when storytelling is involved. It is why you can remember stories you heard and can repeat them better than you can recall facts you learned in school.

When we talk to people in our lives, we share stories and it is how we relate to each other.

If you want to be a writer, no matter what writing niche you pick, knowing how to use storytelling to your advantage can help grow your career in ways you never planned.

Why Storytelling Matters In Blogging

If you want your blog to stand out and start to hook readers, you will need to use elements of storytelling to grab attention.

It is one of the best ways to build a following and create content that people want to share. Not enough blogs utilize storytelling in their posts, so it is a great tool to use to stand out between so many competitors.

Including a story is also a way for your reader to really understand and visualize what you are trying to say and understand your message in a way that they would not otherwise.

Benefits of Using Storytelling

Storytelling is a great way to grab people’s attention and keep it hooked.

There is something uniquely human about the love of stories and our desire to always keep them in our lives, even if it is

You will often find that you can increase engagement as well when you use stories. People love to comment and engage on particular stories.

Think about the creator behind Humans Of New York who simply walked around New York (and eventually then multiple places in the world) where he would ask people to share their stories. It captivated people around the world and garnered a lot of attention.

Storytelling gives people a reason to share content, too, as it is more interesting than a blog that is just about a particular topic.

How to Use Storytelling In Writing

Now that we have covered the basics of why storytelling matters and what it is, now is the time to dive into the tactical things you can use to start bringing more stories into your writing.

Determine your main story

In almost any story, there is a beginning, a middle, and an end. If you want to use storytelling in your writing, you need at least those three main points of your story outlined so you know what to include.

That makes it incredibly simplified, but it is the best place to start if you are new to telling stories.

Give people a reason to care

First, you will need to think about who you are telling the story, the purpose of the story in the first place, and how those two go together.

Sure, you can write a story for the sake of sharing a story, but often you will have a particular reason to share a certain story and a certain person you want to read it.

This is especially true if you are blogging or doing any kind of writing for marketing or branding purposes.

It might seem tedious to spend the amount of time thinking about the reader and what they need out of your writing, but it will be worth it.

Keep some of these storytelling basics in mind

There are some things you will and will not want to include in your writing.

For example, take out cold, boring language. This is particularly common with businesses that use storytelling, where they rely on a ton of jargon and business-speak and avoid getting into the flow of telling a story.

You will also want to highlight sensations and the senses when it comes to writing a story, since that is what makes them so visual. You will want to talk about how things smell, taste, look, feel, sound, and so on. It can draw them in and help them put themselves in a position to feel the story.

Write the story as if you were telling it to someone you were with. That is a great way to write a story in a natural way.

Continue practicing

One of the main things you need to keep in mind if you want to use storytelling in writing is you will need to practice over and over in order to be an effective storyteller.

If you dream of working as an audiobook narrator you’ve come to the right place. In this article we’ll cover the equipment you need to do the job and review five key skills to develop as you begin your journey. Lastly, you’ll find options for finding your first audiobook narrator job. Let’s get going! 

Equipment Needed

When deciding to become an audiobook narrator it’s crucial to determine if you want to work as a freelancer or for an audiobook publisher. If you work for a publisher, they should provide much of the equipment necessary. All you need to be responsible for is being prepared to narrate. 

If you decide to work as a narrator as an independent contractor, then creating an industry standard recording room is crucial to ensure quality. Here are a few of the basics:

• Microphone and laptop
• Sound booth and workstation
• Stand for the device or pages from which you will be reading

When creating your sound booth make sure that outside noise such as traffic cannot be heard in your recordings. For more in-depth information, read the article, how to record an audiobook on your specific budget. 

Audiobook Narrator: 5 Skills Needed

Now that you know some of the equipment you will need, it’s time to discuss the soft skills that help set you apart from other audiobook narrators. 

Public Speaking

Public speaking is often viewed as a “public” career—after all, it is in the name. However, public speaking is an immeasurably helpful training ground for the private career of audiobook narration. 

The more opportunity you have to speak in public, the better you will be able to articulate your words under pressure. 

Voice, Tone, Inflection

Just as the speaking voice, chosen tone, and the various inflections you choose impact how others perceive you in conversation, the same is true for audiobook narration. 

Imagine reading a thriller in a happy, comedic tone. Your voice would not reflect the content you are reading. Mastering these three aspects is crucial to lasting success as an audiobook narrator. 

Acting Classes 

With the idea of inflection in mind, think back to the last time you heard someone read aloud. Did they impersonate the characters they read with their tone? If they were reading a narrative, did they speak softly in appropriate parts and raise their voice in others? 

As much as acting is about gestures and facial expression, much of the subtext in our favorite movies comes from tone. Consider the following dialogue: 

“I would love to take you on a date tomorrow evening.”
“Would you?”
“Well yes, of course.” 

These three lines could be read as a joke, sarcasm, or genuine. Audiobook narration is acting without facial expression. 

Self-Awareness

I took a speech class in college and the feedback I received most was to slow down my speeches. I talked too fast and although people enjoyed my content, they struggled to understand me because of my pacing. 

Self-awareness is a valuable asset, particularly for audiobook narrators. If you are aware you are speaking too fast, too slow, or not adding enough inflection then you can make the necessary changes. 

Research Skills 

Have you ever been reading and stumbled across an unfamiliar word? This is an audiobook narrator’s nightmare. Honing your research skills can help you proactively avoid these issues. When choosing to become an audiobook narrator, invest in educating yourself on a myriad of topics, particularly concerning the genre you would like to record. 

Even if you plan to be an audiobook narrator for sports memoirs, familiarizing yourself with a variety of topics will help your recording process run smoothly. You never know what illustrations or examples a writer may use!

Platforms to Find Narration Jobs

Now comes the fun part—finding your first audiobook narrator job. There are many ways to land your first job, paid or unpaid, and every session you book helps equip you for your future as well.

Reading for Children

Volunteering to read at a school, local library, or even if you babysit young children, all act as a platform to find jobs. Libraries can be a particularly helpful place to practice reading due to the type of people who come in: 

• Aspiring writers
• Published authors
• Readers

You never know who you may meet and network with.

Reading for the Visually Impaired 

Reading for the visually impaired or blind is a great way to help your community while at the same time gaining invaluable practice for your dream job. When reading for those visually impaired, how you use your inflection and tone will dramatically influence how they experience the story. 

Search for Online Writing Groups 

For your first paid job, you may want to start by researching online writing communities. Facebook, Twitter, and Medium are a few places to start your search. If you have your own recording equipment, you can offer your services to these writing groups. 

Offer Your Services to a Self-Publishing Company

If you hope to bring in more steady work as an audiobook narrator, you might want to consider reaching out to self-publishing companies and querying your services to them. When querying, be sure you have an updated website for future clients to contact you, or at the very least, a Facebook page describing your services. 

Take Advantage of Online Job Sites

Open to your favorite job site and type in the keyword audiobook or audiobook narrator. Sometimes landing your first job is all it takes to start you on the path to booking yourself on a regular basis. If a job site helps you in this journey, all the better! 

Next Step: Spend More Time on Your Phone (really!)

Now that you have concrete steps to improve your speaking voice and you know places to look for jobs, it’s time to practice. 

If you have a smartphone, open your recording app and begin reading one of your favorite stories. After you read for several minutes (enough time to get comfortable), play your audio and review it. 

Take notes on what you did well and areas you could improve. Create your own constructive criticism by asking the following questions: 

• Was my voice monotonous or did I use inflection? 
• What speed did I speak? Too fast, too slow, or just right?
• Did I stumble over anything? 

During your practice sessions, don’t worry if you hear background noise. The purpose is to pay attention to your strengths and weaknesses. The more you listen to your audiobook narration practice sessions, the more self-awareness you instill. 

It may feel like a waste of time to read into your phone (or whatever recording device you have), but even just a few minutes of practice in a stress-free environment can draw your attention to nuances you may have otherwise missed. 

The key is consistency over time. Rather than cram three hours of reading in over the weekend, try to practice for five or ten minutes a day. Track your progress, and let us know when you book your first audiobook narrator job!

One of the best ways to learn how to do it is to first read the best books on public speaking, then go and practice to get feedback. 

Despite what some may think and what some people do, public speaking is much more than getting up on a stage and reading from a bit of paper without making any mistakes. It is more than just a performance and a presentation, communicating effectively requires engaging the audience enough to earn their eyes, ears, and if you’re really good, their hearts.

Whether you’re giving a maid-of-honor speech at a wedding, or a personal pitch in a job interview, public speaking skills are valuable for people from all walks of life, whether introverted, extroverted, talkative or shy. Public speaking (and overall communication) is an essential skill for modern-day business. 

Fortunately, there are plenty of great resources you can look at in order to learn about the art of public speaking. And better still, I have done the leg work for you to track down the top ten public speaking books on the market to improve your skills. Enjoy!

The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Public Speaking – Dale Carnegie

This book is perfect for anyone looking to get into public speaking or improve their existing skills. Dale Carnegie published this book over half a century ago, but the lessons still ring true, especially for beginners and people who suffer from stage fright. Not only does it teach you methods to overcome that fear, but also to improve your conversational skills once you pluck up the courage to stand on stage. There is a reason his books are still being used 60 years later, because they are effective!

Communication Skills Training – Ian Tuhovsky

The subtitle of this book reads, “A Practical Guide to Improving Your Social Intelligence, Presentation, Persuasion and Public Speaking (Master Your Communication and Social Skills).” Unlike some of the others on this list, Ian Tuhovsky’s guide is much more than a book on public speaking and improving communication skills. He teaches the reader how to positively express anger and how to handle arguments. Essentially, it’s a guide on social intelligence and its importance to everyday life. Fortunately, a lot of these lessons can be valuable when it comes to public speaking in general.

The Successful Speaker – Grant Baldwin

This book is definitely unique and not everyone’s cup of tea, but it can be very effective at setting someone along the path to becoming a professional speaker. It can be difficult to know where or how to start along that path, but this book manages to pack a whole lot of information and advice into a quick and simple read. If you want to know how to scale your business and skills from scratch, this is the book for you.

Exactly What to Say – Phil M Jones

This guide is all about mastering your words and how you apply them, meaning speakers and writers alike can benefit. Phil M Jones believes that words have the power to open doors, and once you gain control over them, you can open these doors at will. For anyone looking to become more persuasive in writing or public speaking, this is a great book to study. If you are conducting public speaking for a very specific business purpose, this book has a lot to teach you.

Unleash the Power of Storytelling – Rob Biesenbach

When it comes to public speaking books, this is by far one of the most fun and entertaining to read – as well as being very helpful. It’s like Rob Biesenbach has invited you out for coffee and is talking you through the subject in detail, but with such friendly ease. He has so much knowledge to share and, like any good public speaker, you hang off his every word.

TED Talks – Chris Anderson

We have all seen a TED Talk or two in our years, and they are often viewed as the pinnacle of public speaking in many ways. The time of standing up on stage and spouting a non-stop monologue to your crowd is long gone. It’s now all about getting your information across in an entertaining and engaging way. Chris Anderson teaches you how to perfect your speaking and delivery in order to create a TED-Talk-worthy speech.

Art of Public Speaking – Stephen Lucas

This book really does what it says on the cover. Stephen Lucas takes all the fundamental skills you need to improve your public speaking and puts them in an easy-to-read and easy-to-understand format. To put it simply, by reading this book cover to cover and applying the lessons within, your public speaking will improve. There is a reason that most universities use this guide as a textbook for public speaking. Yes, it may feel very formal and pointed, like a textbook often does, but all the key information is there to bring about improvements. It is the best of the best in that respect.

Speak with No Fear – Mike Acker

As the name suggests, this book is all about dealing with the fear often associated with public speaking. If you suffer from nerves while on stage, or crippling fear that prevents you from getting up there in the first place, then this is the book for you! Mike Acker includes many personal anecdotes, encouragement for the reader, easy-to-understand tips, and more. He even breaks down his teachings into seven tried and tested strategies in order to improve your speaking and release the presenter within. You will feel the fear fall away with every turn of the page.

Talk Like TED – Carmine Gallo

This is often viewed among the very best books for public speaking, alongside TED Talks and Speak With No Fear. This offers a far more comprehensive look at the art of public speaking, moving beyond top tips and how-to guides, and delving more into a comprehensive review of the art itself. TED Talk presenters have mastered the art of public speaking in recent years convincing hundreds, and even hundreds-of-thousands, of people to lend their ears… but the real skill is keeping those ears. Carmine Gallo talks us through his extensive research into TED Talks and what makes them the pinnacle of public speaking. This includes the secrets behind the formula of the most effective TED Talks, and how we can apply those lessons to our own public speaking.

Speak with Confidence – Mike Acker

Have you ever stood up on stage, but the words refused to come out? Have you ever felt nervous standing up to speak in front of others? Do you feel uneasy about the idea of making yourself the center of attention? Are you ready to put all of that behind you?

Then Speak with Confidence is the book for you!

The Recap

I went through dozens and dozens of books, articles, blogs, podcasts, and more in preparation for this article in order to ensure I recommended the best of the best. During this process, one book stood out against the others for all the right reasons, and that book was called Speak with Confidence.

You may recognize the name Mike Acker and that’s because he has already appeared in this list. Don’t worry, you don’t have to scroll back far to find his Speak with No Fear – a book that many other lists consider to be the very best in the sector of public speaking. However, I believe that Mike’s latest work could go even further.

Most public speaking books create a list of lessons they want you to learn and take you through them one by one, which is a great way of learning. Others describe the theory behind public speaking and talk you through some supporting anecdotes. What Mike Acker has done is create a three-part framework to teach you about every corner of public speaking – Determine Your Identity, Define the Message, and Develop New Skills. This book is all about finding your inner confidence, nurturing it, and maintaining it. Mike manages to define and teach the concept of confidence in such a helpful and relatable way that makes his information not only relevant, but also doable. For the unique take on public speaking education and the accessibility to speakers of all levels, I predict that Speak with Confidence will commonly be regarded as the best public speaking book within the next 12 months or so. 

After many hours of reading and research, this is my top ten based on my final conclusions. However, the only thing that really matters is whether you find a book that resonates with you and you alone. After all, this is about improving your public speaking! So, let’s celebrate you taking positive steps toward your next goal!

PS: Check out this article if you’re an author looking to book more speaking engagements for yourself.

This post was written by Jazzmyn Villamanca, a guest writer.

Few shows took comedy by storm more than The Office. It was a hilarious show that was an American version of The Office from the United Kingdom.

Even years after it aired, it was still the most streamed TV show in 2020.

Considering how popular the show was, how many actors became famous from it, and how many seasons there were, there is a lot writers can learn from the writers who worked on this show

We’ll be going through the different writers in the show, dive into some of the tips from The Office writers, and talk about what writers can learn from them.

Who Were The Writers for The Office?

If you look at the writing credits for The Office on IMDB, you can see that there are over 50 writing credits for the series.

The Office was also known for having some of their actors be involved in the writing process and also vice versa.

Tips From The Office Writers

Let’s take a look at some of the tips from the writers from The Office and talk about how you can use them to improve your own writing skills.

Writing tips from Greg Daniels

Greg Daniels has had a huge career and is one of the main producers of hit shows such as The Office, Parks and Recreation, and King of the Hill. He hasn’t done a lot of interviews, probably because he’s busy writing smash hits, but this was a good nugget from his Vox interview.

In this quote, he had just been asked how he came up with ideas for Upload.

I was walking around midtown Manhattan, past all those electronics stores next to Rockefeller Center. They were all advertising CD players, switching to digital from analog. I was trying think of a comedy sketch, so I was thinking, “What else could you digitize? What other things in life would it be ridiculous to digitize?” And I was like, well, the ultimate would be your own mind — where everybody’s digitizing and living in a hosted computer environment, or something.

Greg Daniels

The main takeaway from this quote is to draw inspiration from your day-to-day life. Take the time to explore your area and walk around without being nose-deep in your phone and scrolling.

Look at your surroundings, question things, think of new angles for different things you observe.

Most great writing (especially comedy writing) comes from simply observing life and writing about it.

Another writing from Greg:

“The show had such a different feel and I wanted it to have such a sincere feel to it. The enemy of that to me is the factory TV process which Hollywood is often guilty of —  and I would definitely say I don’t admire too much — because a lot of times in this factory process, the actors are kept apart from the writers. And they distrust each other. And it leads to a certain type of writing where the writers write actor-proof lines which are very joky. Because they don’t trust the actors to deliver them without a set-up and a punchline in the same speech. To me, what was so wonderful about The Office was that behavior was what was funny.”

Greg Daniels

If you’re just writing on your own and for your own blog or book, this quote might not apply to you. However, for writers who work on a team or with other people, it’s essential to bring everyone in to the process together.

For example, if you’re working on website copy, not talking to other people on the marketing team is a problem.

Writing tips from Mindy Kaling

Mindy Kaling first had her rise to stardom through working as a writer, executive producer, director, and most notably, acting as the character Kelly Kapoor in The Office.

Her advice on looking for a mentor:

“If you have the opportunity to observe someone at work, you are getting mentoring out of them even if they are unaware or resistant. Make a list of the people you think would make the greatest mentor and try to get close.”

Mindy Kaling

Lots of writers like to seek out mentors, and you should start with the ones you admire most. Sure, it might be hard to get in touch with someone like John Grisham, but you can sometimes also learn from your favorite writers through the advice they give and the books they write.

Mindy also has a checklist for characters that she follows:

Characters are helpful and kind.

No one is a moron.

Characters are polite.

Conflict should never come from a desire to be cruel or mean.

Do not fear nuance. Comedy from avoiding conflict, not instigating it.

Characters don’t have to be maxed out to be funny.

This is a good idea for writers to have a checklist to follow when it comes to their writing. It helps keep you focused and on track.

Writing tips from Michael Schur

Michael Schur was not only a producer and writer for The Office, he also helped bring other great shows to life such as The Good Place, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Master of None, and more.

Needless to say, he knows what he’s doing when it comes to writing and bringing a story to life.

“The visual metaphor that [Greg Daniels] gave us for the show at large was like a paved over, concrete, boring looking office parking lot with one little flower peeking up through a crack in the pavement.” 

Michael Schur

The lesson from this is to create a vision for your writing. If you don’t know your ultimate goal or outcome, you are going to make mistakes along the way that might take you off track.

You always want a north star for what you’re creating to bring it to life.

In this interview with Tim Ferris, which is worth a listen for anyone who wants to become a writer, he goes over his entire career and lessons he’s learned. Let’s look at another gem.

“And of the many, many rules of creation or of writing that have been taught to me over the years by a number of very smart people, the best and most trustworthy is write what’s interesting.”

B.J. Novak

Now, writing what’s interesting is hard, but that’s the cost of making it as a creative writer. If people aren’t interested in what you’re writing about, you won’t get their attention.

At the same time, that’s what all writing advice can be boiled down to.

Writing tips from B.J. Novak

B.J. Novak became famous for writing, producing, directing, and acting in The Office as the character Ryan Howard.

“We would start with what we would call a Blue Sky period, which was my favorite part of every year. For two, three, or four weeks sometimes, if we had a long time, every single day in the writers room was just, ‘What if…?’”

B.J. Novak

While it’s great to have routines and processes for writing, there has to be time where you set aside to just think, daydream, and get creative.

You need to take the time to think about your story, your writing, and start to think outside the box. How could you improve your writing and your focus?

Next Steps

Want to join a ton of other writers that can give you endless writing advice? You will want to check out The Den!

If you’re an aspiring author who doesn’t know what an author platform is, you might be the very definition of ignorant bliss.

I say this with love, maybe even a little envy, because author platform has taken on an astoundingly important role when it comes to whether or not a writer will get a traditional publishing contract — and it’s equally important to self-published authors who are serious about their writing careers.

The rise of the author platform as an industry obsession is a relatively new phenomenon. While industry folks may argue that platform has always mattered, today it’s more important than ever before.

A huge shift has transpired in the past decade when it comes to what agents and editors weigh when deciding what projects to represent or publish — and in some cases an author’s star quality matters more than his or her actual book.

I acquired nonfiction women’s books for Seal Press over the course of eight years during the height of this shift. In 2004, when I started, author platform was barely on our radar; by the time I left in 2012, it was the most important factor in determining whether or not we’d make an offer on a project. Now, post-2020, it is more important than ever! And simultaneously, it’s easier than ever to build a platform.

What is author platform?

Many aspiring authors believe that platform is all about social media. They’re partially correct. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest followings are important, but they are not the only piece of the author platform pie.

Here’s what I was looking for as an editor and what I now try to help authors hit in their book proposals:

Some of these factors, like personality and ability to execute, are difficult to gauge. But these very factors are why authors with popular blogs and established fan bases get book deals: because they’ve proven that they have a cult of personality, and they follow-through.

These important yet intangible factors also highlight one of the ways in which literary agents are valuable to editors. If an agent and an editor have a strong working relationship, oftentimes the agent serves as someone who’s vetting an author’s personality and follow-through.

Differentiating yourself is crucial

Even though personality is only 10% of the pie, differentiating yourself is underlying the whole thing.

Investing time and effort in your personal brand is crucial to your success as an author. If you’re asking, “What’s in it for me?” you should know the most important element of a personal brand is that it helps you stand out from the crowd and carve out your niche.

After all, there is no competition for you. Knowing how you want to differentiate yourself will save you time too, because you won’t try to be all things to all people.

Branding is about how you are perceived in the market, and today you have control over that perception. Personal brand management is about collecting and presenting the pieces that tell your story.

You can shape this perception by running all the content you create through a filter, asking: Is this congruent and true to my brand?

Two examples of strong author platform

Both of these authors garnered large advances on the strength of their platforms (which were not specifically strong on social media) while I worked with them.

1. Andrea Robinson, author of Toss the Gloss

Andrea had almost no social media presence, no previous books, and not much by way of previous coverage. She couldn’t showcase that she had a strong existing readership, either. So how was Andrea differentiated from the next person?

• What she had was a well-known agent I had bought books from in the past (personal referral) and whom I trusted when she told me Andrea would execute.
• Her contacts were stellar — including Ralph Lauren, who ultimately gave her a blurb and threw her launch party. How many people can say they know Ralph Lauren personally and that he would throw a party for them?!
• She was also clearly an expert on her topic, maybe even an industry leader, having worked in the beauty industry for decades. Seal made a strong offer for the rights to publish her book.

2. Mark Nepo, author of The Book of Awakening

In 2010, Oprah chose Mark’s The Book of Awakening (originally published in 2000) as one of her ultimate favorite things, shooting it to the New York Times bestseller list and changing the course of his career.

When Mark got picked up by Simon & Schuster for his next book following his meteoric rise to fame, he had a negligible social media presence and little previous media. He had a new fan in Oprah, though (contacts!), a huge existing readership, expertise in spades and a whole library of previous books to his credit.

In Mark’s case, the Oprah touch made a big difference (when doesn’t it?), but he’d sold a book to a traditional publisher just a few months before being “discovered” by Oprah, so while his advances are bigger now than they were, he’s an example of an author who was already getting publishing deals based on expertise, an existing readership, and previous books.

Author platform isn’t just for nonfiction writers

In case any fiction writers are reading this and wondering whether any of this matters to you, the answer is yes. Just listen to this podcast from bestselling fiction author, Ramy Vance.

If you look at the pie chart above, you may feel that your area of expertise matters little to the novel you’re writing, but is that really true? For instance, one of my clients works in the medical transplant field, and she’s writing a thriller whose central focus is about an illegally obtained organ. Her expertise matters a lot — as do her contacts in the medical world.

Fiction authors are scrutinized for the other aspects of platform as well: contacts, previous books, previous media, social media, readership, ability to execute. It may take getting a book or two under your belt to grow a readership (which is why there’s a case for novelists to kick off their own careers through indie publishing), but no, you’re not off the hook.

• Related: Effective Book Marketing Strategies for Consistent Sales
• Related: How to Market a Fiction Box Set
• Related: How to Market a Self-Published Book Like a Traditional Publisher

Focus on what works

Track your efforts and focus on what works. This will help you see your progress along the way. And it will also help inform future decisions on what to try next.

Rather than feeling lost and unsure of what to try next, you can look at what has worked and what hasn’t and adjust your course. You’ll have a record of what you’ve done that you can check against blog traffic, newsletter sign-ups, followers per platform, or content downloads.

For example, if you keep track of podcast downloads after sharing each episode on social media, you’ll be able to see if there is a direct correlation. Is one effort feeding another?

Time is what it all boils down to: writers, perhaps working at another job or taking care of family, have very limited time, and marketing can easily eat up most of it, leaving little for you to actually write. The goal is to find what works, then 80/20 it. Do the 20% of things that bring you 80% of the results.

Whatever system you use to plan your marketing, make it work for you.

Building your author platform is a process

If you’re a writer who wants to publish in any capacity, author platform can be a difficult thing to wrap your mind around. What’s expected of you can feel overwhelming, if not insurmountable.

In addition to teaching and writing about platform, I’m growing my own, so I empathize with the glazed-over looks I sometimes get from authors who ask me questions like, “Do I really have to do all of this if I want to be a published author?”

The key is to take it slow. For writers who are just beginning, it can feel like you’re coming really late to a party that’s been going on for years — and that’s in essence exactly what’s happening. If you look at someone who has thousands upon thousands of Twitter followers, it’s likely they were an early adopter.

Remember that what you bring to the table already — just by being you — comprises a large part of the pie: expertise, personality, and ability to execute.

With this you at least have a foundation, and possibly, with the right project, enough to land a deal. But most authors need to start to layer on the rest of the components in order to prove to a publishing house that they’re worth a bet. No matter how good they think your book might be, if an editorial board can’t justify its sales potential, they simply won’t offer you a contract.

Remember this sometimes hard-to-swallow fact: getting rejections is often not about how good your book is, or whether it deserves to be published.

It’s about editorial boards weighing whether they think they can sell thousands of copies of your book — a tall order for any author. Your platform is an engine working for you to meet that goal, and all you can do is to keep growing it, a day at a time.

At the end of the day, none of this is science.

Some authors receive many rejections before self-publishing bestsellers (Still Alice, by Lisa Genova); some authors get deals based solely on their social media presence (Sh*t My Dad Says, by Justin Halpern); and some authors have no platform but manage to land book deals anyway. (Don’t look to the outliers to make a case for not attending to your platform, though.)

Platform-building is a fine balance between being authentic and pushing yourself outside your comfort zone as much as you can — but not to the point where you’re overwhelmed and paralyzed.

Take it a day at a time, and don’t be hard on yourself if you feel behind.

Next Steps

Building your platform is a marathon, not a sprint. You will get there, but it takes time.

Earlier in the article, I said that social media isn’t the only piece of the author platform pie. But when you look at the chart again and do the math, a powerful social media standing can account for:

• 10% Social Media
• 10% Contacts
• 10% Personality

And if your social media accounts prove your ability to execute over the years and show your expertise on your topic, you’re suddenly filling 70% of the pie.

That’s why it pays to take social media and platform building seriously.

**Editor’s Note** We’ve teamed up with Self-Publishing School to offer this free training on How to Explode Your Book Launch. If you’re ready to take your social media and author platform to the next level, this is the best way to do it.

This is an updated version of a story that was previously published. We update our posts as often as possible to ensure they’re useful for our readers.

Photo via Dean Drobot / Shutterstock