Do You Want Small, MEDIUM, or Large?
That could be your current writing platform to consume
Let’s be frank
When you start exploring online platforms, that’s what you do, explore. You test the writing field. However, don’t have high expectations. You know how the saying goes — have low expectations so you can welcome a surprise. Don’t get your hopes up for instant success or unrealistic earnings. Writing is no different from other aspirations that require hard work and patience.
Wherever you test and research the effects of your writing, be patient. You can’t write on a platform for one month or even two and expect everything to be fabulous. If it happens, great. If it doesn’t, be patient. It could take six months or maybe up to a year to gain a substantial audience. It will reach a certain point where you make a choice.
As a writer, before even considering what the potential income options are, you have to write continuously to see what fits, what works, or at the very least, what you think might work.
You could have a top story one day and a viral story the next. That’s not going to happen as often as you wish.
Lauren Langford wrote nearly four years ago in Three Questions to Strengthen Yourself as a Writer which was published in The Writing Cooperative:
Regardless of where you are in your own writing journey, identify what makes you feel good about the work you are doing and hold onto that because it will remind you of why the fight is worthwhile when the going gets tough. [Emphasis added.]
So you want to make money from your writing?
First, know there’s no shame involved in admitting you’re hoping to earn money from your writing. Writing is a skill and it has value. If you’re writing is high quality, go profit, go. And whatever you decide, make sure you know your value too.
Why make a habit of a writing career if you’re going to routinely sell yourself short?
You know your skills. Polish them. Embrace them. Use them to achieve goals. If you believe in yourself, readers will believe every single word you write.
Second, know that you have to work hard to create quality material, generate an audience, and be creative in marketing any of your published works.
Self-publishing
I previously wrote about author Darcie Chan in the below piece. Her story is remarkable and her writing experience was life-changing. If you produce quality writing and decide to self-publish, research accomplished writers and their experiences. Take a leap into the publishing world of eBooks. You could have a life-changing experience too!
I self-published two eBooks in February which are listed on my website, so I know it can be easily done. The more eBooks you generate similarly to publishing writing on platforms, the more potential growth there can be of a reading audience.
Which platforms have the greatest reach to viewers who are essentially your potential readers?
How important do you think it is for you, as a writer, to have a web presence on social media? Think of each outlet with a swinging door, you walk through, and as Detective Joe Kenda would say, “My, my, my.” You look around and you know there are a lot of people inside.
Writers on Medium might consider joining the Facebook group, Medium Writers and Genuine Readers to share their stories and to read the work of other writers as a method of engagement. If I post a piece on this group page, I timely read and respond and engage.
There are people you connect with, people you’re connected with who share what you have written, and others then who are sharing what was shared with them. Share, share, share like that Tasty recipe video that looked so good that someone shared with you.
Well, guess what, imagine that blog you wrote, that article you spent two days on, or whatever it is you created — if it’s wonderful, great, effective, it will get shared. Like that secret that somebody was supposed to keep secret.
Having a presence on social media can boost your audience, which is not a complicated notion. If you want to boost your audience, it takes action too.
If you plan to write books and you already have a regular audience, odds are in your favor sales could be happening even while you’re reading this.
Why having a profile or “About” page is important
Naturally, if you want to engage an audience with your writing and you also want them to know more about you as a writer. It may even fall into the subject of whether your reader likes you or not. Likeability is a key factor in marketing or building a following, or strengthening acquaintances.
When you grow your audience you are also essentially influencing their choice of content to be read or influencing them as a reader.
You want to grow your audience especially if you’re publishing online for potential earnings or self-publishing your eBooks or books. It serves as a form of marketing.
Are you doing too much?
If you don’t have a lot of time to spend responding to readers who are following you, you might be spreading yourself too thin in order to engage a potential audience for any projects you’re working on. In other words, it’s challenging to maintain more than three writing platforms, a blog, a website, and then engage with writers and readers on social media sites.
So you have to decide what you’re going to drop. It really can’t be cooking for your family or helping with the laundry, right? So you might have to drop a platform you write on or the blog you neglect anyway. Me? I gave up my 9 to 5 — it was the only way I could foresee having the ability to write for hours. Tomorrow’s not a promise, so do what fulfills you in life today.
Your social media arms
We all know the power behind Facebook. If you want people to buy your books, they have to know who you are. So what do you do so those people can find you? You can connect with a lot of potential readers on Facebook.
As suggested above, if your writing platform has a Facebook group page, join it. Check out their posting policy before you post any link to your writing. I think joining a group is more beneficial to your outreach (marketing) than your personal newsfeed because of the changes in the algorithm — you know that your own friends don’t see everything you post, nor do you see all of what your friends post anymore.
What about YouTube videos?
If you don’t like being seen on YouTube, think about creating a faceless video on your channel to promote your writing or your book. Then, share the video.
Start a Channel. If you’re just looking to promote your book, this is probably not the option for you. However, if you think you have something interesting to say about writing or publishing, then this can be an amazing platform.
Anangsha Alammyan wrote a piece in BetterMarketing last year entitled 5 Tips for Authors To Build a Presence on YouTube: Sell more books, reach a wider audience, and build your personal brand on the world’s second-largest search engine. Anangsha writes:
Building a presence on YouTube will take consistency, some investment in audio and video equipment, and may push some authors out of their comfort zone. But it’s a platform worth exploring because of its steadily growing user-base, and the potential to draw in new readers from across the globe. I did a lot of research while setting up my own YouTube channel, and I believe these insights will help other authors too.
Goodreads
If your book is listed on Amazon, consider applying for the author program on Goodreads. All you need to do is create a profile, submit your book with your application (if your book is not already listed in Goodreads). You will want to respond timely to any comments or reviews. This is another opportunity for you to generate an audience as well as any book reviews.
Sharing on Twitter
Twitter takes work. If you post a story, article, or blog on Twitter, use popular hashtags. I usually use #writer or #writercommunity because at least I know it will reach others that have a common interest. Gaining followers on Twitter takes a lot of time and energy I don’t have but when I’m active, I’m active.
Sharing on LinkedIn
Most of us know that LinkedIn is really the most popular site for networking. You can meet or at least become acquainted with many people who have a similar interest as you. It’s come a long way from just being a site for searching for a job opportunity. Since I left my 9 to 5, I did update my profile accordingly and I’m more active there than before, but I don’t post everything I write because not everything I write is tips or advice appropriate for LinkedIn.
Self-promotion
Work hard and reap your rewards. I have to say that I have never liked to be the center of attention whether as a child or adult. When you’re reaching for the potential of earnings, however, you quickly set aside feeling uncomfortable in building attention towards your writing content.
If you look at all the successful people or companies in the world, it began as a method of self-promotion or ads. So, put any effects of self-promotion in your yard sale.
Thank you for reading.
© Cathy Coombs
About the Author
Earning a B.A. in English Journalism & Creative Writing affirmed my love for literature, language, and writing; I sought early retirement to write full-time. Some of the publications I have written for include The Writing Cooperative, Illumination, Synergy, Illumination’s Mirror, The Mystery Box, Writing Prof, New Writers Welcome, The Shortform, and What is Love to You.
I have self-published two eBooks and am currently working on completing a true-crime book that I researched for a decade.
Connect via Twitter or LinkedIn. Website: https://writerallday.com/.
