Marketing & Creating a Platform

© Susi Schaefer

Maybe you're a published author. Maybe you're a writer trying to get published. Either way, you're going to need a platform. If you're looking to build a platform, you've come to the right place! 

Also, check out our links at Social Media.

Webinar

June 12-14  Marketing Master with The Storyteller's Shelf Podcast  Marketing your book shouldn't feel like guesswork. Join us for a live virtual event with practical strategies for book and author marketing. Q&A, networking, and raffles. Talks include: Creating a Digital Footprint, Publicity 101, Instagram 101, The Conference Toolbox, The Debut Year ($50).

What is a Platform & How to Build One

10 Low- or No-Budget Ways to Promote Your Book

9 Tips to Tastefully Promote Your Book During Tough Times

What is an author platform?

Julie Hedlund Busts Myths of Author Platforms

Successful Platform Building Doesn't Have to be About You

Why You Should Market to Grow Your Author Platform - Not to Sell Books

A Definition of Author Platform 

7 Benefits to Growing Author Platform Before You Write Your Book

Author Platform: How to Build One and Stay Sane

Do I Need a Platform and If So, How High?

How to Market Children’s Books, Online and Offline – the Ultimate Guide

Generosity Should Be Your Platform

Generosity Should Be Your Platform, Part 2

Prepare for Your Author Platform Earlier Than You Think

Creating a Marketing Plan (for Nonfiction Books)

Promoting Backlist Books

Author Platform is Not a Requirement to Sell Your Children's Book or Novel

Misconceptions About Finding Your Ideal Readers

11 Marketing Ideas to Start Before Finishing Your First Book

DIY Author Marketing 101

Do Novelists Need Platforms?

Email Lists

7 Tips for Effective Emails

10 Ways to Build Your Subscriber List BEFORE Your Book Comes Out

5 Myths About Email Marketing

Email Marketing or Social Media? Writers Need Both

9 Reasons Authors Need Newsletters

How to Announce a Book Release to Your Mailing List

Build Your Author Platform: 7 Manageable Ways to Start From Scratch

Author-Tested Middle Grade Marketing Tips.

Why So Many Blogs and Newsletters Aren't Worth the Writers' Effort

Why You Should Have a Newsletter

Why Substack (Still) Matters to Writers

How to Start Writing on Substack: The Complete Guide

If You're Just Starting on Substack, Don't Make the Same Dumb Mistake I Did

22 Ways to Grow Your Author Email List

 

Marketing & Publicity

DIY Author Marketing 101

Life Post-Publication

Josh Funk Shares Powerhouse Marketing Strategies

The Ultimate Guide to Book Marketing  

Need to Ask an Author for a Blurb? Here's the Secret Formula to Yes

Book Promotion is a Marathon Not a Sprint

5 Things I've Learned about DIY Book Marketing

How to Market Your Book Without Social Media

Books PR & Marketing Questions Part VII: Tips on Social Media, Events, Expectations, the Long Haul +

How to Find Your Readers

What Marketing Tactics Actually Impact Book Sales? The Three Best Author Marketing Tactics to Sell More Books

How to Get Your Readers to Care About Your Writing

3 Ways to Fall in Love with Book Marketing

How to Pitch Yourself to Local Media: 7 Tips from a PR Expert

Favors to to Do for Your Future Author Self 

Successful Author Events 101

Media Savvy Authors: Setting Your Media Goals

Marketing + Publicity in 2026: Change Needs to Happen

Why Advertising Doesn't Work for Books

Marketing and Publicity in 2026: Change Needs to Happen

What Happens to Book Publicity Now?

Invest in Human Connection

Everything You Need to Know to Build an Audience from Scratch

Book Publicity

Understanding the Differences Between Your Publicity and Marketing Teams

How to Pitch Your Book to Media: 5 Steps to Standing Out

How Much Does Publicity Cost?

The State of Book Publicity (2025)

Book Publicity Isn't a Contest

10 Things Your Publicist Wants You to Know

A Children's Book Marketing Director Shares Advice for Working with Your Publicist 

Street Teams

Words for Writers: What is a Street Team?

How to Develop a Street Team for Your Book

Book Swag

All About Book Swag + A Superlative Swag Offer! by Eileen Meyer and Julie Pend

My Promo Breakdown: What I Did, What I Didn't & How Much I Spent

Advice on Pre-Order Campaigns and Swag  

Tips for Pre-Order Gifts

I'm Throwing in the Pre-Order Towel

Book Trailers

Making a Simple Book Trailer Using iMovie

Katya Stec: Book Trailers & Narration Service for Authors (sample reels here)

How to Make an Awesome Book Trailer (and Why!)

Launching a Book

Timeline and Checklist for YA or MG Book Release

14 Ways to Crash Your Book Launch

18 Ideas for a Successful Book Launch

Book Marketing: A Blueprint for your Book Launch

Debut Year Tips (Twitter thread)

Virtual Book Launch Events: 8 Ideas from Authors

5 Book Launch Essentials

How Traditionally Published Authors Can Add to their Publisher's Marketing & Publicity

How to Market Your Book with 13 Pre-Order Strategies

5 Buzz-Building Tips from an Instant NYT Bestselling Debut

A Pre-Launch Playbook for Debut Authors

Aiden Thomas's Book Launch Survival Guide

6 Steps on How to Pull Off a Successful Book Event

When to Prepare Your Book Launch

I Wish All Debut Novelists Knew This

Bookstore Events

Top Ten Tips for Book Publicity Tours

How to Organize a Book Launch Party

How to Talk to a Bookseller: A 10-Step Guide for Authors

How to Set up a Book Tour: Part 1

Reaching Readers: Engaging Kids at Book Events

The Art of the Cover Reveal

The 3 Steps to Selling Out a Book Signing

8 Dos and Don'ts to Prep for a Book Event

A Quick Guide to Bookstore Events

Festival and Book Tables

Ask and Editor: Advice for Selling at Tables

How to Table at Comics Shows and Totally Not Feak Out While Doing It

List of Book Fairs and Book Festivals by State

Giveaways to Market a Book

How to Use Goodreads to Sell More Books

Use Goodreads and LibraryThing to Give Away Free Books

Edelweiss 101: A Guide for New Users

Why Authors Should Run Goodreads Giveaways and How to Maximize Results

Courses

Video Idiot Boot Camp with Katie Davis If you're a writer, you need to be making videos. Think it's hard? Well, Katie Davis assures us that it is not, in her Video Boot Camp!

Making a Living

How Writers Can Earn More

Julie Hedlund's- How To Make Money As a Writer

Books

How To Promote Your Children's Book by Katie Davis 

Create Your Writer Platform, by Chuck Sambuchino

Debut/Marketing Year Groups

PB26Debut: a group of picture book authors debuting in 2026

PBMix26 - picture books debuting in 2026

2026 Debuts: a group of traditionally-published authors debuting in 2026

Miscellaneous

Debut Author Lessons: The Author Photo

Should Authors Review Books?

Why Your Book Isn't Getting Reviews

10 Tips for Public Appearances

4 Ways to Write Hooks for Books

Free Mini Blueprint: How to Title Your Book

Course

Build Your Author Platform the Easy Way - Join author Jen Swanson class on building an author platform: the quick path to connecting with editors, agents, parents and readers. Course includes 108 minute video, handouts, create a website in 10 minutes, and a guide to Tiktok.

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