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Author Blog Challenge – Day 19 Recap

While the concept of an author’s platform was new to a number of participants, most agreed it is an important publishing concept to grasp if an author actually wants to sell books. Understandably, at least two participants compared growing one’s platform to tending and caring for a garden. Love the imagery!

Read on for excerpts from Author Blog Challenge participants who explain the three primary things they are doing to grow their platforms, as well as posts on a few other interesting subjects, also!

Please click on the author’s name to read the full post.

ALEXANDER CHERRY. I have no idea what a ‘platform’ is, in this context. What is a ‘platform’ when it comes to writing a book? I don’t know. A google search has brought up this website, which implies that it’s a marketing thing. Remember that I’m genetically incapable of marketing? (established in previous days) So… I’m not really doing anything with the specific goal of “growing my platform.” That said, I suppose participating in the Author Blog Challenge is one of the things that probably will “grow my platform” so I’ll vote that one up.

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LAURA ORSINI (aka MARCIE BROCK). I’ve been compiling a list of women’s groups for a while now. Next up – reaching out to them to offer the book as a fundraiser – or simply to ask how we can partner for a promotion. Within my own network are quite a few women who run a myriad of groups and organizations, but Meetup is also a great place to reach out to similar groups in other parts of the country.

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DOROTHY RUPPERT. It is common for people who have a brain disorder to stop taking their medications during a period of wellness. Those of us who do not need to take meds wonder why, on earth, someone would do that? Let me ask you… Are you opposed to taking medications in general? Have you ever stopped taking an antibiotic before the regimen was complete because you felt better? Is it depressing to think you might have to take a medication for the rest of your life? Have you ever had a side effect from a medication such as drowsiness, dry mouth, an upset stomach, or a cloudy mind? Have you ever taken a medication that caused you to gain 25 pounds?

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ASHLEY HOWLAND. Number 1: I am here on the author blog challenge – connecting with other authors, learning about their promotion ideas. Spreading the word about other authors and hopefully having them do the same. Trading reviews, interviewing authors, being interviewed. Hopefully getting the word spread about both of my books. It’s a lot of fun, and hopefully effective.

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ALANA MAUTONE. Last year, I spent the summer posting wildflower pictures, as I sought to learn more about them.  It was fun, and I learned a lot.  But the world of flowers also includes domestic varieties. This summer, I am going to expand my Wednesday feature to include flowers of all types.  A lot of the photos will probably be taken during exercise walks on the West Side of Binghamton.  Others will be from my small perennial garden in Westover, near Johnson City, New York.  I will also feature wildflowers and flowers from my travels.

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JO MICHAELS. I enter challenges, like the 28 Day Author Blog Challenge and I participate heavily. I take time to go through and read as many other posts as I can and leave comments. My network has grown vastly through this exercise. Never ever enter unless you plan to participate because you’ll end up with guilt. I hate guilt. 

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NIKKI MORGAN. I am tending my platform just like a newly planted garden, slowly cultivating, sharing, caring, and loving. This BLOG is an ever growing and expanding expression of me and the things I love. I have been enjoying doing this challenge, learning from the wonderful author participants and finding answers to prompts that completely stumped me to start with. I am continually looking for new places to share my blog and increase readership.

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SANDI TUTTLE. I have a couple of friends … who look at life and relationships like tending a garden. I guess they have blessed me with their point of view. That being the case, when I asked myself “What are the three most important things I should be doing to grow my platform?” I couldn’t help noticing that the whole process of growing my writing platform sounded like what I need to do when planning a garden. When you plant a garden, the three most important things are to weed, feed and water. You shouldn’t do too much feeding or watering, and you should make sure you pull out the weeds that steal the water and nutrients from the soil. Seems to me writers need to do the same thing when they ‘grow’ a book.

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JACKIE BLEDSOE. Before yesterday’s game [of the NBA Finals], I was playing “P-I-G” with my son, Jackson (P-I-G is a variation of the H-O-R-S-E basketball game). We were playing a series of 3, so the first person to win 2 games was the champion. Well, I beat him 2 games to 1 game, but something interesting, yet predictable, happened next. We had already agreed to play a series of 3, but despite that he asked me to play “one more game.”

Click here to learn about the 5 facets of Jackie’s “One More Game” mentality.

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RAVEN SIKER. There are looks that speak in volumes and there are words that don’t suffice. I have tumble kisses on my mind while laughing at my chipping nail polish. My purple toes, going hippie again. The phone in my hand, with a smiling giant of a gorgeous tree on the other end, or at least I imagine. I try to calm my nerves. The poet in me still so cautious to say what she really wants to say. Always overcome with passion, always tasting words like they’re a sugared type of liquid courage. Trying to drown out fear.

Thanks to all who posted!

Laura & Marcie

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The Author Blog Challenge is hosted by Laura Orsini and her alter ego, Marcie Brock, of the Marcie Brock – Book Marketing Maven blog. Please visit Marcie’s blog for loads of great info about low- to no-cost methods of marketing for self-publishing authors.