by Cheryl Wyatt
Building platform and name recognition are as crucial to publishing as quotation marks to a killer line of dialogue. You may have an engaging hook and stellar book, but if you’re not on readers’ radars, low sales can impede future contracts. Even if you write as worship, marketing matters. If you’re pre-published, now is a good time to begin building an online and industry presence.
Other than setting up social media, how can authors accomplish this? Michael Hyatt has written a book on this called Platform (which you’ll hear more about if you attend conference), but one way to get your name out there is to write an article for the ACFW Journal.
Don’t be afraid to query because you’re pre-published. A few steps (or missteps) on Publication Road forge wisdom. Are you published already? Likely someone helped you forward. A crafted-by-you ACFW Journal piece is a great means to mentor others-and connect with your tribe. Here’s the scoop from our ACFW Journal Editor-in-Chief, Michael Ehret.
CHERYL: What article types would you like to see?
MICHAEL: All kinds except, given our timeline (we publish quarterly), book reviews aren’t practical for us currently. We have five standing sections: Craft, Marketing, Industry/Career, The Writer’s Life, and ACFW News. For info, visit www.acfw.com/journal/overview. Or email me. I can advise where your idea best fits and even suggest ways to enhance it.
CHERYL: Current articles offer insight on how to contribute to our content. What else generates ideas?
MICHAEL: What’s happening in your life as a writer? How can you expand that experience beyond your own world and into the lives of other writers? What quirky, funny, sad, unhappy experiences have you had as a writer and what have you learned that you can share with others? Did you and your agent/editor/writing buddies have a conversation that made you go, “hmmm?” What can you create out of that?
CHERYL: What article types are you seeing too much of?
MICHAEL: None. Seriously. None. I see the most in craft, but the idea you’re contemplating may be what another member needs to move past where she is right now with her manuscript. So don’t pre-censor your ideas. I’d rather see them all then work with you to strengthen the best ones.
CHERYL: Can you explain your article selection process?
MICHAEL: Well, I could, but then I’d have to go through the whole rigmarole of getting out my
souvenir Men in Black neuralizer and doing that flashy thing on ya. It’s just not worth it. Trust me, it’s a highly sophisticated process.
CHERYL: Ha-ha! How do articles increase exposure for published authors and build name recognition for pre-published authors?
MICHAEL: Credits on your writing resume show editors or agents you’re serious and capable. You could also get involved by participating in special editions of Afictionado, our ezine, based on ACFW’S Conference and on the Carol Awards. BOTH projects have openings. Contact me for details. Don’t think we don’t need you. We do!
Born Valentine’s Day on a Navy base, RN Cheryl Wyatt writes military romance. Her debut series earned RT Top Picks, #1 and #4 on Harlequin’s Top-10-Most-Blogged-About-Books, Reviewers Choice Award and Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence final. Cheryl LOVES readers! Connect: https://www.facebook.com/CherylWyattAuthor
AVAILABLE NOW: The Doctor’s Devotion (Love Inspired). http://www.fictionfinder.com/book/detail/1937