The Writer’s Digest Guide to Literary Agents lists literary and script agents, publicists and conferences. Each listing includes specific contact information, submission details, and other valuable information to help you find the agent best suited for your writing career. In addition to the listings, the 2009 Guide to Literary Agents, now available, presents an impressive line-up of articles, including “A Background Matters: Platforms–and How to Get One.” This is based on my article “Platforms: A Background Matters,” which appeared in Writer’s Digest magazine’s April 2008 issue.
My article explains what a platform is, how a platform gets used by your publisher, and why it’s critical to your book’s success. I also discuss:
- why your platform, or lack thereof, affects the size of your advance
- what kinds of books require which kinds of platforms
- how to build a platform from scratch, using both time-honored methods and the latest technology
Click here to read the article as it first appeared in Writer’s Digest magazine.
Founder of The Writer’s Ally, Ally E. Machate is a bestselling book collaborator, award-winning editor, and expert publishing consultant who loves using her insider knowledge and experience with the publishing industry to lead serious authors toward success. She and her team live to help make great books happen, whether that means showing a writer how to improve a manuscript, get an agent, or self-publish; or coaching an author on growing her platform to sell more books. Since 1999, she has supported hundreds of authors on their publishing journey and takes pride in serving as their books’ best ally.
