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  1. Jones

    Jones My body is ready

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    Twitter handle depository

    Discussion in 'Marketing' started by Jones, Sep 28, 2015.

    I mentioned this in my "welcome thread" but here it is again. At the conferences I've attended, and more recently in response to a query by an agent, the topic of "platform" has come up. The issue is also referenced here https://www.writingforums.org/threads/blogs-facebook-and-twitter.139514/.

    Basically, in this day and age, publishers want to know they'll have help promoting your work. In my instance, I had a reputable agent tell me she liked my work and would like to rep me, but that I just didn't have enough of a built-in following. One component of that is having a large twitter following, which I do not. So I know it would be helpful to me to increase my internet presence, and I believe it would for anyone on here looking to 'break out' as a writer.

    So my thought is to have a thread for people to post twitter handles if they want to, and those of us looking to increase our internet footprint can follow, and in turn be followed by, people on here without having to search through profiles.

    I searched and didn't find such a thread before, so if there is one, I apologize. I also apologize if this is against the TOS. If so, let me know and I'll take it down.

    mine - @TheJonesWriter
     
  2. GingerCoffee

    GingerCoffee Web Surfer Girl Contributor

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    I get what you're saying but I think if you have an agent saying you need a following before she'd take you on as a client you have another issue here. That's not an agent that believes in your work, that's an agent that wants a client who already has a market share (albeit maybe not a large one).

    I'd be interested if anyone else has found that agents now only want writers with existing sales? If that's so, it's not a Twitter following you need, it's a successful self-published book.

    I don't think you are going to get a Twitter following without a reputation, and you won't get a reputation without a published book.
     
  3. Jones

    Jones My body is ready

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    It's not only this one agent who has said something like that, though. It's a pervasive theme at writer's conferences, at least the ones I've been to. I think it's strange, but to these small publishers, where they're looking to maybe sell 3000 copies, another 1000 sales is huge, and if they can get that out of you, they want it.

    Now maybe she's a smaller agency who doesn't command as much sway with larger publishers and maybe there is a quality of manuscript where it's not an issue, they want it no matter what, and mine's just not there. But this is not uncommon. And there are tons of people out there with 10,000+ Twitter followers who are not published.
     
  4. Tenderiser

    Tenderiser Not a man or BayView

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    Have you submitted to other agents? There are going to be many people at writers' conferences looking to self-publish, especially now it's so easy, where having an online platform is crucial. I don't think that means that traditional publishing now requires x number of Twitter followers.

    Gaining 10,000 Twitter followers as an unknown author is going to take years of full-time dedication. Unless you've had the same feedback from many reputable agents, I wouldn't rush into it.

    Like I said in the intro thread, if you have the time to create a big online following, or if you're only looking to sell 3,000 copies, then why pay 15% to an agent?
     
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  5. GingerCoffee

    GingerCoffee Web Surfer Girl Contributor

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    We've had discussions about whether a blog following is useful. I think for established writers or writing educators, a blog is a good marketing source. But unless you have something interesting to blog about, or something interesting to Tweet about, you aren't going to get a following by simply advertising your presence. So for most writers, interest in the book(s) come first and then people find your webpage. There have been a few exceptions, like E L James who began her 50 Shades story as fan-fiction, or Amanda Hocking who had thousands of online readers before she was traditionally published.

    There's nothing wrong with using a smaller publishing house, or an agent that works with smaller publishers. But I'd question the advice you are getting to try to drum up a Twitter following by advertising your presence.

    @Tenderiser's advice is right-on.
     
  6. Jones

    Jones My body is ready

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    I've sent it to a few, and some have requested full manuscripts, which I'm waiting to hear back from. I'm not "rushing into" anything, but there appears to also be no down side to working on increasing the "platform", so I may as well get started on it. If it takes years, then better to start as soon as possible.
     
  7. GingerCoffee

    GingerCoffee Web Surfer Girl Contributor

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    If your full manuscript has been requested, that's a very positive sign.
     
  8. Nicoel

    Nicoel Senior Member

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    I tried the twitter handle type of thing - but I found I was gaining followers that were more of the "spam" - y types than anyone actually useful. It's an interesting thought, though.
     

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