Fiction Writers and Platform: Some Useful links from Algonkian Writer Conferences

Marcela put it honestly if somewhat bluntly: If she had to make a decision between two equally good novels, and one author had a platform and the other did not, she'd choose the author with the platform every time.

Why? Because an author's having a platform means the likelihood of the publisher selling many copies of that novel increases.

Algonkian sent me this to post, and it's worthwhile.  Some useful links regarding the building of platform for fiction writers and aspiring authors:

http://www.redroom.com/blog/karen-dionne/the-fiction-authors-platform

http://blog.writersdigest.com/norules/Fiction+Writers+Need+Platforms+Too.aspx

http://www.amazon.com/Get-Known-Before-Book-Deal/dp/158297554X/ref=as_li_tf_mfw?&camp=212361&linkCode=wey&tag=wwwwritersont-20&creative=391825

http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/2008/02/fiction-platform.html

New York Pitch Conference Makes Writers Into Authors

The folks at Algonkian have asked me to say a few words once more about the New York Pitch Conference held quarterly in New York City at Ripley-Greer Studios. I attended the workshops not long ago and found it a challenging and worthwhile adventure that improved my novel 100%. I'm still working on it, yes, but I'm a lightyear ahead of where I would have been without it.

They use the pitch as a means of examining the novel and focusing on the major fictional elements. As Michael Neff says, "If they're not in the pitch, they're not in the novel." It's a great way of making you realize that market and story are meshed together in ways you never realized.

I highly recommend the New York Pitch Conference to anyone serious about writing a novel for the commercial market.