Amy B Content

Because Great Content Sells it All

Use this powerful technique to improve your author platform

by

author-platform-post-photoImagine starting to read a crime novel to find, right after the first chapter, that it’s actually a romance?

Or watching the latest crime caper on TV and–five minutes in–the characters all break into song?

You’d probably throw your book across the room. Or your remote at the TV!

But if your author platform–and particularly your website–doesn’t scream your genre, you’re probably triggering the same reaction in your readers.

Which can drive them away, when you want to drive them in.  

A tangled but strong web

These days, a book doesn’t exist in isolation.

A book is just one part of an author’s brand

Your ideas, your persona, your authority, your presence and your network gel together to create something bigger.

A website in particular speaks volumes about who you are and the value you want to provide readers.

Not surprisingly, website platforms are very easy to get wrong.

So easy, in fact, even big-time authors have big-time trouble with them.

Which means you may unwittingly copy them thinking that if it’s good enough for Patterson, it’s good enough for you.

But we both know that an author who was around since before the Internet has a big leg up on you. And doesn’t even need a website.

So these authors are not good examples!

Famous authors don’t need the web

These days, your website is your home base. It contains so much visual identity and brand, it’s an easy tool for analyzing an author platform as a whole.

But do famous authors really know how to create good websites?

Not really.

Many of them are actually horrible examples of best practices for you, an author at the start of her platform-building journey.

Take the website of James Patterson. This does not say thriller writer whatsoever, and as of this writing, he’s wearing an eye patch to promote his new pirate book. Eck.

Only an established crime writer who can sell billions slapping his name on four or five books a year can get away with this.

George R.R. Martin’s site is marginally better (and has definitely improved over the years).

There is an air of fantasy about it, but it looks more like a store for wizard merchandise than the online platform of an author.

J.K. Rowling has probably one of the most non-user-friendly sites I’ve seen in a while. It’s slow and doesn’t even invite you to sign up.

There are even instructions on how to navigate the site!

(Note to expensive developers: if you have to give users instructions on how to navigate a site, you are using the Internet wrong.)

So how do you do platform well?

A good example is E.L. James’ site.

And I don’t think it’s a coincidence that E.L. James started out as a self-published author.

She knows the power of putting every ounce of her genre into her entire business.

For example, right at the top of her site, you see the tagline “provocative romance.”

Everything about her visual identity, from her colours to her book colours, sends a consistent message.

Her platform strategy even includes a wine list of her own house wines, which aligns perfectly with the content of her books.

How to use genre to make your  platform more powerful

You may be thinking that applying your genre to your platform is a tall order, but you can pull everything together in just a few easy steps.

 1. Make a list of the elements of your genre

Go through the books, movies, TV shows, website, photography or art that relates to your genre.

Anything and everything will give you clues about what an audience expects

2. Scope out the competition

Make a list of all the major writers in your space.

What do their book covers look like? What do their websites look like? What can you do better?

3. Keep your eye on the prize

While you want to use an integrated approach to your entire brand platform, you don’t have to worry about every single font or photo.

Because the number-one most important element of your platform is your books.

So keep writing them, no matter what.

Genre Sells

“Genre sells” means using your genre to permeate everything in your platform: your book names, your book covers, your freebies, your website design, your fonts and colours, your photography, and even your email newsletter.

Because these days, you can’t get away with slapping up any old theme or content on the web when you start to build your platform.

And using famous authors as a guide is a seductive trap. And seductive traps are inevitably ineffective.

What’s easier is to simply use your genre to build an identity that tells readers exactly what they’re going to get from you: a fantastic book from an author who cares about giving them a fantastic reading experience.

Now get out there and give them that experience.

  • Frank McIlwee, Writer

    Amy is the complete professional. As well as offering a comprehensive analysis of the current draft of my thriller she has also helped me develop a plan for the next phase. She has brought energy and extensive expertise to the collaboration. She has highlighted those areas of the manuscript in need of improvement as well as offering encouragement in relation to its strengths. I look forward to our continuing collaboration and know that she will push me hard. Excellent!

  • Josh Dallaire, Writer

    Amy is a very thoughtful editor. She outlined the problems with the current phase of my manuscript and provided me with the tools necessary for the next phase and beyond. Her patience with my manuscript was nothing short of outstanding. Even for someone new like me she is very approachable and works quickly to get to the point. It was an honour to work with her.

  • Duncan SimpsonDuncan Simpson
    Amy edited the first two books in my 'Dark Horizon' thriller series. As a new writer, choosing the right editor for your manuscript can be a daunting process. But with Amy, it was clear from the start I had not only found an eminently qualified professional, but an ally in making my work as good as it could be. Through her diligent work, both my manuscripts were significantly improved and tightened. Very skilled at the technical heavy lifting of copy editing, Amy also gives an expert eye across the big-picture view of a story--and has a genuine understanding of the genre. She has become a trusted copilot. Skilled, responsive, honest and always professional.
    And finally, she is just a nice person to do business with. Yes, choosing an editor is a difficult process. I was lucky to choose Amy.
  • Camp JamisonNonprofit Camp For Inner-City Kids

    Amy went above and beyond for this job. She was thorough in her prior research and made sure she understood exactly what I needed out of the product. The products were fantastic she put a lot of thought into the documents. She also put comments along with the drafts to explain her thinking and offer additional suggestions. I'd hire Amy again in an instant and would recommend her to everyone else as well!

  • Marine GroulxMarine GroulxFormer Publications Coordinator at Centraide of Greater Montreal

    It’s such a pleasure working with Amy.  She really gets what nonprofit communications professionals have to deal with every day. I highly recommend her!

  • Christopher DowningChristopher DowningAuthor of the Memoir Van Gogh in Peppers

    I knew in my gut that I had a strong book, so putting my manuscript into Amy's hands was a major step toward making it great. With a quick turnaround, she applied aspects of structure, motif, and character development to my re-write, aspects crucial to being taken seriously as a writer. Not to mention the 800+ grammar and syntax surprises she wrangled out of it. Most of my reviews mention that my book is well-written or well-crafted, and I owe much of that to Amy's skills as an editor.

  • Lea ElliottLea ElliottPrincipal at Naturehood, Environmental Solutions Consultant, Author of Work Like Nature

    I'm so glad I hired Amy. Her editing improved both the overall structure and the little details in my manuscript. She added clarity, punch and focus to my book without losing my writing style. Amy's thorough, direct and caring feedback were essential to producing a final product that I'm proud of.

  • Andrew ArgyleAndrew ArgyleCrime Author

    Amy Butcher edited my first crime novel, 'The Dreams that Make Us', and I could not have dreamt of a better editor. She was fantastic. Her calm, positive, efficient and encouraging support and approach was just what was needed. I welcomed her honest opinions and sound advice as she threw herself into the project going beyond the call of duty. However there was a downside. Despite being an English lawyer, I realised on reading Amy's edits just how poor my English actually was!

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