Building a literary platform

Notes from this source:
Formichelli, Linda. Pick Me: The old rules don't apply anymore. So what's an author gotta do to get noticed around here?

It's all about the money:
- Seven out of 10 new trade books in the United States lose money
- Big-chain bookstores order just enough of each book to test the waters and return anything that doesn't sell
-Used books are more accessible than ever on the Internet
-Because of this, publishers are looking much harder at their bottom lines.

Blogs: what they can and can't do
- Agents and editors need to see a completed and polished book that will appeal to readers
- Blogs can and do target potential audiences

Tech-savvy authors
- Interact with readers
- Post audio and video clips on their websites to entice readers
- Consider posting pages or chapters of their works
- Reply to readers' comments and questions as often as they can
- Are involved with online forums, which build credibility as an expert

Building a platform:
- Agents desire a national level of exposure already in place
- They want you to appear regularly on a national TV show, or have a syndicated column, or be on a radio show with a national audience

Creating an online platform:
- If your website generates a million hits per day
- If you outreach and become a prominent member of the online community
- If you appear in the local news or have published articles on this topic
- If you have a unique story, expertise in a subject or exclusive access to important people in the field

... then you might be a redneck - excuse me - then, you might build a platform.