Your Writer Platform with Tara Lynne

Carol Crawford says: Tara Lynne Groth provides nuggets of practical information that writers can use right away to build their platform and market their work. Her class is dense with information and ideas -- I couldn't take notes fast enough. She makes social networking less mysterious and talks about resources all writers should know about - but not all of us do.


Register for Tara Lynne Groth workshop on August 22 by printing out the registration form found at top of blog page and send your check to Glenda Beall, Writers Circle, 581 Chatuge Lane, Hayesville, NC 28904.

Make check to  Glenda Beall, please. Space is limited to ten students. Fee is  $35.00.
email: glendabeall@msn.com      phone: 828-389-4441

A Blog, A Newsletter, Both?

With all the talk about how a writer can build a platform or build a brand, I am pleased to see this   helpful post  

The author believes a writer should have a blog and a newsletter. I definitely believe a writer must have a blog. Read this article to see why Jim Devitt feels a blog is necessary.

Some of the comments show the writers don't see the "big picture." When the person comments that he doesn't  need a blog because he doesn't have enough books published yet, he is woefully neglecting his platform. The blog can be helpful in his getting those books published, in getting his name recognized before the book is published so that marketing of the book is easier. With a blog, a writer builds a community of readers and friends who will tell their friends about this writer. This is like moving into a neighborhood and taking time to get to know the folks who live there. When you know them and they know you, you have built an identity in your community. You are no longer a stranger, but someone to be trusted, and you have friends you can call on if needed. This doesn't happen overnight and neither does creating a writing community. It takes time and effort.

A blog increases a writer's online visibility because the search engines pick up his blog posts. I would rather visit an author's blog than simply see a website where his books are listed. And then, of course, he can share his blog posts on all the social media which will likely bring him new readers.

Panel on Publishing Appreciated by a Good Audience

Many thanks to Kathryn Magendie, Nadine Justice, and Maren Mitchell for being our panelists today at Moss Library in Hayesville, NC where we had a good sized group of interested folks who learned far more than they thought they would, I'm sure.

Our thanks to Mary Fonda and her assistant, Judy, who helped me set up the room and close up. I had thought we'd be out by four O'clock, but our audience continued to talk with our panelists and each other until five o'clock. 

Thanks to Jim Davis who helped me load my car. I hope to see Jim online with a blog one day. These events are wonderful ways to meet new writers and those who want to be writers but are still working up the courage to take a class or admit they really are writers, just not openly yet. 

I was delighted to meet Lise, a blogger friend, who lives north of us above Sylva. Visit her delightful blog. She will have a book out one day. 

Kathryn, Nadine, and Maren showed the generosity I have come to expect from most writers. They shared their experiences from publishing and marketing, and I know their words helped those who sat in the chairs and took notes. 

Perhaps we can do something like this again next year.

Maren O. Mitchell is author of Beat Chronic Pain;An Insider's Guide
Nadine Justice is author of a memoir, I'm a Coal Miner's Daughter But I Cain't Sang.
Kathryn Magendie is author of five novels, including the Grace series, and a novella.