Advice for Writing, Editing, Reading, and Life.

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Finding Success in the Middle Ground — A response to “The Paradox of Platform”

Finding Success in the Middle Ground — A response to “The Paradox of Platform”

Nurturing any career is a process. It’s not something that happens at a particular point in time. I got the idea to try writing picture books somewhere around five years ago. On any given day since, I am taking steps toward that end. I joined a critique group—Hooray! I studied the business of writing—Go, me! I learned to revise--Something else to celebrate! Seeing just the end goal disregards the growth points and small wins along the way.

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The Paradox of Platform
Non-fiction, Marketing and Publicity, Life Sam "One-Wheel" O'Neil Non-fiction, Marketing and Publicity, Life Sam "One-Wheel" O'Neil

The Paradox of Platform

If you already have a built in fan-base from another venture, such as internet videos or a television show, your book will be a much easier sell than someone with no web presence, regardless of how good or bad either book actually is. As a person with virtually no platform, I know how that sounds—envious and a little bitter. To some extent it probably is, I confess, but it’s also just the reality of producing art for profit.

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Building a Brand: The Difficult Simplicity of Defining Your Audience

Building a Brand: The Difficult Simplicity of Defining Your Audience

Your audience is not how many people are reading your content. Your audience, at its most basic level, is who your content is for. Knowing this shapes what and how you write—what information has to be communicated, what can be assumed, and what can be otherwise ignored.

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Building a Brand: What is “Voice”?
Non-fiction, Marketing and Publicity Sam "One-Wheel" O'Neil Non-fiction, Marketing and Publicity Sam "One-Wheel" O'Neil

Building a Brand: What is “Voice”?

Imagine the voice of your best friend. Imagine the voice of your mother. You wouldn’t have to see their faces to distinguish them; as long as you can hear them speaking, you’ll know who they are because you are so familiar with what they sound like. In some ways, voice in writing is similar to this; obviously, it’s not an actual, audible voice, but it does identify you as a writer.

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