Just can’t get enough of those platform-building campaigns

Rachel Harrie has just launched the Fourth Writers’ Platform-Building Campaign. I’ve already signed on, and it’s just the second day. For those who know me, this is almost unheard-of.

This is the second of Rachel’s campaigns that I’ve joined. I joined the Third Campaign last fall, and found it invaluable.

What did it mean, to join a platform-building campaign? It means I did many of the things an independent author and blogger has to do, if he or she wants to reach an audience. And without an audience, why write anything?

I got a lot out of it. I happily discovered Rachel’s blog, Rach Writes, not long after I published my first fiction, the children’s short story Sam, the Strawb Part. At that point, I realized I had to work hard on publicizing my fiction—what’s known in publishing jargon as “building your platform.” I started blogging regularly and signed on to Twitter. I participated in some writing contests and got welcome attention, as well as great compliments.

I started reading other blogs. Thanks to Rachel’s Campaign, I discovered several that I still follow—you can see them in the “Blogs worth reading” list on the left, and the “blogroll” below, right.

Through participating in the campaign, and following through with linking and regularly visiting other blogs, I started raising my profile in the blogosphere. I got some great comments on my posts, read valuable tips and advice on writing (and book marketing) and formed some Internet relationships that I treasure. I also discovered some great authors.

As Rachel’s title promised, my platform grew. At the time of this posting, my blog has 100 registered followers (see the widget on the right), and the average number of pageviews has grown to over 200 daily. Before I joined the Third Campaign, my monthly pageviews were around 400. Others have subscribed to the blog by email. My list of Twitter followers has grown to nearly 1,200.

Not all of that growth is directly attributable to Rachel Harrie’s Third Campaign. But it was near the beginning of the growth of my platform, and the doorway to many other very useful tools, ideas and people.

That’s why I’m eager to join the new campaign. I look forward to finding useful resources, inspiring writing, and great people to follow.

Want to grow your “platform”? I cannot recommend Rachel Harrie’s Platform-Building Campaign enough.