Website, email list, social media, media kit – build a platform that works before and after every launch, not just during it.
Start Writing on iWritySocial platforms come and go – your website is the one digital asset you own and control. It should load fast, display beautifully on mobile, and immediately communicate your genre. Every platform you build – Instagram, TikTok, email – should funnel visitors back here. Prioritize three pages above all else: a homepage that converts browsers to subscribers, a books page with active buy links on every major retailer, and a media page that gives journalists and podcasters what they need. WordPress and Squarespace are the two most author-friendly platforms; Ghost is excellent for newsletter-first authors. Buy your own domain – yourname.com – early, even before your first book is written.
An email subscriber has opted in to hear from you directly. Unlike social followers, you own the relationship – algorithm changes cannot cut your reach overnight. Start collecting emails before your first book launches. Use a reader magnet (a free short story, prequel chapter, or companion guide) to incentivize signups. Send consistently, even monthly, so readers stay warm. Your welcome sequence – the automated series of two to four emails that greet new subscribers – is the highest-read email campaign you will ever send. Use it to introduce yourself, deliver the magnet, share your story, and invite a reply. Platforms like ConvertKit (now Kit), Mailchimp, and MailerLite all have strong free tiers for under 1,000 subscribers.
The worst platform strategy is spreading yourself across every channel. Pick one where your genre's readers actually gather and show up there consistently. Fantasy and romance thrive on BookTok (TikTok) and Bookstagram (Instagram). Non-fiction and business authors perform well on LinkedIn and Twitter/X. Literary fiction readers follow authors on Substack and via newsletters more than social feeds. Within your chosen channel, study the content that performs well for comparable authors. Video content is dominating reach on almost every platform, even Instagram. A 30-second cover reveal or “behind the writing” clip consistently outperforms static posts. Aim for three to five posts per week rather than daily, and never sacrifice quality for quantity.
Journalists, podcast hosts, and book bloggers are busy. If reaching out to them requires a back-and-forth email exchange to gather basic facts, most will move on to the next author. A media kit eliminates that friction. At minimum, package a high-resolution author headshot (300 DPI JPEG or PNG), a 50-word and a 300-word bio, high-resolution cover images with ISBNs, a one-paragraph synopsis per book, three to five key interview topics, and a direct booking email or form. Host this as a page on your website rather than only a PDF – searchable, linkable, and easy to update after each new release without chasing down old PDF links.
Readers who encounter you on Instagram, find your website, then subscribe to your email list should have a seamless experience. That means the same profile photo across platforms, the same author name spelling, a matching color palette, and a consistent voice – the personality you project on every channel. Create a one-page brand reference document: hex codes for your two or three core colors, your two fonts (one display, one body), your two-sentence author tagline, and three adjectives that describe your tone. Share this with any designer or VA. Visual inconsistency erodes trust and makes you look like multiple different people, which slows audience growth.
The biggest platform mistake authors make is waiting until their book is published to start building. Platform compounds slowly, like compound interest – the best time to start is a year before you need it, the second best time is today. Six months before launch, focus on email list growth via a reader magnet and a consistent posting cadence on one social channel. Three months before launch, announce your book to your list and social following. One month before, activate an ARC (advance review copy) program using your list. Launch week, your existing audience does the heavy lifting. Authors who launch to silence are almost always authors who built nothing before publication day.
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Try iWrity FreeStart before your first book launches – ideally six to twelve months before publication. Platform building takes time to compound. An email list of 500 engaged readers at launch will outperform a list of 5,000 cold subscribers built in a panic release week. Your pre-launch period is the perfect time to establish your website, post consistently on one social channel, and run a reader magnet to grow your list organically. Even 50 true fans who share your announcement can meaningfully move early launch metrics.
No – and trying to is a common platform-building mistake. Choose one or two channels where your genre's readers actually spend time, and show up consistently there. Romance and fantasy readers cluster on TikTok (BookTok) and Instagram (Bookstagram). Business and non-fiction readers are on LinkedIn and Twitter/X. Literary fiction readers follow authors via Substack and newsletters more than social feeds. Depth on one channel beats thin presence on six. Reserve additional channels for cross-posting only once your primary is thriving.
At minimum: a homepage that immediately communicates your genre and brand, a books page with buy links, an about page with a professional photo and bio in both short (50 words) and long (300 words) versions, a contact or media page, and an email signup form with a reader magnet. Optionally: a blog or newsletter archive, an events page if you speak or appear at conventions, and a press kit for media. Keep navigation simple – five top-level items or fewer. If a visitor can't find your books within two clicks, your site needs restructuring.
A media kit is a downloadable PDF or dedicated webpage that gives journalists, bloggers, podcasters, and event organizers everything they need without emailing you. Include: high-resolution author headshot (at least 300 DPI), short and long bio, list of published books with cover images and ISBNs, a one-paragraph book summary per title, key themes and talking points per book, previous media appearances or blurbs, and your booking contact email. Update it after every new release. Make it easy to download from your website's press or media page.
Brand consistency comes down to three elements: a consistent visual identity (same profile photo, color palette, and font style wherever possible), a consistent voice (the tone and personality you use in every caption, email, and bio), and a consistent message (the two or three things you always want readers to associate with your name). Create a simple one-page brand document: your hex colors, your font choices, your two-sentence author tagline, and three words that describe your tone. Share this with any designer or VA you work with so every piece of content looks and sounds like you.
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