What’s platform?

I have no book out in my own name yet, after 26 years of writing, but I've explored many other realms, gone on many tangents. I've taught in a variety of venues, published short fiction, poetry, articles, and essays. I've gotten paid to blog, done work-for-hire screenwriting, ghostwritten, have been super involved in a variety of social media - general and on my topics. I've professionally edited / midwifed many books and scripts and shorts and...  All those endeavors have put bricks in my "Platform." What is platform?  Frank Dorchak's recent post about platform made me think on the subject.

And this is my thought on it -- this week.


Maybe this isn't flattering, but platform seems to be a modest way of saying pedestal, as in: put you on a pedestal... look up to… find admiration enough to buy your product. At least that’s one way to look at it… the higher your pedestal, the more people will see you. The more people see you, the more people will likely buy your product. Getting yourself up on that platform is said to be one key to success now.  I'm building one hell of one!   - Inky

 

 

 

Congratulations to Runners Up Joan Johnston and Cindy Myers. 

And a whopper of a congratulations to the RMFW Writer of the Year Susan Spann.

We had a great time at the BookBar!

Fun seeing everyone who could attend.  Quite a crowd!

Ghostwriting - Caution

Cautionary tale from one who has taken the ride.

Today I got word from my attorney that my celebrity collaborator on a ghostwriting project has an attorney that doesn't respond.  Things went sour thanks to a betraying agent WHO I BOUGHT IN ON THE PROJECT.  She wanted said celebrity to push me off the project so she could put another "more seasoned" ghostwriter in my place.  I was not an employee, I was a collaborator.  I didn't cooperate in my own ousting.   I may name the top agent sometime in the future, but for now I'm being discreet.

Helping others tell their stories can be fun, advance your skills at interviewing and delving deep into POV, give you the opportunity to midwife great stories.  It can also be lucrative.  But beware of the pitfalls.

http://btsemag.com/editorials/karens-writing-detours-july-2015/

I write a column for BTS Book Reviews and coincidentally the disappointing
call from my attorney happened on the first day of my ghostwriting series.  Instead of earning a sizeable amount of money (as per my contract), I'll end up going in the hole for my attorney's retainer, my travels to the celebrity for interviews, rental car, etc.  Not to mention my lack of income as I turned down new editing clients. 

It was a writing debacle and a lesson learned.  But perhaps a subject for a book I can write in the future.  The question is, do I write it as nonfiction from my perspective going into a very big project and having it yanked away from me through interference with a contract?  Or do I write it as a murder mystery and leave some blood behind on the page. 

A question to ponder. 

You can see the list of all the subjects I cover on my BTS teaser page:
http://btsemag.com/editorials/category/columns/writing-detours/

-  Inkpot

 

Friends of the CU Libraries, Just Desserts presents Shannon Baker!

Authors Speak about Howard Fogg's WWII and Art Careers

Thank you again, one and all, for the invitation to speak, for attending, and for the terrific articles about Howard!

May 6, 2015 Left Hand Valley Courier:

April 22, 2015 Left Hand Valley Courier:  Howard Fogg's Railroad Painting Career Remembered



Now & Then, A Lecture Series - The Niwot Historical Society - April 29, 2015

There was fun to be done!

“Oh, the places you'll go!
There is fun to be done!

There are points to be scored.
There are games to be won.”
― Dr. Seuss, Oh, The Places You’ll Go!

Oh, the places we went! (The Bookbar on March 29th for a fabulous book launch by Becky Clark, Peg Brantley, and Shannon Baker.)

There was fun to be done!  (With this trio?  Surely you jest!)

Yes, games were won!  (Wine, anyone?  Or would you prefer the excellent hot chocolate?)

Oh, the places you'll go in their new books! 

And links to their websites!

Becky Clark

Peg Brantley

Shannon Baker