Why does your platform matter so much to publishers? Isn’t good writing enough? Is it necessary to become an online personality just to land a book deal?

You’ve probably asked these questions, as you watch countless writers exhaust themselves trying to gain traction on social media. It’s noble to want to exit the circus and focus on what matters: writing.

When it comes to platform, writers make two key mistakes. First, they ignore it altogether. But if publishers look for momentum, and don’t see it, it’s unlikely you’ll get a book deal. Second, writers try to gather followers across too many platforms. It’s too much to manage, and they ultimately give up.

Today’s guest offers a better way. Curtis Yates is a lawyer, literary agent, and author coach at Yates & Yates一the agency his father founded. In this episode, he explains to senior editor Will Parker Anderson how the digital age has shifted the publishing world. Discoverability, which was once confined to brick and mortar bookstores, has moved onto the internet and social media.

If you want to win the game, you have to know the rules. Curtis offers insight about why publishing has changed so dramatically in the last 10-15 years, and what you as a writer can do about it.

This episode is Part 1 of 2. Stay tuned for the second half next week.

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