Submissions Masterclass ~ Week Two

As a publisher, we build authors and careers. When you decide to publish, you’re making the choice to go public with yourself as an author and with your novel. So to have us take a serious look at you as an author, it’s important that you present yourself as the author you are! And you’ll be happy to know that we’ll map out just how to do that in this post.

There are different schools of thought on having platforms, but if you look at the BIGGEST names in your genre, I’m willing to bet that they, indeed, have platforms. As a digital publisher, we believe in the merits of having a public presence as an author. But how do you do it when you don’t have a string of writing accolades behind you?

Begin setting up the social media you feel comfortable with. Use a nice photograph of yourself that would fit who you are as an author—friendly, approachable, relaxed. (For example, a snapshot of you toasting late-night beers with your friends might not fit your genre.) Start sharing things with others about your writing, ask questions, and comment on other people’s posts, chatting with them. Your publisher or agent might take a look. At Harpeth Road, we do.

You don’t have to have a million followers or fifty posts a day (please, no). But it does help to see if the author is serious about his/her career, if he/she is already trying and willing to learn best practices, and how that author responds to people. You might not be the biggest name in your genre. Yet. Take the first steps.

Don’t know where to start? We’ll help! To see everything in one place, follow Harpeth Road on Instagram and watch our Reels, and checkout our blog. We share all kinds of things about the industry that will help you prepare. Read our website, find us on all our social media, and follow along. You’ll be up and running in no time!