Platform Building--The New Slush Pile

It's been said that the slush pile is dead. Meaning, ever since the emergence of the ebook wanna-be authors no longer have to wait (sometimes in vain) hoping, dreaming, praying to be fished out of that dreaded pile of queries that sits, I imagine, in a cardboard box on the office floor of some wonderful perspective agent.

But the slush pile isn't dead--it has just transformed into something beautiful: the indie ebook list. As mentor M tells us, one of the best ways to market your book (and yourself as an author) is to test-market your material by self-publishing. So, in the spirit of revolution I am preparing to release Saving Mary: The Possession as an ebook.

The idea in this is to get my name out there and release my work as a sample of what I do. Thereby generating a fan base and a hunger for more. Of course, this is also a test in marketing...Can I prove to agents (and publishers) that I can actually market a book? Succeeding in this area means I have bypassed Mentor's M's Reason No.32 for getting  REJECTED: You Have No Idea How to Market a Book  -- REMEMBER TO LIKE THIS ON FACEBOOK --

The wonderful part about the ebook slush pile is that the author can actually make money while swimming in the slush--and the money can then be invested in building platform. For the author it's a win-win situation. After all, if your ebook does good, grabbing an agent--for the same book or an additional book--will be easier. If the ebook does mediocre--at least you're out there and bringing in some money. And, of course, if the ebook bombs ...well, at least you know to write another book.

For myself, part of my marketing strategy is to divide my memoir Saving Mary: The Possession and The Deliverance into two books. After all, I don't want to get REJECTED because of mentor M's Reason No. 73 There is No Real Sequel Potential for Your Book

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Indie slush pile

Get Known Before the Book Deal: Use Your Personal Strengths to Grow an Author Platform by Christina Katz