MY Platform;
I just found out I need a platform if I intend to be a serious writer. Here it goes again, the "I thought all I needed to do was write" syndrome. I started the actual writing of my little fantasy almost two years ago. I would have stopped before I started if I knew then what I knew now.
I was almost sixty at the time. I was also very timid and shy. My age and demeanor are not great traits when seeking a writing career.
I have always been the fail once, and I'm out of here kind of guy. Now here I am, two years later, with so many rejection letters I qualify for the frequent rejection list. To be honest, every rejection breaks my heart, see I'm not thick skinned enough to be a writer.
There are times I really don't understand the system. I don't always understand a subjective rejection. Why aren't new clients given a passing chance by the agents actively seeking new clients? The way I see it is, I'm a new client, why not take a chance and ask for a partial before you send of your nifty form rejection letter.
OK now that I've hung myself out to dry, here's my somewhat less than formal platform. (copied from Query Tracker Forum.)
Why do people need my book as opposed to the thousands that already line the shelves?
Answer: Thousands of novels lined the shelves before the Harry Potter books became the vogue. You've lost the race if you go by the mindset that the shelves are already lined with excellent reading material.
What makes my idea unique? The characters in Tenebrae are unique, where else are you going to find a farmer that grows creamed corn with his pet/harvesting equipment giant Caterpillar. Fluffy, the near-sighted, lovesick sea monster, who has fallen in love with a pirate ship. It is also clean, good fun. Readers are entitled to a novel where they don't need to worry if the teenaged protagonist might be involved with activities not age appropriate.
Why must I be the one to write this book?
Answer: There are few around that can match my overactive witty imagination. Besides, I don't think Sara would allow anyone else to tell her story.
What about my background or experience makes me the only one who can write this?
Answer: I have a Peter-Pan soul and heart.
What do I do really well?
Answer: I write good dialogue, I'm witty, funny, charming, I have written a very charming, clean fantasy.
What would I like my platform to look like in a year?
Answer: I dream. Like the rest of the unpublished authors, I would like to add published author to my platform. I would like this blog to be followed by a few more followers, but I suppose that's up to me.
Well, there you have my less than the formal platform. I wish to thank in advance, the thousands of Agents that read this blog.
I would like to close this blog with a prayer to those aforementioned agents (you know who you are) May your next book deal become next year's Pulitzer Prize (or me)
