BUILD YOUR AUTHOR PLATFORM PART 2

SCHEDULE. IT’S DONE!​

​Your weekly writing and platform-building scheduleA few notes before you start building your author platform:

• If you’re waking up early before work to get in your 2 hours, I’d say start by writing — that way if you’re in the flow, you can always keep going. If you’re doing your 2 hours after work, you might want to “wind-down” with the platform stuff; then do the writing afterwards once you’ve de-stressed.
• I always thinks it’s smart to choose 2 social media sites to concentrate on at first. I’m using Twitter and Facebook for this example, but you could substitute with Pinterest, G+, etc.
• Reading is something we’re hopefully doing all the time. But you gotta find time outside of these 2 hours for that!
• Keep things flexible. You might end up spending an extra 20 minutes on your interview responses one day, which cuts into time to submit work for publication. Oh well. You’ll get back on schedule the next day!

Week 1Monday

• 60 minutes: writing
• 30 minutes: revision
• 30 minutes: schedule tweets and Facebook updates for the week

Tuesday

• 60 minutes: writing
• 30 minutes: revision
• 10 minutes: respond to social media comments
• 20 minutes: prepare 2 submissions

Wednesday

• 60 minutes: writing
• 30 minutes: revision
• 20 minutes: interact with book forums, book-recommendation engines, GoodReads, etc.
• 10 minutes: respond to social media comments

Thursday

• 60 minutes: writing
• 20 minutes: seek out reading opportunities at bookstores, libraries, etc. (or plan your book-launch party!)
• 10 minutes: respond to social media comments
• 30 minutes: write a blog post for your own website

Friday

• 60 minutes: writing
• 30 minutes: write a guest post for another blog
• 10 minutes: respond to social media comments
• 20 minutes: website maintenance (updates, respond to blog comments, etc.)

Week 2Monday

• 60 minutes: writing
• 30 minutes: revision
• 30 minutes: schedule tweets and Facebook updates

Tuesday

• 60 minutes: writing
• 30 minutes: book distribution maintenance, Amazon Author Central profile, accounting, etc.
• 10 minutes: respond to social media comments
• 20 minutes: start writing the copy for your monthly email newsletter

Wednesday

• 60 minutes: writing
• 15 minutes: revision
• 15 minutes: review newsletter copy and email it to your list!
• 20 minutes: interact with book forums/book-recommendation engines, GoodReads, etc.
• 10 minutes: respond to social media comments

Thursday

• 60 minutes: writing
• 30 minutes: prepare for your reading (press release, logistics, etc.)
• 10 minutes: respond to social media comments
• 20 minutes: seek out guest blog opportunities

Friday

• 60 minutes: writing
• 30 minutes: write a blog for your own website
• 10 minutes: respond to social media comments
• 20 minutes: update website (make sure your website is media-friendly)

Week 3Monday

• 60 minutes: do an interview (by email, phone, or in-person) for a blog, podcast, TV show, radio, etc.
• 30 minutes: calm your nerves from the interview — drive back home
• 30 minutes: schedule tweets and Facebook updates

Tuesday

• 60 minutes: writing
• 30 minutes: revision
• 10 minutes: respond to social media comments
• 20 minutes: prepare 2 submissions

Wednesday

• 60 minutes: writing
• 30 minutes: revision
• 20 minutes: interact with book forums/book-recommendation engines, GoodReads, etc.
• 10 minutes: respond to social media comments

Thursday

• 60 minutes: writing
• 20 minutes: seek out PR and promotional opportunities (interviews on TV, radio, podcasts, blogs, magazines, etc.)
• 10 minutes: respond to social media comments
• 30 minutes: write a piece of flash fiction for your blog, or shoot a quick behind-the-scenes video for fans

Friday

• 60 minutes: writing
• 30 minutes: join or maintain relationship with online writing group, author association, or sign up for a writing conference
• 10 minutes: respond to social media comments
• 20 minutes: website maintenance (make sure your blog looks pro)

Week 4Monday

• 60 minutes: writing
• 30 minutes: revision
• 30 minutes: schedule tweets and Facebook updates

Tuesday

• 60 minutes: writing
• 30 minutes: revision
• 10 minutes: respond to social media comments
• 20 minutes: prepare for your reading — which is coming up on Thursday!

Wednesday

• 60 minutes: writing
• 40 minutes: do a dress rehearsal for your reading
• 10: make sure everything is set for the reading
• 10 minutes: respond to social media comments

Thursday Night

• 120 minutes: give a great reading! (Oh, and be sure to get it on video)

Friday

• 60 minutes: edit the video from the night before
• 30 minutes: post the video on your blog, YouTube, and share on social networks
• 10 minutes: respond to social media comments
• 20 minutes: WILD CARD! (do whatever you didn’t have time for earlier in the month)

This is just an example of one way to do it, but I’d love to hear from you: does this schedule look anything like your daily writing and platform-building routine? How have you started building your platform as an author? What’s worked? What’s been a waste of time? Let us know in the comments section below.