PICTURE THIS…
You’re snuggled sweetly in your bed, dreaming of Paris, when something you wrote days, weeks (or months!) earlier reaches a stranger across the globe in the magical borderless portal of the world wide web.
Before you’ve taken the first sip of your coffee in the morning, you see your email buzzing with notifications: something you wrote has gone ‘viral’ and your audience has multiplied by tens of thousands, people are begging for your work, publishers are contacting YOU via your digital channels, and you haven’t even starting pitching the book, yet!
In 2023, nonfiction writers sell their work in very different ways to just 20 or 30 years ago. You may have heard the term ‘personal brand’ – well this is how it works for writers. It’s now common to get a book deal from any of these online ‘personal brand assets’:
⭐ A blog post
⭐ Your website
⭐ An article or essay (even an email newsletter!)
⭐ A social media post
This is because the way we consume media has changed.
The current era is an incredible time to be a writer or creative with a passion – you can IMMEDIATELY reach people ACTIVELY searching for your specific passions and expertise – and a professional reputation which once would have taken years to build, can now (literally) amplify in minutes.
Not-so-long-ago you needed to already have an agent and decades of writing experience to reach top publishers. But in the late 1990s with the advance of the internet, a new term sprouted up in nonfiction publishing: author platform. Agents and editors wanted to see how a potential author was placed to reach their target audience.
But having a platform is not just necessary to get a book deal. You can’t sell anything in this current era unless you have SOME kind of digital presence – not even an essay or an article!
Your writer’s platform is the sum total of your network, connections and visibility online.
And the BEST news is that a writer who creates a strategic online platform can skip the queue to a book deal and sell more of their work!
I did it – and you can, too.
MY STORY OF ‘PLATFORM’, PUBLISHING & DIGITAL MEDIA
In 2010, when print media was hanging by a thread, I was devastated to lose the freelance writing work I’d built up over years. So I decided to re-train as a digital communications specialist (many journalists left writing altogether). I worked for Universities, Corporates and major Media organisations getting their experts and their products and brands ‘seen’ online. I learnt SEO, I wrote hundreds of ‘viral’ posts and articles for a major radio station, I created online websites, I wrote thousands of pages of web content, I built instagram and Facebook followings and live-tweeted from events to learn every aspect of online ‘engagement’. Companies paid me big bucks for this work, but it didn’t occur to me that what I was learning would help me form a strategy when I wanted to sell my next book.
When A Letter From Paris came into my world I had nothing but a (very) basic website, maybe a few hundred followers on social media (if that). I was determined to use this ‘new’ form of positioning myself to a Publisher and I followed a strategy I would have crafted for any of the companies I’d been working for. After writing a 1000 word blog post (which reached a Top 5 Publisher who made me an offer) I didn’t even have to write a book proposal to get an agent.
Since then, I’ve started an online business and all of my paid work comes from my digital platform.
Despite what you may think, getting a book deal from a blog post is not uncommon!
The digital world is a 24/7 marketplace and when you show up effectively, the right people come to you – asking for your work, wanting your expertise, offering you a deal for your book or even commissioning unpitched articles and other services!
The problem is, many creatives don’t understand the order in which to set things up, or they get overwhelmed by the ‘idea’ of what platform means. But if you can follow a simple and effective strategy, you can advance your publishing career at lightning speed.
Create your Writer Platform shows you the simple steps you need to take to set up an effective online presence to sell more of your work.
In Create Your Writer Platform I teach you the strategy behind each of these important digital ‘assets’, and how to set each one up effectively:
1: Your writer website
2: Your social media presence
3: A blog
4: An email newsletter
5: I also give you some basic training on Search Engine Optimisation (AKA how to get seen on google!)
If all of this is overwhelming to you, I understand. The strategies I teach can be implemented in a day or a week so you can start building your confidence and making sales ASAP.
IF YOU’RE LIKE MANY WRITERS I SPEAK TO, YOU WRONGLY ASSUME…
THE TRUTH IS, EVERY NONFICTION WRITER WHO WANTS TO SELL THEIR WORK NEEDS AN ONLINE PLATFORM
But it doesn’t need to be complicated!
The first place ANYONE looks for information in 2022 is Google.
By strategically creating your writer platform, you position yourself well with potential publishers, AND get found by those who want your expertise with a few simple tweaks online!
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if someone searched for help for the EXACT thing that you love to write about, and YOU were the first person who came up? This is all possible when you have an effective writer platform!
You don’t want to send an editor, a publisher or potential paying client to a poorly-presented website. People make decisions within a nanosecond of viewing your site or your social channels, make sure you’re presenting yourself in the best possible light!
IN CREATE YOUR WRITER PLATFORM, YOU’LL LEARN…
🌟 The quick fix (which costs zero dollars) to look professional on google while you’re getting your website set up
🌟 The basics of Google so that whether you’re selling a writing service, a manuscript, a digital product, coaching or anything else – you’re reaching people who want to buy what you offer!
🌟 How to save thousands on advertising (and lop years off your publishing timeline) by learning effective online engagement strategies to build an online audience that don’t cost a cent
🌟 How to position yourself professionally as a writer online, EVEN if you’ve never been published!
🌟 Why blogging is ‘still a thing’ in 2022 and how to set up an SEO-optimised blog step-by-step (templates and checklists from my own process included!)
Whether you’re writing a memoir or any other type of nonfiction, having an effective online writer’s platform is absolutely essential if you want to get published.
AND – everything you learn in Create Your Writer Platform will help you to sell more copies of your book when it IS published! Why? Because a great platform amplifies your reach to a bigger audience of people who WANT your specific niche!
If you’re done ‘shouting into the void’ with your blogs, your website or your social media channels or only having engagement from family and friends, then this is for you.
CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
Louisa can see possibilities for you that you can’t see because you’re too close to it all. She incorporates book publicity and author know-how with online marketing which is a really unique combination. The whole plan was so brilliant. Louisa came up with a GENIUS marketing strategy to promote my upcoming book launch and online business both at the same time.
Mary Adkins, HarperCollins author
Louisa knows what is shifting and changing in the digital world RIGHT now, she’s thorough, and doesn’t miss a detail. So, if I ask her what she thinks of an offer I know she’ll be considering every aspect of it – the messaging, the context, the strategy – within a global business context. We’ve been masterminding for over a year now, and in that time I’ve grown my business beyond 7 figures.
Hilary Silver, women’s empowerment coach
What’s unique about Louisa is that she always has her finger on the pulse when it comes to the latest and most effective online business and marketing strategies. She’s an incredible listener and really took the time to understand me and my business – she has this ability to zoom out and see the gaps in my business and fill them in. This year I’ve restructured my business model and Louisa has helped me to shift focus; I’m now generating more income than before with less amount of work. She’s been a huge support in my business and I couldn’t recommend her enough to anyone navigating the online business space.
Martha May Ronson, Online business coach for Artists
I have known Louisa for 18 years. She is an amazing writer and interviewer, uncannily perceptive with a gift for nuanced observation. That, blended with her media and publishing industry savviness, makes her formidable.
Mystic Medusa, author & online entrepreneur
If you’ve never experienced it before, publishing can seem like an enigma, the sort of industry that’s closed to all but insiders. Louisa knows traditional publishing, both as an author and from the back end where agents, editors and sales teams operate. She has a knack for coming up with new ways to ensure your manuscript gets in front of the right people.
Carrie Hutchinson, award-winning travel writer, ghostwriter & editor
Louisa was a fabulous editorial support, and she’s direct and coherent in the advice she offers which has been honed by her years of experience….
Eleanor Jackson, poet, author, board chair of Peril magazine & the Stella prize for women writers
WHAT YOU RECEIVE WHEN YOU JOIN TODAY
A DIGITAL STRATEGY CREATED SPECIFICALLY FOR NONFICTION WRITERS WHO WANT TO SELL THEIR WORK
I’ve worked for 7 and 8 figure online businesses and I’ve sold multiple books, stories, products and services online with this strategy. AND, because I currently run an online business and still write nonfiction, you can be sure the best practise steps I teach you are up-to-date in a rapidly-evolving digital landscape.
CREATE YOUR WRITER PLATFORM VIDEO TRAININGS
Value: $1000
Included are over 5 hours of masterclasses, strategically created to simplify the process of creating your platform. Because these are pre-recorded, you can log in and learn any time you please!
DIGITAL PLATFORM Q+A CALL REPLAY
In this Q+A call you can watch and learn as i review writer’s websites and social media assets, answering common questions and sharing quick fixes. As a digital strategist who’s supported bestselling authors and multi-million dollar businesses on their marketing, you’ll learn a lot from this call.
YOU ALSO RECEIVE THESE BONUSES!
COPYWRITING TEMPLATES & WEBSITE CHECKLISTS to save you time!
It can be so hard to write about ourselves (!), which is why I’ve included my best templates for writing your author bio, templates to write blog posts, website checklists and more.
PRIVATE, STUDENT-ONLY FACEBOOK GROUP
Share your wins, network with like-minded writers and get support as you implement your digital strategy and build your online platform!
CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
I engaged Louisa on a very complicated and technical book project. She not only delivered on the promised turnaround, she identified and noted a few issues that were beyond the scope of what I engaged her for. Issues that, once corrected, significantly improved the quality of the book. I’ve since engaged her for four further book projects. Thank you Louisa!
Kelly Exeter, CEO of Swish Publishing
Louisa is not only a great writer, she really understands all the other aspects of online business (the big important things as well as the subtle nuances a lot of people miss!) and incorporates that into her work too. So you get way more than “just good copy!”
Nina Christian, CEO of award-winning marketing company Braveda
I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for your expert guidance at the very start of my journey. Thank you so much Louisa
Anita East, cosmetician & bestselling author of Beautiful Unique Faces
Thanks to your word wizardry and press material, I’ve just been invited to give a TedX talk! Love your work, Louisa.
Annalise Jennings, award-winning thought leader & CEO of Dynamic Exchange
In the year she spent working for us, Louisa increased followings on our social media channels by 500%, and wrote such engaging marketing emails to promote our events that of the 50+ events we held that year, almost all were booked to capacity! Louisa also gained TV and print media coverage for our academics and experts in the Faculty and coached them expertly before each appearance. Louisa is an incredibly fast writer and quick to absorb the ‘story’ in an event, often scripting speeches for academics at the last minute and live-tweeting from events on obscure topics to increase engagement.
Philippa Knack, Events Manager, Melbourne School of Design
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
When does Create Your Writer Platform start and finish?
This is a digital program and everything has been pre-recorded and uploaded to the online learning platform so you can start as soon as you like! You have lifetime access to this digital program.
Do you offer refunds?
No. This is a digital product (you get access to all the material straight away), so there are no refunds.
Do you offer feedback on my writer’s platform?
Actually – yes! I’m about to offer 1:1 strategy sessions and anyone in Create Your Writer Platform will receive a link to book a paid session. Stay tuned!
How is this different to the Book Deal Accelerator?
Create Your Writer Platform is different because it’s not just going to help you if you’re looking to sell a manuscript to a publisher. The digital strategy in Create Your Writer Platform will help you sell more of ANYTHING online.
The Book Deal Accelerator teaches you a step-by-step strategy to get a traditional book deal for a nonfiction book, and what I realised as I was coaching the first live round of this program, is that NONE of the steps of that strategy can be effectively implemented if the writer is completely invisible online (OR has their platform set up incorrectly).
If you’d like to upgrade to the Book Deal Accelerator you receive a $495 discount code to use (*pay-in-full option only) towards the cost of the program.
If you’re not visible online, you’re missing SO many opportunities for connection. Even without being ‘published’ you can position yourself beautifully and professionally as a writer who receives wonderful offers and invitations from people who love what you share, and this can do SO much to boost your confidence as you navigate the world of book deals and pitching to publications.
There are people who want and need what you have to offer, and there are simple ways to reach them! Just wait until you see how effective an online presence can be!
Louisa Deasey is the real deal. She’ll save you time and offer solid lessons and inspiration in the memoir journey. The mindset techniques in her programs are fantastic, and I return to the lessons again and again. Writers would do well to chance upon your program sooner than later! I will never write a book again the way I did before, I’ll follow Louisa’s steps from the start…
Alice Lundy, writer
Louisa is one of those rare writers who is always researching and searching for a better way to do things – her passion for creating online offers that convert is second to none! Louisa reviewed different assets for my online course business and her great eye for detail meant that she not only spotted gaps and inconsistencies, but also made lots of valuable suggestions for improvement.
Lindy Alexander, The Freelancer’s Year
Thank you for your expertise. With other programs I’ve been a little left behind because I didn’t know the basics. I didn’t need to worry because you cover everything!
Kate Morell, Writer
I recommend Louisa Deasey as an asset to any team or organisation. I hired her as a copywriter for a large digital redevelopment project and she was professional, thorough, and so efficient… Louisa produced an enormous amount of quality work in a short time-frame which meant we could deliver to a deadline many in the organisation though impossible.
Lee Jones, CEO, Heartburst
Louisa’s strategic advice helped me grow my instagram by 200% and get the message out about my packages to new clients. She’s an asset to anyone trying to grow their business online.
Carmen Paff, coach & healer
LOUISA DEASEY IS A BESTSELLING AUTHOR & DIGITAL STRATEGIST
Louisa Deasey studied Professional Writing & Editing at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology followed by a Copywriting intensive at the University of Melbourne. Soon after graduation, Louisa started writing health, business and psychology features for major magazines and newspapers including The Age, The Australian, The Sydney Morning Herald, Elle, Vogue, Cosmopolitan and many more, becoming one of the most successful lifestyle journalists in Australia. Her first book was published by Allen & Unwin and nominated for two awards, and her second book, published by Scribe, has been a bestseller on multiple continents and released as an audio production from Blackstone.
In 20+ years in major print and online media, Louisa’s work has spanned media consulting, digital marketing & strategy for 7-figure businesses, brands and major media organisations. Louisa combines media, publishing and journalism expertise with a passion for self-development and the digital world.
If you have a question that’s not answered here, please send us an email at hello at louisadeasey dot com.