July 31, 2012

Why build a platform?

So I posted this on the "like" page under the information section but it's a little hidden, and i think it's pretty important for all to see.  But i'm going to amend it slightly to go beyond just "sharing." This is the reason why I need all of you: This is my story... Full of mischief and grandiose hopes and more... Let me start off by saying: Please share this page! At this very moment. Stop reading, go share, then come back and enjoy <3 Right now. You're back? Okay.

Firstly, why share?  Or even, why by a part of this?

Well, it's going to be pretty awesome (okay, i have bias), but here's some things to note: weekly giveaways of various prizes (lots of sweet original, mostly hand-made book merchandise) which leads up to a grand prize of your choice. Dare i say chedda, skrilla, $$$, or a date with yours truly? (Just kidding bout that last part.. am I? Hey, idk, i'd love to hang with friends of book and likeminded ppl). I diverge. ALSO, this page will be full of sweeet content: COW (yes, cow.) Characters of the Week, QOD, Quotes of the Day from the book... and much more. So content wise, here's a small list:
  • Weekly Character Profiles: quotes, descriptions, and even cool segments of the book that really highlight their persona
  • Quotes: Daily quotes that either expound wisdom, humor, or anything else i deem worthy taken mostly from the book itself.
  • Giveaways! Lots of giveaways and prizes that include: hats, t-shirts, keychains, mouse pads, stickers, pens, (drawings by yours truly) and other original content pertaining to the book.  Ultimately culimnaiting in a GRAND prize for the biggest advocate of the book who has spread the word the BEST in the past few months.
  • And more!

BUT MOST IMPORTANT: It has to do with publishing.

Honestly, i'll lay it on the line. Publishing and agents is a hard sometimes cruel world, a bitter landscape that T.S. Eliot would nod his head approvingly about. Suffice to say, i need to catch some eyes. I've had a few awesome responses, and i'm waiting on those and more, but to really get the "book deal of a century" (whether that's just an awesome agent, publisher, movie deal, game deal (as some of you have been asking) or just simply to see the book between two covers, i need a "platform".) It's a magical word, but truthfully, it's pretty simple. I need you. The great thing about that... is i'm stoked about a platform! To me? It's not a marketing gimmick. To me, i want to be connected. To put it simply, i want to be friends with absolutely everyone who comes in contact with the book. I would spend days responding to e-mails... if i had that many. Some of my absolute pinnacle moments with the book and dare i say life, have been standing in front of an amazing group of people and answering their questions with the book and seeing their excitement.  Seriously, it gives me chills even now.

So what can YOU do?

  • Simply believing in and supporting the product (whether that's me, or the book soon-to-come) or anything else is a good start.  I don't want you to propogate or "sell" something you don't believe in.  Unfortunately, you don't have the book, so right now it's me, the content the book/site provides, and a bit of imagination on what this can become with your help.
Done.  Gotcha back, Matt. What else?
  • Talk to people. Everyone and anyone.  If you want business cards, let me know.
  • Tell them about the site and page.  But that's not quite enough. Lots of people will be drawn by perhaps your gift of gab, or your charm, but if they are a new acquaintance you might need to literally link it to them, or show them (that's where the business card comes in).
  • If you are comfortable enough with a person, ask them to do any number of these things: share the pages, like the page, tweet the page, OR, even more creative... create something, a short clip, youtube vid, a picture, a drawing, ANYTHING and EVERYTHING is step towards making this a reality.
  • Lastly, and MOST importantly.  If you can, ensure that THEY tell someone, and they tell that person to tell someone, and so on.  This is key.  Without this, it is like a set of dominoes missing a domino, a slinky missing the next step, a rolling snowball that hits a tree.  So please, make sure they pass the word on.  If they ask why? Bribe them.  Err... I mean, link them here.  Let them know and hopefully they will share it with just that 1 more person, to let this become....
Truly a movement so I can be friends with every one of you. And with that, catch the eye of the best damn publisher/agent I can, and that the book deserves. Much thanks for reading and for hopefully sharing and passing on. Sincerely, your neighborly author and friend, Matt Back To Ronin Saga Blog