Aspiring writers hear the word platform and often feel a surge of dread. It conjures visions of endless Instagram reels, TikTok dances, podcast launches, and newsletter schedules that leave little time for the actual work of writing. I get asked about platform a lot: at conferences, from my clients, from potential clients and in interviews. A platform can help, but here’s the truth: what counts as a “sufficient platform” depends entirely on what you’re writing and the bar is not the same for novelists as it is for nonfiction writers. Don’t let it scare you from writing your novel or nonfiction proposal. Write your book and consider your platform when you’re ready. It’s not as terrifying as it seems.
I’d like to explore what this frightening word “platform’ means to writers.
Platform for Novelists
If you’re writing fiction, platform is not irrelevant but it’s not the dealbreaker you may fear. At the end of the day, the writing matters most. Agents and editors fall in love with voice, characters, and storytelling. That said, a platform can tip the scales in your favor, especially in competitive categories.
What actually helps a novelist’s platform:
Demonstrated literary presence: Publishing short stories or excerpts in reputable journals, anthologies, or online magazines shows that others have vetted your work.
Contest wins and fellowships: Recognition from respected institutions signals both talent and seriousness.
Engaged online presence (optional but useful): A modest but authentic community on Twitter/X, Instagram, TikTok, or Substack can help, especially in genres like romance, fantasy, or YA where online communities thrive.
Professional network: Being part of writing groups, conferences, MFA programs, or mentorship circles can provide introductions and credibility.
What you don’t need: Tens of thousands of followers, a viral TikTok, or daily social media output. Many debut novelists sell without any digital platform at all. For fiction, your book itself is the platform. And you will have some assistance from the publisher’s marketing and PR teams at the time of publication.
Platform for Nonfiction Writers
Nonfiction is a different ballgame. Here, your platform often matters as much as or even more than the writing sample. Why? Because agents and editors want proof that you’re the right person to tell this story, and that readers will trust you enough to buy it. They also want to know you have a built-in audience ready and willing to buy your book.
What actually helps a nonfiction platform:
Subject-matter authority: Credentials, expertise, lived experience, or years of research in your chosen topic.
Visible footprint: Regular bylines in established outlets, podcast appearances, media interviews, or thought leadership that demonstrates reach.
Audience access: A newsletter, podcast, social following, or professional network that ensures you can reach readers directly.
Speaking engagements: Conferences, workshops, or events that show you’re already communicating with an audience.
What you don’t need: A million followers or TV stardom. You need enough which usually means a combination of authority along with some kind of audience you can reliably reach, one that you are connected to. For a prescriptive nonfiction book, an active newsletter with 5,000–10,000 engaged subscribers may be more compelling than 100,000 passive Instagram followers. It’s a proven fact that a lot of ‘influencers’ cannot sell books because their content and fame are not geared for the written word or the audience are not book buyers, they are more interested in the social media feed than the written word. There is nothing wrong with that! But if you are an expert who has real advice to share or a story/memoir too long to fit in a TikTok clip, a book is possible.
So, What’s “Sufficient”?
For a novelist: The manuscript must shine. Supplementary credits (publications, fellowships, a modest social media presence) are nice-to-have but not must-haves.
For a nonfiction writer: You need to answer two questions convincingly: Why you? and Who will listen? That usually means demonstrating expertise and a built-in audience.
The Bottom Line
The myth is that every writer must also be a marketing machine. The reality: fiction writers primarily need brilliant books; nonfiction writers need both expertise and an audience. Platform isn’t a single number of followers or a rigid checklist, it’s the composite picture of your authority, visibility, and reach.
Focus on what amplifies your unique strengths. For novelists, that’s story. For nonfiction writers, that’s credibility plus connection. Everything else is noise.
If you don’t know where to start you can try one of these easy first steps:
Novelists: Submit a short story, excerpt, or essay to a journal or contest. Even a single publication credit can strengthen your query.
Nonfiction writers: Pitch an op-ed, article, or guest post to an outlet your target readers already trust. This builds authority and visibility.
Both: Start or nurture one platform channel you actually enjoy, whether it’s here on Substack, a podcast, or showing up authentically on social media. Consistency matters more than reach. When I say authentically, I mean creating original content, not just liking and reposting other peoples posts.
While this is a short Substack post on platform, there is a lot more that goes into a building a platform for both nonfiction and fiction writers. One of the most important assets as a writer is the newsletter. Agents and Editors will look for that newsletter! Substack is tailormade for it so you’re already ahead of the game.
Here are a few great resources that can help you decide how you want to build your platform whether it is newsletters, social media, etc:
I was on certain social platforms and it was messing with my mental health and ability to write. Now, I don’t have any social media besides substack and I’ve been soo worried about that. It’s nice to read there are other ways around and it isn’t the nail in the coffin I thought it was. Awesome post
Great article and great reminders here!! I think it’s become hard to believe that platform is a nonessential for novelists because of the influx of influencer book deals. But it’s just selection bias. Of course it seems like only influencers are getting book deals because they are heavily online in the first place. Their shouts are the loudest.