“Build your platform” was the advice most often given to writers by agents, editors and publishers in the past 10 years. The idea was to establish a waiting market for your work  by connecting to your audience via email, newsletters, speaking engagements, media appearances and so on.

Today the platform concept has been extended to incorporate a more personal connection between you and your audience, and the more appropriate description is to “build community.” The word community implies “interaction” and “communication” with others who have common interests or goals. Social media such as blogs, podcasts, videos and social networking sites can bring you in direct contact with your readers and enable two-way conversations.

Nancy Mills may have started the trend several years ago when she created The Spirited Woman, a woman’s empowerment community on the Internet, long before the term “build your community” was ever uttered. The Spirited Woman community that Nancy began with only a newsletter to a small list of women today includes a website, newsletter, blog, mastermind groups, events plus much more and serves thousands of women globally.

Don’t miss VIP Author Talks with guest Nancy Mills on Wednesday, October 28, when Nancy will share how she grew her list (& business) and reveal the strategies authors can use right now to build their own communities of loyal readers.

On this call you will learn:

• The tools Nancy Mills used to build The Spirited Woman
• Why authors must build communities and lead their “tribes”
• The best resources authors can use to build their communities
• Whether to go it alone or use a team to build your community
• What else authors must do to effectively communicate with their audiences
• What strategies authors can employ to stand out in a crowded genre or marketplace

Have a question on a topic not listed? Write it down now for the live Q&A at the end of the call.

Mark your calendar right now to join us for the VIP Author Member Event on Wednesday, October 28 at 8:00pm Eastern Time.

How To Register for This Event:

If you are not an VIP Authors Inner Circle member yet, find out more about  Membership Benefits here>>

If you are already a member, you can find the call-in number on your Members-Only  page. If you no longer have this information, please e-mail us at support@vipauthors.com.

Speaker Bio:
Nancy Mills is the founder of The Spirited Woman, a leading women’s empowerment community, the publisher of the international Spirited Woman Blogger Team. She is known for being a creative out-of-the-box marketing expert. She also mentors women in her “Nancy’s Inner Circle” program. On a more personal note, through her Tales of Downtown blog, she loves to write about her adventures living in a loft in downtown Los Angeles. That blog is gaining quite a local following.

August is VIP Author Membership Month! To celebrate, we’re offering you these three (3)  great reasons to join or renew:

1. The VIP Author Talks teleseries with industry experts and monthly Coaching Call recordings for the months of January  through July 2009 are available for immediate download on the Members-only page. These mp3 files will be removed on September 1.  Joining now gives you access to 7 months of Inncr Circle  exclusive educational material in addition to the 12 months of benefits you will receive as part of your membership for a total of 19 Months of Benefits. Review all the Author Talks teleclass programs here.
2. Beginning September 1, 2009, live VIP Author Talks sessions and audio recordings will be free for members only. Non-members will pay a fee to listen or participate in the calls or to access the recordings. Review all the benefits of membership here>>
3. VIP Authors Inner Circle will be upgrading to association status Fall 2009, with increased benefits and increased membership fee. Current members will be grandfathered in at the lower rate for the duration of their memberships. So, by joining or renewing right now, members will enjoy the increased benefits for the lower price. Check out all the membership benefits here>>

The sooner you join, the sooner you can start enjoying the benefits. And, this opportunity is good only during August. September brings the Fall and with it, higher prices. Plus, all the retro benefits and opportunity to join or renew now at the lower price will disappear. Don’t delay! Join now or review the membership benefits here>>

Web 2.0 has transformed the internet and there are so many tools and strategies authors can use now to turbo-charge their writing, online sales and build their author platform.

Joanna Penn launched the free Author 2.0 Blueprint as a no-cost resource to help authors understand how the Internet has changed publishing, and how authors must change too if they are to be successful. You can download it here prior to the call.

If you are ready for a comprehensive plan to help you write, publish and sell your books online, don’t miss this VIP Author Talks with guest Joanna Penn!

During this teleclass, you will learn:

• How publishing is changing and why it is a great time to be an author
• What freemium is and how authors have the advantage over others on the Internet
• How the Author 2.0 model works to bring people to your site
• How to build your online platform
• How your online brand is important for creating raving fans for your work
• What specific tools and websites you can use right now so you can get started immediately

This class will give you tons of information that you can use right now to build your online platform!

Register now for:

Free Class*: “How to Use Web 2.0 to Write, Publish, Sell & Promote Your Book”

Date: Wednesday, August 26

Time: 8pm to 9m Eastern (7pm Central, 6pm Mountain, 5pm Pacific)

Download: Get your free Author 2.0 Blueprint before the call here>>

*The presentation will last one hour and is free to attend, but long distance charges may apply. Please note that anyone may call in and listen, but the audio recording will only be available to VIP Author Inner Circle members. If you are not yet a member and would like a recording of this call, find out more about all the benefits of VIP Author Inner Circle membership here>>>

In her eight years in the business Laura Duksta has played many different roles— author, publisher, sales person, marketing, distribution, etc. This has given her an incredible vantage point to see how the self-publishing as well as traditional publishing worlds work. Fortunately for us, Laura loves sharing these insights with other writers!

Join us for “5 Things You Might Not Know about Publishing and Why They Are Important to You,” when Laura explains the publishing process and helps erase some of the “fear of the unknown.”

On this call, you will learn:

• What You Need to Be Thinking About Before You Even Start Writing
• 3 Key Tools
• What is a Niche Market
• How to Price Your Book Properly
• Why Your Royalty is so small

Plus:

• Bonus…How the Lists are Generated
• Bonus…a few pros and cons between traditional printers and POD, Vanity Presses or Self-Publishing Service

This is one conversation you don’t want to miss. Mark your calendar now for this free event*. Here’s how to get on the call:

What: VIP Author Talks with Guest Laura Duksta

When: Wednesday, April 22, 2009, 8:00pm to 9:00pm Eastern (7:00pm Central, 6:00pm Mountain, 5:00pm Pacific)

Call-In Details: To get on the call, please dial 1 (218) 339-4600, and enter Access Code 992777# when prompted.

*The presentation will last one hour and is free to attend, but long distance charges may apply. Please note that anyone may call in and listen, but the audio recording will only be available to VIP Author Inner Circle members. If you are not yet a member and would like a recording of this call, find out more about all the benefits of VIP Author Inner Circle membership here>>>

Do you have trouble talking effectively about your book? Does trying to sell or promote it feel ‘pushy’ to you?

On VIP Author’s talk, we’ll talk with Pamela Bruner, Business Success Coach. Pamela is an expert in helping people overcome blocks to presenting and sales. You’ll learn the keys to an effective presentation, and how to feel comfortable and authentic when promoting your book. Don’t miss the essential element for a writer’s success!

This is one conversation you don’t want to miss. Mark your calendar now for this free event*. Here’s how to get on the call:

What: VIP Author Talks with Guest Pamela Bruner

When: Wednesday, March 25, 2009, 8:00pm to 9:00pm Eastern (7:00pm Central, 6:00pm Mountain, 5:00pm Pacific)

Call-In Details: To get on the call, please dial 1 (218) 339-4600, and enter Access Code 992777# when prompted.

*The presentation will last one hour and is free to attend, but long distance charges may apply. Please note that anyone may call in and listen, but the audio recording will only be available to VIP Author Inner Circle members. If you are not yet a member and would like a recording of this call, find out more about all the benefits of VIP Author Inner Circle membership here>>>

A  post I read today in Small Business Trends by guest blogger Yvonne DiVita gives the Top 10 Ways to Promote Your Business Book, but the advice can work for all genres. Many of the tips involve tapping into Internet resources such as Amazon, social networking, video trailers and virtual book tours.  But DiVita also includes valuable tips you may not have considered including creative ways to use sponsorships, press releases and just plain “being remarkable.” If you’re working on your book promotion or marketing plan for 2009 (and why aren’t you, if you’re not), this article may help spark some life into the old formula of book signings, reviews and broadcast interviews.