Squeeze the Stone

Since the author’s platform is so critical for nonfiction, emphasize your platform in your biography. Although it’s not as crucial for fiction, a strong platform can’t hurt and definitely can help. So, fiction writers should touch on their major platform assets in their synopsis, without going into great detail.
For nonfiction, describe your media experience, what you’ve written, and where you spoke. Do you have a newsletter, and if so, how many people subscribe? Do you have a Web site? If so, how many hits does it get? Don’t worry about repeating information that you included in the overview; just try to lay it out and express it differently.
Once again, let’s turn to Michael McLaughlin’s biography for Guerrilla Marketing for Consultants, which is set forth below. Note how McLaughlin highlights his media experience and names publications for which he has been interviewed as well as those to which he has contributed. He also calls attention to his public speaking experience and the fact that he publishes a newsletter that has 8,500 subscribers.
To solidify his credentials, McLaughlin states that he has an MBA, and he outlines two key association memberships: one for management consultants and the other with a speakers’ association, which underlines his platform and commitment to promotion.
Finally, McLaughlin’s biography provides two short sentences about him personally. The remaining portion of Michael McLaughlin’s biography is reproduced below.
McLaughlin knows how to work with the media, in print, online, television, and radio, and his opinions have been sought on the toughest business management challenges. In addition to guest appearances on local radio and television programs, he has been interviewed by publications such as Chicago SunTimes, Cram’s Chicago Business, San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury News, Information Week, and Women’s H/ear Daily. He has also written and published articles, including for
Computerworld, Cincinnati Business Courier, Bran dweek magazine, Chicago Sun- Times, and IHRIM. link.
He has been a speaker for audiences across the country, including Council of Logistics Management, Food Marketing Institute, Grocery Manufacturers Association, Institute of Management Accountants, Internet World, National Millennium Panel: Business in 2005, National Retail Federation, and Northwestern University I)igital Frontiers Annual Conference. He was the keynote speaker at the Institute of Management Consultants annual conference in spring 2002.
In May 2002, McLaughlin launched Management Consulting News, a Web site and newsletter tbr consulting professionals. McLaughlin writes and edits the Web site content and the monthly newsletter, MCNews, which grew to 8,50() subscribers in less than one year.
He is a member of the National Speakers Association and the Institute of Management Consultants, and he holds an MBA in Corporate Finance. He is an amateur triathlete, and usually manages to finish races in one piece. He lives with his wife, Sally, in Northern California.
As for providing personal information, the experts arc divid Although it is seldom a deal maker or breaker, it does help to conne the dots and paint a clearer picture of you.

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