In today’s market, an author’s platform is of utmost importance. This can be daunting for authors as most of us would rather stay holed up in our comfortable secret place like hobbits than be the ones presenting our writing to the public. Many authors are not public speakers, nor do we want or know how to deliver new and fresh content to social media and the Internet. Isn’t that what a marketing team and publicist are for?

Yes…, and unfortunately, no. The merit of a writer’s Work no longer matters. Gone are the days of patrons like the Medici’s in medieval Italy who sponsored the Renaissance, Works by Michelangelo and others. Today an author’s work is judged by his or her fame or platform.

Yes, you read that correctly.

In a discussion with a book agent who often secures seven-figure deals for authors, the agent stated, “I won’t even look at an author’s work unless he or she has at least 100,000 followers.”

Daunting? Absolutely.

But do “followers” actually indicate “sales”? Right again. Creating a bestselling work is a synergy of many factors coming together, including but not limited to: a well-written Work; exceptional design; the platform an author has (along with increased growth and traction of the platform); a large marketing budget and savvy marketing team that is up-to-date on the latest and ever-changing social media apps and Internet advertisements, and finally a publicist who has connections to media outlets.

This is not intended to discourage you from publication. However, out of respect for the current market, we request than an author meet the following requirements to be considered for publication through Red Arrow Media:

The factors listed above speak of who you are as an author, and what you’re willing to do alongside a publisher to make sure your Work gets into the hands of its intended audience. They are the essentials, the bare minimum of a successful book marketing campaign.