Uploaded March 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Author platform in 2021... do you need one? (yes) But how much do you need to do? How much is too much? What does Author As Brand look like for authors, how do publishers take advantage and why is it not the best thing for authors?
This is divided into two sections: the first part is practical advice on author social media platforms and branding. The second part is discussion of the myriad problems with the increasing reliance on and demand that authors exists as brands online all the time.
00:00: Introduction
01:16 Author platform basics
03:47 Practical advice for 2021
06:25 Twitter, Instagram Thoughts
12:27 YouTube, TikTok Thoughts
18:22 Author websites, newsletters, blogs
21:28 Author As Brand - The Problem
27:33 Harm against authors
30:15 But Author As Brand can be good...
33:55 Boo hiss publishers
37:41 What to do?
Highly recommend Kacen Callender's blog post on this topic: kacencallender.com/post/wip-social-media-expectations
Michelle Schusterman's video about publishing gaslighting us about marketing and sales: youtu.be/nxfAp1ZA1bE
RELATED VIDEOS
Does Twitter sell books? youtu.be/pzryAKi36z8
Does YouTube sell books? youtu.be/3fJ7FSpSkGg
Preorder The Ivies from your favorite book retailer!: bit.ly/3mkxyYj
Add The Ivies on Goodreads! goodreads.com/book/show/48896122-the-ivies
+BUY MY BOOKS+
Buy The Stars We Steal from Book Depository (ships worldwide!): bookdepository.com/Stars-We-Steal-Alexa-Donne/9781328948946?ref=grid-view&qid=1603728315664&sr=1-3
Buy Brightly Burning from Book Depository (ships worldwide!): bookdepository.com/Brightly-Burning-Alexa-Donne/9781785659423
Buy BRIGHTLY BURNING on Amazon: amazon.com/Brightly-Burning-Alexa-Donne/dp/1328948935/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1500334638&sr=1-1
Get Brightly Burning on Audible.com! audible.com/pd/Brightly-Burning-Audiobook/B07H41CPVC?asin=B07H41CPVC&source_code=AUDOR2220912189OII
+LINKS+
Goodreads:
goodreads.com/book/show/35065031-brightly-burning
Twitter:
twitter.com/alexadonne
Instagram:
instagram.com/alexadonne
Newsletter Sign-Up:
alexadonne.com/newsletter
Website:
alexadonne.com
Wattpad:
wattpad.com/user/alexadonne
+FILMING SPECS+
Camera: Canon t6i
Mic: Rode VideoMic Go Light
Lighting: Limo Studio Soft Kit
Editing Software: Pinnacle Studio 22
Author platform in 2021... do you need one? (yes) But how much do you need to do? How much is too much? What does Author As Brand look like for authors, how do publishers take advantage and why is it not the best thing for authors?
This is divided into two sections: the first part is practical advice on author social media platforms and branding. The second part is discussion of the myriad problems with the increasing reliance on and demand that authors exists as brands online all the time.
00:00: Introduction
01:16 Author platform basics
03:47 Practical advice for 2021
06:25 Twitter, Instagram Thoughts
12:27 YouTube, TikTok Thoughts
18:22 Author websites, newsletters, blogs
21:28 Author As Brand - The Problem
27:33 Harm against authors
30:15 But Author As Brand can be good...
33:55 Boo hiss publishers
37:41 What to do?
Highly recommend Kacen Callender's blog post on this topic: kacencallender.com/post/wip-social-media-expectations
Michelle Schusterman's video about publishing gaslighting us about marketing and sales: youtu.be/nxfAp1ZA1bE
RELATED VIDEOS
Does Twitter sell books? youtu.be/pzryAKi36z8
Does YouTube sell books? youtu.be/3fJ7FSpSkGg
Preorder The Ivies from your favorite book retailer!: bit.ly/3mkxyYj
Add The Ivies on Goodreads! goodreads.com/book/show/48896122-the-ivies
+BUY MY BOOKS+
Buy The Stars We Steal from Book Depository (ships worldwide!): bookdepository.com/Stars-We-Steal-Alexa-Donne/9781328948946?ref=grid-view&qid=1603728315664&sr=1-3
Buy Brightly Burning from Book Depository (ships worldwide!): bookdepository.com/Brightly-Burning-Alexa-Donne/9781785659423
Buy BRIGHTLY BURNING on Amazon: amazon.com/Brightly-Burning-Alexa-Donne/dp/1328948935/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1500334638&sr=1-1
Get Brightly Burning on Audible.com! audible.com/pd/Brightly-Burning-Audiobook/B07H41CPVC?asin=B07H41CPVC&source_code=AUDOR2220912189OII
+LINKS+
Goodreads:
goodreads.com/book/show/35065031-brightly-burning
Twitter:
twitter.com/alexadonne
Instagram:
instagram.com/alexadonne
Newsletter Sign-Up:
alexadonne.com/newsletter
Website:
alexadonne.com
Wattpad:
wattpad.com/user/alexadonne
+FILMING SPECS+
Camera: Canon t6i
Mic: Rode VideoMic Go Light
Lighting: Limo Studio Soft Kit
Editing Software: Pinnacle Studio 22
