Platform. It can make or break a writer. If you have it, then get ready for publishers to offer you contracts; and if you don't? Let me kindly introduce you to the slush pile. Whether you are a writer or another kind of content provider, there is one universal truth: you need platform. Most writers put all their effort into writing their book and haven't thought at all about their platform. In fact if you asked most new writers what their platform is, they will probably reply with a blank stare and a follow up question: what's platform? If that person is you and you're sitting here reading and wondering what platform is...platform is your message and the people who will buy your message. This book is geared at authors, but platform and how to build it is the same no matter who you are--be it a musician, a business, or a motivational speaker. So how do you build platform? In part one, you'll see the three places most people start: blogs, Facebook, and Twitter. Part two gives a brief overview of how other social networks work; these include Google+, LinkedIn, Instagram, Goodreads, and Reddit.