Building visibility and having a direct connection to your ideal readers is the key to:

Landing a literary agent & publisher
Signing your first and all future book deals
Selling more of your books
Seeing your name on the bestseller lists

And ultimately?

Putting YOU in control of your writing career.

But even though you know you need an author platform ― actually building one is more paralyzing than staring at a blank page.

Determined to make your author dreams come true, you top up your coffee, plop down at your desk and try to start your platform―

Only to get overwhelmed by All.The.Things the internet screams you need.

Email newsletter. Website. Instagram. Twitter. Podcast. Blog

Where do you even start?!

Even when you get the courage to create a social media account and press publish on your website, then comes the bigger problem ― knowing what to say.

Coming up with a compelling narrative and intricate backstories for all your characters? Piece of cake.

Writing about yourself in a way that doesn’t feel self-promotional and icky? Hello writer’s block!

Worst of all?

Figuring out how to piece the fractured pieces of your platform together is stealing time and creative energy away from writing your book.

And since you have no clue whether the hours you’re spending on social media or trying to create a website is actually paying off…

…your efforts slowly trickle down to nothing.

The result?

You’re left with a half-completed website and lackluster social presence you’re too embarrassed to send anyone to.

And with no thriving author platform to appeal to literary agents and publishers, you can feel your dream of seeing your name on the bestsellers list slipping further and further away.

Before you give up all hope, let me tell you a little secret from an industry insider.

Those authors you see lining the bookstore shelves and hanging out consistently on the bestsellers list?

All of them started in the exact same position as you are now with zero visibility and a non-existent platform.

The reason they’re getting the 5-star reviews and successful launches isn’t because of luck or overnight success.

It’s because they invested the time to strategically build an author platform BEFORE they launched their book.

By putting in the work to understand their ideal reader, show up consistently online, and nurture their connection to their audience…

They were able to build a solid foundation they can continue to leverage to sell more books and land more publishing deals!

But while building an effective author platform does take time and hard work, it doesn’t have to feel like a dreaded chore OR steal focus from your writing.

And I’m going to show you how!

Rather than overwhelm you with “all the things,” this course prioritizes the foundational elements you need in place BEFORE you publish your book so you can:

🎉 Get a resounding yes from literary agents

🎉 Attract and grow your audience of ideal readers

🎉 Officially launch to an engaged audience who can’t wait to support you and pre-order your books

Over the course of 8-videos, you’ll get crystal clear on your goals and your ideal reader so you can strategically focus your efforts on the marketing platforms that are effective, sustainable, and fun!

Using this course you will...

Identify your author goals so you know exactly what you’re working towards
Gain a crystal clear understanding of your ideal reader and where to find them
Craft a stand-out bio you can splash across your website and social media
Create a cohesive presence across your website, social media, and email marketing
Brainstorm fresh ideas & actionable steps on how to grow a community of readers you can launch to
Confidently show up online because you’ll no longer feel the ick of self-promotion
Create a comprehensive 6-month Author Platform Content Strategy outlining everything you need to do to grow your platform

As an 'author-in-progress, and wanting to self-publish, I didn't know what to do. I had no idea what my next steps were. Everything was so new, and not knowing what to do felt like a 'big' obstacle, especially when I didn't have the tools to help me navigate it.

Every session brought tremendous value. I literally had "aha" moments in all eight sessions. Life-changing! After participating in this workshop, I now have clarity, I have understanding, I have a strategy, I have clear goals. I feel inspired, re-energized, and my commitment and passion has been restored.

It sincerely transformed my mindset. I learned so much about how to grow my audience, what my priorities need to be, who is my ideal reader, different ways to connect and build community with my ideal audience, what practical steps I need to take, how to maximize my social engagement, to name a few!

My grounding phrase as I move forward is, "it's not about me it's about you". This is my new mantra that keeps me centered in how to build my author platform.

- Karen T.

Instead, this course contains the practical tools & strategies that’ll help you grow your platform in a way that’s efficient and fuels your creative process.

And since I know how sacred your time is, I intentionally designed this to be a concise, self-paced course that complements your busy schedule.

Each video is around 1 hour with 30 minutes of homework time at the end. You have the freedom to watch one lesson per day and be done in 8 days. Or you could watch one per week and be done in 8 weeks. It’s up to you!

Every lesson also includes reflective writing prompts to help you get crystal clear on your next steps. PLUS sanity-saving worksheets (AKA editable Google Docs) that’ll save you hours and hours of time.

This course is perfect for you if:

✅ You want to be a traditionally published writer someday and you’re committed to creating a solid foundation for a long-term writing career.

✅ You know you need an author platform but you don’t know what that looks like or what your next steps are.

✅ You’re not 100% sure what your first book will be about but you definitely want to write one.

✅ You have limited time and you want to focus on the most effective steps.

✅ You’ve already published a book but you want strategies to optimize your existing platform

This course is NOT perfect for you if:

❌ You already have a book launch & marketing team in place to help you create your author platform.

❌ You’re looking for strategies on how to launch your first book ―
This course focuses on how to optimize your existing platform BEFORE you launch so you can land a publishing deal and ultimately sell more books

❌You’re looking for coveted PR opportunities like appearing on Good Morning America― While this course helps you set up the foundation for landing more press and appearing on podcasts, effective PR requires a whole different strategy that this course doesn’t cover!

Curious how I know so much about the book publishing world?

Hey, I’m Crystal Ellefsen!

And since 2014, I’ve helped dozens of high-profile authors grow their author platforms and leverage it for successful book launches. (I’ve even been part of five New York Times bestseller launches!)

No matter what genre you want to write for, the reality is that publishers WANT you to have a platform (because book publishing is a business after all).

Yet so many aspiring authors are paralyzed by the idea of building one because they’re either overwhelmed or it fills them with dread.

That’s why I decided to distill everything I know about the book marketing world (and all the strategies I use with my clients) in this course to help you take control of your writing career!

To be clear, the tools & strategies I teach won’t give you overnight success. It won’t show you how to go viral or how to achieve instant fame & fortune.

Building a platform that attracts your ideal readers AND sells your books is a long game.

It takes time to figure out how you want to show up online. What you want to be known for. And how to attract the right audience.

But what I can promise you is that the time you spend working on your platform will be effective.

Because with this course in your back pocket, you will have:

All the right steps in the right order (so you’re not trying to figure out what to do next)
Clarity on how to communicate with your ideal readers (so you’re never at a loss for words)
Confidence that the time and energy you’re spending will pay off because you’re focusing on the best marketing platforms for your unique goals

"I have never seen my platform as something deserving of an official strategy. I've always felt like I needed to have a book to my name first. Because of that lack of confidence and clarity, I never took time to design a plan for intentional, consistent engagement. In other words, I didn't know what I was doing or why I should think strategically about my online platforms.
I'm so glad I did it now though, even though I don't have a book in process (yet)!

I feel like the tools and lessons you provided have given me a solid foundation to start building from, and that feels invaluable.

The best part was designing a strategy that feels like the right fit for ME.

Knowing that I don't have to be on all the platforms—instead, I can identify what platforms/outlets feel like the right fit for my work and audience and then focus my efforts there. It makes things feel simpler, more actionable, and WAY more enjoyable.”

- ANNIE J.

If you’re hanging down here, then you may be wondering if it’s too soon to start investing in your author platform.

After all, you may not even have a book idea yet…

And you’d rather spend your precious time focusing on honing your craft instead of getting distracted by social media.

As someone who’s been in the book publishing trenches with dozens of authors, here’s what I want you to know ―

It’s never too early to start building your author platform ― even if you don’t have a book idea yet.

The sooner you take the first steps to building (and optimizing) your author platform, the sooner you’ll be able to achieve your dream of becoming a published author.

Because when you’re clear on WHO your ideal readers are, WHAT content to create, and HOW to confidently talk about your writing ―
You’ll no longer feel paralyzed when it comes to promoting your work.
Instead, you’ll be able to confidently move forward and create an effective website, social account, and email newsletter that you’re proud of.

From then on, you’ll have a cohesive online presence…

Which’ll make it easier for your ideal readers to find and engage with your work…

Which’ll spark countless ideas for all the future books you can write…

And will lead to literary agents & publishers saying heck yes to your query letters because of your platform numbers.

All of this sets you up for a successful book launch because you’ll have an engaged community who are ready to pre-order your book and leave hundreds of 5-star reviews on Amazon…

Which will ultimately increase your chances of landing on the bestseller lists, gaining press, and selling even more books than you ever thought possible.

And with a successful book launch up your sleeve, you’ll find it easier than ever to land the next book deal, and the next, and the next!

The result?

YOU are ultimately in the driver’s seat of a long-term writing career.

A career where you can exhale in relief knowing that the books you want to write will continue to be published and find their way into your readers’ hands.

The only thing that stands between you and this reality is whether or not you get started today…

And I’ll be here to help you focus on all the right steps so you can confidently move forward.

So if you’re ready to build your author platform, just click the shiny button!

FAQs

I’m super busy! How long does the course take to complete?

This is a self-paced course designed for writers who want to get started on their author’s platform, but don't have a lot of extra time.

There are 8 video lessons in total, each lasting for about an hour. And at the end, there is 30 mins of homework (which you can complete any time).

You could watch one lesson per day and be done in 8 days or you could watch one per week and be done in 8 weeks. It’s completely up to you and your schedule!

Do I need to have a published book before I take this?

Nope! In fact, this course is perfect for you if you don’t have a book because it sets out everything you need to do beforehand to increase your chances of landing a literary agent and a publisher.

I'm not sure what my book is about, should I wait to take this course until I know?
Don't wait! Building an author platform is a long game and takes time (especially if you have a day job). This course is designed to help you get clarity about what you want to be known for and how you want to show up on the internet, even if your book's genre or themes are still undetermined.

Through the process of understanding your ideal readers and growing your audience, you’ll be able to discover what book ideas resonate the most with your community!

If I already have a published book ( and a website, email marketing, and social media accounts), will this still help me?

This course will still help you if your online presence feels scattered, inconsistent, and doesn’t represent you as the author you are.

It gives you an opportunity to refocus your efforts on audience growth, create a more intentional strategy, and optimize your platform so you can reach more people, effectively nurture your audience, and continue to sell more books.

Should I have a website and social media before I start this course?

If you don't already have a website, email marketing, or social media accounts set up, take this course FIRST. It will save you SO. MUCH. TIME. and frustration because you’ll know exactly how to set it up from the beginning!

Is this for beginners? Do I need prior experience?

You don’t need any prior experience in order to take this course and benefit from it. Seasoned authors as well as total newbies have found the foundations in this course accessible and applicable.

What if I want to hire you 1:1 to help me out with all this?

Right now I’m not taking on 1:1 client work…but if you’d like me to review your 6-month Author Platform Strategy, there is an option to book a 1hr paid consult with me at the end of the course!

When you buy BYAP, you can get my personalized recommendations and feedback for only $200. I recommend going through all 8 videos and filling out the worksheets first so we can make the most out of our time together!

What is your refund policy?

If you're not 100% satisfied with your purchase, just send me an email within 14 days of your purchase date and I’ll give you a refund.

Build Your Author Platform

Dreaming of becoming a published author?

Then you’re going to need an author platform!

But even though you know you need an author platform ― actually building one is more paralyzing than staring at a blank page.

Even when you get the courage to create a social media account and press publish on your website, then comes the bigger problem ― knowing what to say.

Coming up with a compelling narrative and intricate backstories for all your characters? Piece of cake.

Worst of all?

Before you give up all hope, let me tell you a little secret from an industry insider.

Build Your Author Platform

"What had felt overwhelming became completely possible."

Inside Build Your Author Platform, you’ll find everything you need to start building and growing your author platform.

Rather than overwhelm you with “all the things,” this course prioritizes the foundational elements you need in place BEFORE you publish your book so you can:

Over the course of 8-videos, you’ll get crystal clear on your goals and your ideal reader so you can strategically focus your efforts on the marketing platforms that are effective, sustainable, and fun!

AND you’ll also walk away with a 6-month Author Platform Content Strategy (AKA an actionable plan) detailing the next best steps to confidently get your platform up and running!

Using this course you will...

“I literally had "aha" moments in all eight sessions. Life-changing!”

To be clear, Build Your Author Platform isn’t a bloated course that’ll distract you from your writing time OR force you to spend hours on social media.

Instead, this course contains the practical tools & strategies that’ll help you grow your platform in a way that’s efficient and fuels your creative process.

And since I know how sacred your time is, I intentionally designed this to be a concise, self-paced course that complements your busy schedule.

Each video is around 1 hour with 30 minutes of homework time at the end. You have the freedom to watch one lesson per day and be done in 8 days. Or you could watch one per week and be done in 8 weeks. It’s up to you!

Every lesson also includes reflective writing prompts to help you get crystal clear on your next steps. PLUS sanity-saving worksheets (AKA editable Google Docs) that’ll save you hours and hours of time.

Here’s a peek at what we’ll cover:

01

Lesson 1: Introduction to Content Marketing for Authors

02

Lesson 2: Your Bio & Defining Success

03

Lesson 3: Understanding Your Audience

04

Lesson 4: Creating a Successful Author Website

05

Lesson 5: The Essentials of Email Marketing

06

Lesson 6: Making Social Media Fun and Effective

07

Lesson 7: Strategies For Growing Your Platform

08

Lesson 8: Your 6 Month Strategy

This course is perfect for you if:

This course is NOT perfect for you if:

Curious how I know so much about the book publishing world?

“The tools and lessons you provided have given me a solid foundation to start building from, and that feels invaluable.”

One last thing before you go…

If you’re hanging down here, then you may be wondering if it’s too soon to start investing in your author platform.

After all, you may not even have a book idea yet…

And you’d rather spend your precious time focusing on honing your craft instead of getting distracted by social media.

As someone who’s been in the book publishing trenches with dozens of authors, here’s what I want you to know ―

It’s never too early to start building your author platform ― even if you don’t have a book idea yet.

The sooner you take the first steps to building (and optimizing) your author platform, the sooner you’ll be able to achieve your dream of becoming a published author.

From then on, you’ll have a cohesive online presence…

Which’ll make it easier for your ideal readers to find and engage with your work…

Which’ll spark countless ideas for all the future books you can write…

And will lead to literary agents & publishers saying heck yes to your query letters because of your platform numbers.

All of this sets you up for a successful book launch because you’ll have an engaged community who are ready to pre-order your book and leave hundreds of 5-star reviews on Amazon…

Which will ultimately increase your chances of landing on the bestseller lists, gaining press, and selling even more books than you ever thought possible.

And with a successful book launch up your sleeve, you’ll find it easier than ever to land the next book deal, and the next, and the next!

The result?

YOU are ultimately in the driver’s seat of a long-term writing career.

A career where you can exhale in relief knowing that the books you want to write will continue to be published and find their way into your readers’ hands.

The only thing that stands between you and this reality is whether or not you get started today…

And I’ll be here to help you focus on all the right steps so you can confidently move forward.

So if you’re ready to build your author platform, just click the shiny button!

FAQs

I’m super busy! How long does the course take to complete?

Do I need to have a published book before I take this?

If I already have a published book ( and a website, email marketing, and social media accounts), will this still help me?

Should I have a website and social media before I start this course?

Is this for beginners? Do I need prior experience?

What if I want to hire you 1:1 to help me out with all this?

What is your refund policy?