The Your Writer Platform Manifesto

Comments

1. Diane S. says

   May 3, 2013 at 8:55 am

   I love this – and the style you wrote it in. It at first reminded me of Jeff Goin’s Manifesto, which I think every writer can benefit from reading. If you can track back and see where I was before I landed on this page, I was on the post about building your email list, which you had put on First Friday Link Party. That was an amazing post, with practical advice rather than hoo-ray cheering. I didn’t see where to comment there, but I already knew I wanted to be on your email list by the time I reached the end, and it was a great point to make that you added the invite at the end, too. Studying the pros by getting on their email list! We’re all kicking ourselves for not seeing that before you told us. Regarding how to do the emails themselves, great. I have found that Jeff Goins and one of the others I found through him and whom I still supposedly “follow” (no UnSubscribe button hit for either yet) have so consistently put out promotional material to come back and buy this, that I have stopped going to them, and rarely ever read any of them anymore. They’re all bait-and-switch tactics in my book. The model expounded about 5 years ago to start small ($19) for something, then get them to buy a bit more ($49) and then get up to ($99) a larger (but smaller group) offering, and then get $249 and then try to get subscriptions. I subscribe to The Freelance Writer’s Den. And have not stopped because when I had a question for Carol or Linda and didn’t have time or knowledge on how to find it on the den, they answered it quickly and helped me get a gig by having the right answer for my potential client. I hope to grow through the den, but I have already gotten good value from it. So, your comments on using email as a way to connect, not a way to promote promote promote, is dead on. Thanks for putting it all in one place. (And I wish you had a FB ‘like’ button or whatever-it’s-called next to the G+ and Tweet ones. That’s where I share most of my goodies with other writers and friends.)

   • Kimberley Grabas says

     May 3, 2013 at 1:17 pm

     Thanks so much for the love, Diane! I appreciate the feedback, and I completely agree with you about how some people push their fans a little too hard for the sale. There is a very fine line between helping someone get the information they want and need (i.e., helping them solve a problem) and pushing a solution that they didn’t ask for.

     I appreciate your comments. (Glad you found the Facebook button…) 🙂

2. Ken Preston says

   May 20, 2013 at 8:04 am

   Hi Kim,
   Love the manifesto you have put up here. I have copied it to my desktop, so it will be the first thing I see whenever I start up my laptop.
   Your website looks to be chock full of interesting, valuable advice. I intend on coming back here for more info before I start building my new website.
   Thanks,
   Ken

   • Kimberley Grabas says

     May 20, 2013 at 7:07 pm

     Awesome, Ken! Thanks for the kudos on the manifesto, and welcome to the Your Writer Platform community! If you get stuck or have any questions, feel free to shoot me an email; I’d love to help if I can 🙂