Don’t Wait to Finish Your Memoir to Build Your Author Platform

You might think your author platform begins the day your book is finished. It doesn’t. It begins the moment you decide your story is worth sharing. And for many writers—especially memoir writers—that moment comes long before the final chapter is written.

So… what is an author platform?

An author platform is simply this: A way for people to find you, hear from you, and stay connected to your writing over time.

It’s not just social media. It’s not just a website.

At its core, your platform is:

• Your voice
• Your perspective
• Your growing body of work
• And the people who choose to follow along

Why you shouldn’t wait

If you’re a first-time author, you’re likely immersed in the work of writing your book. You’re not thinking about how you’ll promote it or how to build an audience. Unfortunately, the “I’ll build my platform once my book is done” approach isn’t an effective strategy for selling your book once it’s published.

But here’s the problem with that approach:

• You miss the opportunity to develop your voice in public
• You delay learning what actually resonates with readers
• You wait to build relationships until you have something to sell

And perhaps most importantly: You put pressure on your book to do all the work of finding your audience. That’s a heavy lift for one finished product.

What happens when you start earlier

When you begin sharing your writing before your memoir is finished:

• You gain confidence in your voice
• You start to see which stories connect
• You build a small but meaningful circle of readers
• You create momentum that carries into your book

Instead of launching into silence, you arrive with people already listening.

A simpler way to think about it

You don’t need a “platform.” You need a place to practice showing up. A place to write, publish, and connect. A place to say: This is what I’m learning. This is what I’m noticing. This is what I’m remembering.

That’s where your platform begins. And you can get started right away.

In Part 2, I’ll show you why Substack is one of the simplest, most powerful places to begin building your readership before you publish your memoir. Ready to start building your author platform? Join me on Saturday, June 27, 2026, for my Start Your Substack workshop.