"Content is King" is the incessantly repeated mantra of internet marketing, and this phrase rings true for authors trying to sell books. The news channels are buzzing about sales and distribution models changing for books and e-books, http://netpublications.blogspot.com/2011/02/book-distribution-model-needs-to-change.html, but the model for author marketing is also evolving. "In the old print world, Big Publishing controlled access to readers." They controlled the printing press and the access to retail distribution." Now, "self-published authors have the power to produce, publish, price and promote books that are as good or better than those put out by Big Publishing (March 4, 2011- Huffington Post.com.) This power is best harnessed by authors that are "putting out" content via the web.

Freedom from the traditional publishing route can be a good thing, as illustrated by the Amanda Hocking phenomenon. This twenty-six year old e-book author has, as of January, sold more than 450,000 copies of her nine titles. Ms. Hocking aggressively promoted her e-books through her blog and other social networking sites; she has signed with the publishing house St. Martin's Press.

The lesson for authors is that in this competitive environment, publishers seem to be looking for authors with an established and proven audience before signing them. Books that have achieved a certain level of marketability are viewed upon favorably by literary agents and acquisitions editors. The term "author platform" is the new lingo, and those that have successfully adopted it are more attractive to publishers. According to Joanna Penn of The Creative Penn "publishing houses want demonstrated evidence of sales and promotional abilities." Building an online presence is crucial, and can be accomplished through author websites, blogging, video and book trailers, podcasting, social networking, article marketing, writing forums, and discussion groups. Joel Friedlander sums it up succinctly in his March 2nd post on the The Book Designer. "The new reality is that you are in charge of finding, and cultivating your own readership." Mr. Friedlander offers this pertinent quote from Jane Friedman of Writer's Digest "Audience development doesn't happen overnight (or even in six months or a year); it's a process that continues for as long as you want to have a readership. It shouldn't be delayed, postponed, or discounted for one minute."