Today, most book publishers require that writers take on most of the promotional and marketing duties necessary to sell their books. However, to accomplish this job, nonfiction writers in particular have to begin promoting and marketing their books long before they hold the bound tome in their hands. They have to begin building what the industry calls a "platform," a base of potential readers that know them as an expert in their field or on their subject from their speaking, writing and presence on the radio, television and Internet.

Expert platforms consist of: 1.) numerous appearances on radio and Internet talk shows and television talk and news shows; 2.) frequent quest blogs or a popular blog of your own; 3.) a well-know presence in on-line forums and social networks; 4.) popular videos or pod casts ; 5.) frequent interviews on other peoples' pod casts ; 6.) your own Internet, radio or television show; 7.) a multitude of published articles or books in both print and Internet publications; 8.) an extremely-large mailing list; and 9.) frequent talks and presentations given to small, medium and large groups.

Expert platforms are built by getting interviewed by radio and Internet show hosts, by appearing on television talk and news programs and by speaking at events and for organizations related to the subject matter upon which you write. Platforms also are built by writing articles for specialty and mass-market publications and for e-zines, as well as by blogging, participating in on-line forums, social networking, and using such on-line technology as posting podcasts and videos. Creating a large mailing list of devoted readers interested in your work also contributes to building a platform.

Although the fastest way to build an expert platform lies in landing television and radio interviews, the media sometimes requires nonfiction writers to be perceived as experts before they can be featured on news or talk shows. This often means already having a published book in hand. Becoming an expert speaker represents the second fastest way to build an expert platform, but many writers would rather write than speak and, again, having a published book helps achieve expert status.

If this reminds you a bit of the question of whether the chicken or the egg came first, you aren't alone. Many a nonfiction writer has felt frustrated by the need to have a published book to build an expert platform and the publishing industry's need for authors to be experts before they will publish their books.

So, how does an aspiring nonfiction author achieve expert status prior to having a published book? By building a platform one article at a time.

For nonfiction writers, writing loads of articles for specialty and mass-market magazines and newspapers and for e-zines provides an infinitely-easier method of platform building than any of the others. Even if you aren't a journalist per se, if you can write a chapter in a nonfiction book, you can write an article. As these are published, you begin to achieve expert status. You will find yourself also asked to speak for organizations and at events, to be interviewed by podcasters, and to appear on radio and television shows. As a result, you will end up with a platform large enough to please any publisher large or small. Add to that a great book idea and some great writing skills, and you'll soon have a published book.

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