Fourth Writers' Platform-Building Campaign

There are so many of us out there. Aspiring authors, bloggers (whether established or beginning), industry peeps, even published authors, all of whom want to build their online platforms. We write insightful posts and articles, actively blog within the blogosphere, take part in challenges, competitions, and contests galore.

We have the passion and the drive to make it, but…we could all do with a bit of support.

So I started thinking. What if we link all these people together? What if we create a way to meet people in a similar position, people who genuinely want to help build our online platform while at the same time building theirs? People who want to pay it forward in the spirit of writerly writerness and blogging beautificity (and see it come back to them in turn).

And so, my Writers’ Platform-Building Campaign was born.

What is the Campaign?

Basically, the Campaign is a way to link those of us in the writing community together with the aim of helping to build our online platforms. The Campaigners are all bloggers in a similar position, who genuinely want to pay it forward, make connections and friends within the writing community, and help build each others' online platforms while at the same time building theirs.

As the Campaign kicks off, you'll have the names and blog addresses of the Campaigners on my List of Campaigners page (above), so you can keep in touch with the other Campaigners. That way you’ll have a list of bloggers in the same position as you, who genuinely want to help you succeed. And you'll be able to meet those who have the most in common with you. You can visit their blogs and other places they haunt, follow along, leave comments galore, and share your highs and lows as you journey through the blogosphere and build your online platform. And they'll be doing the same for you.

If you want to find out a bit more about past Campaigns, check out the info I've included here.

The Team

This year I have a fantastic group of people who've volunteered to help me out with the Campaign. For the Fourth Campaign, the core Campaign Team comprises myself, Michael Offutt, K.T. Hanna, Ozlem Yikici, and Steph Schmidt, and others will be helping us out in other respects too. I'd love it if you could make your way around and follow all these awesome people, and maybe even leave a comment to say thanks for their time and effort. I'll be including all the fabulous volunteers' links in relevant posts as the Campaign progresses.

Key Dates

• This Fourth Campaign will be a mini-Campaign, and will run from today until Saturday, March 17, 2012.

• The List of Campaigners will close on Wednesday, February 15th, so make sure you sign up before then.

• The First Campaigner Challenge will begin on Monday, February 20th and end on Saturday, February 25th.

• The Second Campaigner Challenge will begin on Monday, March 5th and end on Saturday, March 10th.

Organized Campaign Events

During the Campaign:

• I'll be running the two Campaigner Challenges I mentioned above.
• each Friday I'll post a Campaigner Notice-Board, where you can announce blogfests, book launches, things you'd like to share with your other Campaigners, etc etc. You'll need to send me the information in advance, and I've made up a form to make things easier. If you want me to include your details in this Friday's post (February 10th), please fill out this form.
• there will be lots of Twitter-talk at #writecampaign, so make sure you jump in and take part to meet, get to know, and encourage your fellow Campaigners. 

As this is a mini-Campaign, these are the only organized Campaign events. As always, it's up to you how involved you want to be.

As in the Third Campaign, I'm also asking for people who'd like to volunteer to judge the Campaigner Challenges and/or donate a prize (you can tell me your preference in the form I'll be asking you to fill out below).

How to join?

If you’d like to join the Fourth Campaign, here’s what you’ll need to do:

1. follow me if you haven't already, so you can check out the Campaigner Notice-Board on Fridays and take part in Campaigner Challenges 
2. comment on this post, to let the other Campaigners know you’ll be coming on board
3. blog about the Campaign to help spread the word (include a link to this post and encourage your followers to join)
4. tweet about the Campaign if you're on Twitter, and include a link to this post. Follow me here if you wish
5. pop a link to this post on Facebook (if you’re a Facebook fan) and/or on Google Plus if that's your favorite haunt. Or anywhere else you hang out, it's up to you. My links to Facebook, Google Plus, and LinkedIn are on my sidebar if you want to find me there
6. and fill out this form.

And then?

Once you’ve joined the Campaign:

1. go to my List of Campaigners page and put your name down for a Campaigner Group (or more than one if you want to get to know more people) 
2. pop round and introduce yourself to some or all the Campaigners in your Campaigner Group. If you wish, pop round to some or all of the other Campaigners and introduce yourself as well
3. follow some or all of the Campaigners in your Campaigner Group(s) (and others if you wish). Due to the size of the Campaign, there's no need to follow all Campaigners!!!
4. put the Campaign badge on your sidebar and link it back to my Writers' Platform-Building Campaign page above
5. keep an eye out for posts/comments/tweets by other Campaigners (and particularly those in your Campaigner Group) and do your best to comment on as many as you can, as often as you can. Also consider following your fellow Campaigners on Twitter and liking them on Facebook, mentioning their blog posts and re-tweeting their tweets, and otherwise supporting them
6. get to know your fellow Campaigners at #writecampaign on Twitter
7. join in my Campaigner Challenges if you wish (you don't have to, of course). They're a great way to get to know other Campaigners and have fun at the same time.

Can't wait to see you all on board!