I wanted to talk about developing a platform from an energetic standpoint and to shed light on it from the standpoint of the unconscious. 

Most writers are introverts. If we had the kind of success we'd dream of, many of us would be very stressed and could end up going the way of JD Salinger or Harper Lee. In today's world, writers need to be willing to be known. So there's an inherent conflict between our ego's dreams and what our unconscious wants. How can we start to align these two towards success?

Mostly we think we can direct where we go in life. The unconscious has been likened to an elephant, and the conscious has been likened to a rider. Have you ever noticed that sometimes our inner elephant balks? When that happens, heaven help the rider. How can we align both rider and elephant?

While specialized kinesiology sessions are great to integrate rider and elephant, there is a lot one can do on one's own, namely:
  • Look at how well known you are locally. You have much more ability to be known in your town. Are you able to handle the tiny spotlight? Take steps to become comfortable with that. It will help you align with your goal of your book being a success in a broader market. The more you do, the more comfortable you become, the less energy you expend in nerves, the more you free up the energy of flow and success. The more at ease you are in the smaller spotlight, the more opportunities for bigger and bigger spotlights come your way.
  • Join groups like:
    • Toastmasters- for speaking and leadership training. It doesn't matter how big your career, it's different speaking to represent  others' interests vs promoting oneself. Go every week. Forget excuses if you want success. Things come up for everyone, but some people develop their accountability and show up regardless of their lousy day in order to grow. Cultivate that skill. I'm president of my Toastmaster's club. I resisted the leadership side for four years because I was "too busy", but everything shifted once I took on the role of being president.
    • SABER: Santa Barbara Executive Roundtable- sabersantabarbara.com. Outside of Santa Barbara, google your city's name + executive roundtable. This is a great meeting to develop a presentation for, but also to attend. You get 30 seconds to talk about who you are and what you do.
    • How does your book align with a need? Maybe you have a writing workshop you can develop? 
    • Create a side business from your book that is relevant to people and help yourself stay in the public eye with regular workshops. I know a raw foods cookbook author who has developed a thriving practice near Cabo San Lucas, Mexico from her cookbook published in 2011. She's sold 23,000 copies to date. (www.Wendy Rudell.com)
    • SCORE: Service Corps of Retired Executives- these are all over the country and are also a great opportunity to network at meetings, in addition to helping develop your side business as it grows.
    • Publish articles online. One great resource for publishing my nonfiction pieces has been Thrive Global, Ariana Huffington's company. 
    • Resources for women: 
      • AWC SB- Association of Women in Communication: womcom.org. If you've written a book, you belong in an AWC meeting. There are 14 chapters across the country. The SB chapter is the only one in California. It's worth the drive once a month, or you may want to start your own chapter. I'm on the board of the AWC-SB chapter.
      •  If you're not near an AWC chapter and have a side business to go with your book, try NAWBO, National Association of Women's Business Owners. www.nawbo.org.