What is an author platform?

There are many definitions of an author platform, but what it all boils down to is an author's ability to reach his or her readership.

Every author has a product to sell. There will be an audience ready to buy that product, but if the two don't meet in a marketplace of some description, no transaction can take place. This could be because the audience doesn't know such product exists, or maybe because the author or the audience don't attend the same market. A platform is a way for the author to improve his or her visibility and ultimately connect with the target audience.

There are many threads to be brought together when considering an author platform, and many ways in which you can get it wrong. The minimum you would need is an author website or blog (or a combination of the two), a few social media accounts (such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Tumblr, Pinterest, etc), plus any other professional-reach accounts on sites which offer the best chance for your talent to be discovered, such as LinkedIn, WattPad, LibraryThing, AUTHORSdB, Goodreads, etc. Besides these, you will need accounts on all the e-book distribution sites you might use to sell your product - Amazon, Draft2Digital, Smashwords, Lulu, Createspace, Barnes&Noble, Kobo, and others.

We offer to set up for you a bundle of 6 of the accounts/sites mentioned above for US$500. Extras can be added at a cost of US$50 per account.

Writing is a solitary occupation, but at PGP you need never be alone. You are welcome to find a writing buddy in our Members' Forum or, if you deem it necessary, PGP can team you up with an experienced mentor who can help develop your novel one step at a time.

If you have written a good portion of your novel already, but suddenly hit an impasse, we recommend consulting one of our developmental editors to discuss the various options available in order to take the story forward. After an initial assessment, where it may be necessary for the editor to read through what you have already written, you will take part in a one-hour brainstorming session during which you should be able to find the optimum way to take your story to a satisfactory conclusion. We recommend using Skype, Google Hangouts or an Instant Messenger program for best results. PGP fee: US$50 flat fee.

If you are at the incipient idea stage, a mentor can guide you in the right direction where plot points and story development are concerned. Instead of fumbling in the dark, contact one of our mentors to create a plot outline with guidance points which you can use as you begin writing your book, while still allowing enough space for your own ideas to grow and flesh out the final masterpiece. We recommend using Skype, Google Hangouts or an Instant Messenger program for best results. PGP fee: US$25 per hour.

Much dreaded by most authors, synopses, descriptions and blurbs can hook a reader and sell a novel. There is nothing more off-putting than a lengthy, long-winded description that proves an author’s inability to describe their novel in a few lines. PGP's team can write your long synopsis and back-cover blurb for US$10 per 100 words if we have already been involved with your book in some form, or US$25 per 100 words if we need to familiarize ourselves with the novel before we can get to work.

Ella Medler is a content editor with hundreds of books under her belt. Brainstorm your book on Skype with her and find alternatives to moving the story forward. USD35 for 1 hour 10 minutes session.

Manuscript assessment by a team of experienced editors, with a view to finding the weak spots of a completed project. You will receive a report outlining the areas requiring attention and the steps necessary to attain a top-quality novel. PGP fee: US$250.

What is the difference between the two?

There are actually two different, recognized levels of editing, and they differ significantly from each other and from proofreading, too.

Line editing is, as the name suggests, a line-by-line stage of scouring through a manuscript in order to ferret out grammar, style and consistency errors in the text. A line editor will also correct the sentence structure, verb tenses, capitalization, missed or duplicated words, paragraph and chapter lengths, etc. The line editor makes sure there are as few distractions as possible for the next in line: the content editor.

Content editing (also known as developmental editing or substantive editing) is a look at the deeper structural elements of novel building, such as plot, characters and their development, pace, theme, factual errors and contradictions, inconsistencies or discrepancies in the storyline or the narrator's voice, and the integration of sub-plots and back story into the whole. A content editor's job is to assess the bigger picture and determine ways in which a book could be made stronger.

In some cases, the order in which the editors will work on a manuscript may be reversed, or indeed, there may be a need for several passes from both line and content editors, with many versions of the manuscript changing hands until it reaches its maximum potential.

Proofreading is the last step in readying a manuscript for publishing. A proofreader's job is to meticulously go through the text to make sure the grammar is perfect, there are no typos, and the punctuation is perfect, too.

PGP Rates:

Proofreading: US$2 per 1000 words

Line editing: US$4.5 per 1000 words

Content editing: US$8 per 1000 words

Combine all three: US$10 per 1000 words

PGP offers impeccable ghostwriting services, which include editing and proofreading at the rate of US$250 per 1000 words. An initial consultation will be necessary, to determine your requirements as to style, idea, genre and expected length.

Promote your business in an innovative way. Our ghostwriting team will produce episodic stories featuring your company and product in your selected literary genre. We can work in collaboration with script writers and illustrators in order to produce a unique brand promotion for you and your business, as well as any related merchandise. An initial consultation will be necessary, as will periodic sessions to ensure the smooth progression of your campaign.