Does Your Genre Need an Author Platform? Platform Requirements by Genre

You’re ready to query literary agents. Your manuscript is polished. Your query letter is tight.

But then you see it: the dreaded question about “author platform.”

Do you need a website? A social media following? A newsletter with hundreds of thousands of subscribers? Will agents reject you if you don’t have these things?

During our #YourQueries Live event with literary agent Noelle Falcis Math from Transatlantic Literary Agency, writers asked this exact question. Her answer might surprise you.

“I would consider an author who doesn’t have a website or followers,” Noelle explained. “There’s certainly a contingent of writers that don’t like being in the social sphere, and because of that, I would still make the consideration.”

But—and this is crucial—she added: “Your genre makes a difference.”

Not all genres require the same platform. What works for a literary fiction author won’t necessarily work for a nonfiction writer. And what romance publishers expect is completely different from what memoir publishers need.

Let’s break down exactly what platform requirements look like for every major genre.

What Is “Author Platform” Anyway?

Before we dive into genre specifics, let’s define what agents actually mean by “platform.”

Your author platform is your ability to reach readers. It includes:

Digital Presence:

• Author website
• Social media followers (Instagram, Twitter/X, TikTok, Facebook)
• Email newsletter subscribers
• Blog readership
• YouTube channel or podcast

Professional Credentials:

• Published articles, essays, or short stories
• Awards and recognition
• Industry connections
• Speaking engagements
• Teaching positions
• Relevant professional expertise

Traditional Media:

• Print publication credits
• Radio or TV appearances
• Interviews and features

For fiction, platform is nice but rarely required. For nonfiction, it’s often essential.

As Noelle put it: “The business is to make writers, right? It’s nice if you receive somebody who already has a platform, but that’s not always the case.”

Fiction: Platform Is Optional (Mostly)

Here’s the good news for fiction writers: agents and publishers expect to help build your platform with you.

“Across the board, I would still consider somebody, even if they didn’t have a platform,” Noelle confirmed.

Why? Because fiction sells based on story quality, not author credentials.

However, different fiction subgenres have different expectations.

Literary Fiction: Community Matters More Than Numbers

Platform Priority: Medium

Literary fiction is all about craft, and agents look for writers who are part of the literary community.

What helps:

• Publications in literary journals (Paris Review, Granta, One Story, etc.)
• Literary awards and contest wins
• MFA degree (helpful but not required)
• Membership in writing organizations
• Attendance at literary conferences
• Involvement in local writing communities

What doesn’t matter as much:

• Instagram follower count
• Newsletter size
• Blog traffic

As Noelle noted: “If you are somebody who’s completely offline writing literary fiction, which tends to be dependent on awards and community and presence,” that could make a difference—but the emphasis is on literary community, not social media following.

Bottom Line: Your story in Ploughshares matters more than your Twitter followers. Your AWP connections matter more than your Instagram aesthetic. If you’re more “I like to write on my typewriter” than “I’m so going to post about this,” you’re totally fine.

Commercial Fiction: Platform Is a Nice Bonus

Platform Priority: Low to Medium

Commercial fiction (thrillers, women’s fiction, historical fiction, speculative, etc.) sells primarily on concept and execution.

Agents want:

• A killer concept
• Strong writing
• Market awareness

Agents appreciate:

• Active social media presence
• Engaged reader community
• Prior publication credits

But they don’t require it for debut authors.

Romance: Genre Community Can Help

Platform Priority: Medium (for community, not numbers)

Romance is unique because it has such a strong, active community. Being part of that community can help, but massive follower counts aren’t required.

What helps:

• Membership in Romance Writers of America (RWA) or similar organizations
• Participation in romance reader/writer communities
• Understanding of romance conventions and reader expectations
• Some social media presence (especially Instagram or TikTok)

As Noelle mentioned: “You’re a romance writer that likes the mystery of being unknown—that makes a difference. But yes, across the board, I would still consider somebody.”

Bottom Line: Understand the romance community and reader expectations. A Twitter account is nice; knowing romance tropes is essential.

Science Fiction and Fantasy: Genre Knowledge Is Platform

Platform Priority: Low

SFF readers care about the story, worldbuilding, and whether you understand the genre.

What matters:

• Reading widely in the genre
• Understanding genre conventions
• Short story publications in SFF magazines (a plus)
• Convention attendance (helpful for networking)

What doesn’t matter much:

• Large social media following
• Professional website
• Email list

Young Adult and Middle Grade: Voice Matters Most

Platform Priority: Low

For children’s and YA writers, the writing speaks for itself. Agents are looking for authentic voice and understanding of the age group.

Helpful but not required:

• Teaching experience
• Work with children/teens
• Understanding of current YA trends
• Social media presence (especially TikTok for YA)

What matters most:

• Authentic voice for the age group
• Understanding of current market
• Clean, professional submission

Mystery/Thriller: Professional Credentials Help

Platform Priority: Medium

Mystery and thriller readers love authors with relevant professional backgrounds.

Strong credentials:

• Law enforcement background
• Legal experience
• Journalism background
• True crime expertise
• Forensics knowledge
• Military experience

What helps:

• Membership in Mystery Writers of America or Sisters in Crime
• Short story publications in mystery magazines
• Understanding of genre conventions

What doesn’t matter as much:

• Massive social media following
• Email newsletter (nice but not required)

During #YourQueries Live, one mystery query featured co-authors: “a former partner in a San Francisco law firm and an affiliate member of Mystery Writers” and “a lifelong linguistic junkie and member of Sisters in Crime.”

Noelle’s response: “You let us know that it’s a co-written project, and both writers are in some way informed by this genre. So it looks good.”

Nonfiction: Platform Is Usually Essential

This is where platform becomes crucial.

“If you’re writing about a very specific” topic, Noelle explained, “and it’s been your beat for the past decade, then absolutely, let me know that right up front, that this is literally your specialization.”

Memoir: Your Story IS Your Platform

Platform Priority: High

For memoir, your life experience is your platform. You’re not selling expertise—you’re selling your unique perspective on a universal experience.

What agents need to know:

• What makes your story unique (your “new angle”)
• Why you’re the person to tell this story
• What transformation or insight you offer
• Prior publication credits in literary journals or magazines
• Any relevant awards or recognition

What can help:

• Speaking engagements on your topic
• Essay publications related to your memoir theme
• Small social media following
• Media appearances

What’s less important:

• Large follower counts
• Professional website (though helpful)
• Email list

For the memoir query reviewed in #YourQueries Live, the writer mentioned: “My second book of poetry came out, had several awards. My memoir excerpt was published by [related publication].”

This showed platform—not through follower counts, but through publication history and recognition in the field.

Narrative Nonfiction: Expertise + Reach

Platform Priority: Very High

Narrative nonfiction needs both expertise and audience reach.

Essential credentials:

• Deep subject matter expertise (often through professional work)
• Published articles on the topic (newspapers, magazines, journals)
• Academic credentials (PhD, research position, etc.)
• Speaking engagements
• Media appearances

Helpful additions:

• Social media presence
• Email newsletter
• Blog following
• Podcast audience
• Previous book publications

Prescriptive Nonfiction (Self-Help, Business, etc.): Platform Is Everything

Platform Priority: Critical

For prescriptive nonfiction, platform often determines whether a publisher will make an offer. They need to know that you’re offering good advice (imagine if someone without experience wrote a medical book!) and that their legal departments won’t worry.

You need:

• Established expertise in your field
• Significant social media following (20K+ preferred)
• Email list (10K+ subscribers helpful)
• Speaking experience
• Media appearances
• Professional credentials
• Prior publication credits

Without platform, prescriptive nonfiction is nearly impossible to sell to traditional publishers.

Journalism/Investigative Nonfiction: Credentials Matter Most

Platform Priority: High (for credentials, not necessarily followers)

For investigative nonfiction, your professional background is your platform.

What matters:

• Journalism experience (especially if the topic was your beat)
• Published investigative pieces
• Industry connections for research
• Access to sources
• Deep expertise in the subject

During #YourQueries Live, one literary fiction query opened with: “I worked for 41 years as a newspaper reporter, editor, and columnist.”

Noelle’s immediate reaction: “Awesome! It’s always really good when we have a sense of the writer’s background, because it sort of tells us what sort of background and expertise and authority they might have on whatever subject matter they’re writing on.”

That credential mattered—even for a fiction project inspired by journalism.

The Gray Area: When Your Credentials Matter (Even for Fiction)

Even in fiction, relevant professional experience can strengthen your query.

If you have:

• Professional expertise that relates to your book’s subject matter
• A career that gave you unique insight into your setting
• Specialized knowledge that informs your story

Mention it early in your query.

As Noelle advised: “If you’re writing about a very specific” subject, “and it’s been your beat for the past decade, then absolutely, let me know that right up front.”

But—and this is important—credentials only matter if they’re relevant.

“If you happen to be a specialized doctor” but “you’re writing an immigration love story,” Noelle explained, “that credential really has nothing to do with what you’re writing about.”

Don’t pad your bio with irrelevant credentials. Agents can tell.

The Website Question: Do You Really Need One?

During the Q&A portion of #YourQueries Live, someone asked: “Will an agent consider an author who doesn’t have a website or followers?”

Both agents were clear: yes, they will.

“I would consider an author,” Noelle said. “There’s certainly a contingent of writers that don’t like being in the social sphere.”

Jessica Sinsheimer, literary agent at Context Literary Agency, added: “For fiction, it’s kind of like an MFA. Nice to have, absolutely not necessary (to me). But once I sign a client, I ask them to build one.”

However, Julie Kingsley (author and co-founder of Manuscript Academy) offered practical advice: “I think making a free website on Wix, which would take you… you can make them in less than an hour, it’s cheap, it’s easy to do. I think just putting out a baseline that creates a vibe or something to represent you as a brand, I think is important.”

Our recommendation: A simple, one-page website is increasingly expected, even if it’s just a professional landing page with:

• Your name and genre
• A brief bio
• Contact information
• Links to any published work
• Social media links (if you have them)

You can create this in an hour using free Wix or WordPress templates. Or, as Jessica suggested: “Hire a local teenager to make your Wix site for you.”

All of that said, you might want to register your URL now, so no one else takes it.

What About Social Media?

The social media question is complicated.

For Fiction: Not required, but can help you build relationships with readers, other writers, and agents.

For Nonfiction: Often essential, especially for prescriptive nonfiction.

For Everyone: Quality matters more than quantity.

500 engaged followers who read and share your work are worth more than 50,000 followers who never interact.

And remember: you can always build your social media presence after you get an agent or book deal. Many authors do.

How to Build Platform (If You Need It)

If you’re writing in a genre where platform matters, here’s how to build it:

Start Small

You don’t need 10,000 followers tomorrow. Start with:

• A simple website
• One social media platform you actually enjoy
• Guest posts or articles in your genre
• Engagement with your writing community

Focus on Connection, Not Numbers

“The business is to make writers,” Noelle reminded us. Agents would rather work with an author who has a small but engaged following than someone with purchased follower bots.

Leverage Your Expertise

If you have professional credentials relevant to your book:

• Write articles for industry publications
• Speak at conferences
• Start a newsletter sharing your expertise
• Build connections with others in your field

Join Writing Organizations

Professional organizations provide:

• Credibility
• Networking opportunities
• Educational resources
• Community connections

Relevant organizations include:

• Mystery Writers of America
• Sisters in Crime
• Romance Writers of America
• Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA)
• Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI)
• Authors Guild
• Manuscript Academy!

Membership alone doesn’t count as “platform,” but it shows you’re serious about your career.

Platform Don’ts: What Not to Do

Don’t:

• Buy followers (agents can tell)
• Inflate your credentials
• Claim expertise you don’t have
• Apologize for lacking platform in your query
• Spend thousands on platform-building before querying fiction
• Let platform anxiety stop you from querying

Do:

• Be honest about your credentials
• Highlight relevant experience
• Focus on writing quality first
• Build platform steadily over time
• Remember that for fiction, story matters most

Platform vs. Voice: What Really Matters

Here’s what agents repeatedly emphasized during #YourQueries Live:

“Talent is rare.”

Jessica explained: “I know you’re surrounded by talented people here, so you think it’s on every corner. No, there’s not. Our inboxes are not nearly this good.”

Your writing quality matters more than your follower count.

“If we see someone who has that really extraordinary voice,” Jessica said, “often we will ask what else they are working on, or would they consider shifting the genre a little bit.”

In other words: if your fiction voice is undeniable, agents will work with you to find the right project and build your platform.

“There’s always room for awesome,” she added.

Quick Reference: Platform Requirements by Genre

FICTION:

• Literary Fiction: Medium priority (community matters)
• Commercial Fiction: Low priority
• Romance: Medium priority (for community, not numbers)
• Science Fiction/Fantasy: Low priority
• Young Adult/Middle Grade: Low priority
• Mystery/Thriller: Medium priority (credentials help)

NONFICTION:

• Memoir: High priority (your story is your platform)
• Narrative Nonfiction: Very high priority
• Prescriptive Nonfiction: Critical
• Investigative/Journalism: High priority (credentials matter)

For more on crafting your query letter, including how to write compelling stakes and getting your word count right, check out our other guides.

The Bottom Line

Platform requirements depend entirely on your genre:

Fiction: Focus on your story first. Platform is a nice bonus, not a requirement.

Nonfiction: Platform is often essential. Start building it while you write.

Everyone: A simple website is increasingly expected, but massive social media following is not.

As Noelle reminded writers: “The business is to make writers. It’s nice if you receive somebody who already has a platform, but that’s not always the case.”

Don’t let platform anxiety stop you from querying. If you’re writing fiction, your story matters most. If you’re writing nonfiction, focus on building genuine expertise and connections, not just follower counts.

And if you need help building a basic author website? Ask a teenager. They can probably do it in a few hours.

Ready to polish your query letter? Download our free #YourQueries Live notes, featuring literary agent Noelle Falcis Math’s real-time feedback on actual queries, including platform discussions and author bio strategies.

What’s your genre, and are you worried about platform requirements? Let us know!