Your Author Platform as a Liberation Tool
Part 6 of the “We Will Rest” series
Too Slick, Not Enough Soul
We’ve all seen these types of author websites.
Every page screams for attention: "Buy my book!" "Follow me on social media!" "Sign up for my newsletter!" "Leave a review!" "Share with friends!"
It may be perfectly optimized for conversion. It might follow every "successful author platform" rule in the book.
But it is completely soulless.
I had a client like this once, and when I asked her how she felt about her website, she said:
"Honestly? I hate it. It feels like I'm constantly begging people to care about me. But isn't that what authors are supposed to do?"
That question haunts me because it reveals how we've been conditioned to see our platforms: as desperate marketing machines rather than spaces for genuine connection and liberation.
But as author Tricia Hersey writes, we can "subvert the narrative of productivity at all costs" and instead "recognize the innate divinity in all of us."
Your author platform can be a tool of liberation—for yourself and for the people who need your stories.
Or you can spend your time trying to be “perfect,” and end up erasing your personality, your quirks…everything that makes you, YOU.
The Problem with Platform-as-Marketing-Machine
Traditional author platform advice treats your website and social media like a 24/7 sales funnel:
Every post should drive book sales.
Every page should capture email addresses.
Every interaction should move someone closer to purchasing.
But this approach creates several problems.
For Authors
You become a performer rather than a creator. Your worth gets tied to metrics—followers, engagement, conversion rates—rather than the quality of your work or the depth of your impact.
For Readers
They're treated as consumers rather than community members. Every interaction with you is transactional rather than relational.
For Community
The focus on individual success undermines collective well-being. Everyone is competing for the same attention, the same dollars, the same finite resources.
For Creativity
When your platform exists solely to sell your current work, it can't evolve beyond what you've already created. There's no space for growth, exploration, or surprise.
Platform as Liberation: A Different Vision
What if your author platform existed not just to promote your books, but to create the change you want to see in the world?
What if it was a space where you and your community could practice the values that matter to you?
Hersey's work is "inspired by vintage hymnals, prayer books, and abolitionist pamphlets"—materials that weren't just informational, but transformational. They didn't just share ideas; they invited people into a new way of being.
Your platform can do the same.
What Liberation-Focused Platforms Look Like
Instead of: "Here's my book, please buy it."
Liberation approach: "Here are the ideas that shaped this book, and here's how we can explore them together."
Instead of: "Follow me for writing tips."
Liberation approach: "Let's create a space where we can grow together as storytellers and humans."
Instead of: "Join my newsletter for exclusive content."
Liberation approach: "Join our community for conversations that matter."
Notice how the marketing-machine examples come from a buyer-seller or content creator-consumer relationship.
I create. You buy.
They’re not only transactional; they’re also exhausting. You can feel the urgency aka scarcity contained within them.
Versus the liberation approach is softer, slower, more grounded. It places us on the same level, as fellow humans, and creates pathways for connection.
No longer are you standing above, a frantic creator trying to sell, sell, sell.
Now we are standing together, exploring our creativing, taking deep breaths, and creating space to rest.
The Abolitionist Pamphlet Model for Author Platforms
Hersey has mentioned drawing inspiration from abolitionist pamphlets—simple documents that carried revolutionary ideas and invited readers to participate in social change.
What would your author platform look like if it followed this model?
Clear Values, Not Just Content
Abolitionist pamphlets didn't hide their values behind "neutral" content. They weren’t afraid of offending people. They didn’t sugarcoat their ideas to the point that no one knew what they stood for.
They stood for something specific, and invited readers to join the movement.
Author Example:
YA author Nic Stone doesn't just promote her books—her platform consistently advocates for social justice. She shares ideas about decolonization, racism, and creating a better society. Her book are FANTASTIC and sell well. But more importantly, they're part of a larger conversation about creating change.
Community Action, Not Just Individual Success
When we start looking for collective liberation rather then personal advancement, our cultural perspective shifts. Instead of the capitalistic “me me me” perspective, we can begin to bring people together around shared purpose.
How this looks online:
Resource sharing: Amplifying other voices, sharing opportunities, connecting people with tools they need
Community building: Creating spaces for meaningful conversation, not just promotional announcements
Collective action: Using your platform to support causes, elevate marginalized voices, or address systemic issues in publishing
Transformation, Not Just Information
Abolitionist pamphlets didn't just inform—they transformed. Readers weren't the same after engaging with them.
Your platform can do this too. Instead of just sharing information about your books or your writing process, create content that invites transformation—in perspective, in understanding, in action.
Whether you’re passionate about racial justice, immigration, the injustice of book bannings, climate change, or a cause in your local community—stories are powerful tools for transformation.
As authors, we have a responsibility to use our platforms to push back against injustice and promote positive change.
In these times, our voices are more important than ever.
Practical Liberation Platform Strategies
Start with this question: "What change do I want to see in the world, and how do my stories contribute to that change?"
Easier said than done? Here are a few case studies to get your creative wheels turning.
The Values-First Website Redesign
A romance author’s original website focused entirely on her book covers and release dates. But her stories consistently featured characters healing from trauma and finding healthy love. When we redesigned her platform, we centered it around the theme of "love as healing."
Her new site includes:
A blog about emotional wellness (not just writing advice)
Resources for readers dealing with trauma (book recommendations, mental health resources, community support)
A book club focused on healing narratives (not just her books, but a myriad of stories that explore recovery and growth)
Her book sales increased because readers felt connected to her mission, not just her marketing.
From Self-Promotion to Community Liberation
A literary fiction author had a common problem: his platform felt inauthentic and his promotional efforts weren't translating to book sales. His novels explored themes of immigration, identity, and belonging; however, his website had been created from a generic author template.
We transformed his platform around the concept of "stories as bridges"—using narrative to connect people across different cultures and socioeconomic groups.
His new platform includes:
A storytelling project where community members share immigration stories
Cross-cultural reading recommendations that go beyond his own cultural background
Discussion spaces for hard conversations about identity and belonging
Resources for writers from marginalized communities
The result? His platform became a destination, not just a promotional stop. His book sales increased, but more importantly, he created genuine community around the issues that matter to him. Publishers started approaching him for projects because his platform demonstrated his authentic engagement with these themes.
Community-Centered Content
The key is simple: instead of creating content that serves your promotional goals, create content that serves your community's growth and wellbeing.
What type of content would benefit your readers? Your community? Your fellow authors?
Content Examples:
Discussion guides that help readers engage more deeply with themes in your work
Reading lists that go beyond "books like mine" to "books that explore these important ideas that our community values"
Conversation starters that invite genuine dialogue rather than performative engagement
Resource compilations that help other authors, readers, or community members
Connection Examples:
Boost other authors' work, especially marginalized voices
Share opportunities with your peers (speaking gigs, anthology calls, residencies)
Offer your skills to support community projects (editing, design, social media help)
Create resources that serve the broader writing community
Liberation Platform Elements
The Sacred About Page
Instead of just listing your bio and accomplishments, use your About page to share your values, your vision for change, and how your work serves something larger than yourself.
Community Spaces
Create areas of your platform where community members can connect with each other, not just with you. This might be:
Discussion forums around themes in your work
Resource sharing spaces where people can help each other
Collaborative projects that bring community members together
Virtual or in-person gatherings that serve community needs
Action-Oriented Content
Don't just share your opinions—provide ways for people to engage meaningfully with the issues your work explores. This might include:
Educational resources about topics in your books
Ways to take action on causes you care about
Tools for difficult conversations your work might inspire
Connections to organizations doing work in your area of focus
But Will This Actually Help My Career?
I hear this concern constantly: "This sounds meaningful, Lynn, but will it actually help me sell books?"
Here's what I've observed: Authors with liberation-focused platforms often have smaller but more engaged audiences.
Their readers aren't just buying their current book—they're invested in their entire body of work and likely to be lifelong fans.
More importantly, these platforms create opportunities beyond just book sales:
Speaking engagements because you're known for expertise in your themes
Collaboration opportunities with organizations aligned with your values
Media coverage because your platform demonstrates authentic engagement with important issues
Publishing opportunities because editors can see your genuine community and platform
But even if none of that happened, you'd still have created something meaningful—a platform that reflects your values, serves your community, and contributes to positive change.
Your Platform as Sacred Space
Hersey describes We Will Rest, The Art of Escape as "a modern sacred object, medicine for a sick and exhausted world."
Your author platform can be medicine too—for you, for your readers, for the publishing industry, for the broader cultural conversations your work engages.
This doesn't mean every post needs to be profound or every page needs to change the world.
It just means approaching your platform as sacred space—space that honors the full humanity of everyone who encounters it, space that serves values beyond just individual success.
Starting Your Liberation Platform
You don't need to overhaul your entire online presence overnight. Start with one small change:
This week:
Choose one post, page, or interaction that serves your community rather than just promoting your work.
This month:
Identify one cause or value that your work explores and find one way to support it through your platform.
This season:
Experiment with one form of mutual aid—amplifying another author, sharing resources, or creating something that serves the broader community.
The goal isn't perfection—it's practice.
Practice using your platform as a tool of liberation rather than just self-promotion.
The Ripple Effect
When authors approach their platforms as tools of liberation, it changes the entire publishing ecosystem.
Readers encounter authors as full humans with complex values and visions for change. Other authors see models for authentic engagement rather than just promotional performance. Publishers see platforms that demonstrate genuine community rather than just marketing reach.
Your stories matter. Your voice matters.
Your platform can be a space where both are honored in service of something larger than yourself.
