Service Update Your Author Platform Is Ready For You!

[AgentPete]

Like all writers, you’ve heard the term “author platform” being loosely thrown around for years. But what does it actually mean?

Is it a Facebook page? A TikTok account? A half-finished blog on a WordPress site no one visits?

It might be all of those things. Or something else entirely.

Until now, the phrase “author platform” has meant anything people wanted it to mean. In other words, pretty much nothing.

That changes today.

What is The Litopia Author Platform?​

At its heart, it’s a complete, modern author marketing solution, hand-crafted to help you build meaningful connections with your readers, grow your visibility, and ultimately – to sell more books.

Here's what you get:​

1. Your Author Identity – Distilled​

At the heart of every Platform there’s a single-page author overview – a vibrant, totally engaging snapshot of who you are as a writer.

How can I possibly guarantee that?

Because that’s how it’s been painstakingly constructed. We’ve already done the (very!) hard work so that all you have to do is – quite literally – to fill in the boxes. And I think you’re going to enjoy doing that, too!

• Most writers don’t know how to package or describe themselves, and end up with a list of dry facts (like a CV) or awkward bios that talk about… their pets? This is intelligently designed to capture your essence.
• Built for both readers and industry professionals. Use it to both attract new readers and to explain who you are to agents and publishers.
• Fully integrated with a mailing list system, so you can start owning your reader relationships immediately.

See some live examples:


Laura Rikono – Litopia

Rachel McCarron – Litopia

Claire Gallagher – Litopia

Beverley Dalton – Litopia

​

2. Feature Articles With Instant Reach​

Forget about random blogging. This is a fully integrated publishing and promotion engine.

• Write articles, updates, or short posts – from 100 words and up.
• Instantly featured on the Litopia main page and the Colony’s main page.
• Automatically promoted across all Litopia’s social media channels.
• Built-in comment system designed to encourage engagement and build your following.
• Each article also lives on your Author Platform page, keeping the page fresh and dynamic.

If you've ever endlessly struggled with how to “build your platform” – this is the easiest, most powerful way to do it, without the tech headaches.

Browse some recent articles here: https://platform.litopia.com/

3. A Shop – Ready When You Are​

Selling books? Or anything else? The Litopia Author Platform includes a flexible, fully-featured store.

• Sell both self-published and traditionally published titles.
• Add audio samples, videos, reviews, downloadable extras, and even behind-the-scenes backstories.
• Seamlessly links to external storefronts (e.g. Amazon) with one-click purchase options.

Not quite ready to sell? No problem. You can easily showcase your short stories, excerpts, or a writing portfolio instead. Just change the name of this section (everything is customisable) to whatever suits you!

Why This Matters Now More Than Ever​

In a world flooded with social media noise and algorithm changes, the most successful writers will own their relationship with readers.

“It doesn’t matter how you end up being published – what counts is having a strong relationship directly with your readers.”
– Peter Cox, Founder of Litopia

Yeah, that’s me... I’ve ended up quoting myself Because I’m so excited to have created the first stage of the AP, and to be sharing it with you now. And believe me, this is very much the ground floor. What I’ve got planned or the future will make your ears pop Huddlers already have some knowledge of this.

The Litopia Author Platform requires zero technical knowledge, no design hassles, and ongoing support from a community that wants you to succeed.

And did I mention the cost of all this?

It’s included in your Full Membership

Is This For You?​

• If you’re building your career and need a professional presence –
• If you want to start building your mailing list now, well before your book is out –
• If you’re self-publishing and need an integrated way to connect with your audience –
• If you’re tired of trying to piece together blogs, social media, and email platforms on your own...

Then yes, it’s definitely for you.

Join the Litopia Author Platform Now​

If you’re a Full Member, then your place is already reserved.

Log in to your Account

Then Access your Platform Control Panel

And start by browsing the Platform Help section.


The Author Platform is still in beta. This means that features may be added and there still may be bugs. But don’t fret – we’ve got a dedicated area in the Colony for any questions and requests! Access it here:

Author Platform Questions & Requests

colony.litopia.com

 

[Sedayne]

Thanks for all the work you've put into this @AgentPete

I really enjoyed putting my Author Platform together. Easy to navigate and to customise. And I can keep on tweaking it as new things come up. It's miles better than any author website I could have put together by myself. Best of all, it connects with other writers. It's individual and united. It's a great thing to be part of, and it looks fantastic.

 

[Vagabond Heart]

Wot she said.

 

[Jake E]

This is so above and beyond.
You have outdone yourself. (Which is hard, because past Pete set the bar pretty high to begin with)

 

[Aethalope]

Thanks for your efforts, it looks fabulous!

 

[LJ Beck]

WOW. What a mammoth undertaking!
2nd what Jake said. You do so much for the colony, it's mad. Consistently coming up with new ways to help, new offerings. This one's huge.
Thanks for all you do, @AgentPete !

 

[James Charles]

So wonderful. Mahalo. Let's roll!

 

[Sarit]

Thank you so much for this! I tried logging into the platform with my usual login details for the colony and it's not working. Am I missing something? Is it a different login/password?

 

[AgentPete]

Yeah, it's a different login, here:

Account Login – Litopia

litopia.com

And you may need to reset your password there.

Once done, you can generally leave both sites (Colony and Platform) permanently logged in, i.e. no need to log out of one to log into the other. But do keep separate passwords, it's safer.

Hope you enjoy!

p.

 

[Rachael Burnett]

@AgentPete Sorry to bother you, but I can never find my account details, the one where it tells you when your membership runs out. Can you or someone shove me in the right direction please?

 

[AgentPete]

Sure
Go to the Subscriptions section of your Account Page, here's s direct link to it:

Account – Litopia

litopia.com

You may need to log in there first.
p.

 

[Rachael Burnett]

Sure
Go to the Subscriptions section of your Account Page, here's s direct link to it:

Account – Litopia

litopia.com

You may need to log in there first.
p.

Thanks, I can never remember where it is as it seems to be on a separate section. Besides the link, how do I find it on my account here in Litopia? Also, is the full member payment automatically taken when it expires? That is, where is my Account page relative to my details here in Litopia and my account details here? (although, I'll probably ask the same question next year).

 

[AgentPete]

Thanks, I can never remember where it is as it seems to be on a separate section.

That’s exactly what it is, in fact. Litopia runs on two completely different software platforms: the Colony (colony.litopia.com) which is our forums/social area and the main Litopia site (litopia.com) which runs everything else, including the Author Platform.

I know this is confusing. I’ve spent countless hours trying to figure out how to unify them a bit more…

Besides the link, how do I find it on my account here in Litopia?

Your account actually runs from your Account Page, litopia.com/account.
It might be helpful to have some better links on the main menu here in the Colony...?

Also, is the full member payment automatically taken when it expires? That is, where is my Account page relative to my details here in Litopia and my account details here?

Your account details are actually held in the above place, litopia.com/account. NB we never store credit cards details. They may be on record with the payment processor, Stripe, but we never have access to them.

(although, I'll probably ask the same question next year).

If all works OK, when your sub expires here the site will apply via the payment processor to renew the subscription automatically, as long as the sub hasn’t been cancelled, of course.

You ought to experience seamless transition from one year’s membership to the next. This is also important because, btw, if you’re on an older subscription rate, then that is what you will continue to pay indefinitely, irrespective of what the current sub rate may be.

However, if the sub lapses, then folk have to take out a brand new subscription, at which point the current rate is charged.

As I say, the renewal process ought to happen smoothly, but there have been cases when it hasn’t, for one reason or another. At which point, I have to roll my sleeves up and try to fix it

 

[Rachael Burnett]

That’s exactly what it is, in fact. Litopia runs on two completely different software platforms: the Colony (colony.litopia.com) which is our forums/social area and the main Litopia site (litopia.com) which runs everything else, including the Author Platform.

I know this is confusing. I’ve spent countless hours trying to figure out how to unify them a bit more…


Your account actually runs from your Account Page, litopia.com/account.
It might be helpful to have some better links on the main menu here in the Colony...?

Your account details are actually held in the above place, litopia.com/account. NB we never store credit cards details. They may be on record with the payment processor, Stripe, but we never have access to them.


If all works OK, when your sub expires here the site will apply via the payment processor to renew the subscription automatically, as long as the sub hasn’t been cancelled, of course.

You ought to experience seamless transition from one year’s membership to the next. This is also important because, btw, if you’re on an older subscription rate, then that is what you will continue to pay indefinitely, irrespective of what the current sub rate may be.

However, if the sub lapses, then folk have to take out a brand new subscription, at which point the current rate is charged.

As I say, the renewal process ought to happen smoothly, but there have been cases when it hasn’t, for one reason or another. At which point, I have to roll my sleeves up and try to fix it

Thanks, I've saved the other page now. And so, theoretically I should be able to find it. I think it's because I only look at it once a year and can never remember where it is. Could there be a link (unless there is one already and I'm being dense) from the main Litopia account to whatever the other account page is called? And so, say if I select my account (as shown in the image below) could it be somewhere like this so we can find it easier? If it's too much trouble, then I'll just ask once a year or maybe I'll remember that I've saved the page (probably not - today I could not remember what day it is).

 

[AgentPete]

I'll work on it this morning

 

[AgentPete]

Fixed p.

 

[Rachael Burnett]

Fixed p.

Ooh, fancy. Thanks so much for that and on a bank holiday weekend as well.

 

[Bloo]

A half-finished blog on a WordPress site no one visits?

Ouch. This hit close to home

Anyhoo...this is fantastic! You've done a lot of work here. The author profiles and blogs are so much more accessible. And a mailing list, too. How does that work... like membername@lotopia.com? How many e-mails can we send at once in a newsletter?

What a cool symbiotic relationship you've created. Each Litopian gets exposure backed by the best writing site on the Net, and Litopia gets increased exposure through collective participation by us. The whole thing is greater than the sum of its parts.

I've a Q about this...

However, if the sub lapses, then folk have to take out a brand new subscription, at which point the current rate is charged.

Is there a grace period for this? More than one member (myself included) have let a sub lapse because of whatever.

 

[AgentPete]

Ouch. This hit close to home

Anyhoo...this is fantastic! You've done so much work here. The author profiles and blogs are so much more accessible. And a mailing list, too. How does that work... like membername@lotopia.com? How many e-mails can we send at once in a newsletter?

I'm still building this out, so tell me the specs you want Currently, all we’re actually doing is collecting subscriber details with the relevant list name. Hopefully will be done within the month.

What a cool symbiotic relationship you've created. Each Litopian gets exposure backed by best writing site on the Net, and Litopia gets increased exposure through collective participation by us. The whole thing is greater than the sum of its parts.

Yup, and thank you for noticing, that was indeed the aim!

Is there a grace period for this? More than one member (myself included) have let a sub lapse because of whatever.

We automatically send different email reminders depending on the subscription type. A few people have one-time subscriptions, i.e. as a gift purchased by someone else for the member. These people get a reminder 5 days before their sub expires, and they can renew at whatever the sub cost was when it was purchased.

Other emails get sent automatically too, e.g. on credit card expiry, failure to process payment, etc. We’re very sympathetic if someone is a few days late, got to support our members

At the moment, there is currently no hard-coded “grace period”, but that could programmed in, if it was thought to be useful.

 

[Bloo]

Ah cool... as long as there's some sort of workaround for those who've let a membership lapse for a little bit. I know you empathize with fellow writers

About the e-mail... I dunno. if attached to a member name, things would get messy if someone (like me) changed usernames. I guess you could set up a temporary alias with something in the header or footer that says an address change is coming. But unless you've some automation going in, it'll be a pain in the ass. I guess you could put it all on the user and hope they won't screw it up - assuming you can put in functionality to give a user that much control. You're running WP multisite, right?

I poked around my neglected author platform control center and saw something else. The default image is a hooded guy writing. Was that that deliberate jab at my Huddle attire

 

[AgentPete]

There’s actually no need for specific member email addresses (although I’ve wondered about offering that as a perk, but decided against it for now). Newsletters/mailings are sent from the main Litopia admin address, maintenance is user-controlled. We’ve got a screen in place for the public to send messages to members without having their contacts details… can’t offhand remember if we allowed members to respond also under privacy, it’s a while since that was set up. If not, could do.