As I embark upon this new adventure, I’ve been pondering ways to integrate my past experience with all things technological with my writing life and my new life as a therapist—how to intertwine computer support, writing, and therapy? I believe I’ve hit upon a solution and am launching a computer support service for writers.

As any writer who has been to a workshop knows, these days it’s all about platform. Platform. Platform. Platform. Marsha. Marsha. Marsha. (Sorry.) Not everyone who writes wants to promote themselves. Some of us just want to write. But the hard truth of the matter is that regardless of what you write or who ends up publishing your writing, you are going to need a platform. For the uninitiated (and sorry if this sounds preachy or redundant, but I’m guessing there are some out there who don’t know), platform is the means by which you promote yourself and your writing and starts with the basics: A Facebook page, a Twitter account, a website. I’m sure, just by virtue of my age, that I’m unaware of the latest social networking tools, but I’m according to this website, FB and Twitter are in the top few still. If you want to sell a book, you need to have an audience and an online presence. This summer at the PNWA conference, one agent said that if we even wanted a publisher to look at our work we needed a minimum of 10,000 Twitter followers. At the time, I had fewer than 80.

I’ve managed to build my Twitter following to nearly 600, but this endeavor is time-consuming. Enter me—budding therapist, aspiring writer, retired technology guru. I can help you build your Twitter following. I can put that Twitter button on your WordPress site for you. I can show you how to create lists and give you tips on generating a following. If you don’t have a Facebook page or if you have a FB page but just one for family and friends, I can help. I can show you how to create an author page and generate followers. If you want a website but aren’t sure if you should go with WordPress, Blogger, or SquareSpace, I can help you decide and walk you through the fine points.

For eight years I worked at a Catholic elementary school helping teachers integrate technology into their classroom. Before that, I taught computer repair skills to adult learners, and prior to that I taught freshman composition to community college students. I’ve taught some of the most difficult subjects to the most challenging students (come on, have YOU ever taught a room full of teachers or displaced workers?) I can certainly help you build your platform. If I can talk Mrs. Koreski into having an interactive whiteboard in her classroom AND teach her to use it, I can help even the most tech-phobic and recalcitrant writer build her platform. I’m even willing to manage said platform (for the right price).

So, lock yourself away in your writing garret if you must, but if you want to sell that shit, you’re going to need a platform. I can help. Drop me a line: pamela.s.helberg@gmail.com