How to Get a Book Deal Without a Platform: Use Your Network

Wondering how to get a book deal without a platform? You’re not alone. Every day, talented writers ask: Do I need a huge following to get published?

Here’s the truth: You don’t need 100k followers. You need credibility. And more often than not, that comes from the people you already know.

(One of my favorite ways to uncover that credibility? I ask authors: “Tell me what Google can’t about you.” These days, it might be: “Tell me what ChatGPT can’t…”)

Before you worry about your Instagram following, let’s define two key publishing terms:

• Platform is your public visibility—social media, email list, podcast appearances, media mentions.

• Network is your private influence—the trusted peers, mentors, or industry contacts who might endorse your book or connect you with agents.

We’ve seen it firsthand at Lucinda Literary: debut authors landing major deals without a platform, simply because they had five or ten powerful contacts championing their work.

A strategic network can open doors that no marketing campaign can—especially when you’re still growing your visibility.

Here’s how your network helps:

• Warm referrals get your query read faster.

• Blurbs and endorsements build instant trust with editors.

• Audience-sharing (via podcasts, newsletters, panels) amplifies your reach and quickly onboards new followers.

• Leveraging comp titles in your pitch can show the popularity for your concept, and a wide readership for your new contribution

• “You know what sells? A good story.” While beauty is in the eye of the beholder, every publisher is looking for how you deliver on the page—riveting writing and a resonant voice.

📘 Curious what publishers look for in proposals? Jane Friedman breaks it down beautifully.

If your platform feels small, shift your energy toward outreach:

• Who would be excited to support your book?

• Who has a platform you could appear on—via interview, guest post, or conversation?

• Who could write a blurb, or offer an introduction?

The best part? Unlike a platform, which is public and slow to grow, your network is already there—waiting to be activated.

Getting a book deal without a platform is possible—but it’s not accidental. It takes a thoughtful proposal, clear positioning, and the right partners to get you in front of the right agents.

That’s exactly what we help with at the Lucinda Literary Academy. If you’re serious about signing with an agent, let’s talk about how to build your proposal and leverage your network—strategically.

Final Thought:
You don’t need to go viral. You just need to go personal. Start where you are, with who you know. This is how to get a book deal without a platform—and it’s how many of our authors have done it.