“What do I do now?”

Authors ask me this question all the time (and that’s not the exaggeration).

They ask me this question after their manuscript goes to copyediting, when it goes into typesetting, and after we release their traditional-quality book.

My answer, at least in my head, is, “Start building your social media presence the moment you decide to write your book.”

In the constantly-changing landscape of author promotion, you can’t begin building your social media presence too soon. But coming up with new ideas for creative, engaging posts can feel like a chore.

The following social media post ideas work great for writers and authors and can be formatted to fit a number of social media platforms.

Facebook? Twitter? Instagram? Many of these ideas will work on all three platforms, so you don’t need to reinvent the wheel.

But before we go any further, you may know other authors who could benefit from these valuable ideas, so feel free to forward this email to everyone who needs it.

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Here are seven social media posts you can create THIS WEEK that will help you nurture and grow your author platform:

1. Share a photo of your book in a fun or seasonal setting

Take of photo of your book in a fun or seasonal setting. Ideas?

• In a reading chair next to a fire and a fuzzy blanket.
• In a hammock.
• Tucked into a picnic basket.
• Next to tape, scissors, and Christmas wrapping paper.

You can also stage your book in settings related to the theme of your book. Stage your western novel, for example, in a rustic setting reminiscent of the old west. Stage your parenting book in the middle of candid family snapshots, diapers, or crayons. You get the idea.

2. Share a sneak peek at your writing workspace.

Whether your writing desk is neat and tidy—or looks like a crime scene—readers enjoy seeing glimpses of the writing life. And if they already love your books, they’ll enjoy seeing the spot (whether neat or messy) where the “magic” happens.

3. Share a photo of your book with a cute pet.

This almost feels like cheating, doesn’t it? Who doesn’t love a photo of a cute animal? And some of the good feelings it generates will most certainly transfer to you when your book is in the photo, too. Don’t have a pet? Borrow one for this assignment. It’ll be worth it.

(Just so you know, this was Karen Bouchard's idea!)

4. Share a few lines from your work in progress.

Maybe you’re starting a new chapter, writing an article, or planning your next blog posts. Give followers a sneak peak at what you’re working on. Share a few lines from your WIP. If you’d like, share further about what you’re writing and why.

5. Talk about your publishing journey.

The writing process is one thing—publishing is another animal altogether. However you decide to publish, there’s not only a learning curve, but lots of interesting stages to the process.

Perhaps you’re researching publishing options, working with a cover designer, proofing the typeset pages of your upcoming book, or planning a book launch. Wherever you are in your publishing journey, give your followers an insider’s look into the process.

6. Share a little about a book you’re reading.

What you’re currently reading may be related to the kind of content you write—which would likely be interesting to your readers.

But even if you’re taking a break and reading something completely unrelated to your writing topics, share away! Readers will enjoy seeing what you read for fun—and may even follow your recommendation and check out the book for themselves.

7. Create a post using a Q&A format

This can be a fun recurring post. For example, every week post a Q&A related to your message or story. If you’re writing on a topic—parenting, marriage, trauma, motivation, etc.—post a question related to your content. The answer can come from your book, or it can be an answer you write specifically for the post.

If you’ve working on a novel, post a FAQ about one of your characters. Are you writing historical fiction? Post an FAQ about the time frame in which your story takes place. Be creative. People love Q&As and any interesting question and answer will do.

This is part one of a three-part series. We’ll come back to this topic in a few weeks.

I can't wait to share next week's post!

Next week, we’re going to look at the kind of book that changes the world. It’s the reason most of us decide to embark on this meandering road called “writing.”

Trust me—it's going to pour fuel on what fires you up to write.

In case you didn’t know, we offer different promotional options in our publishing packages, including website development, social media marketing, and even a sneaky way to get discovered on Amazon.

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Let's bring your book to life!