One of the most common questions I get in my DMs and from clients is: “what am I supposed to post about before my book is in the process of being published?” and my answer is PLENTY! Before you have a book on its way to being published, your job is to build a community and start gathering potential readers. Read on to find out how you can start building your community on Instagram and get people excited for your book.
Writing updates
Writing updates are a fun and easy way to build trust with your audience. Your followers will have the opportunity to learn about who you are and what your project is about through your updates, and they will enjoy following your journey. If you have a small following right now and feel like no one is engaging with your content, make the updates for yourself. Treat them like journal entries. You might want to look back on your progress in a few months or a few years and see how far you’ve come. And once you’re published, your OG followers will talk about you with pride: “I knew about her back when she was writing the first chapter!”
Tips and Hacks
Everyone in the writing community is striving to be a better, faster, more productive writer. We love learning from each other and supporting one another so, share the methods that work for you. What have you learned while writing a book? Or what have you learned from other writers? How do you outline? What craft books do you read? Do you like writing sprints? You might think that your advice sounds redundant but, the way YOU explain something might resonate with someone more than it did when another writer explained it. And the methods that worked for YOU specifically might be what works for someone else. Additionally, Instagram likes shareable content so, the more helpful your content is, the more likely it is that Instagram will push your posts to more people.
Behind the scenes
The reason we’re all so obsessed with documentaries and Q&As is that we love to feel a little closer to the people we admire. This involves learning about their daily routines and processes. What does your writing desk look like? What is your writing routine like? What do you eat for breakfast? Do you exercise? How do you take your pictures? How do you make your tea? (Yes, people like small things like that!) be creative, be you, and bring your followers into your life every now and then.
Things that bring you joy
Lastly, share things that bring you joy! These don’t (and shouldn’t) have to be writing-related. What are you reading right now? Did you record your dog doing something funny? Share that! New Kpop song you’re obsessed with? Talk about that (I do!) Found a cute new coffee shop in town? Gush about that! Your followers (aka future readers) want to know the human behind the screen, so don’t be afraid to talk about your interests and hobbies.
Remember, no matter how well your posts perform or how many followers you have, you are building an AUTHOR BRAND. Branding is important because people buy books from authors they know, like, and trust, and that takes time. Oftentimes readers get on board with the author’s brand before they even know what their book is about. So, make those connections, share your journey, and don’t be afraid to show the real you!
