Turn your writer’s brand into a recognized voice on social media. Focus your conversation on topics unique to you and connect authentically to build followers and establish readership of your work.

WAIT! I’M PRIVATE; I DON’T USE (OR LIKE) SOCIAL MEDIA

Our digital world is not going away. Now more than ever, millions turn to social media for news, information, and resources. (That said, protecting your online privacy by separating your personal and professional life is appropriate.) Use your writer’s brand/persona to gain followers and readership. Be bold, brand-focused, and consistent online. Here’s how.

#1: BE BOLD

Your writer’s brand is unique; use it. News flash: You don’t have to be perfect.

It’s no secret authors strive for excellent grammar, syntax, and meaning in writing. Yet, pursuing perfection may stop you from pressing the “post” button. Authors should check for errors before posting, but here is the takeaway: Don’t let perfectionism stymie your creativity and sharing. Every content creator makes posting mistakes. If you make a mistake, forgive yourself and move on. Be bold: project your voice no matter what.

#2: BE BRAND-FOCUSED: SHARE YOUR INTERESTS

An author might think, “I have nothing to say.” Oh, yes, you do!

Your brand is uniquely you. Dig into topics you care about, and you’ll discover patterns and ideas to discuss with followers. For example, do you write speculative fiction? Maybe you like designing outer space artwork—share these topics with followers. Whatever the case, once you’ve established your voice, engage your followers through your brand voice and don’t depart from it, or you’ll risk confusing your audience.

Consider the example of the noted author and online personality Brecht De Poortere (@brecht_dp on X). De Poortere engages followers globally using food themes, writing submissions, geography, and artwork. Followers expect De Poortere’s posts to be humorous or ironic, and many posts feature images. Notably, we don’t see De Poortere discussing—say—medical companies, cars, or manufacturing in the US Midwest. Why? Well, those topics would seriously depart from his interests—his writer’s brand. De Poortere focuses on topics that are authentic to him. As a result, thousands of followers routinely engage with him.

Further, De Poortere’s social media savvy lets him organically share his published stories among followers, meaning, he posts about his stories in a non-ad way. He has a connection with followers. Because we know the author, we also want to read his work.

#3 BE CONSISTENT

So, must I post daily to be like Brecht De Poortere? Think of your brand as a reliable voice.

Consistent posting builds an authentic connection with followers. Think of your writer’s brand—your voice—like a relationship. If you’re present and engaged, your followers will also be present. The more you post, the better. But…start slowly and build. Posting is easy when you plan.

First, choose your social media.

Select your conversation topics. 

Pull out a calendar. Assign a topic to a day of the week. For example, Mondays might be outer space graphics day, Wednesdays alien lifeforms day, and Fridays galactic gardening day. 

Add content (your writing). 

Get creative. Use images and videos in your weekly topics. Don’t forget to add hashtags (Google it). 

Do your homework about the best posting times in your time zone. 

Schedule your posts using schedulers like Canva, X, and others to simplify posting.

Finally, engage with followers. You’ll get the hang of it. 🙂

IN SUMMARY:

Use your writer’s brand to build social media followers and establish your work’s readership. What are you waiting for? Jump in. You’ll do great.

And don’t forget: We’re open, and we want your gutsy words.