Four Social Media Tips for Aspiring Writers

​Many writers have a problem with social media. Either they are using it too much or not enough. Finding the right balance is essential as it plays an important role in how you communicate with your readers/audience. To make things simpler for you, we have four simple social media tips for aspiring writers:

1.     Pick the Right PlatformsYou don’t have to use all the social media platforms. Just pick the ones you are most comfortable with. Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are a must whereas Instagram and Snapchat can be more optional. Twitter, in particular, can be crucial for networking, socializing and building a target market and improving interaction and awareness of your book.

2.     Create a ConversationFocus on improving engagement by trying to create real conversations. Ask questions, be thoughtful and interact with your target audience in a manner that will create and instigate loyalty. Share content related to an interesting topic that can click well with your followers. Memes and puns and jokes are also a great way to create a good conversation and healthy interaction.

3.     Avoid a Promotional AuraDon’t just keep talking about your work on social media. It can be very promotional and off-putting to others and might decrease interest in your work. A good idea is to follow a ratio of 80:20 in your content. At least 80% of the content you share can be related to your industry, genre, writing tips or more. Around 20% can be related to your work. This keeps a good balance and ensures you aren’t going too overboard in the start. Once you understand your target audience, you can change the ratios to suit you.

4.     Good Examples of Writers on Social MediaIt is a good idea to look at different examples of writers on social media. Looking at how they interact can give you a better idea on how to interact on social media. The following are a few good examples:

• Stephen King – He often posts about his dog and other areas of his life which are equally as interesting as his books.
• George R.R. Martin – Fans actually find it exasperating to see him post anything that is not related to his books. Everyone is really waiting on the last one to hit bookshelves.

While they are renowned authors who have best sellers, they are also from a time when using social media was not the norm. Over time, they have carefully curated their social media presence to garner a large array of followers.