Your author’s journey, your personal and professional reputation, can easily be overshadowed by social media. Yes, it’s a necessary part of building your author’s story and brand, but if you let it take time from your career and your life (or it becomes a negative emotional environment), social media can quickly derail your life.

Thoughtfully managing social media is key.

But how do you do that? Start by recognizing that it can work for you just as easily as against you. To illustrate, while it may feel easy, powerful, and liberating to be rude, crude, or hurtful while sitting behind a computer, know this: you can severely damage your author brand by using social media as a weapon.

Next take a proactive and positive approach to social media. Limit your exposure to negative posts by blocking or unfollowing naysayers (and don’t peak back once you do). Then spend just enough time online to share updates on you and your work and “like” and support other writers, readers, family, and friends.

Now, to help inspire your social media strategy, I turn the mic over to the experts.

“If I spend time on social media, I want to be sure that time counts. For every post I put up, I try to comment on 5-10 other posts. If I want people to read/comment/care about what I post, then I’ve got to demonstrate the same. More than that, commenting not only validates the writer, it gets your name/brand out there. Be consistent, be kind, and be on-brand. And remember what your mother taught you: if you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all.” ~ Cara Achterberg is an author, blogger, and animal advocate whose most recent novel, Blind Turn, won the American Writing Award for Women’s Fiction.

“Establishing and using my own social media pages is low cost and the time I invest is my own. I have used social media for years as a consumer, not a creator, so it’s a new perspective. I look to some of my favorite creators and authors for inspiration as to what readers are looking for in how they can connect. As I said before, I’m a new author and content creator, so the cost is my time to learn how to make posts. I also invested memberships to photo stock sites and graphic design sites. 

I created my author pages on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Pinterest. I use TikTok the most and have the most followers there. BookTok is an active and supportive community, I’ve connected with other authors and readers alike. It’s also where I’ve found my editors and some ARC readers. Community members are willing to like and follow you back to build more connections.  I’m becoming more involved in Instagram as well as many BookTokers have Instagram pages as well. On Facebook, I’ve found a big writing community and have sought support in the whole creative process of writing and publishing a book. I’m starting out on Pinterest, using it to build my fictional world and get inspiration for my setting and characters. 

I use advice from Jenn Hanson-dePaula from Mixtusmedia for book marketing. I have a planned schedule of the types of posts to make on a regular basis, namely ways to connect, promoting my book, and growing my community. In a connection post, I often share what I’m reading or a small tidbit of my personal interests, such as my dog or a beautiful spot in nature. In promotional posts, I put out something about my book, my characters, or a reader magnet. In my community posts, I usually ask bookish questions to create conversations on social media. I’ve started cycling through these types of posts to stay focused and to cut the time I spend creating content so I can focus more on my writing. I check on social media in the morning and at the end of the day.” ~ Amy Mara, Romance Author

Finally, reflect on how social media is working in your life by answering the following questions:

• What social media platforms serve me well as an author?
• What should I share on these platforms to engage my audience and build a following?
• How am I supporting other authors, agents, writings, friends, and industry professionals?
• Do my posts support my brand or work against it?
• Do I spend just enough time on social media for it to work for me or am I letting it derail me from important goals and activities?
• Is social media a positive or negative influence in my personal and professional life?
• Is social media taking me away from writing time?
• How could I change my social media habits to work for me rather than against me?

These, and other powerful questions are designed to start the process of exploring your relationship with social media as an author (and a human). While you don’t necessarily need social media to build an audience and enhance book sales, many authors today believe otherwise—along with their literary agents and publishers. Still, I can’t say it enough, retaliating, venting, or bashing negative reviewers (and there will be some) is costly to you and those associated with your brand. So, think before you post, and plan before you scroll.

Consider your time, your intentions, and your brand before you get lost down the rabbit hole of social media.

It’s there to serve but it can also enslave. Talk with your street team, peer group, and trusted experts, then design and stick to a smart and strategic social media plan that you can be proud of. Moreover, make sure it doesn’t detract from your writing time