All you need to know about the social media sub-community
Author platform.
If you’re like me, this term makes you shudder. Whether you’re a writer or published author — or aspire to be either — you’ve probably heard it being thrown around like a hot potato.
But what does it even mean? Sources give conflicting information. Some say an author platform skews heavily towards newsletter subscribers. Others say one must speak regularly at conferences. There’s no way to know for sure what the “magic formula” is.
What we do know is that in order to sell our books and share our work with the world, we need to put ourselves out there, however daunting that may be. But fear not, fellow introverts, there are many ways to go about doing this. It might look like maintaining a blog, joining writers’ groups, or having a social media presence.
I’m still in the infancy of building my author platform. And in true millennial fashion, Instagram is where I spend much of my time. The social networking service, with over one billion monthly active users, has its own subcommunity of bookish folks from all over the world. The subcommunity’s catchy moniker, Bookstagram, is a bibliophile’s paradise. Search the hashtags “bookstagram” or “bookstagrammer” and tens of millions of results will emerge, depicting an array of aesthetic books and reading nooks.
I’ve been a bookstagrammer for four months now. In that short amount of time, I’ve learned a lot about the literary world and made some connections with other readers, writers, and authors. Here’s the lowdown and some of the benefits I’ve gained from it:
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1. Seeing what readers are reading.
As a writer of nonfiction, I love perusing Bookstagram accounts and getting an idea of what books in my genre are gaining traction. For instance, Michelle Zauner’s bestselling memoir, Crying in H Mart, has been all over the platform, so I added it to the top of my reading list.
Other genres are just as exciting, too. I seldom read Young Adult novels, but I’ve read a few this year because of their glowing reviews by several bookstagrammers. By seeing what’s most popular with readers, I’m much more inclined to read those books myself.
Conversely, it can give you an idea of what gaps are yet to be filled. (i.e. whether the storyline you’re planning on implementing is overly used). If there’s an idea that’s not out there and you think it has potential, that can be a great way to springboard the outline of your next book.
2. Making connections with other writers, authors, and readers.
Bookstagram is also a great place for you to showcase your interests. Your current reads, hobbies, etc. can all go into your feed and give others a sense of who you are. Plus, hashtags make it easy to find people in your tribe. The tags #authorssupportingauthors and #writerssupportingwriters have a combined total of 450,000 photos, coming from accounts that aim to do just that — support one another.
Since joining Bookstagram, I’ve met dozens of like-minded individuals from all over the globe. If I see someone holding up a book I loved, I’m likely to comment on their photo or send them a direct message. It doesn’t always lead to a back-and-forth conversation, but plenty of times, it does. I’ve also received comments or messages from others, and it’s lovely to bond over commonalities, whether they’re book-related or otherwise.
With the options of adding polls or questions to your story, you can create a fun and interactive way to engage with your followers, too. This will help you get to know more about them, and can give you a sense of their tastes and preferences. I’ve found that Bookstagram is all about what you put into it, so even an hour a day can go a long way.
3. Getting comfortable with speaking your truth.
I’m a shy person and struggle with vulnerability. As a writer, though, one of my goals is to face that challenge head on and share what’s on my mind in a more raw and unfiltered manner. One of the things I love about Bookstagram is that it’s full of vocal people. There are people advocating for mental health, racial equity, reproductive rights, disability justice, and so much more.
By being exposed to others who don’t hold back, I’ve found it easier to post more about myself in my stories and captions without falling into the need to maintain a façade of perpetual happiness like I do on my personal Instagram account. (I use a separate account for Bookstagram.) In fact, I seldom use my personal account for that very reason. It’s refreshing to be influenced by changemakers from all over the world, and to be empowered.
4. Giveaways
Who doesn’t like free books, right?! Lots of Bookstagrammers host giveaways, whether for their birthdays or to celebrate reaching a certain number of followers.
Giveaways are a great way to incentivize your current followers for supporting you. They also allow you to gain new followers. For instance, when you host a giveaway, you can have all those who enter tag two or three friends, which can increase your exposure to new accounts. You can also have participants share your “Giveaway” post in their stories, which can expand your reach to hundreds and thousands of potential followers.
5. Writing
And finally, Bookstagram will help you flex those writing muscles. They say reading frequently improves your writing, and I have come across some truly gifted writers on the platform. Many people will post photos of books they recently read, with a 3–4 paragraph review, or will connect the premise of the book with larger current events.
This motivates me to write out my own thoughts as if it’s a mini writing assignment, that way people can become familiar with my voice. I also like that it challenges me to think critically about what I’ve read or want to share.
Above all, your posts are a great portfolio of sorts, and also document your writing/author journey. It’ll be something you can continue to look back on to see how you’ve evolved.
Those are the five benefits I’ve taken away from Bookstagram thus far. While it’s hard to say what its long-term impact will be in terms of building a large author platform, it has certainly led to organic connections and given me an ample dose of creativity.
Remember to take it slow and not be deterred by other people’s high number of followers or professional-quality photos. It takes years to form strong relationships and build your tribe, so invest a little bit of time each day for long-term gains! Happy Bookstagramming!