Newsletter

Social Strategy: 100 Content Ideas for Every Stage of Your Writing Career

By Sarah Penner / May 4, 2021 /

For many authors, generating social media content ideas is a necessary evil: we all know the importance of keeping up a platform so we can engage with readers and the book community, but maintaining social platforms is yet another to-do item on an already long list.

I’m here for you, friends.

Below are 100 social media content ideas for every stage of your writing career. There are 25 items listed for each of the four stages. Whether you’re an aspiring author, have an impending book launch, just launched a book, or your career is in-swing, I hope you’ll find the below ideas useful. 

The content suggestions listed are best-suited to three platforms in particular: Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. That said, these ideas could also be used in your author newsletter, on YouTube or TikTok channels, etc. We all have a favorite platform (mine is Instagram) but no need to recreate the wheel: once you’ve created a piece of content, use it widely across platforms (and reuse down the road, if applicable!)

Let’s get right to it.

Career stage: Aspiring Author
Content goals: Form connections with other writers, develop an organic following

Content ideas for the aspiring author include:

  • Post a picture from your WIP research (e.g. on location at a museum)
  • Conduct a poll seeking opinions on future essays/blog pots
  • Post a quote from a favorite writer that resonates with you 
  • Engage with a popular writing hashtag, like #5amwritersclub or #writingcommunity
  • Share a writer’s conference or festival you’re attending this year (tag the conference)
  • Announce a new platform, e.g. the launch of a new or improved website, or TikTok channel
  • Do a video tour of your home library/bookshelves
  • Post an incentive for newsletter subscribers, like a free book (and send your next newsletter within a week or two)
  • Give a peek into your revision process (e.g. show us your Scrivener layout)
  • “Show me your stack” of research material for current or former projects
  • Highlight your favorite writing products: notebooks, pens, highlighters (tag the brands)
  • Post a picture of your messy (or tidy?) desk with #officeviews 
  • Research trivia! Writing a thriller about autopsies? Give us some post-mortem trivia.
  • Share a picture or two from another author’s event (e.g. book signing or festival) (tag them!)
  • Get involved in online pitch contests, even if supporting from the sidelines (#pitchwars or #revpit, for instance)
  • Doing Nanowrimo? Tell everyone. It’s a huge community. Cheer others along, too.
  • Use Canva to convert any motivational quote into a cool, Instagram-friendly visual
  • Post a craft book or two that you’d recommend to a new writer
  • Snap a picture from your latest workshop group and post with one piece of feedback you received
  • Coffee shop writing session? Post a pic with #booksandcoffee (tag the coffeeshop) 
  • Go to a library, find the shelf with the genre you dream of being in, and post […]
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    • A Solution for Your Lonely Inbox

    By Jan O'Hara / December 3, 2012 /

    The next issue of the Writer Unboxed newsletter — the Writer Inboxed — goes live tomorrow. (Sign-up here.)

    Here’s what we’ve got planned for you this month:

  • Special guest Jon Clinch talks about a book that changed his life. Jon is an award-winning writer and a teacher. His first novel, Finn, which relates the backstory of Huckleberry Finn’s father, was an American Library Association Notable Book. It was named one of the best novels of 2007 by the Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, the Christian Science Monitor and Book Sense. It was shortlisted for the National Book Critics Circle’s first-ever Best Recommended List and the Sargent First Novel Prize. His second novel, Kings of the Earth, was #1 on the annual summer reading list prepared by O, The Oprah Magazine.
  • Jessica Brockmole gleans productivity tips from literary agent  Courtney Miller-Callihan.
  • Literary agent and WU contributor Donald Maass discusses the value of self-assessment in constructing and revealing character.
  • F + W editor and WU contributor Chuck Sambuchino talks about the limits of honesty when crafting memoir.
  • Dee DeTarsio falls in love with an unboxed book — Michael Lowenthal’s The Paternity Test.
  • Want to ensure your cover art is unique? Get tips from an anonymous author.
  • Erika Liodice is back with some highlights from recent publishing news.
  • Independent editor Victoria Mixon explains the real value in writing.
  • Blog mamas Kathleen Bolton and Therese Walsh have a tip on how to look fabulous for your next photo session — or TV interview.
  • Last but not least, some of you take the stage as Vaughn Roycroft shares the best links from this month’s round-up on the WU Facebook page. (Want to have your piece qualify for inclusion? Watch for Vaughn’s thread asking for submissions during the third week of each month.)

    • If you aren’t already signed up to receive a newsletter and would like to see a model before commiting, here’s a link to last month’s edition, featuring NYT-bestselling author Jacqueline Carey. As always, your information remains confidential and you can unsubscribe at any time.

    Any beefs, bouquets, or difficulties with receiving your newsletter, don’t hesitate to contact WU itself or me.

    Thanks, peeps. Now back to your regular programming.

     

     

     

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    Help Us Pick a Name for WU’s Newsletter; Newsletter-Namer to Share Pixels with a NYT-Bestseller (so Please Vote)

    By Jan O'Hara / October 21, 2012 /

    You came, you proposed newsletter names, and we conferred. Now that we’ve whittled the list down to three choices, we need your votes to select the best of the best.

    Before you swing into action, here are a few announcements and reminders of what’s at stake.

    The winning community member will receive:

    A Writer Unboxed t-shirt, as modeled by one of the finest minds in these parts. (That’s Vaughn Roycroft, newsletter contributor and leader of the intrepid Mod Squad on WU’s Facebook page.)

    Bragging rights, for their title will be in the subject line of all future newsletters.

    Acknowledgement in November’s newsletter, which promises to be a special one. In addition to the usual WU gang, we have:

  • Liz Michalski’s first Q & A, featuring YA author Diana Renn.
  • Amy Sue Nathan’s first review for the Reader Unboxed column.
  • NYT-bestselling author Jacqueline Carey as guest contributor for The Book That Changed My Life.

    • Want to be have input into the newsletter? There are three ways you can contribute:

  • Have a specific question on editing? Victoria Mixon wants to help.  E-mail her at askvictoria@victoriamixon.com or tweet her @VictoriaMixon using the hashtag #WU.
  • For the purposes of fostering community, WU’s Facebook page is a promo-free zone with one monthly exception, occurring on or about the third week of each month. That’s when the above-mentioned Vaughn Roycroft actively solicits writing-related links from community members, which he then weaves into his upcoming newsletter column. It’s that time now, Unboxeders. If you have a link to advance, head to the Facebook page and look for his thread.
  • Finally, please vote on the title. We’d love your input.
    • ETA: Comments are absolutely welcome, but please do go through the poll. That’s our official means of measuring your opinion.

    Take Our Poll

    Haven’t signed up for your free newsletter? Go HERE for details. Your personal data remains confidential and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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    Issue 2 of the Writer Unboxed Newsletter Coming Soon to Your Inbox

    By Writer Unboxed / March 31, 2012 /

    The reviews are in, and we’re thrilled to share the news that people love the new smart-phone friendly WU newsletter:

    The format is great–short, interesting articles /essays. Kudos!

    Thank you thank you thank you. Simple, concise, useful writing advice delivered to my inbox. I love the newsletter. Well done.

    Love your new newsletter. Great content and excellent links, tips and expert advice. Thanks for bringing this to your readers. I will look foward to receiving these.

    Like the new newsletter, the layout is very nice and easy on the eyes. Should be a great addition to Writer Unboxed.

    If you’re one of the 1,000+ people who’ve already signed up for the WU newsletter, be on the lookout for our sophomore issue in the next few days. In it, we’ll feature:

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