Dear Indie Annie,
I can’t seem to figure out a social media strategy that works! I never know what to post, and I have to manage accounts for two pen names, so it feels like a lot to balance. Any advice for tapping into that “influencer” mindset?
Struggling with Socials
Dear Struggling,
My dear, social media “influencing” is supposed to feel fun and creative, not like another chore on your never-ending to-do list! With the right attitude and some tips from yours truly, you can turn your socials into successful, enjoyable self-promotion.
First off, lose the “influencer” title. You're an author with valuable stories to share, not an Insta star! Remind yourself why you write: to entertain others, spread wisdom, or simply create something beautiful. Apply those principles to your social media posts. When you're connected to your purpose, your content flows from an authentic place.
Avoid perfection paralysis. Stop stressing over the “right” post and embrace the imperfect, scrappy goodness of your first-draft social content! Your followers want to connect with the real you, not a curated persona. So share writing fails alongside wins, show your process—warts and all—and use plenty of humor.
(By the way, my sweet, do you know who coined the phrase “warts and all”? It was Oliver Cromwell, an English parliamentarian, who took on the king—Charles I, to be exact—and chopped off his head! I digress, but did that fact make this letter that bit more interesting? I can hear you scream yes. My point is made.)
Aim for interesting, not achieving. Rather than metrics like follower count or engagement rate, focus your energy on creating interesting things worth sharing, whether that's stand-alone gems of writing wisdom or intriguing plot teasers for your work-in-progress. Quality over quantity will always attract the right readers for you.
Next, think thematically instead of daily. Rather than individual unrelated posts, visualize a broader social media “storyline” for each of your pen names, aligned with your books’ motifs and genres. Then create content clusters around those higher-level themes at a pace that works for you.
You can post related groups of images, quotes, tips, and behind-the-scenes insights whenever inspiration strikes, but why don’t you bank all those ideas and schedule them out at regular intervals? There are loads of apps that allow you to write multiple social posts at once, then plan them for optimal days and times. Spend an hour cranking out content, then get back to your writing!
Most importantly, set boundaries. If social media becomes more of a burden than a blessing, scale back or take a break. Remember: You're an author first; all this “influencing” should ultimately serve and support your craft.
So shake off those struggles, dust off that creative spirit, and get back to sharing your story—in real, relatable bursts that feed rather than exhaust your soul. When your content flows from a place of shared humanity, connection, and joy instead of FOMO, you'll transform those struggling socials into a source of community and inspiration for both you and your readers.
Happy writing,
Indie Annie
