No, not everything is worthy of a social media share, but you'd be surprised at the depth of emotion and feeling the simple, everyday things in life can convey.
Scan through this list and choose the topics that seem like something you'd be proud to discuss at a cocktail party with authors and readers. That's your mental cue that it may be a good topic for your social media channels.
Your current mood - consider sharing a GIF of how you're feeling. Here are some ideas.
What are you drinking? How does it make you feel?
What do you wish you were drinking, and why?
Where do you write?
What TV shows are you watching?
What movies have had an impact on you?
How do you reward or treat yourself?
What health or exercise habits mean the most to you?
What is your favorite nook in your home?
What needs work in your home? Are you renovating anything?
What music energizes you? What music puts you in the writing zone?
What's your favorite piece of artwork?
Do you listen to podcasts? If so, what's been entertaining you lately?
Do you have hobbies other than writing, like knitting, hiking, white water rafting?
Are you a car person? If so, what's your dream car? Have you ever ridden in one?
Are there any buildings or homes you walk by regularly that pique your curiosity?
What charitable cause do you care about the most?
Do you have a picture of yourself from the 6th grade? Just how awkward was that time for you?
What did you firmly believe when you were a freshman in college, that has since changed?
Who's your favorite character in history?
What was the first book that changed your life?
What was your grandmother like? Post a picture of her if you have one.
Do you have any tech gadgets or apps that you love?
What's the best question you've ever been asked—what was your answer?
Author or book-related events that are upcoming or were important to you.
Praise or love for your local/indie bookstore.
What makes you laugh?
Politics, if that's your thing! **This can alienate people big time, so be mindful and intentional when posting about controversial subjects.
Nature or plants that you love.
(You knew it was coming!) SELFIE. People love to see your face on social media. Find the good light, and if you are self-conscious (like me!), you can always use an iPhone app like FaceTune to tweak your picture before posting.
And if you'd rather go with what's trending... these popular Instagram and Twitter hashtags can give you ideas on what to post! Hashtags act like links—when you click them, all the posts that contain that hashtag will come up. Some hashtags have millions of uses every day, and some are very specific. Feel free to mix, match, and combine these to reach the people you'd most like to reach.
#amwriting - a post or photo of what you're working on
#amreading - a post or photo of what you're reading
#amediting - a post or photo of what you're editing
#litchat - photos of or comments about books and writing
#WriterWednesday - connect with other writers
#Romance #Horror #Suspense - for readers and writers of these genres
#WomensFiction or #Chicklit - for readers and writers of these genres
#YA - for YA readers and writers
#kidlit - for children's book readers and writers
#memoir - for memoir and personal essay readers and writers
#bookaddict - used primarily by people who are severely addicted to books
#bookporn or #bookphotography - for great pictures of books
#quoteoftheday - share inspirational or dynamic quotes with this hashtag
#FridayReads - a hashtag devoted to book conversation
#MustRead - recommend your favorite
It works best for most authors to create a schedule of posts in advance; many authors with successful social media accounts sit down for 30 minutes once per week to go through pictures, write posts. This little bit of preparation makes all the difference!
Email me at sarah@hey-sarah.com to talk about your social media presence, and what's working for you!
