I don’t know about you, but this is typically
one of my busiest times of year. Between family holidays, school vacations,
book events, and the general end-of-year-rush, I can easily get overwhelmed.
And I’ll be the first to admit that when I get overwhelmed, I sometimes fall
behind. So, I’m trying to put systems in place to stay ahead of the game!
One way that I stay on top of things in my
business is to plan out my social media content at least 1-2 weeks in advance.
How does that sound to you? Useful? Daunting? Somewhere in the
middle? Well, to help us get organized (I’m including myself here!), I’ve
put together a list of book-themed ideas that we can post about this winter. Let’s
take advantage of some upcoming social media celebrations by posting about these
events:
December – National Read a New Book Month: This should really be every month, don’t you think? But let’s highlight #ReadANewBookMonth by creating some great social media posts! Consider how to showcase your own books for people to discover and read. This is a great opportunity to share some of your recent reviews! In addition to posting your own books, give us a snapshot of your own “to be read” list- what’s on your bookshelf, nightstand, or e-reader? I always love seeing what my fellow authors are reading!
December 10th – Dewey Decimal System Day: What a perfect way to show your local library some love! Post a snapshot from the stacks or simply tell us about what libraries mean to you. Be sure to tag them in your content and use #deweydecimalsystem to get more traction on your posts.
January 2nd – National Science Fiction Day: Let’s give some love to all the #ScienceFictionWriters out there! Do a roundup of your favorite titles or ask your followers for recommendations. It’s a great way to discover new books! And use #NationalScienceFictionDay to connect with others.
January 28th – Multicultural Children’s Book Day: I’ve been a sponsor of this wonderful event for the past two year because of their mission to “not only raise awareness for the kid’s books that celebrate diversity but to get more of these of books into classrooms and libraries.” Use #ReadYourWorld and plan some social media posts that highlight your favorite diverse books. Follow @readyourworldmcbd on Instagram or @MCChildsBookDay on Twitter to get more ideas.
February 2nd – World Read Aloud Day: Celebrate #WorldReadAloudDay by posting a video of you reading an excerpt from your books! Or showcase photos of your books being read aloud to kids around the world. Or do both! Tag @litworld on Instagram and @litworldsays on Twitter so they can share your posts as part of this celebration.
February 1st-7th – Children’s Authors and Illustrators Week: Whoohoo! An entire week to celebrate our work! Take advantage by scheduling multiple posts that highlight your own books, some of your best reviews, and give a shoutout to some of your favorite children’s book authors and illustrators. Consider offering a special discount code to your readers for purchasing books during this week. Bonus points if you mention SCBWI and the great work that they do!
Whatever you decide to post this winter, just
be sure to mix it up! Tell us about your books, give us a glimpse into your
writing life, promote the work of other authors, and share some of your
favorite writing moments. And, above all, have fun with it!
More About LaurenLauren Ranalli is an award-winning self-published
children’s book author, the Director of Marketing
and Communications for an
international non-profit, and the mom of two high-spirited children. Visit
her on Instagram at @lauren.ranalli_author or at www.laurenranalli.com to receive 2 FREE
resources, Finding Social Media
Success,
and Daily Marketing Strategies
for Authors.
Thanks for the tips, Lauren. I need to start scheduling my social media posts so I do them.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Natalie! And, I agree, the scheduling makes it sooo much easier!
DeleteThanks!
ReplyDeleteI was just wondering about world reading day. Thanks
ReplyDeleteI was just wondering about world reading day. Thanks
ReplyDeleteThanks, I write for a bimonthly magazine and post monthly for Fl. Writers Assoc. so I'm always scrounging for ideas. You reminded me that I have to get out the old Chase's (or the online one, anyway) and find all kinds of cool days/weeks/months to celebrate. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThanks for these great ideas!
ReplyDelete