Some of the best book marketing I see on Instagram is coming from indie authors, and traditionally published authors would be wise to pay attention to how these authors are making the most of the opportunities on offer on the platform.
Holly June Smith, romance author of six books, is no exception and I love her blend of creative, fun posts that speak directly to her ideal readers.
I’m thrilled that Holly agreed to come along for this conversation and answer some of my questions about what it’s like to be an indie author and in this chat we cover:
what made her choose to self-publish and the strengths of this independent, self-driven approach to getting her books out into the world
the commercial decisions she has made to protect the long-term feasibility of writing as a career, aka making sure she gets paid!
how she manages her time in order to write, produce and create content to market multiple books
the part social media plays in her career as an indie author and how she keeps things moving, and stays visible, on Instagram and Tiktok
how her community of fellow indie writers are a valuable source of support and inspiration, while the connection with her readers is her main motivator to keep going
the importance of doing her homework so she can effectively market her books
This chat with Holly is a gift to all writers and authors, whether you’re aiming to self-publish or not, as she generously shares what she has learned over the last two years.
As Holly says right at the beginning of the conversation, what she is describing is from her point of view only, and there may be some decisions and actions that are not available to you. However, there is so much insight and advice packed into this conversation that I’m sure you’ll be able to find something of value to take away with you and try for yourself.
Let me know in the comments if there is something you’re going to try and apply to your own platform-building, or promotional activity.
🚨 PLEASE NOTE THAT BETWEEN 22.34 and 31.33 the recording is interrupted by some gremlins in the broadband connection so the conversation becomes a little disjointed. We persevered and managed to get things back on track for the final 20 minutes so thank you for your understanding 🚨
Find out more about Holly’s work
Holly’s Instagram account
Buy Holly’s books here
This call was free to watch live for all subscribers. The first 15 minutes of the replay is available to everyone and the full-length recording is available to members of Too Much Instagram.
You can become a member by upgrading your subscription for £12/ $15 per month (£120/ $150 per year) and access weekly personalised advice, fortnightly content creation sessions, monthly ‘deep dive’ clinics, exclusive banks of post inspiration and ideas, how-to guides tailored specifically for writer, guest speakers and exclusive discounts on workshops and resources.
Listen to this episode with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Too Much by Nicola Washington to listen to this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.
