Social media etiquette for authors is pretty much the same as for everybody – to be polite and not disturb others in general. For authors, there are three things which go a long way in establishing their credibility as authors people love to follow.

Of course, the first thing apart from their writing that attracts followers on social media is how much your timeline has to offer. Do you share good tips? Does your timeline share something beneficial? You will automatically start gaining followers.

The important question however  is, what can drive followers away? Every information that is to be obtained is available on the Internet but most people out there will talk about what to do, and rarely about what not to do. I have happily taken this burden on, to be the bearer of all the bad news – I will keep on educating all interested about what not to do.

Knowing what not to do clears half the path ahead and whatever remains, is the to do.

Also Read: Brand Yourself As Authors Before Your Book Launch

So, here are my three tips for authors on what they should be mindful of not doing. The line here is very thin and one can have the best intention yet cross it. There is no harm in reminding yourself of what you should avoid:

Nag people to buy their books

Of course, you will promote your book. But how much is enough and how much is too much? If someone is asking you about your wellbeing, you don’t reply with  a link to your book and ask them to buy it. If you are laughing at this suggestion, believe me, people do this. What you can do is talk about your books and share reviews of your book. Pestering ppl to buy your book might get you a few obligatory sales but is that for real? Uninterested people won’t read your book or be interested in it.

So, why bother people? Talk about your book instead and slowly yet steadily, people will develop curiosity about it. Readers of the genre will automatically be attracted to the book, and you will gain actual readers who shall review and talk about the book in question.

Also Read: The Hows & Whys Of Blogging For Your Business

Share fake reviews

You will see authors sharing many, many reviews of their books from the day it gets published, sometimes even of ARCs. Do not, under any circumstance, let that shake your belief. Every book is different, and every author’s branding is different. Don’t compare your book or author presence to someone else’s – they could be more established or their reviews could be manipulated.

Many a time, in a hurry to share many reviews of their own book, perhaps to establish to the world that their books is getting read and loved, authors end up sharing fake reviews.

This affects your author image badly, and doesn’t contribute to book sales in any way. Honesty and integrity are the real game changers.

Also Read: Five Mistakes You Could Be Making While Writing Your Book

Spam with their own content

I understand the need to share only specific content, but we need to know where to draw the line. If you are following someone on social media, ask yourself this – why do you follow them? That is where your reply lies. We follow people for the content we like. And one thing that doesn’t work for anybody is to not spam. Endless and mindless sharing only annoys and after a point, people will either unfollow or they will mute you. No joy in either, right? Remember not to spam and you should be good to go. Share content, rant, whine, and talk about what you love or hate, but take breaks in between.

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If you are looking for an excellent manuscript editor, someone to create content for your business, or an expert to help build your personal or professional brand on social media, then look no further and connect with me at editor@samarpita.in

I can be followed on Instagram at @samarpita and on Twitter at @samarpitadotin.

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Read my ebook WRITE. EDIT. PROMOTE. to learn the basics about becoming an author – from writing your book, to editing your first draft, and promoting your book yourself! You can also read my ebook How To Write A Story Effectively and learn some valuable lessons about how a story can go from average to extraordinary. This book is part 1 of the series.

In fiction, I have two short stories for children in an ebook called Bedtime Stories.