Putting Yourself Out There: How Does a Writer Market Themselves?

Aspiring authors, freelancers, and literary journals alike often view the prospect of marketing oneself to a larger audience as a task outside the wheelhouse of the ‘writer.’ Particularly for newer, independent writers, marketing is a word that may conjure up all sorts of frightfully business-related misgivings. In this article, I want to provide a brief overview on how to think about putting yourself out there— it’s a more creative process than you might think.

For those of you who are fans of triple-letter acronyms, I present the Three Marketing P’s: People, Platform, and Process. Consider who you're marketing to, the platform(s) on which you'll do so, and the unique way in which you can express yourself on those platforms. 

People: Who Are You Trying to Reach?

The answer is readers. Less unhelpfully, you want to find the people and communities most likely to take the time to read (and potentially publish) what you have to offer. In a sea of great writing, you can’t expect your writing to succeed if you throw it to the masses with no particular aim. 

This means spending time lurking amongst and chatting with the people who would be the most receptive to your work. This can (and should) be both online and offline: forums, subreddits, conventions, and live readings are all great places to hear what readers are looking for within particular genres and literary styles. Listen, read, and ask questions. Check out this article by Lindzey Jacoby on the Writer’s Workout Blog, which goes more in-depth on finding these communities!

For those seeking to be published, the process of searching for publishers and agents is outside the scope of this article, but getting familiar with your potential demographics is equally important nonetheless. 

Indeed, familiarizing oneself with literary demographics remains important for publications and freelancers as well, albeit with additional considerations. An independent literary journal will consider the kinds of people submitting work to their journal alongside the kinds of people who may be interested in purchasing the publication. Freelancing tends to be oriented more towards companies than specific communities, and as such a freelancer will want to focus more on the kinds of writing that various companies are contracting. 

This is by far the most vague (and for me, the most difficult) step. Finding your demographic requires patience and a willingness to spend time getting to know a wide variety of people. You will find, however, that this time commitment quickly pays off. You will never regret growing your circle and putting yourself out there!

Platform: Where do you plan on reaching them?

Particularly to those less familiar with social media, finding a platform can seem daunting. Becoming social media savvy takes some time, effort, trial and error. However, you will find that diving headfirst into the platforms of your choosing is a great way to learn the ropes quickly. Here are some of the most popular platforms for all kinds of writers.

• Twitter/X: Even in the face of countless bot accounts flooding posts, Twitter remains one of the quickest and best ways to interact with literary communities. Posting updates about your own writing and engaging with other writers through replies, likes, and retweets isn’t hard to get the hang of, and is a great way to promote your work.

• Reddit: This is a great platform to share snippets of your writing, ask and answer questions about the writing process, and give/receive in-depth feedback. Finding which subreddits are best suited for your purposes can be difficult, but the process will prove rewarding.

• Instagram: Instagram may seem like an odd choice for writers, considering it is primarily image and video based. However, when used as a companion platform to other sites, it can be a great way to help yourself stand out. Posting yourself at readings, conventions, even just daily life out and about, are all great ways to bring life to your image as a writer.

• LinkedIn: This platform is particularly effective for freelancers and anyone looking to get connected with the publishing industry. Update the world on any professional achievements and see exactly what kinds of writing these companies are actively seeking.

• Website/Newsletter: Creating your own website sounds intimidating, but it is one of the best things that you can do for yourself as a writer. The good news is that it is now easier than ever to host a website, and a simple Google search will show you a wide variety of platforms that make it easy. Think of your website as your home base platform. This is what you want publishers and readers alike to see, and should provide a clear impression of who you are and what you write. 

  • A newsletter is a fantastic extension of this information and remains a popular way for readers to stay connected with authors that they enjoy. If you decide to host one, make it interesting by giving your readers something that they can’t find anywhere else. Treat it as a blog, provide extra writing/content for paid subscribers, anything goes. Like building a website, there are many services which make creating a newsletter relatively simple. 

Process: Putting your plan into action

Now that you’ve spent ample time researching and theorizing, it’s time to put a plan into action. The specific process you use to promote yourself and stay active in literary communities is personal and individual, and should be an approach you’re comfortable with. Regardless of your approach, however, it is important to remain consistent. Carve out some time daily, even weekly, to keep your platforms active. Readers and publishers alike see and appreciate this.

An additional word of advice for aspiring and independent authors: don’t be robotic. Sure, you’re technically ‘marketing’ yourself, but you don’t want to sound like you’re going through the motions. A writer should make it clear to their readers why they write. Only showing your face when you have a piece of writing to share can give people the wrong idea, and you risk coming across as self-centered and shallow. Be genuine, use your platform to talk about your thoughts and feelings. What do you like to read? What music do you listen to? What do you do for fun? Even though these considerations may seem unimportant, they are what sets you apart. Engage with your potential audience as a writer and a reader, rather than someone with something to sell.

Regardless of your experience with writing, I hope this article was able to provide you with an overview of the process of putting yourself out there. There are many factors to consider before promoting yourself as a writer, especially when it comes to social media. Spending the time to get to know your audience, however, will undoubtedly help you flourish as a writer and as a literary citizen. 

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About the author: Sam Parker is a Junior at Ohio Wesleyan University studying English (Creative Writing) and East Asian Studies, and minoring in Music. He is published in Ohio Wesleyan’s OWL Magazine. Sam is passionate about reading, music, video games, and most other forms of storytelling, and is particularly fond of thrillers and psychological horror.