If you're an author or illustrator looking to up your Instagram game, I've got some tips that will make a big difference. Think of Instagram as your place to show off the behind-the-scenes of your creative world—your love for books, your passion for *your* book, and cool stuff from others in the industry. When you post, don't just throw up a picture. Tell a little story in the caption. Why did you pick that photo? What’s the vibe behind it? Your followers should feel like they *get* why you posted it. 

Oh, and don’t forget hashtags! That’s how people will find you, so take a look at what other writers are using and see what works.

Instagram Tips

1. Share your #writerslife: Show us the processes that happen behind ­the ­scenes, your passion for books, your passion for YOUR book, and more book-related things from others in the industry.

2. With each photo, try to write a caption that gives a sense of the story behind the picture. Why did you choose to post it? What does it inspire you to share? Your caption can be directly related to the image or not. It can be one sentence or a couple of paragraphs. Just think of your followers. Will they look at the image and immediately understand why you posted it? How can you make your intent clearer?

3. Show yourself. Include occasional photos of you engaging in the professional book world. This not only shows agents, editors, awards committees, etc that you are a serious author and/or illustrator, it also shows your audience what your job is like. Are you a teacher or speaker? Use photos taken at your workshops or events to show how you engage with your audience.

4. Take a look at other writers, illustrators, and entertainers who share your interests and follow them. Pay attention to what they are posting and how they post it. What do you like about it? What does it inspire you to post about?

5. The first sentence of your caption is the most important. In someone’s feed, they will only see the first 2 lines of your caption. Hook them in with something that grabs their interest and makes them want to click through for the full post.

6. Engage your followers by asking a question. Get their opinions on whether your next protagonist should love punk music or classical. Ask them to share similar experiences ­ like the first time they rode a rollercoaster. Ask for recommendations on the best ice cream shop in the city.

7. Hashtags are a huge part of how you are found (and followed). Take a look at the ones used by authors, illustrators, and friends you admire. Use ones that are relevant not only to the photo and caption but are also relevant to the community who will be interested in that post.