Book Marketing: Stories on Twitter and Instagram

New month means new headers all around! Check out my Twitter and Facebook headers, too!

I usually feature a book or guest post on Wednesday but I made a mistake with my schedule. Lesson learned. We'll be back to our regular schedule next week!

You've probably heard about this-- authors are using Twitter and Instagram to distribute stories. They also use it to write books one tiny piece at a time. This speaks to the trend of readers wanting to get behind the curtain in the making of a book. It's like "Writing, Uncut."

Authors are turning Twitter into a literary genre, 140 characters at a time

Twitter fiction: 21 authors try their hand at 140-character novels

Meet Caroline Calloway, Who Is Writing A Book On Instagram

Telling a Strange Love Story, Post by Post on Instagram
R.L. Stine Writes An Entire Short Story On Twitter Called 'What's In My Sandwich?'

It's a fascinating concept. It's interesting watching other authors make social media work for them in a new way. I've started writing short shorts for Twitter and Instagram and I'm seeing mixed results. When I share my nature photos on Twitter and Instagram, I add a mini story.

I could breathe again. After being trapped for 200 years, I was free to destroy the world. #darkfantasy #photography pic.twitter.com/t7st4KSdFT

— Auden Johnson (@audendj) November 17, 2015

Sunlight. When was the last time I saw it. 200 years. My eyes burned. Still, I drank it in. Blood covered me like a garment. Humans in strange attire stared. The world changed. Good. New generations to feed on, to own. They imprisoned me for 200 years for claiming what's mine. They're all dead now. Nothing can stop me from shaping this world. #photographyislife #storytelling #fantasy #fiftyshades_of_nature #nature_brilliance #amwriting #natureshooters #author #writerslife #amwritngfantasy #fantasyland #Photographyeveryday #writinginspiration #authorlife #instagood

A photo posted by Auden Johnson (@audenjohnson) on Nov 17, 2015 at 1:32pm PST

I usually do a short version on Twitter and a longer version on Instagram.

The first house I saw all night. It smelled like dead bodies. #horror #photography pic.twitter.com/EidZdVueya

— Auden Johnson (@audendj) November 12, 2015

I've been wandering alone all night. I need to rest. I need to eat. Monstrous noises scream in the distance. This is the first house I've seen since they dumped me here. It reeks. I've become all to familiar with that smell. Dead bodies. I go in anyway. #storytelling #horror #amwriting #nature_brilliance #Photographylife #fiftyshades_of_nature #writinginspiration #writerslife #photooftheday #writerslife #fall #Naturelover #instagood

A photo posted by Auden Johnson (@audenjohnson) on Nov 12, 2015 at 9:08am PST

I made up these stories on the spot. They aren't related to any book I'm writing--though that would be a good idea. As you can see, I get more interaction on Instagram than Twitter, probably because Instagram is best for my pictures. Posts on Instagram have a longer life and more hashtags.

We live underground most of the year. We have too. #Fall is the only safe time to go above ground and only for one day. It's worth it. #amwriting #storytelling #photographyislife #instagood #rsacollab_urbantrees #prospectpark #naturelovers #natureshooters #nature #love #happy #writerlife

A photo posted by Auden Johnson (@audenjohnson) on Oct 29, 2015 at 8:19pm PDT

I haven't seen the huge interaction as talked about in the above articles but these stories are fun to write and they get consistent engagement on Instagram. They're a good way to exercise your writing muscles. They add something different to my Twitter activity besides sharing links. I might get more interaction if I do a series. I'll need to plan that out.

Have you written any stories on Twitter and/or Instagram?