As society and publishing embrace the digital age, several well-known authors have emerged from online bookish communities like BookTok and Bookstagram. Many bookish content creators may have never planned to write a book but the creativity and support online communities provide was the inspiration for most.
However, just as the world goes digital, social media evolves just as constantly, making it a difficult medium to promote yourself and your book. Tips and tricks exist all over the internet for maximizing your social media, from jumping on trends to using the right hashtags, but who better to learn from than authors who are Bookstagrammers, too?
We’re thrilled to be interviewing four authors who have come full circle in their bookish journeys, from sharing their loves of books on Bookstagram to joining the ranks of some of their favorite authors! Keep reading to discover the role that social media played in their publishing journeys, how they managed their Bookstagrams alongside a full-time writing career,
TW: Some of these books contain content that may be triggering to some readers. Please exercise personal care before reading.
The Authors
Tati B. Alvarez
Tati B. Alvarez is a Romantasy and Paranormal Romance author. She lives in Austin, Texas, where she spends most days lost in her own head. Tati also writes under the pen name Anastasia Dean. She writes spicy, Latinx contemporary novels.
Erin K. Larson-Burnett
Erin K. Larson-Burnett is an avid ink drinker who lives and breathes books. Inspired both by the authors she works with as a copyeditor/proofreader and those whose books she impulse buys, she loves crafting tales of whimsy and wonder that offer realistic depictions of mental illnesses.
Erin’s mythological fantasy debut, The Bear & the Rose, has won awards from Readers’ Choice and SPR and was featured in Independent Book Review’s “Hidden Gems on Kindle Unlimited” recommendation list. Her sophomore novel, A Madness Unmade, book one of the Deathly Inheritance duology, is slated for release in the spring of 2025.
A lifelong homebody, Erin lives in Texas with her husband and their three dogs, as well as a very hungry tortoise named Hammy.
Amy Jane Lehan
Amy Jane Lehan was born in New Zealand but currently lives in regional Victoria. When she isn’t at work or home with her kids, husband, and two dogs, Amy enjoys a true crime podcast, binge-watching Criminal Minds and talking about books on the internet.
CG Drews
CG Drews is the award-winning author of The Boy Who Steals Houses and NYT Bestseller Don’t Let the Forest In, which is also a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, Indie Next Pick, and Barnes & Noble YA Book Club Pick. Their next YA horror, Hazelthorn, will follow in 2025, with their debut adult horror, You Did Nothing Wrong, coming in 2026. Their work has been translated into five languages, received a nomination for the 2020 CILIP Carnegie Medal, and won the 2020 CBCA Honour Award. CG lives in Australia, never sleeps, and is forever buried under a pile of unread books. Find them on Bookstagram at @paperfury or https://www.cgdrews.com/
The Questions
1. How did your interactions with the Bookstagram community influence your decision to write a novel?
Tati B. Alvarez: I started off my Bookstagram journey in 2020. I had always wanted to be an author, but I didn’t start my account with that in mind. I want to share my love of books–specifically Indie books. I created a community of over 33k followers to share my love for indie books. It was during this time, while I was speaking with other Bookstagrammers and authors, that I finally decided to publish my own stories. I spent so long learning the market and my audience, which made my transition easier!
Erin K. Larson-Burnett: The Bookstagram community is a beautiful web of creativity and passion. As a lifelong reader, it was all too easy to be drawn in by the pretty pictures of books—the beautifully curated flatlays, the cozy reading nooks, the moody lighting. Who couldn’t be wooed by that? Then you discover the infectious enthusiasm behind the photos and realize being a reader isn’t just an “aesthetic,” but a true passion; it’s not just passive consumption, but an honest celebration of stories and words and characters. My kind of people!
Then, if that wasn’t inspiring enough, I found the sub-community of readers who were also writers—and not just writers, but authors; incredible people who were chasing that impossible dream, openly sharing their creative journeys—the ups and downs, the breakthroughs and challenges. I’ve always been a writer, but connecting with real people realizing their dreams made the idea of being an author feel tangible; seeing creatives achieving instilled in me a profound sense of possibility. And the rest is history.
Amy Jane Lehan: Prior to joining Bookstagram, my knowledge about indie publishing was relatively zero. I had a Kindle and utilized Kindle Unlimited a fair bit, but I had always assumed that even the indie books on there had gone through unimaginable hoops to get to the place where they were. Joining the online book community really opened my eyes to the possibilities, and then I had the absolute fortune of befriending an indie author; having the courage to send him a couple of chapters I wrote and getting feedback really kickstarted the whole journey. Truly, without Bookstagram, Astor would still exist on my laptop.
CG Drews: It happened in reverse for me; I’d been writing since I was a teen and always craved a community, and Bookstagram opened that door for me. As someone with autism who struggles with anxiety, I knew I wouldn’t be the kind of author who could do book signings or attend events, so Bookstagram felt like a way to not only make friends but also find readers who were ravenous for the same kind of books I was. Fitting in that space between being both a Bookstagrammer and author gave me this unique chance to see what readers want in books–and also allowed me to figure out so many fun ways to talk about, promote, and pitch my books. The consonant flood of inspiration has been everything!
2. Can you give us an elevator pitch of your book for those unfamiliar with your work? What tropes can readers expect to find?
Tati B. Alvarez: The Dragon’s Rose is a dark, spicy take on Sleeping Beauty, except Rose falls in love with her dragon. Grym Hollow is a series of dark, twisted romances that can all be read as a standalone. Some of the tropes include, touch her and die, enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience, and he falls first.
Erin K. Larson-Burnett: In a world teetering between the realms of the living and the dead, a young woman haunted by fractured memories and burdened with deathly magic must unravel the mysteries of her past before it unravels her. Guided by ghosts well-versed in both arcane philosophies and the more mundane tasks of household upkeepery, she navigates a world of hidden and peculiar dangers, where revelations could either restore her sanity or destroy it entirely. Expect an unreliable heroine whose eccentric nature conceals dark potential in an atmospheric journey where not every mystery is meant to be solved, and some shadows refuse to rest…
A Madness Unmade is my second book, in which readers can expect a quirky sense of whimsy intermingled with paranormal and mildly gothic aspects: dead moths, dead flowers, evil spirits, missing memories. I love developing flawed, strange characters, and in AMU it is this strangeness that binds the cast into something of a “found family,” and while there aren’t many other traditional tropes of which to speak, there is an unreliable narrator, a coming-of-age journey, a dilapidated old manor, and some magical schooling sequences.
Amy Jane Lehan: Self-harmer Astor Price tries to keep her head above water as she navigates life with an abusive alcoholic mother, a best friend with a secret, and a devastating event that leaves her scarred for life.
Found family is the most common trope in Astor. It’s very much an upper YA book that deals with some really challenging things, and I can’t really think of many others that would fit it!
CG Drews: My latest book just hit shelves last month, and it’s a dark academia forest rot YA horror called DON’T LET THE FOREST IN. It follows two teen boys attending a secluded boarding school who are obsessed with dark fairy tales (but even more obsessed with each other) and they must fight the monsters slithering out of their artwork each night in the forest or risk terrible consequences. It’s deliciously dark and lovely and ruinous and features some of my absolute favourite tropes, including friends-to-lovers, touch-him-and-die, sentient forests, and some good ol’ botanical body horror.
3. Managing a successful social media page while writing a novel must have required excellent time management. What programs or techniques did you use to ensure that both received equal attention?
Tati B. Alvarez: Everyone is going to have a different process. There is no one-size-fits-all approach. What works for me, might not work for you. However, maybe this can help an aspiring author. I start my process with outlining the beats of my story and understanding my characters. I use programs such as Dabble Writer and Autocrit to help with the planning, writing, and self-editing processes. When it comes to social media, I create a content calendar and create my content a week in advance. It’s important to follow trends and use current trending sounds for reels. It can feel very overwhelming, so it is okay to take breaks. In fact, you SHOULD take breaks. The last thing any writer wants to deal with is burnout. Mental health comes first!
Erin K. Larson-Burnett: Ah, “time management,” that elusive skill… Personally, I think the creative process (and I do consider social media and marketing creative processes) calls for, shall we say, “controlled chaos.” Managing both my Bookstagram and the writing/publishing of my books is not by any means a picture of perfect time management! I can’t claim to have some ironclad schedule or magic system in place—my process is more about following the creative energy where it leads me and, as I like to say, “seeking a new dimension of my soul.”
I think the best stories and posts come from those natural moments, those unscheduled times, so I embrace the chaos. My goal is just to stay focused on the words and to share things I genuinely love, knowing my followers and readers are here for the journey, quirks, and all!
Amy Jane Lehan: Honestly, it’s not always easy and Bookstagram definitely can take a backseat when I’m writing, balancing work and my kids can be a lot! I’m not someone who can write every day of the week in general, so finding a balance isn’t too bad, but I take my photos in advance, don’t overthink any of my captions, and focus more on being present in my interactions rather than my direct posting.
CG Drews: I’m slightly sheepish about this confession, but I’m not the most organised person!! I often fall into the “let’s wing it” category and flit between several projects at a time. My brain is always itching to create, so I absolutely love both writing and posting online about my books. I view taking photos as an art form and a way to express creativity–so it goes hand-in-hand with my craving to write. I just want to create!! I generally split my day in half, with mornings for social media and evenings for writing. There’s something about writers and 2 AM writing sessions; I fear we have an unbreakable bond.
4. Being as heavily involved with social media as you are, you’ve used your platform to connect with book lovers and promote your books. What impact do you think social media communities like Bookstagram have had on publishing? In your opinion, have they changed it for better or worse?
Tati B. Alvarez: Places like Bookstagram and BookTok have majorly helped the publishing world for the better, specifically for indie authors. They are our biggest champions and are constantly fighting for indie books to be seen. I have made so many connections with readers who genuinely want to see indie authors succeed. I love talking to readers through DMs, but I absolutely love talking to readers at book conventions. Never feel shy about coming up and talking to authors. We LOVE it.
Erin K. Larson-Burnett: Bookstagram has definitely cracked the publishing world wide open. It’s essentially a year-round, 24/7 virtual book convention where authors and readers alike can connect with other readers and authors and shout about stories. I love how accessible it is, how personal yet wide-reaching, though it’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of trends and hype. There’s a lot of pressure to keep up, to be the best new thing, to chase the algorithms, and I think a lot of authors lose the heart of themselves in that madness, but it’s made reading a part of everyday conversation in a world filled with distractions. That’s a win for the books, in my opinion!
Amy Jane Lehan: In a lot of ways, I think social media communities have been wildly beneficial to the publishing world. We definitely love a bandwagon and uplifting an indie author, connecting aspiring authors to “insider secrets” of the industry to make it feel a lot less daunting, broadening the types of books people are exposed to, rather than just the best seller table at your local store. It’s definitely made everything more accessible in that way. The downside of that is everything is much more accessible. Don’t like my book? You can send me a direct message to tell me why. Again, we love a bandwagon. Bookstagram, Booktok, etc, tend to pile on to something, and things can turn into a witch hunt. People forget there are real humans sitting behind these screens, real authors who have poured everything into their worlds, and then they can be met with the full force of people who have decided xyz about you and your work. The tendency to use that bandwagon to really force a book into every page you’ve got. There are definitely drawbacks in that sense, but overall all, I think social media has improved a lot of the areas of publishing where it was falling short. We expect a lot more accountability, and when it’s not seen, there is pushback. I think that’s a positive.
CG Drews: I think with any social media platform there will always be positives and negatives. Trends are always cycling and can feel restrictive for some authors, and there are many valid conversations to be had about algorithms favouring certain types of books and demographics or censoring marginalised authors, etc. But, one thing I do love about Bookstagram’s impact on publishing is the doors it has opened. Authors who may not have had a chance at visibility before can now directly find readers. For me, building an audience and being able to market my books in a big way by myself has massively changed my life and given my books chances I might not otherwise have had. I also wonder if Bookstagram has influenced the rise in special edition books and I think that’s really interesting to see how that has affected the market as a whole.
5. Looking back at everything you’ve learned since deciding to write a book, what advice would you give to others who want to pursue a writing career and utilize social media?
Tati B. Alvarez: Get the book written. First and foremost, you need to get the book written. You can’t edit a blank book. Start your social media early. Don’t constantly try to sell your book. You want to “sell” yourself. Establish who you are and what you do. Get your audience invested in you. They will feel more inclined to invest their time and money in your book if they know you.
Erin K. Larson-Burnett: The real magic happens not in the perfectly planned hours but in the deliberate pursuit of wonder. For a long time, creativity, to me, was a stagnant thing. I wouldn’t write unless I was in the “mood”—I waited for the muse to appear, for the inspiration to strike. I tried to develop a writing routine, but that didn’t work for me either; sitting at my computer, forcing the words, did not feel like creativity.
Now, I know creativity and inspiration aren’t things that can become routine and can only be routinely pursued. Motivation isn’t something that just falls into your lap like ripe fruit from a tree. I don’t think the idea of routine should be entirely forsaken, but maybe it won’t look as organized as we think it should. Maybe it’s the opposite of what we’ve imagined routine to be—something different every day, no matter how small. A step away from the computer, the shock of black coffee, dead grass underfoot, a whiff of spice among sweetness. Whatever it is, don’t won’t wait for it! Search for inspiration in the spaces between moments, in the unexpected corners of ordinary days. Create a routine of anti-routine, a schedule of surprise. Just begin.
Amy Jane Lehan: The numbers aren’t the be-all and end-all of success. The most passionate people about my little book are the small accounts. They’re the ones posting about Astor, making cute photo collages, and crying in my DMs about it. If you’re a small account just starting out, don’t be discouraged by the numbers.
Be real. Be humble. Be fiercely proud of your writing, and never let yourself stand in your way. Only you can write the book in your head.
CG Drews: My biggest advice would be consistency! I attribute much of my success on social media to just being entirely sticky and not quitting. I’ve been posting for nearly a decade and never had that one Big Moment where I blew up or had tons of viral posts. I just kept going, slow and steady, and found many different fun ways to talk about my books as I kept evolving, learning, and honing my style and content. If something isn’t working? Change it up. If you love doing something? Do more of it! You are less likely to burn out if you’re enjoying the journey. Social media does have a tendency to eat all your time though, so I would still say: make sure you prioritise writing. No point in building an audience if you never get that book finished. So, go write your book!!
Bonus Questions
Were there any specific authors or books that inspired the world you created?
Tati B. Alvarez: Oh, so many. I’m inspired by authors like Katee Robert, Jade Hernández, Anna Fury, Kitt Lynn, and Morgan Rhodes. I love the way they craft their characters or the way they can make their worlds so immersive but not complicated for readers.
Erin K. Larson-Burnett: Charlie N. Holmberg’s books (particularly her Whimbrel House series and Spellbreaker duology) were a huge force behind A Madness Unmade’s inception, as was S.L. Prater’s Street Witch trilogy. The quirky tones, the Victorian-inspired settings, the sentient objects—these elements didn’t just speak to me but screamed at me. At first, it was just a plunge into the Gaslamp genre, but then I realized I was looking for something, and nothing I read was quite doing it for me.
It was around this time I realized I was struggling with attention deficits, and I wanted to see myself in the stories I read, yet all the characters in these books seemed to know the exact steps to take, understood every facet of their mind, their knowledge of things frustratingly intact…and thus my FMC, Laurel, was born. Because if you don’t see what you’re looking for in the books you like to read, write it! Become a stepping stone from your favorite authors to the story that’s authentically yours.
Amy Jane Lehan: Nina LaCour is probably the main one. The way she writes grief and raw emotion is absolutely what I’d love to capture in my own writing.
CG Drews: When I started writing DON’T LET THE FOREST IN, I wanted to chase after all the things I love and find a way to twine them together. I’ve always adored dark academia and wicked fairy tales, the kind with teeth and antlers and tricky fae bargains. I wanted something atmospheric and gothic yet also grounded in relatable Young Adult themes like the growing pains of friendship groups, struggling with anxiety disorders, and trying to figure out who you are. I felt really inspired by books like If We Were Villains, The Raven Cycle, and The Wicker King, and also from childhood favorites like Bridge to Terabithia and A Monster Calls. DON’T LET THE FOREST IN is part love letter to my old favorites and part me adding to the conversation. I’m excited to see readers responding to it.
Is there a book written by a fellow Bookstagrammer that you’re looking forward to reading?
Tati B. Alvarez: I am constantly on the lookout for Bookstagrammers turn authors because I want to support fellow authors as much as I can.
Erin K. Larson-Burnett: Oh, so many! T.M. Ghent, my Booksta bestie, is working on spin-offs to her SFF portal duology, Lume and Petram, as well as a cozy fantasy/lit RPG that she’s been hinting at. She is an amazing writer of tragic, melancholy stories with exceptional worldbuilding, and is a wonderful human as well!
Another Booksta bestie, Zoey J. Briar, has just come out swinging with a bunch of reveals for her debut fantasy romance When Death Called Life Home, of which I’ve already gotten some advance sneak peeks, and I cannot wait for its publication.
Anthea over at @bookfearys has been posting snippets and art of her WIP, which I know is going to be phenomenal. @punwithbooks (who posts great reviews, fun captions, and supports indies) is hard at work on her WIP—a queer YA Ancient-Egypt-inspired fantasy—as well, another I’m very excited for.
I also look forward to everything put out by S.L. Prater, A.E. Jürgens, Jessica J. Ayala, T.M. Ledvina, and many more!
Amy Jane Lehan: At the moment, I’m pacing the halls, waiting for CG Drew’s book to arrive so I can devour it!
CG Drews: My TBR is forever growing, as you can imagine, but a few authors I want to shout out to include Kelsea Yu (@anovelescape), who has a gorgeous Bookstagram, and her brilliant debut YA Thriller, IT’S ONLY A GAME, hit shelves this year! I’m also excited to read Max Francis’ (@maxfrancisauthor) dark academia HONOR & HERESY after watching his book blow up on Bookstagram. And Nicole M. Hewitt’s (@nicolefictionaddiction) middle-grade fantasy, THE SONG OF ORPHAN’S GARDEN, is another on my TBR after following Nicole from book blogging to Bookstagramming over the years. I have so many Bookstagrammer friends who are in the thick of writing or pressing toward publishing, and I’m just so excited for all of them to thrive!!
Thanks to Tati, CG, Erin, and Amy for agreeing to sit down with us! Hopefully, their invaluable insights gave you some helpful tips for utilizing the incredible support systems within Bookstagram and other online communities. Be sure to give them a follow on Instagram to see their publishing journeys and their gorgeous book photos!
Find Tati B. Alvarez here.
Find Erin K. Larson-Burnett here.
Find Amy Jane Lehan here.
Find CG Drews here.
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