How A Strong Online Presence Can Help You In Unexpected Ways

And how to build it without compromising your writing time.

When Andy Weir first began writing "The Martian," he wasn't aiming for traditional publication. Instead, he posted chapters serially on his personal blog, sharing his passion for scientific accuracy and space exploration with a small but dedicated following of readers.

These readers, many of whom were scientists and engineers themselves, provided detailed feedback that helped Weir refine the novel's technical aspects.

The story's popularity grew through word of mouth, leading Weir to self-publish the complete novel as a 99-cent ebook on Amazon in 2011.

The book's success in this format eventually caught the attention of traditional publishers, leading to a print deal with Crown Publishing in 2014 and later, a major film adaptation.

Online presence can transform an author's career in unexpected ways.

Andy Weir’s engagement with readers through his blog not only helped him improve his work but also built a loyal audience that become instrumental in his success.

While our author path may not mirror Weir's, his story demonstrates the powerful potential of building meaningful connections with readers in the digital space.

For authors, an online presence isn’t optional; it’s essential.

Your platform connects you with readers, promotes your work, and builds a sustainable writing career.

But how do you create an effective online presence that feels authentic to you?

Creating an effective online presence doesn’t have to feel daunting. By keeping things simple and focusing on the essentials, you can craft a digital identity that feels authentic to you.

The first thing to understand is that your online presence based on three key pillar:

• Authenticity

• Consistency

• Engagement

These elements would guide every aspect of your digital strategy, starting your website design to your social media interactions.

That said, let’s get into the essential elements of your digital platform.

1. Your Digital Home

Your digital home should always be your website. That’s is where your readers will go looking for you when they want to check you out or want to know your whereabouts.

Your website doesn’t have to be a fancy place, it could easily be a single static page preferably with [your name].com, so that it’s no brainer for readers to find you. If your domain name is already taken, think of a slight variation and use that. Jeff Goings, a famous writer uses goingwrites.com as his domain name.

Keep the design simple and professional. Prioritize fast loading and mobile-friendly functionality over flashy features.

What Your Website Should Include:

• A compelling biography: Share your story and author bio. For nore info go here.

• Books/publications page: Include clear purchase links. Have a look at mine here.

• Blog or news section: Keep content fresh and engaging.

• Newsletter signup form: A must for author. Build your email list.

• Contact info and social media links: Make it easy for readers to reach you.

• Media kit: Provide resources for press and publishing professionals.

2. Your Email List

Your next most important online tool is your mailing list.

Social media platforms can change, but your email list is yours forever. It’s one of the most reliable ways to reach your readers.

Start a newsletter. Send an issue once a week to connect with your readers. Give them something valuable to read every week. Share stories from your life or your writing career to connect with them.

Some Tips for Building Your Email List:

• Make signing up easy.

• Highlight the signup form on your website.

• Offer an incentive, like a free short story or exclusive chapter.

Best Practices for Email Newsletters:

• Share valuable content, not just promotions.

• Develop a regular schedule.

• Segment your list for targeted communication.

3. Choose A Social Media Platform

The third element to build your online presence is a social media platform. Social media can connect you with readers, fellow writers, and industry professionals. But instead of trying to be everywhere, focus on platforms that suit you and your audience.

• Instagram: Ideal for visual storytelling. Share book covers, writing spaces, and behind-the-scenes glimpses.

• X (formerly Twitter): Great for engaging with the writing and publishing community. Use hashtags like #WritingCommunity.

• TikTok: Perfect for reaching younger audiences through #BookTok.

• LinkedIn: Excellent for professional networking, sharing articles, and connecting with industry experts.

• Substack: A fantastic platform for building a community through newsletters and serialized content, especially if you enjoy long-form writing.

• Facebook: Useful for connecting with book clubs, creating author pages, and participating in reader groups.

Focus on one or two platforms to avoid spreading yourself too thin.

4. Your Content Strategy and Brand Voice

Developing a consistent content strategy and brand voice helps your readers recognize and remember you. Your brand voice should reflect your personality and writing style while remaining professional and engaging.

So many writers agonise about what content to write. You can make is really easy on yourself if you keep in mind three pillars of online presence mentioned above—authenticity, consistancy and engagement.

Write your content that’s authentic and reflects you style and voice. Here is what you can share:

• Personal stories that resonate with your audience.

• Behind-the-scenes looks at your writing process.

• Book recommendations in your genre.

• Writing tips and insights.

• Updates on your projects.

You need to make sure that every piece of content either informs, entertains, or engages—preferably does all three.

5. Engaging with Your Online Community

Your online presence isn’t just about broadcasting; it’s about building genuine connections. You should make time to engage with your readers. It could turn out more rewarding than you think.

Many of my readers have become my friends. Many more have turned into my brand evangelist. Like Andy Weir, my readers are also helping me write better books.

How to Engage:

• Respond to comments and messages.

• Join online writing communities.

• Support fellow authors by sharing their work.

• Create opportunities for interaction, like Q&A sessions or polls.

6. Maintaining Balance

While building your online presence is vital, it shouldn’t take over your writing time or harm your mental health. Here are some time management strategies that I use to help me maintain balance between my writing and online activities.

• Schedule specific times for social media: For me it’s either late in the afternoons, when my energy levels are low, or late at night when I’m winding down.

• Batch write and schedule content: I batch write my content and schedule it, freeing my prime time for creative work.

• Prioritize your writing over digital activities: I make sure I have done my daily writing quota before I getting on social media.

• I take regular breaks from the digital world. When I’m meeting a deadline or focusing on something important I can disappear from social media for days.

7. Moving Forward

Building a strong online presence is a marathon, not a sprint. Focus on practices you can maintain for the long term. Adjust your strategy as you learn what works for you and your readers.

Your online presence should support your writing career, not distract from it.

By approaching it strategically and authentically, you can create a digital platform that serves you and your readers for years to come.

---

A quick question for you, if you are establishing yourself as a writer or an author, what is your biggest challenge?

Share in the comments so that I can help you overcome that.

P.S. My new book ‘A Writer’s Guide To Craft Travel Stories’ is available now for purchase. It’s not just a guide but is a travel memoir of my six weeks visit to India. It’s one of my best book so far. I am so proud of it. Get it today and support my writing.

That’s all from me today.

As always, thanks for reading.

Regards