To Be an Author Is to Be an Influencer. Or Is It?
There’s a joke that floats around the bookish community every now and then. It’s about how authors used to be able to disappear into their little writing caves, spend three years working on a manuscript, emerge briefly to hand you a book, and then vanish back into obscurity until the next one was finished.
For a long time, that wasn’t entirely inaccurate.
Many writers built successful careers without ever having to think about posting a video, sharing a picture, recording a podcast, or telling the internet what they had for breakfast. Readers discovered books through bookstores, newspapers, libraries, publishing catalogs, and word of mouth. The author’s primary responsibility was to write.
How dreamy is that?
The Author's Job Description Has Changed
Today, things look much different.
Modern authors are often expected to maintain social media accounts, build newsletters and websites, engage with readers online, participate in interviews, film videos, share behind-the-scenes content, and market their books long before publication day arrives. In some corners of the industry, authors are encouraged to start building an audience before the manuscript is even finished.
Literally the day you open your computer to write page 1, word 1 of your manuscript, somebody will tell you that you should already be marketing the book.
This raises an interesting question: to be an author today, do you also have to be an influencer? The answer depends entirely on who you ask.
For some authors, social media has become one of the most powerful tools ever introduced to publishing. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Substack have allowed writers to build audiences without having to wait for permission from traditional gatekeepers.
Entire careers have been launched through BookTok alone. According to TikTok, the hashtag #BookTok has generated hundreds of billions of views globally, helping countless books reach readers who may never have discovered them otherwise. Backlist titles have suddenly appeared on bestseller lists years after publication, and debut authors have built loyal audiences before their first book ever hit the shelves.
Not to mention, if you have a strong social media presence, you might even catch the attention of a literary agent or publisher before ever sending a query letter. This kind of opportunity simply didn’t exist twenty years ago.
The Rise of the Author Platform
At the same time, many authors have started feeling an entirely different kind of pressure. Writing a book is already a full-time commitment. Now, many writers feel like they’re expected to step out of their comfort zone, talk to a camera, become a photographer, videographer, graphic designer, marketer, publicist, and content creator on top of everything else.
Some love that. Some absolutely hate it and would happily crawl back into their writing cave if it meant emerging three years later with a successful book.
One of the more interesting shifts happening within publishing is the growing conversation around author platforms.
If you’ve spent any amount of time researching literary agents or traditional publishing submissions, you’ve probably encountered questions about social media following, newsletter subscribers, website traffic, or audience size. Many people even recommend placing those things prominently within query materials as if to say, “Look, I’m important! Now here’s my manuscript.”
For nonfiction authors especially, platform size can play a significant role in publication discussions. Some agents and publishers openly ask for follower counts, subscriber numbers, media appearances, speaking experience, and audience demographics during the submission process. In categories like business, self-help, personal development, and lifestyle, having an established audience can significantly strengthen a proposal and potentially improve an author's chances of securing a deal.
That’s where the conversation starts becoming complicated.
Good Writing vs. Visibility
Because while having an audience can absolutely help sell books, having an audience does not automatically make someone a great writer. Likewise, being a phenomenal writer does not automatically mean readers will discover your work.
Some of the most talented writers in the world prefer privacy. Others thrive in public spaces and enjoy building communities around their work. Neither approach is inherently wrong.
It just begs the question: Is the publishing industry centered around good writing, or is it becoming a popularity contest?
The honest answer is probably somewhere in the middle.
Readers are increasingly discovering books through social platforms. Independent authors often rely heavily on online marketing. Traditional publishers now frequently encourage authors to participate in promotional efforts. Even local events, podcasts, speaking engagements, and media appearances have become a larger part of the modern publishing landscape.
The role of the author has undeniably expanded.
Finding the Balance
At the same time, there isn’t a magical follower count that guarantees success.
Some authors have secured representation with relatively small audiences. Others have amassed enormous followings and still struggled to convert that attention into book sales. An author with 1,000 highly engaged readers may ultimately sell more books than someone with 100,000 passive followers.
Audience size matters. Audience quality matters too.
Perhaps the bigger concern for many writers is not whether social media works. Clearly, it does. The concern is what happens when visibility begins to compete with the craft itself.
Every hour spent chasing algorithms is an hour not spent writing.
That’s not necessarily an argument against marketing. It’s simply the reality of having a finite amount of time.
It’s also important to remember that authors have always participated in promotion. They have always done interviews. They have always attended signings, conferences, speaking engagements, and book tours.
Nowadays, the medium has simply changed.
What once happened through newspapers, bookstores, and television appearances now happens through reels, newsletters, podcasts, livestreams, and social media posts.
The challenge for modern authors may not be choosing between writing and marketing.
The challenge is finding a balance that allows you to do both without losing sight of why you started writing in the first place.
Because at the end of the day, readers still want good books. They still want compelling stories, thoughtful ideas, memorable characters, and meaningful experiences.
Social media may help readers discover a book. It cannot write one.
With love,
Melissa Renee