9 Reel Ideas for Indie Authors to Market Your Book
Follow my author account on Instagram @melinamariamorry.
As a writer, I have a love/hate relationship with social media. I both adore it and loathe it. And sometimes creating content feels like too much of a burden. Do you feel me? Well, slowly but surely I’ve been trying to build my author account. So far I’ve come up with 9 reel ideas for indie authors that we can all use to boost our status on social media and book sales.
Creating video reels as an indie author means treating short-form video like a mini book launch. You want to hook viewers in the first two seconds, show your personality, and deliver a clear, memorable takeaway—whether it’s a reveal of your book cover, a behind-the-scenes glimpse of your writing process, a witty excerpt, or a quick tip for readers. And always end with a simple call to action: save, follow, pre-order, or link in bio.
Keep reels visually varied with close-ups, text overlays for accessibility, and snappy cuts to match the platform’s rhythm. Use trending music or sounds selectively to boost discoverability but prioritize sound choices that fit your brand as an author. Plan a loose content calendar so you alternate promotional posts with value-driven clips. For example: writing advice, character vibes, reading recommendations. Finally, track basic metrics—views, saves, comments—to learn what resonates, then iterate quickly: the fastest way to grow your reel strategy is consistent experimentation informed by real engagement.
This is where trial reels come in handy! I’ve been using them for almost every reel I post, just to see how it does before I share it to my followers. Although, I have to admit, at times I reel I thought was fab has performed poorly on trials, but then exploded once I actually shared it on my feed. So, who knows. It’s a game, for sure.
9 Reel Ideas for Indie Authors to Market Your Book
01. Your book cover as an outfit
What does your book cover look like? Is there an outfit already on the cover you can duplicate with items in your wardrobe? Or are there certain colours or themes you can draw inspiration from?
02. Reading the about the author blurb
This one is so easy. Just choose a location with a cute background and read your “about the author” blurb. You can watch one that I did on my author account here.
03. Show what you’re currently reading
It’s not all about you, right? Let’s show some love to other authors too. I always have one or two books on-the-go. I love to show them off and let other authors know how much I loved their books too.
04. Get to know one of your characters
What makes your main character so special? Or what is it about the best friend that makes her almost steal the show? I’d love to do a reel like this about the characters in The Manhattan Mishap because they are sassy and so much fun to read about.
05. Outfits inspired by looks in your book
Over a year ago, I started filming a reel series like this for outfits in Thirteen Emotions, and I only ever posted one of the looks. It was an equestrian outfit for my short story Back at Chestnut Ranch. Hmmm—I wonder if I still have the other outfits somewhere on my phone.
06. Author photos behind-the-scenes
Everyone loves a look beyond the page. Where do you usually write? Is it at home or at a cafe? What do you drink and/or snack on when you’re ferociously typing away? What do you do when you need a break? Let’s see it all.
07. What your book is about
This one is super easy too! Chances are, you already have a blurb on the back of your book (or soon-to-be book) and can straight up read what’s written there. Or you can write a separate blurb for social media. Whatever is going to hook readers.
08. This or that, author style
Would you rather read a psychological thriller or a chick lit novel? Where would you prefer to take your laptop: to the library or your local cafe? Do you get dressed up or stay in sweats to sit at your laptop? Do you type your book or write it down retro-style in a notebook?
09. A sneak peek into your life as an author
This is an important one! After all, writing fashion fiction books isn’t the only thing I do. I’m also a mom, a yogi, a style-soaked power woman who loves dressing up for a night out. So I like to show off the side of my life that isn’t just about my books, too.
Which reel ideas do you like the best? Which ones are you going to try? Or have already tried? Comment and let me know! Brb I’m going to get started on these right now. Keep an eye out for content coming from yours truly to a feed near you ASAP.
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