Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash
The Covid-19 pandemic has been quite tough on the creative economy. Events got cancelled, sponsorships got shelved, and sales tanked. There are plenty of sad stories of people who were at the cusp of something significant just before the pandemic hit and lockdowns began.
However, during all that, new opportunities started springing up, out of necessity. Writers, and other artists started exploring new ways to let out their creativity. There were new ways to engage with existing followers and earn new ones. Telling your pandemic story is a great way to earn new readers as a writer. It may be the boost that you need before publishing your next-full-length novel.
Relatability
Everyone has a pandemic story, whether good or bad. People lost jobs, couldn’t see loved ones, had to stay indoors, cancelled weddings, couldn’t attend funerals, while others saw their business thrive depending on their industry. Telling your pandemic story as a writer humanizes you because people resonate with honesty and vulnerability. People also love stories of triumph, resilience, and second chances.
Still, when sharing, you need to be strategic to have the most impact. Here are a few ideas.
Alternative Content
As a writer, you may need to put out content in other forms to engage new readers. A YouTube channel, an Instagram account, or a TikTok account are good examples. On these platforms, you can introduce yourself as a writer and share how you are coping. If you have any upcoming projects, you can tease your audience on these platforms. You might have to learn new skills for these platforms, but hey, that’s growth!
Guest Writing
Most creatives have more time on their hands now compared to before the pandemic. You could find opportunities to write and contribute to sites that accept guest content. This will help to keep you writing while also exposing yourself to new audiences. If you have a personal blog, keep putting out content regularly- short stories, opinion pieces, or other forms of musings.
Online Communities
You can share your blog content and posts on websites or online communities such as Reddit.com. This will help create traffic to your website. Besides posting your content, take part in discussions on such forums so that your engagement there is organic. People will become genuinely interested in your content. You are likely to create a genuine following this way.
Lists and Giveaways
With a lot of time on your hands, you can promote past content you put out in the past. Authors often take time to create lists on Amazon that include their books. You can share these lists on your social media pages too. Giveaways too are great for getting new readers to interact with your content. Instead of giving away full-length books, you could write an ebook which is easier to distribute through your website.
For more information on how you could create a strategy to engage new readers during the pandemic, get in touch with Higherlife Publishing & Marketing. We help writers create a connection with audiences by offering them genuine value.
