by Beth K. Vogt, @bethvogt

As authors, we don’t have a choice about being on social media, but we do have other choices.

• We choose what social media platforms we want to get involved with: Goodreads. Facebook. Twitter. Pinterest. Instagram. TikTok. YouTube. BookBub.

• We choose how much time we want to spend on social media – although it always seems like we could be spending more time, right?

• We choose what type of content we produce for social media. That’s where it gets fun. Or frustrating.

Just when you feel like you’ve found your groove on your favorite social media platform, the platforms change how things work. Or they add an all-new, super-improved feature. Or some a-ma-zing new platform comes along to trump the reigning social media royalty. 

Let’s talk about Instagram (IG), my favorite social media platform. I’d developed a rhyme and reason to my IG posts each week. Daily themes to my posts, a brand look with colors and fonts so people scrolling IG would see a graphic and think, “That’s a Beth K. Vogt” post.

And then along came reels. I kept hearing that everyone was doing reels – and I needed to do reels too. Reels were social media game changers.

Ugh.

Call me a creature of habit. Call me resistant to change. Call me shy. (I am a bit shy.) I had so many reasons I didn’t want to do reels. But there came a time when I knew I had to post my first reel. And my second . . . and my third . . . 

Here are four simple tips that helped me put on some makeup, sit down, point my iPhone camera at my face, and press the record button:

1. My reels aren’t perfect. Lots of other writers have been recording reels longer than I have. Yay! I would never post a reel if I focused on how everyone else’s reels are better than mine. I’m allowing myself to be a beginner and improve over time.
2. My reels are short. You can choose to record a 15-second reel or a 30-second reel. For now, I’m opting for 15 seconds because shorter is less pressure. 
3. My reels are frill-free. There are so many fun reels out there. People lip-syncing. Using fun filters. Fancy texts. I applaud their creativity. But I’m focusing on simple things like basic text and background music. While I’m at it, I’m highlighting some of my favorite music by acoustic guitarist Kiernan Tollefson. And yes, my dogs have appeared in the background. I’ll try more fun things in the future.
4. My reels will improve. I need to learn more about social media, and about reels specifically. But I’m allowing myself to progress through the learning curve at my own pace. I ask for help from people who know more than me. My youngest daughter has a job in social media and gives me tips. Mixtus Media on IG is another fantastic resource. (Follow them!) I have an Evernote file of things I want to try when I’m ready. 

What about you? Do you have any tips for making an IG reel?

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The Thatcher Sisters Series

The award-winning Thatcher Sister Series by Beth K. Vogt, published by Tyndale House, is described as a “Little Women gone wrong” collection of novels highlighting complicated sister relationships in the style of This is Us. NYT bestselling author Lisa Wingate said, “With tenderness and skill, Beth Vogt examines the price of secrets, the weight of tragic loss, and the soul-deep poison of things left unsaid.” The series includes Things I Never Told You, Moments We Forget, and The Best We’ve Been. Unpacking Christmas: A Thatchers Sisters Novella, was released in November 2022 by Never Door Press.

Beth K. Vogt believes God’s best often waits behind the doors marked “Never.” She started out in fiction writing award-winning contemporary romances, including Somebody Like You, which was selected as one of Publishers Weekly’s Best Books of 2014. Beth transitioned to women’s fiction with her Thatcher Sister Series, which she calls “a Little Women gone wrong” collection of books highlighting complicated sister relationships. Published by Tyndale House, the series includes Things I Never Told You, which won the 2019 AWSA Award for Contemporary Novel of the Year, Moments We Forget, and The Best We’ve Been. Beth is also a Christy Award winner, an ACFW Carol Award winner, and a RITA® finalist. An established magazine writer and former editor of the leadership magazine for MOPS International, Beth blogs for Learn How to Write a Novel and The Write Conversation, and also enjoys speaking to writers group and mentoring other writers. She lives in Colorado with her husband Rob, who has adjusted to living with imaginary characters and is also one of Beth’s most trusted brainstormers for her novels. Visit Beth at bethvogt.com.