To TikTok or not to TikTok? That is the question.

So, The Last Oath came out a few weeks ago, and I have been deep in marketing mode. From social media posts, to chatting in writing groups, I am trying to get my name out there and a week ago, I braved the new world of TikTok.

You've probably heard of BookTok, the bookish corner of that platform, where authors can go viral with the right reviews and shares. It seemed like a good idea to try my hand at it, so I did some research, had a look at what's trending, worked out how to post things (this stage probably took me far longer than necessary because I was afraid I would upload a random video of my nostrils, and no one wants that).

With the help of Canva and Capcut, I began my foray into the world of BookTok, sharing my videos and following others in the book community. One video reached the heady heights of 900 views and 77 likes. Yay! The biggest hit (with a good views to interactions ratio) was aimed at fellow fantasy writers/readers and had a catchy 80s tune.

I also found fellow debut authors looking to grow their following. The writing community is incredibly supportive of each other, just one of the many things I love about being part of it. The vast majority are happy to offer advice and cheerlead each other on, and the #writersofTikTok are the same.

But (and this is a big but) my time was being taken up with checking for interactions, doomscrolling on TikTok and trying to plan new videos. According to various people who have looked into this, you need to be posting regularly for TikTok to share your videos (one source suggested 2-3 times A DAY to grow quickly). Now, I don't know about you, but I do not have time to be making videos that regularly, especially with young hoomans at home who expect to be fed, a second book to get back to my editor (plus a third book to actually write), plus all the general life admin, like car services, school events, birthdays...

And so, after I posted a video that picked up much fewer likes and views than a previous one, despite having a similar format and being shared at a similar time, I hit the kill switch on my TikTok account. I'm not someone who easily tolerates jumping through hoops and trying to figure out the algorithms was just not for me. Plus I didn't want to be in the videos and that seems a big draw.

Was it a bit rash? Yes, I can see that now. I needed to give it more time. My Discord writing group talked me back from banishing TikTok from my life entirely, and perhaps once I've finished editing book 2 and it's close to coming out, I'll investigate again. At the moment, it is taking up too much creative space in my brain, so after just one week, I've stepped back to focus on getting The High Lord ready for release. For those braver than me, good luck with BookTok!

I'll still pop up on Instagram and Facebook, and will one day be organised enough to get my mailing list up (once I figure out Mailerlite). At least there's no chance for accidentally sharing nostril photos with that though.

The Last Oath is out now on Amazon (paperback and ebook, plus KU) and other online bookshops.