Congratulations! You’ve completed your book—a remarkable achievement that deserves a celebration. But before you think about taking a well-deserved break, it’s crucial to pivot your focus to the marketing of your book.

In this ongoing blog series, we’ll provide genre-specific insights on effectively promoting your book through social media.
The sci-fi/fantasy fiction community is vibrant and full of passionate readers and writers. In this post, we’ve identified groups to join, relevant hashtags, and how to actively engage on each platform. Authentic participation is key; members will appreciate your contributions and view you as a genuine member of the community rather than just a promoter. Once you’ve built those connections, you can naturally introduce your book and share special offers with your new audience.

Check out the resources below, and don’t hesitate to share your favorites with us for future updates!

FACEBOOK
Facebook is invaluable for those marketing on a budget. You’ll want to start by creating a business page, different from a personal page, devoted to your sci-fi/fantasy book. The difference between the two types of pages that Facebook offers is that a personal page is for connecting with family and friends, sharing personal updates, photos, and interacting on a personal level. While a business page is for promoting your business, your brand, and in this case, your writing or your published book. Typically a personal page is not open for public viewing, while a business page is public. Outside of audience differences, there are also major functionality differences. When moving your author brand to a business page, you now have access to new functions such as advertising opportunities, creating events, monetization tools, and more.

After you open a business Facebook page, you have to get people to like your page— the hard part. There are numerous webinars, books, and blogs devoted to how to do this. Facebook has an easy step-by-step guide to help you out with this.

Keep in mind that Facebook has now become monetized, which means that while you can reach a small segment of your Facebook friends with any post, to reach a larger audience, you’ll have to pay small sums of money. Facebook calls this “boosting” your post. Once you post something on your page, Facebook will ask you if you’d like to “boost this post?” If you say “yes,” a box will pop up allowing you to decide how much you would like to spend and telling you how far your reach will go based on how much you spend. Once “boosted,” Facebook will send the item out to like-minded pages, where it will appear on those timelines. It’s a sure way to get your book on the feeds of people interested in your topic and to begin reaching out to those beyond your immediate circle.

One way you can start finding those people yourself is to join the Facebook groups that draw readers of your genre. Below are a few of our favorite Facebook groups for sci-fi/fantasy books. Most groups allow authors to promote their work on the page (within reason):

Fantasy-Faction is one of the world’s largest fantasy and science fiction book communities with over 180,000 members. Each week they bring readers book reviews, author interviews, articles on the genre, up-to-date news, and more. They do not allow book promotion posts in the group.

Book Heaven is a great place to find good books to read and also a fantastic place for authors to promote their work! Authors are invited to promote any of their titles or to post about books they have enjoyed. You can post as much as you like and also include links to your books, blogs, websites etc.

Pimp Your Books, is a place you can promote your books or discuss your favorite books and authors.

Fantasy & Science Fiction Writers is a  group of American science fiction/fantasy authors who promote their works and workshop their ideas.

Science Fiction and Fantasy Authors is a group of over 13,000 science fiction/fantasy fans and authors where members can post their books.

Science Fiction is a group of over 78,000 members dedicated to readers of science fiction. Promotion encouraged.

Space Opera is a group of over 22,000 members interested in Space Opera, a sub-genre of science fiction dealing with stories of epic adventure and conflict on a grand scale. Authors can promote their books through special promotion threads.

Science Fiction Book Club is a page with over 44,000 likes. You can find out here about the latest in science fiction and connect with fans.

Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Fans is a group of over 31,000 science fiction and fantasy fans, where authors can post their books and discuss current books and other related topics.

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association page contains relevant industry news, events, and even award ceremonies for authors.

Celthric, with over 9,000 members is a Science Fiction & Fantasy themed page dedicated to author promotion, art, and entertainment.

X (formerly known as Twitter)
With posts limited to 280 characters, you’ll have to be clever —and brief— in order to effectively use X. And don’t forget that you’ll use up several characters if you want to link to your website. Moral of story: Think small. (Note: If you are linking your post to another site, make sure to use a link-shortening service like bit.ly. Bit.ly takes a long url address and reduces it to only a few characters, freeing up valuable real estate on your limited character allowance.)

Remember to use hashtags. These can make a huge difference in how many people see your tweet. A hashtag is used to show what the post is about or related to, preceded by the pound sign (#books, #scifi #fantasy, etc.). Each hashtag has its own X “address” so people interested in sci-fi/fantasy, for example, might simply visit #fantasybooks and look at all of the posts with this hashtag. Using multiple relevant hashtags, while not going overboard, is paramount to a successful X presence. If you’re offering a Kindle deal for your book, be sure to add the hashtag #kindledeals, as many readers look there for inexpensive books.

Here are some relevant hashtags:
#SciFi
#Fantasy
#scifibookclub
#SciFiChat
#SciFiFantasy
#SpeculativeFiction
#ScienceFiction
#FantasyBooks
#EpicFantasy
#SpaceOpera
#UrbanFantasy
#AmWriting
#AmWritingFantasy
#AmWritingSciFi
#WritingCommunity
#IndieAuthor
#SelfPublishedAuthor
#WritersLife
#WritingTips
#AuthorLife
#BookLovers
#BookRecommendations
#ReadMoreBooks
#IndieBooks
#Bookish
#SciFiBooks
#FantasyReaders
#BookCommunity

 

GOODREADS
Another platform to consider when promoting online is Goodreads. Goodreads is a website owned by Amazon that allows individuals to freely search the extensive user-populated database of books, annotations, and reviews. Users can sign up and register books to generate library catalogs and reading lists. They can also create their own groups of book suggestions, surveys/polls, blogs, and discussions.

Below are some of our favorite sci-fi/fantasy groups on Goodreads. READ THE RULES BEFORE POSTING! Authors who only post promotions and do not participate in discourse in the community will be ejected.

Fantasy is a public group for fantasy readers to discover new authors and new books.

Epic Fantasy Books is a group for fans of the large-scale adventures and engaging characters found in the Epic Fantasy genre. There is no self-promotion allowed.

Fantasy, yest please! is a group of avid fantasy readers. They often discuss what their latest reads are. Join in a conversation and find your next book!

SciFi and Fantasy Book Club is a welcoming place for readers to share their love of speculative fiction through group reads, buddy reads, challenges, and lively conversation. Once a member, you are allowed to self-promote, but only in this special discussion thread.

Apocalypse Whenever is a group for apocalyptic and dystopian lovers. Join a monthly book discussion and/or get recommendations to your next read.

Goodreads Giveaways
Be sure to check out Goodreads Giveaways feature for published authors. These giveaways are a powerful way for authors and publishers to promote their books and can be created easily from the Goodreads Giveaway page. All authors and publishers anywhere in the world can give away up to 100 print books per giveaway to audiences in the U.S. and Canada. Kindle Direct Publishing authors and publishers with ebooks available in the U.S. can give away up to 100 Kindle ebooks per giveaway.

The best part? Despite only 100 people winning free copies of your book, anyone who has signed up to be part of the giveaway will automatically have your book listed to their ‘Want to Read’ list. That means, when they are browsing their bookshelf for their next reads, your may be the one they choose. And for those who do win a free copy, Goodreads sends them a reminder to leave your book a review! This is a great way of getting in front of new readers and encouraging more book reviews.

Next stop: Instagram and Tik Tok!

REDDIT
Reddit is an actionable community that is divided into convenient “subreddits,” prefaced by the letter “r.” This allows you to promote to a wide audience, such as r/books, or to a more specialized community, such as r/YAlit. Each page or “subreddit” is basically a chat space that focuses on a particular subject. Visitors can initiate a topic or simply respond to comments that others have posted. The more people who respond, the higher on the page that discussion goes. Here’s reddit’s description of itself.

Make sure to look at the right sidebar on every subreddit you visit, where you’ll find related subreddits as well as the page rules. Some pages allow self-promotion; some strictly forbid it, and others have special times or threads for self-promotion.

While Facebook undoubtedly reaches more people, it does not allow for this sort of specialization. We’re offering a few suggestions on the site here, but once you start poking around, you’ll find plenty more threads to get involved with.

r/books: This is a community dedicated to lovers of the written word. It’s a good place to start on reddit in order to get a feel for the world of books on the site. While there are no direct promotions allowed on this page (remember: you can always see each subreddit’s rules on the right side of their homepage), they do have a “suggest me a book” section where you may have an opportunity to promote your book.

r/SuggestMeABook is a fantastic subreddit to join. Share book recommendations (not just your own) freely. If a reader’s request aligns naturally with your book, feel free to mention it in the comments.

r/scifi: For all things science fiction, speculative fiction, and fantasy, this is a great thread to seek out. There are always lots of visitors discussing books, movies, ideas. And, Saturdays are deemed “self-promo Saturdays,” so be sure to log in on Saturday to promote your book to this active group.

r/sciencefiction: For fans and creators of science fiction, this is a place to discuss science fiction ideas and get feedback on your work. General speculative fiction posts are accepted as long as they involve Science Fiction.

r/scifiwriting: This is a subreddit for writers of SciFi, a community for writers of science fiction! They discuss, critique, and share stories within the group. Promotion belongs only in the promotion thread when they post it. It is not always on a consistent monthly basis.
What you’ll find on the sidebar here: lots of science fiction specialties, from steampunk to cyborgs to futurology.

r/IndieAuthors: This group is for independent authors to discuss publishing, marketing, and promotion. It offers opportunities to promote your book while learning from other indie authors’ experiences. The group mentions that you can share your experience and teach others what you’ve learned. “Nothing is too small to mention, as there will always be someone just starting out.”

INSTAGRAM
Sci-fi and fantasy writers should consider joining Instagram as it offers a visually-driven platform to showcase their unique worlds, connect with an audience that loves imaginative storytelling, and engage with a vibrant community of fellow writers and readers. By pairing striking visuals—such as concept art, book covers, or scenes inspired by their stories—with impactful quotes or excerpts, authors can create shareable content that draws in fans of the genre. Highlighting elements like alien landscapes, mystical creatures, or futuristic tech can make posts stand out in the feed.

One feature sci-fi and fantasy authors should explore is Instagram Reels. Reels are short, engaging videos—up to 90 seconds long—that allow users to create content with music, filters, and effects. They are designed to be easily discoverable, appearing on the Explore page and in a dedicated section on users’ profiles. For writers, Reels can be a powerful way to captivate a broader audience.

Consider creating Reels that showcase dynamic elements of your work, such as action-packed scenes, spell-casting sequences, or thrilling moments in your story, paired with atmospheric music to draw viewers into your world. You could also create short “trailers” for your book, feature readings of your work with dramatic flair, or discuss topics like worldbuilding, character creation, or writing tips specific to speculative fiction. Best of all, you can repurpose these Reels across Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, maximizing your reach with minimal effort.

Instagram Stories are another feature authors should leverage. Stories last for 24 hours, making them perfect for sharing quick updates, behind-the-scenes glimpses of your creative process, or inspirations for your world or characters. Use them to poll followers about potential book titles, share sneak peeks of a new map or cover design, or run quizzes about sci-fi and fantasy trivia to engage your audience. Regular updates keep your followers returning, and interactive features like polls and question boxes can make your account a hub for fans of your work.

Here are some Instagram accounts you may consider following and/or learning from:
@ charliesbookrecs
@ thereallifebookreviewer You may even consider doing a collaboration with TRLBR. Here is her request form.
@ morallygreykay
@ literarygrace_
@hannahleblondauthor

TIK TOK
Sci-fi and fantasy writers can effectively harness TikTok by creating short, engaging videos that bring their stories to life in a visually dynamic and immersive way. Use TikTok’s audio, effects, and editing tools to highlight your unique worldbuilding, epic characters, or thrilling story arcs. For example, you can share dramatic readings of key scenes, showcase concept art, or pair your text with cinematic music to evoke the atmosphere of your work.

Writers can also connect with audiences by discussing their creative process, sharing tips on worldbuilding, or revealing the inspirations behind their characters and plots. Engage viewers with “mini-trailers” for your books, behind-the-scenes looks at your writing journey, or videos where you answer fan questions about your worlds.

TikTok thrives on trends, so consider joining viral challenges or using popular audio clips to put a sci-fi or fantasy twist on them. With its algorithm favoring creative, engaging content, TikTok offers a powerful opportunity for speculative fiction writers to build a following and promote their work to a passionate, diverse audience.

Here are quick instructions on how to get started making your first Tik Tok Video:
1. To make a TikTok video on your phone, first, open the TikTok app and tap the plus sign (+) at the bottom of the screen. This will open the camera.
2. You can either record a video by pressing and holding the big red button or upload a video you’ve already taken by tapping “Upload” next to the red button.
3. If you’re recording, you can lift your finger from the red button when you want to stop.
4. Once you have your video, you can add music by tapping “Sounds,” add text by tapping “Text,” or use filters and effects if you’d like.
5. When you’re happy with the video, tap “Next,” write a short description, and then tap “Post” to share it.

If you are making a Tik Tok video for the first time, it is best to watch a quick Youtube video first then give it a go.

Once you’ve nailed down how to create a Tik Tok video, consistency in posting and using relevant hashtags can help writers grow their following and engage with the community. In addition, writers should engage with comments and collaborate with other creators to further enhance their reach.

Posts that perform well on Tik Tok often have this one thing in common: The creator of the video will talk in “I” and “you” language as if they are talking directly to one person and not multiple people. Next time you make a video on TikTok or any social media platform, try to speak directly to your listener. Make them feel like you are having a direct conversation with them.

Hashtags to consider when posting on TikTok:
#SciFi
#Fantasy
#SciFiBooks
#FantasyBooks
#SpeculativeFiction
#EpicFantasy
#UrbanFantasy
#SpaceOpera
#Dystopian
#Cyberpunk
#BookTok
#BookLovers
#ReadersOfTikTok
#BookRecommendations
#BooksOfTikTok
#Bookish
#WorldBuilding
#CharacterCreation
#PlotTwist
#MagicSystem
#AlienWorlds
#TimeTravel
#WritingInspiration
#SciFiArt
#FantasyArt

BONUS SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS:
When creating a new profile, be sure to:
● Use your author name in your bio and in your username
● Use keywords in your bio such as “Fantasy Writer” “Sci-Fi Writer”
● Use a relevant hashtag in your bio (i.e. #fantasy, #sci-fi, #dystopian, #magic)
● Add links to your author website, book, blog, upcoming events
● Update your bio with news. If you are coming out with a new book, you can mention, for example, “Book coming soon” or “Book Arriving this Fall”
● Try to keep all your usernames consistent across multiple platforms

As you embark on your social media journey as a new writer or author, remember that focus is key. Start by selecting 1-2 platforms where you feel most comfortable, and dedicate your time to learning and understanding their unique dynamics. Take the time to observe how others engage with their audiences, noting what resonates and what doesn’t. This will provide valuable insights as you begin crafting your own original content. Embrace experimentation, and don’t hesitate to refine your approach as you grow. By honing your skills on a couple of platforms, you’ll set a solid foundation for building your author brand and connecting with your readers authentically. Happy posting!

BlueInk Review is a fee-based book review service, offering honest, credible reviews penned by writers from major mainstream publications, such as The New York Times and Washington Post, and editors of respected traditional publishing houses such as HarperCollins. For more news and writing and marketing tips, sign up for our mailing list.

Amanda Miller is a self-publishing consultant with My Word Publishing who is passionate about guiding authors through the maze of self-publishing and helping them bring their written works to life. She is a writer of poetry and nonfiction essays. If you have a book in you, contact Amanda at [email protected]