It never fails: You promised yourself you would update your Facebook author page three times a week…or possibly twice…maybe just once a week. Now, while juggling a hectic schedule and looming deadlines, you find yourself in a race against the clock to post anything at all. And your visitors—friends, fans, editors, and literary agents—are all expecting your Facebook page to be active and current.

So what’s an author in a serious time crunch (and with a bad case of post-sized writer’s block) to do?

Think fast! Here are some easy tips that will help you write interesting Facebook posts in no time—and keep you effectively promoting on social media. And if you are really crunched for time, Writer’s Relief can help!

6 Quick And Easy Facebook Post Ideas

Post a quote. This post writes itself—literally! Find a headshot of a favorite author and include one of his or her quotes in the caption. Goodreads is a great source for author quotes. You can also hashtag the author’s name or tag his or her Facebook author page to quickly connect your page with a larger audience. Pinterest is another go-to site to search for images and inspiring quotes that you can, when appropriate, repost to your Facebook page.

If you’re truly pressed for time, skip the photo and simply post an inspirational quote about writing, creativity, or perseverance. Even without an image, a thought-provoking quote can generate comments from your readers.

Create your own photo prompts. Remember the photos you’ve collected from your travels? Choose an interesting image from your photo album and take a page from Where’s Waldo?—but instead ask, “where am I?” Or find an unusual photo online and ask your followers to describe in a few sentences what’s going on in the picture.

Be creative! This is one case where a photo can absolutely be worth a thousand words, since photo posts on Facebook tend to produce lots of audience interaction.

Ask a question. It can be as simple as asking, “If your main characters could travel anywhere, where would he or she go and why?” Posts that include questions get far more attention on Facebook than posts that just offer a statement.

For additional ideas in an instant—take an hour each week to write some quick questions you can post in a pinch.

Share your writing goals. “This week, I’m going to…” Let your Facebook author page visitors know if you plan to finish the next chapter in your novel or put together that chapbook.

Additional ideas in an instant—each Monday, post a goal for the week. At the end of the week, you can post about whether or not you reached that goal.

Talk about what you’re reading. Did you read anything interesting today? Whether it’s a newspaper article or a new novel, express your opinion and ask your followers for theirs. You can even link out to the article or to a review of the book.

Celebrate! Take advantage of holidays and important dates. Maybe today is National Egg Day, or something noteworthy happened in history or literature. Perhaps it’s a well-known author’s birthday, or a seasonal holiday is coming up. These are all great topics for fast, attention-getting Facebook posts.

Remember: When You’re In A Hurry, Keep It Simple…And Short!

Facebook statistics reveal that short, simple posts generate more interaction and activity than longer, drawn out posts. You may find that a post you composed on the fly is the one that garners the most comments from your readers! With these quick tips, you’ll be updating your Facebook author page faster than you can ask, “What should I post today?”

For more information on how Writer’s Relief can promote your author brand on Facebook for you, click here!

Photo by swimparallel

QUESTION: What are your best ideas for fast and easy Facebook posts for writers?