Unless you’ve been living in a remote cave (or buried under a giant pile of writing research), you know hashtags serve a very valuable purpose on social media. Those clickable words or strings of words can help you follow ongoing conversations, sort posts according to interests, and expand the reach of your musings beyond your own friends and followers. Furthermore, tweets with hashtags get retweeted 55% more than tweets without them.
Boost your social media efforts and effectiveness by following—and using—this list of hashtags for writers from Web Design Relief:
Enjoy The Writer’s Journey
These “share the journey” hashtags bring the active writing community together by sharing the day-to-day trials and tribulations of the writing life.
- #amwriting
- #amediting
- #writerslife
- #WriterWednesday
Write The Words
Every writer needs a creative boost now and then. Follow these hashtag prompts to nudge yourself and others into getting the words onto the page.
- #1K1H (1,000 words in one hour)
- #WritingPrompt
- #StoryStarter
- #wordcount
- #writingsprint
- #NaNoWriMo (for the November marathon)
Pose A Question To A Pro
Need guidance from a professional? Pose a question or peruse the hashtag to pick up tips and tricks from the experts.
- #AskEditor
- #AskAgent
- #AskAuthor
Gather Your Genre Group
No list of hashtags for writers is complete without a list of genre-related hashtags. Following these keywords can keep you up to date about what’s going on in the industry as well as connect you to fellow lovers of your genre.
- #RomanceWriter
- #Horror
- #YA
- #KidLit
- #LitFic
- #Crime
- #Thriller
- #Suspense
- #DarkFantasy
- #SciFiChat
- #MGLit (middle grade literature)
- #ShortReads
- #flashfiction
- #ChickLit
- #WomensFiction
- #HistFic
- #RWA
- #NINC
- #SCBWI
- #SFWA
Peruse Publication
Trying to get published can be bewildering. Follow one or more of these hashtags so you’ll be in the know.
- #PubTip
- #SelfPublishing
- #SelfPub
- #QueryTip
- #Publishing
- #GetPublished
- #IndiePub
Seek A Slot
#MSWL is short for “Manuscript Wish List.” Editors and agents post the kinds of manuscripts they would most like to see cross their desks right now. For authors on the hunt for a new agent or a new house, #MSWL gives you a chance to strike while the iron is hot.
Augment Your Audience
Grow your tribe by sharing your writing with readers using the following hashtags:
- #TeaserTuesday
- #FridayReads
- #MustRead
- #LitChat
- #SampleSunday
- #novelines
Move The Merchandise
Hashtags are fabulous for book marketing, especially if you have a launch or a free or discounted book.
- #freebook
- #freebie
- #freedownload
- #BookGiveaway
- #99c
- #booklaunch
- #BookBuzz
- #NewBook
Harnessing Hashtags—The Right Way
Since hashtags are essentially keywords that help folks find what they’re looking for, it’s important to use them correctly. Here are a few guidelines:
- Use hashtags specific to your message
- Try to take advantage of the important keywords in your post’s text
- Or, add hashtags at the end of the post
- Don’t use too many hashtags, except on Instagram, where it doesn’t seem to matter
Check out these examples from @WritersRelief on Twitter:
- “Want to use your #author website to build #book sales? Here’s how:”
- “Here are some tips on #writing a cover letter for your #poetry, stories, or #essays.”
- “#Writers: Think big! Retweet and find out how to use pay-to-play mass mailings to promote your #selfpublished book:”
Once you get the hang of including hashtags in your social media posts, you’ll find that it’s an effortless way to expand your reach. Keep in mind: With the exception of Instagram, you should keep the number of your hashtags down to one or two. A Tweet or Facebook post riddled with hashtags, or followed by a river of them, looks a lot like spam.
Question: What are your favorite hashtags, and on what social media platforms do you use them?
One of my favorites is #1lineWed, where you can share a line from an unpublished work. There are themes posted every week, and I’ve made a bunch of writer friends that way.
There is a themed or unthemed game for every day of the week, though the only ones I can think of right now are #Thurds & #SlapDashSat.
O that is great.
Wow, who knew how many hashtags there could be?! Thanks for putting this list together–very helpful. How about #WritingCommunity?
Hi Jane! Great post about hashtags, but you didn’t mention #mystery or #cozymystery neither of which is synonymous with #thriller or #suspense, even though both can be thrilling and suspenseful.
Tailwind supplies hashtag ideas based on your post. It also shows which are competitive (meaning your use might get buried among the use of LOTS of other people), which hashtags are more niche, and which are less competitive.