SCBWI Iowa: The Stress-Free Guide to Social Media, Led by Scott Richmond, CEO of Bookstr

This webinar is designed for authors/illustrators who:

• are unsure where to start with social media
• who feel inconsistent or overwhelmed on social media
• who feel pressure to use platforms that do not fit them
• who want a clearer understanding of what actually works
• who want social media to support their career, not distract from their craft

It applies whether an author/illustrator is just getting started or already active online.

In this session, authors/illustrators will learn how to:

• Clearly communicate who they are and what they write through their social media
• Create a simple content strategy that removes the “what do I post?” problem
• Understand what consistency actually means, without the pressure of daily posting
• Choose the platforms that make sense for them, and why one or two is often enough
• Use social media to support discoverability, credibility, and long-term visibility
• Feel more comfortable using video, without fancy equipment or technical know-how
• Amplify press, podcasts, reviews, and appearances through social media

This is not about trends or hacks. It is about clarity and sustainability.

Social media is part of being an author or illustrator now, but that does not mean it is intuitive or comfortable.

Many creators struggle with knowing what to post, how often to show up, whether what they are doing is actually helping their book, and which platforms they should even be on. There is also a lot of pressure to be everywhere at once, even when certain platforms do not feel natural or sustainable.

This free webinar is meant to bring clarity to all of that and make social media feel more manageable.

Scott Richmond is a digital content innovator and creative entrepreneur with over two decades of experience shaping how audiences discover and engage with media. Before founding Bookstr, he built a career at the intersection of music, technology, and storytelling, launching pioneering digital platforms that transformed how creative content is shared and experienced.

At Bookstr, Scott leads strategy, content innovation, and partnerships for one of the largest book communities online, connecting millions of readers with the authors, illustrators, and stories they love. He has overseen collaborations with leading publishers and authors, developing Bookstr’s signature editorial properties including Author Questions, Three to Read, One on One, and many others that place books and authors at the heart of discovery.

Scott’s work has been featured in outlets such as The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Billboard, GQ, and Creative Loafing, and his ventures have consistently bridged creativity with technology to bring communities together through storytelling and shared experience.

Bookstr is a digital platform for book lovers and the wider literary community, reaching a passionate audience of more than 2.5 million readers. Through Bookstr.com, social media, and email, we connect readers with authors and books through editorial features, recommendations, interviews, reviews, videos, and giveaways.

Our goal is simple: help readers discover books and authors they might not otherwise find, and create meaningful connections around the stories that matter to them.

In addition to our editorial and promotional platform, Bookstr works directly with authors and publishers to support long-term visibility through social media strategy and management. We operate as a boutique literary social media agency, managing every aspect of an author’s social presence, from strategic planning and positioning to content creation, branding, copywriting, posting, and audience engagement.

Our approach is highly personalized, with systems and creative built around each client’s voice, goals, and audience. By combining our owned platforms, deep knowledge of book culture, and hands-on social media expertise, Bookstr helps authors and publishers build authentic reader relationships and a sustainable digital presence over time.