You just finished a writing sprint. Your day job lunch break is almost over. The kids are finally napping. You have exactly 15 minutes before life interrupts again.
What’s the ONE marketing task that will actually grow your author platform instead of just making you feel busy?
After 20+ years in digital marketing and running Southern Dragon Publishing Services, I’ve watched countless authors spin their wheels on “marketing activities” that look productive but don’t move the needle. So I’m sharing 10 quick wins you can knock out in a coffee break—each one strategically chosen because it creates compound returns over time.
The Rule: Each task takes 15 minutes or less AND creates lasting value (not just momentary visibility).
Let’s dive in.
1. Audit One Social Media Bio for Discoverability – The Task: Pick your most active platform. Update your bio with:
- Your genre (readers search “cozy mystery author” not just “author”)
- One specific hook (“Steampunk mysteries set in Victorian Florida”)
- Clear CTA (“New book Feb 2026 👇”)
- Working link to your current offer
Why It Works: Your bio is your 24/7 salesperson. Most author bios say “I write books” when they should say “I write WHAT readers are searching for.”
Actual Time: 12 minutes
Best For: Authors active on Instagram, Twitter/X, or Threads who get profile visits but not follows
2. Write 3 Engaging Captions You Can Schedule Later – The Task: Open your notes app. Write three social media captions right now:
- One behind-the-scenes moment from your writing life
- One reader question (“Cozy mystery fans: coffee shop murder or bookstore murder?”)
- One value post (quick writing tip, trope explanation, or book recommendation)
- Save them in a “Caption Bank” document.
Why It Works: The hardest part of consistent posting isn’t posting—it’s deciding what to say at 8pm when you’re exhausted. A caption bank removes decision fatigue.
Actual Time: 15 minutes (5 min per caption)
Best For: Authors who post inconsistently because they “don’t know what to say”
3. Send One Genuine Comment to Another Author in Your Genre – The Task: Find one author in your genre who:
- Posts consistently
- Has engagement you admire
- Isn’t a massive bestseller (they’ll actually see your comment)
- Leave a thoughtful comment on their latest post. Not “Great post!” but something specific: “The way you built tension in chapter 3 without dialogue was masterful—how did you approach that?”
Why It Works: Community building is marketing. That author will check out your profile. Their engaged readers will see your comment. You’ve just introduced yourself to your ideal audience authentically.
Actual Time: 8 minutes
Best For: Authors who feel invisible in their genre community
4. Update Your Amazon Author Central with Fresh Content – The Task: Log into Author Central. Add:
- Your most recent professional photo (readers buy from people, not logos)
- Your upcoming release in the “Coming Soon” section
- One blog post from your website (yes, you can cross-post!)
- Any recent podcast interviews or features
Why It Works: Amazon is the world’s biggest bookstore. Your Author Central page is your shelf space. An updated page signals you’re an active, professional author.
Actual Time: 10-15 minutes
Best For: Indie authors and traditionally published authors who control their Author Central
5. Create One Canva Template for Book Quotes – The Task: Open Canva. Create a simple, branded template for sharing quotes from your books:
- Your brand colors
- Readable font (not scripty!)
- Space for quote + book title
- Your social handle
- Save as template. Now you can create quote graphics in 2 minutes instead of 20.
Why It Works: Quote graphics are shareable, evergreen content. One good template = unlimited future posts.
Actual Time: 15 minutes (one-time investment)
Best For: Authors with published books who want more shareable content
6. Research and Join One New Reader Community – The Task: Find ONE new place where your readers hang out:
- Genre-specific Facebook group
- Goodreads group
- Discord server
- Subreddit (r/cozymysteries, r/RomanceBooks, etc.)
- Join. Read the rules. Lurk for today. Engage tomorrow.
Why It Works: You can’t sell to readers you never meet. Joining their spaces (respectfully!) puts you in front of book buyers actively discussing what to read next.
Actual Time: 10 minutes
Best For: Authors whose existing social media audience isn’t buying books
7. Schedule ONE Email Newsletter Using Content You Already Created – The Task: Open your newsletter platform (Substack, Mailchimp, whatever you use). Write a short email using:
- A recent blog post (reformat the intro)
- A behind-the-scenes Instagram caption
- A reading recommendation for your genre
- Schedule it for this week. Done.
Why It Works: Your email list is the ONLY audience you own. Social media platforms can disappear (RIP Vine, Google+). Your newsletter can’t be algorithmed away.
Actual Time: 15 minutes (because you’re repurposing!)
Best For: Authors with email lists they’re neglecting
8. Claim Your Author Profile on ONE New Platform – The Task: Pick a platform where you don’t have a presence yet:
- Goodreads Author Program
- BookBub Author Profile
- Shepherd.com
- AllAuthor.com
- Claim your profile. Add your bio and book(s). That’s it for today.
Why It Works: Readers research authors across multiple platforms before buying. Unclaimed profiles make you look inactive or unprofessional.
Actual Time: 10-12 minutes per platform
Best For: Authors leaving money on the table by not owning their online real estate
9. Write Down 5 Content Ideas for Next Month – The Task: Open a document called “Content Ideas [Month].” Brainstorm:
- What questions do readers ask you repeatedly?
- What misconceptions about your genre frustrate you?
- What research rabbit holes did you fall down while writing?
- What books are you reading right now?
- What behind-the-scenes moments would surprise readers?
- You now have 5 social posts, blog posts, or newsletter topics.
Why It Works: Marketing consistency comes from never running out of ideas. This 15-minute brainstorm prevents three months of “I don’t know what to post” paralysis.
Actual Time: 15 minutes
Best For: Authors who post in panicked bursts then go silent for weeks
10. Audit Your Website’s “Coming Soon” or “News” Section – The Task: Visit your author website as if you’re a new reader. Does your homepage show:
- Your most recent release?
- Upcoming events or book launches?
- Active social media links?
- A working newsletter signup?
- Fix ONE outdated thing right now.
Why It Works: Your website is your digital storefront. Outdated info signals “this author isn’t active” even if you’re posting daily on social media.
Actual Time: 10 minutes (for one update)
Best For: Authors who set up their website in 2019 and haven’t touched it since
Your Assignment (Yes, Really)
Pick ONE task from this list. Set a timer for 15 minutes. Do it right now.
Don’t try to do all ten today. Don’t even try to do three. Marketing momentum comes from small, consistent actions—not from burning yourself out with a 4-hour “marketing day” once a month.
Which task are you tackling first? Drop it in the comments—I’m building a crowd-sourced list of “what actually worked” for next month’s follow-up post.
And if you want a downloadable PDF checklist of these 10 tasks plus 15 more quick wins, join my newsletter (I send practical author marketing tips every other Wednesday—no fluff, just stuff you can implement in a coffee break).
About the Author
Jolene MacFadden (L.J. Green) runs Southern Dragon Publishing Services and is a graduate student in Social Media at the University of Florida. She’s spent two decades helping authors navigate digital marketing, build websites that actually convert, and stop treating “marketing” like a four-letter word. She also writes steampunk mystery romance, so she understands the author struggle from both sides of the desk.
Reader Challenge: Take a screenshot when you complete one task and tag me—I’ll share my favorites in next week’s newsletter!
What’s your go-to quick marketing task? What would you add to this list? Let’s build this resource together in the comments.