8 TikTok slideshow ideas for a self published author
Photo slideshows are the lowest-effort format that still reaches aspiring and current self-published authors on TikTok. Each idea below is a first-slide hook in the native style; build 5 or 6 slides behind it that tell one small story.
- 01pov: you finally found your next 5-star read
- 02me realizing my book has a typo after 100 copies sold
- 03confession: i spent $200 on ads and made $12 back
- 04before/after: my rejection letters vs. my book launch
- 05the marketing tactic nobody tells self-published authors
- 06how i wrote a book while working two jobs
- 07stop scrolling if you love happy endings
- 08the real reason my book went viral (hint: not luck)
How to turn these into posts that convert
Post 4-6 slide carousels 5 times a week, focusing on one book per mini-series. Angles: behind-the-scenes writing process, biggest marketing fails, or a transformation from draft to launch. Avoid sounding salesy; instead, invite the audience into your journey. Use a cliffhanger on the last slide to encourage swipe for the conclusion or a link in bio.
Timing: Post at 7pm your target audience's timezone on weekdays, when readers unwind and browse for next book.
For the full strategy (what to avoid, why this works for aspiring and current self-published authors), read TikTok marketing for a self published author.
What finished slideshows look like
ShortGen does all of this for your self published author. Automatically.
It writes the slideshows, designs the slides, posts them to your TikTok on schedule, and learns from every view so next week's posts beat this week's. You only approve.