It’s time to run through our October observances and unique author brand enhancements and content ideas for your monthly book marketing plan!
Without a regular connection to readers, you’re just another book on the shelf.
Take the time to make yourself stand out by using our monthly observances and tips to create interesting content with your own unique twist.
This is part of really refining your author brand!
Timely content that uses popular and trending search terms and hashtags is a great way to enhance your visibility and improve SEO in a very simple way.
And what’s really key: content ideas don’t always have to stem from your genre or topic.
When it comes to author marketing and building an author brand, ensuring that your fans and followers have ways to connect with you on a more personal level is as powerful as speaking about your genre and topic.
How to Use My Content Ideas
Below are holidays and just plain wacky and fun October observances for 2021.
I’ve also included a few content ideas and angles to help spark your creativity and help you wrap your mind around how to work them into your author branding.
Not all of these are worth an entire blog post or article, but nearly all of them can be turned into a fun or thought-provoking social media post or blurb in your newsletter – so it’s like getting triple the ideas!
There are always a lot of holidays around food, drink, and cooking, so get ready to share recipes or tag local fave establishments and ask followers to share theirs. The same goes for activities: this is a great chance to take selfies and/or to share a bit about yourself outside of being a writer.
These also open up opportunities for you to make recommendations for products – no, not official ads, but again, people love to follow someone who’s a great resource. Think outside the box to come up with ways you can help people out and make their lives easier or more exciting.
Keep in mind: ALL of your posts should encourage your fans and followers to respond, chime in, share their feedback, insight, stories, etc. Don’t forget to work that angle: let them know you want to hear from them!
Also remember: Your goal is to encourage engagement – never post flat content; be creative with how you pull others into the conversation and offer ways for them to easily engage.
Giving yourself a bar to reach is the first step to upping your author branding game.
Do polls, giveaways, fan art contests: remember to make it about your readers – not about you – and you’re guaranteed to see better engagement.
If you need some additional support on how to translate these ideas into actual content and posts, consider signing up for email coaching with me and we’ll get personal!
And don’t forget to grab our Monthly Book Marketing Planner from the Free Resources and Downloads section at the end of this post.
Getting Started with October Observances
Start with these month-long ideas! Several offer opportunities to support a cause close to your heart by sharing stories, raising awareness, and/or giving your followers ways to donate money, time, and love to your favorite issues.
Adopt a Shelter Dog Month
American Cheese Month
American Pharmacist Month
Apple Jack Month
Awareness Month
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Computer Learning Month
Cookie Month
Eat Country Ham Month
International Drum Month
National Diabetes Month
National Pizza Month
National Popcorn Poppin’ Month
National Vegetarian Month
Sarcastic Month
Seafood Month
October Observances by the Week
Week 1 – Get Organized Week
Week 1 – Customer Service Week
Week 1 – National Kale Day, first Wednesday of the month
Week 1 – World Smile Day, first Friday of the month
Week 2 – Columbus Day, second Monday of the month
Week 2 – National Motorcycle Ride Day, second Saturday of the month
Week 2 – Fire Prevention Week
Week 2 – Pet Peeve Week
October Observances by the Day
October 1
International Coffee Day – It doesn’t get any better than a coffee in one hand and a book in the other! Have someone snap a picture of you reading your current book de jour with your cup of joe; post it online and encourage your readers to do the same!
International Day for the Elderly
National Homemade Cookies Day
World Vegetarian Day
October 2
International Frugal Fun Day
National Custodial Worker Day
Name Your Car Day – This is a fun way to get people to participate, everyone likes to talk about themselves (for the most part) and these easy Q&As, like “what’s your car’s name?” are simple ways to get people involved with your brand.
World Card Making Day
World Farm Animals Day
October 3
National Boyfriends Day – Book boyfriends are absolutely a thing, poll your readers on who theirs are.
Oktoberfest in Germany ends
Techies Day
October 4
National Golf Day
National Frappe Day
October 5
Do Something Nice Day
World Teacher’s Day – Did you have a favorite teacher or two who inspired or encouraged your writing talent? Celebrate them with a BOGO in their honor!
October 6
Come and Take it Day
Mad Hatter Day
Physician Assistant Day
October 7
International Walk to School Day
October 8
American Touch Tag Day
World Egg Day
October 9
Curious Events Day
Fire Prevention Day
Moldy Cheese Day
October 10
International Newspaper Carrier Day
National Angel Food Cake Day – It’s a confection of heavenly delight! Which one of your book characters is most likely to love this light and airy dessert?
October 11
Indigenous People Day
Columbus Day
It’s My Party Day
October 12
Cookbook Launch Day – Cookbook authors, today is your day! Plan a special promotion or a limited-time discount and make sure everyone shares their favorite recipe.
Old Farmer’s Day
Moment of Frustration Day
National Gumbo Day
October 13
Emergency Nurses Day
International Skeptics Day
National Take Your Parents to Lunch Day
Take Your Teddy Bear to Work Day
October 14
National Dessert Day
October 16
Bosses Day
Dictionary Day – Writers are the ultimate lover of words. Post the definition of your favorite word or two and explain why it’s your favorite!
Sweetest Day
October 17
National Pasta Day
Wear Something Gaudy Day
October 18
National Meatloaf Appreciation Day
No Beard Day
October 19
Evaluate Your Life Day – Whether you are a personal growth author or not, this is a day everyone can embrace. Consider sharing with your readers a pivotal time in your life when you committed to writing and how it’s affected you. Connecting with your readers on a personal level is a great way to strengthen not just your brand, but your audience base as well.
October 20
Brandied Fruit Day
International Chefs Day
October 21
Babbling Day
Count Your Buttons Day
International Nacho Day
National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day – If you’re game for celebrating a food holiday at home ask your followers to submit recipes, then follow up with the one you chose and a pic of your creation – I’m sure a lot of fans would love to see an author they follow use their recipe!
October 22
National Nut Day
October 23
Make a Difference Day
National Mole Day
TV Talk Show Host Day
October 24
National Bologna Day
United Nations Day
October 25
International Artist Day – Who designed your book cover? Did you hire an illustrator? Today’s the day to name your book designers and thank them for the role they, too, play in the world of book publishing.
Mother-In-Law Day
Punk for a Day Day
World Opera Day
World Pasta Day
October 27
Black Cat Day
National Tell a Story Day (in Scotland and the U.K.) – While Americans mark this holiday in April, it’s the perfect opportunity for all authors to celebrate; give a shout out to your favorite storyteller and ask your readers to do the same.
Navy Day
October 28
Plush Animal Lover’s Day
October 29
Frankenstein Friday
Hermit Day
October 30
National Candy Corn Day – In a tribute to this well-known seasonal candy, embrace the colors of yellow, orange, and white on your social media!
Mischief Night
October 31
Carve a Pumpkin Day
Halloween
Increase Your Psychic Powers Day
The Takeaway
Remember, being an author demands creativity, and it also demands authenticity when developing a marketing plan to support your author brand.
Coming up with unique content ideas for authors as part of your marketing plan is a great way to take your success seriously, without taking yourself too seriously! And these October observances should really help.
Resources and Free Downloads
Monthly Book Marketing Planner
Updating Your Book Marketing Plan for Holiday Sales
How to Sell More Books on Social Media Without Burning Out Podcast
Check out the IBPA for publishing industry news
Great ideas for posts on the various ‘month’, ‘day’ and ‘week’ events. I’m definitely saving this one.
Many thanks.
Oh! a fantastic post! can you create an ebook that has such info for the whole year? I’ve been looking but can’t seem to find one.
Gin, hi-I’m glad you found this post helpful! And thanks for the ebook idea…I’m actually just finishing up my most recent book–Book to Bestseller–so it might be a bit before I start a new one! Keep your eye on our blog, though, and we’ll have similar posts to this one the Tuesday before each new month. And let me know if you ever need an extra push with your marketing efforts-I’m always happy to share my expertise.