Claire E. Jones

(See more about my insights here and here.)

The 1st video will go over how to find, maintain, & grow visibility as an author. What works, what doesn't, & what is suited for your unique approach.

The 2nd video will go over branding - the subconscious value signals that indicate to someone that they might vibe w/what you're all about.

The 3rd video will go over the different success paths & how to plan every step strategically. Are you doing it for money, impact, ego, or fun? Or some combo of those four?

.... Or should I say "The Wild East"???

If you've been following along, you know that I've been running some social media experiments since the week of January 13th since the TikTok ban was looming on the horizon and Zuck decided to go full-blown evil (see my newsletter from the 21st for more details).

I officially dubbed it the Survival of the Funnest 2025 SM Challenge and downloaded Bluesky, Lemon8, Red Note, and Tumblr while also going on a FB/IG hiatus. I have posted the same content on all platforms with minor variations in format depending on the cultural norms for the apps (i.e. more text & images on Tumblr & Bluesky, more videos on Red Note & Lemon8).

Here are the results so far:

On Bluesky, I began posting on January 8th and so far have amassed 42 followers with 40 posts total. I get around 1 to 11 engagements (likes, comments, & reposts) per post and the most popular post so far was an anti-billionaire screenshot from someone's twitter post in 2021. Anecdotally, I would say that the quality of engagement is higher on this platform due to the percentage of authors & writers that have been participating in conversations on my posts.

On Lemon8, I began posting on January 13th and have so far amassed 220 followers with 14 posts total. I get around 1 to 2 engagements (likes) per post and the most popular post was about my 5-star reads of 2024. I have since deleted the app, however, because I received absolutely no engagement between 1/21-1/30. Not worth the effort in my opinion.

On Red Note, I began posting on January 13th and have so far amassed 174 followers with 22 posts total. I get around 1 to 3,334 engagements (likes, comments, & collects) per post and the most popular post was the same anti-billionaire twitter post that did well on Bluesky. It is still racking up likes, comments, collects, & views (it's currently sitting at 13,975 views) so I consider it a viral post and it has been a huge contributor to my follower count. However, I wouldn't say that the quality of growth is low since anti-capitalism and anti-billionaire rhetoric has been part of my brand voice for a while now. The visibility gained has actually aligned quite nicely with my existing follower base.

On Tumblr, I had actually made a brand-focused Tumblr account a while ago and my first post was on October 9, 2023. However, I did not post anything between 10/27/23-1/13/25. So far, I have amassed 10 followers with 18 posts total and get around 1 to 24 engagements (likes, comments, & reblogs) per post. The most popular post was about my Writers Get Shit Done sessions. While I do really enjoy Tumblr for personal social media consumption, I'm still on the fence about whether it's worth the time & effort for brand content. The numbers aren't great on paper, but I have noticed that some of the Tumblr audience has followed me to some of my other platforms so it's not not effective as an entry point for my audience funnel. I may focus exclusively on Self Pub and Writer Support Advice content moving forward instead of spending time on all topics.

Grab your intentions by the horns with this week's First Quarter Moon in Taurus 🐂

Be stubborn, be patient, but also make it comfy cozy.

I recently commented this on someone else's post about dnf'ing TOG and it got a lot of attention so I thought I'd expand on it a bit...

(And this criticism is outside of the author's biases that show up in her writing. That's a whole different conversation.)

The main reason I dnf'd TOG is because the FMC's emotional arc is never completed or progressed forward, just repeated over and over until it gets as stale as hard tack.

And this is an issue that I see in her other series as well, like Crescent City.

By CC3, I grew tired of the FMC's emotional plot points and found myself much more interested in the side characters even though she didn't spend all that much time on them.

Additionally, I don't think she does multi POV well.

It is difficult for writers to create emotional bonding for every character when they include more than 3 (maybe 4) POVs in one book…

I saw this is CC3 but also notably in Claire Legrand's Furyborn series (as well as many others I'm not naming).

I've been skipping my Moon Phase Mondays in the last couple weeks because there's been so much going on, but this week's phase is HELLA relevant.

We are going to be seeing a New Moon in Aquarius on Wednesday this week as well as two retrogrades (Mars & Jupiter).

We also just entered Aquarius season on the 20th (man, so much happened that day) and we will be switching from Yule to Imbolc this coming Saturday.

New Moons are the time to set your intentions for this lunar cycle, which are the four(ish) weeks that stretch from New Moon to New Moon.

We always see the New Moon first, then the First Quarter, Full, and Last Quarter before moving into the next lunar cycle with another New Moon.

So, in those four weeks(ish) of this lunar cycle, what do you want to accomplish?

Those are the intentions that we are setting with this New Moon in Aquarius.

And Aquarius is a very interesting sign to be experiencing given the current state of the world...

It is the humanitarian. The forward-thinking eccentric weirdo who says shit just to be shocking.

They are original and innovative, and they have an affinity with technology.

They are most concerned about the forward progression of humanity as we learn, do, and accomplish more.

The Aquarians like to shock people into moving forward.

AND we've also entered the realm of the Age of Aquarius as well as Pluto in Aquarius.

Each Age lasts for roughly 2150 years and the Age of Aquarius began when the Sun moved into the sign on the spring equinox (in the northern hemisphere).

Pluto, however, moves signs every 23(ish) years and switched to Aquarius in 2023. This planet is considered the generation maker and breaker. It is a heavy hitter as the biggest planet in the solar system.

Moral of the story, there is a TON of intense Aquarius energy going on right now.

And Aquarians love revolution.

Last time Pluto was in Aquarius was 1777 to 1798, do you remember what was happening during that time?

The French Revolution.

The American Revolution.

Massive scientific breakthroughs like discovering photosynthesis.

Pivotal inventions like the bicycle, hot air balloons, flushing toilets, bifocals, and submarines.

So use the Aquarians focus on forward momentum as we go through this New Moon this week.

And we're also getting a dose of youthfulness and regeneration with Imbolc starting on Saturday.

Imbolc is known as the celebration that occurs when winter is on its way out. In Europe, there are many traditions where people rejoiced when the first flowers (typically crocuses) popped out of the snow cover. They're a sign that winter will be over soon.

With this New Moon energy in Aquarius, how can you be the crocus that pops out of the snow?

How can you be a sign of change? Of forward momentum and progression?

That's the question to ask yourself as you set your intentions.

It immediately made me think of this painting of Liberte leading the people in the French Revolution (I just added a bit of text to make it more salient):

We looking for things to do??

Do you know what the most common form of protest and self-expression has been over the millenia?

Art.

Creativity.

The written word.

THERE'S A REASON WHY THEY SACK THE LIBRARIES FIRST!!!

Go write that book, boo.

I personally am getting a lot of catharsis out of writing book four at the moment because the main character is a perfect vehicle for the anti-capitalist manifestos that are pouring out of me right now.

If that's what takes us authors down, then at least we'll be surrounded by our community.

Yes, this is the hill I will die on.

If you are looking for support, advice, guidance, answers, whatever in writing that book and getting it out into the world...

That's what I'm here for.

That's why I have my Writers Get Shit Done Sessions.

That's why I give out freebies.

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon??

Dark Shore by Danielle L. Jensen??

Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan??

Then you'll probably like my Threads of Destiny series!!

It's got the complex world building + diverse character cast that The Priory of the Orange Tree does…

The tangible impact + influence of the gods that Dark Shores does…

And the beautiful cultural elements that Daughter of the Moon Goddess does…

PLUS a 3/5 spice level 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Readers have also been comparing it to Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Caribbean, + Avatar the Last Airbender...

Then I'll add you to the subchannels and we'll be meeting in the #getshitdone subchannel.

I strongly believe there's no such thing as a stupid question, so bring all your inquiries about the writing, publishing, and/or selling process.

To give you an idea of the answers I can provide...

I have written and published a book a year since 2022 and am in the middle of writing #4 out of an 8-book queer fantasy romance series.

The series, so far, has sold in six countries, been picked up by bookstores across the US, and ranked in the top 100 of the Ingram Fiction Fantasy Romance category.

☝️☝️☝️ These are the FAQ I get every single week..

So in 2025, I've created a safe space where everyone can come together to get the answers they need.

On the third Saturday of every month (starting on January 18th), join us in my Readers & Writers Community to learn my system for writing & publishing a book a year!

My criteria for a 5 star read are pretty simple:

(1) did it make me think?

(2) did it make me cry?

(3) did it make me laugh?

(4) did it turn me on?

With that in mind, here are my top 2024 reads...

Extremely Online by Taylor Lorenz

If you have any interest in making a name for yourself online or on social media, pick up this book.

The Shadows (BDB 13) by JR Ward

JR has me in a chokehold, I can't even lie.

Tales of a Celestial Kingdom (The Celestial Kingdom 2.5) by Sue Lynn Tan

This series was a big inspiration for my novels. *chef's kiss*

Magic… the Simply Truth by Sylvia Bennett

An existential orgasm, completely blew my mind.

Creativity by John Cleese

If you think you may be a creative, this is a short read but packs a punch.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno Garcia

I love everything she writes. Give me more!

Portrait of a Scotsman by Evie Dunmore

Perfection. No notes.

Restless Stars (ZA 9) by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti