Alignment is kind of a buzzword right now. (But that’s not a bad thing. Keep reading to find out why.)

You’ve probably seen a ton of “experts” use it. You’ve maybe even heard them say you need it. And honestly, you do need it, especially as an author.

But what does it mean to be “aligned” — especially on social media, where you probably spend a lot of your time as an author? And why does it even matter when all you want to do is write and sell books?

Let’s break it down.

Live Authentically

Being aligned simply means you’re living your life authentically, as your truest self. Easier said than done, I know! So I’ll go over some tips on how to do it below.

Ever struggle with staying consistent on Instagram?

Maybe you don’t know what to post.

Maybe you have some ideas, but you’re not sure how to put it into a plan.

Or maybe you’re stuck in the planning phase and you struggle with actually creating the content and getting it posted.

I was the same way. Until January of this year (yes, just two months ago), I didn’t plan ANYTHING. Everything you saw on my IG was basically last-minute. Which meant that it was sporadic at best.

I knew if I wanted to level up and really start taking my social media author presence seriously, I needed to start planning.

And, at first, it was PAINFUL.

But I’ve learned so much, tried so much more, and I’m starting to find out what works for me.

And what works is having a simple plan to GET THINGS DONE.

Enter the Instagram Planning Calendar.

Last year, way back before my first book launch (was that just last year??), I wrote a guest post on Shayla Raquel’s blog all about Instagram. I talked about how authors can use Instagram to market themselves before they even have a book out.

I’d heard a lot about “building your platform,” but no one seemed to have good, practical advice. And the advice I could find led me to believe that I had to take pictures of me holding my book and fill my Instagram feed with it. What else would a writer talk about, right?

WRONG. Writers have so much more to say!

But Instagram kept coming up on my radar. So, naturally, I wanted to dive in and learn all I could.

So I did.

I quit my job today.

Today’s not the day I drafted up a letter, asked to meet with my boss, and handed in my resignation. I did that weeks ago. No, today’s the day I’m done.

My last day at my day job.

As I write this way too early in the morning, since it’s becoming apparent that on the days of my big life events I can’t seem to stay asleep, I’m filled with a mix of emotions. I have a knot in my stomach, but kind of in a good way, you know? My body is thrumming, buzzing, my nervous system keyed up for what I know is coming today. And yes, there will probably be tears.

I’m nervous, excited, anxious, happy, nostalgic, ready, TERRIFIED.

What if I fail? What if I succeed? What if I can’t make the entrepreneur life work? What if I’m not cut out for this?

But what if I am?