There are numerous websites and forums where you can post your writing for free, but you have to be aware of the different risks and responsibilities that come with posting online. Depending on your genre and target audience, there are several different platforms that may be better suited to your work than others.
The world’s largest social media network now allows you to post and express yourself creatively through writing and drawing. While the ability to connect with others across the world is a great outlet for self-expression, it’s not always the best place to post your work. For writers, you may encounter some challenges with Facebook’s “Community Standards” regarding the posting of content. In particular, while you can post about almost anything, you may find that certain themes and topics tend to be “restricted” on the site. For example, if you’re a fashion writer and you have a post about the latest trends in fashion, you may find that Facebook does not allow you to post about your favorite designer’s or fashion magazine’s annual shoe or bag models, as these are likely to be considered “shiny object” posts (i.e., posts that focus on items such as shoes and handbags that are considered too self-referential and tend to be popular at the moment of posting, rather than as a long-term investment).
Although the platform can be a valuable tool for writers and other content creators, always remember: your audience is on Facebook, your friends and family. Keep this in mind when creating content for online distribution.
The world’s second-largest social media network allows you to post and briefly express yourself through short, frequent bursts of text called “tweets.” Like Facebook, Twitter has guidelines that you must follow if you want to make sure your content is appropriate for all audiences.
Like its larger counterpart, you cannot post everything you want to say on Twitter. You have a 280-character limit that you must respect. This means you cannot post lengthy articles or lengthy quotes, and you must keep your posts relatively brief.
Keeping these boundaries in mind will help you avoid any unnecessary controversy and ensure your tweets are always interesting and engaging. Because of its short nature, Twitter is often ideal for quick-fire pitches, short stories, and other content that is more like a blog post than a traditional piece of writing.
As with any social media platform, there are dangers and liabilities that you need to be aware of. One of the biggest issues with Twitter is its “sensitive content” policy. Just like Facebook, Twitter has a content policy that states that it will remove any content that is “hateful, abusive, or threatening”. Like many other sites, Twitter’s definition of “hateful” is fairly open-ended, and can basically be construed as content that is critical of, or in any way disparaging to, a protected group (i.e., race, ethnicity, religious identity, etc.).
For example, if you are a journalist and you cover stories about the LGBTQ community, your Twitter account could be flagged for expressing negative opinions about the community, potentially placing your account on the “restricted” list.
Instagram, the world’s third-largest social media network, is often touted as the “Pinterest of photos.” While the idea behind Instagram is simply to share your best work with the world, you have to be mindful of the content you post on the site, as it may appear elsewhere online.
If you want to post something on Instagram that will appear in a different format (i.e., in print) you need to make sure that the rights to that content have been transferred to you. This is sometimes quite a hassle, and can become even more complicated if you are the original copyright holder and have not been contacted by the publisher or other third parties wanting to make the content available in print.
This is another example of why it’s important to be mindful of your audience when posting on social media. Who is your audience? Is it your friends and family, your followers, or a mix of the two?
In some cases, especially if you’re posting on a public account, your friends and family may see your content before it’s been approved by an editor or publisher. If you want to be sure that your content will only be seen by those you intend it to, you should leave the option to “Viewers of this content will not be able to see any of your other content” selected. This ensures that people will only see your content in the form you intend, preventing any embarrassing mistakes or incidents. While this may seem like a cumbersome option, it’s important to remember that if you don’t have the option to hide this content from your followers, they may potentially see it and have access to your other posts, potentially exposing you to lawsuits or damaging your reputation.
LinkedIn, the world’s fourth-largest social media network, allows you to post and briefly express yourself through articles that are more like press releases than traditional writing. Just remember: whatever you post on LinkedIn can be found and republished by other websites and publications, so be careful what you put out.
Although LinkedIn allows you to post any type of content you want, you have to be careful about what you say. Just like with any other platform, you run the risk of your content being misinterpreted if you post something without thinking first.
Just like with Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, the issue of “sensitive content” applies to LinkedIn as well. If you are posting anything about a brand, product, or service, ensure that it is not disparaging or offensive in any way.
Always remember: you’re posting this content on a professional network designed for connecting individuals with similar interests. So, while it’s great that you can post about your new Netflix show or the best shoes you’ve ever bought, you may find that some of your colleagues have different priorities and would rather focus on work-related issues.
Blogger
Last but not least, we have the humble blog. Blogger, the popular and free blog hosting platform, now allows you to post and create content with very little effort. The biggest selling point of blogger is that it’s incredibly simple to use. Launching a blog with blogger is comparable to launching a blog with WordPress or Tumblr. The simplicity of the platform makes it a popular option for individuals looking for a quick and easy way to post content online.
Although you can use most any blogging platform with blogger, the most popular options are WordPress and Tumblr. If you choose WordPress, you can use the versatile Google-hosted WordPress.com to create a professional-looking blog in no time at all. If you want to save some money, you can also opt for the free WordPress.org. While Tumblr lets you create and share short-form content and videos, it can also be used to post longer-form articles and blog posts just like WordPress.
Which One Should You Use?
Now, you might be thinking that the above options are all very useful, and you’d likely be right. The different platforms and services above each have their own unique perks that you may find valuable. If you’re a traditional writer who needs a publishing platform or you want to quickly and easily dip your toe in the water and try out blogging, then blogger is the simplest and most reliable platform to do so on.
If you’re looking for an all-purpose social media platform that can be used for creative writing and blogging, then you should look into Twitter. With its short-form content and open platform, you can put out a fun tweet about something you’ve seen or done, and you may just have a chance at having your work published online.
Instagram and LinkedIn are great places to connect and share with others, while Facebook and TikTok can be used for creative writing and short-form content.
Which one you use depends on your needs. Just remember, if you are looking for a reliable option that is highly vetted by reputable companies, then you should look into publishing platforms such as HubSpot or Growthoid.