Monster Romance Fan Communities: Where to Find Your People
A Biased Report on the State of the Bookish Social Media Landscape
If Romance readers read anything here, let it be this. The best way to find out where your favorite books are being talked about on the Internet is to look in those books where authors list where they can be found. Authors want to be found.
The rest of this missive discusses the state of social media platforms where those authors (and influencers talking about them!) may want to be found. I list every platforms strengths and weaknesses so you, the reader, and be more informed about where you might want to spend time. But, of course, YMMV.
(And, yes, I included TikTok.)
Facebook
Strengths:
Strong community engagement through Facebook Groups where readers can discuss books, share recommendations, and interact with authors.
Established platform with widespread use across age groups, including many romance fans.
Great for events like book launches, live Q&A sessions, and group promotions.
Weaknesses:
Algorithm can limit organic reach for posts unless boosted via ads.
Older demographic, with younger readers gravitating toward newer platforms.
Part of Meta’s growing monopoly, which makes its governance dependent on the wishes of Mark Zuckerberg.
Notable Authors/Influencers:
Regine’s Rebels – Regine Abel’s abode and frequent destination for firetnlooks and big announcemens.
Finley Fenn’s Readers’ Den – Actively monderated and visited by Finley and her personal assistant. Look for announcements and engaged book discussions.
Ruby Dixon - Blue Barbarian Babes – A centralized hub of Ruby Dixon super fans.
Romance-focused influencers and bloggers often run Facebook groups dedicated to indie and self-published romance.
Mastodon (via various independent servers)
Strengths:
Community-focused with less commercial interference, ideal for niche genres like paranormal and monster romance.
Privacy-focused with no ads or algorithms controlling visibility.
Discoverable communities through hashtags like #romancebooks and #monsterromance
Weaknesses:
Fragmented ecosystem due to multiple servers, which can make finding relevant groups or discussions difficult.
Learning curve for new users unfamiliar with decentralized platforms.
Lower user base compared to larger platforms, leading to slower content virality.
Notable Authors/Influencers:
Indie authors in niche genres are experimenting with Mastodon, though it is still emerging for self-published communities.
Indie Authors News (https://indieauthors.social/@indieauthornews)
Twitter/X
I am making the conscience acknowledgement that this is not a serious platform for discussing the future of the Romance genre. The future of Romance is colorful, authentic, and celebratory of the many ways people express sincere, romantic love. This ain’t that.
Instagram
Strengths:
Visual platform ideal for book aesthetics, book covers, and promotional graphics.
Engaging through posts, stories, reels, and IG Live for author-reader interactions.
Hashtags (#RomanceBooks, #ParanormalRomance) help discoverability within niche romance communities.
Weaknesses:
Algorithm-driven, meaning content may not always reach all followers.
Emphasis on high-quality visuals may be daunting for indie authors with limited resources.
Part of Meta’s growing monopoly, which makes its governance dependent on the wishes of Mark Zuckerberg.
Notable Authors/Influencers:
Unfortunate Reads – Popular with monster romance and paranormal romance fans and often engages with readers on bookish topics. (https://www.instagram.com/unfortunate.reads?igsh=MTV2Njh4dWRoYzNhYw==)
Sarah J. Maas – Popular in the fantasy-romance community. (https://www.instagram.com/sarahjmaas?igsh=MWtmZWc2dGN1eWdwZA==)
Romantically Inclined – Influencer focused on promoting romance across genres including monster romance. (https://www.instagram.com/romantically_inclined?igsh=c3VobnhhcjhyNnE2)
Discord
Strengths:
Interactive community spaces where readers and authors can chat in real-time, organize book clubs, and share media.
Excellent for hosting exclusive author channels, discussions, and live events.
Strong niche communities, especially for specific subgenres like paranormal and monster romance.
Weaknesses:
Can be overwhelming for new users due to the number of channels and notifications.
Requires a more tech-savvy user base to fully participate.
Less discoverable than other platforms like Instagram or TikTok. Often found on places like Facebook groups, Indtagram, email newsletters, and books.
Substack
Strengths:
Allows authors to publish long-form content, newsletters, and serialized stories.
Readers can subscribe to newsletters, providing a direct link for indie authors to reach their audience.
Great for building a loyal, opt-in readership for indie and self-published authors.
Weaknesses:
Requires consistent content production to maintain subscriber base.
Discoverability can be difficult without external promotion.
Heavy reliance on email subscriptions.
Notable Authors/Influencers:
Me! Hi! You’re here!
Ashely Bennett – Author of monster and paranormal romance (https://substack.com/@ashleybennettauthor)
M.L. Eaden – Author of queer urban fantasy
Patreon
Strengths:
Directly supports creators with a monetization model built for fans to pay for exclusive content.
Strong community-building potential, as subscribers can engage through exclusive posts, early access, and interactive chats.
Can serve as a major income stream for indie authors and creators.
Weaknesses:
Requires dedicated fans to make significant income, making it difficult for new authors to start strong.
Requires consistent, exclusive content for paying subscribers to keep them engaged.
Often a "paywall" mentality can limit open access to content.
Notable Authors/Influencers:
Lyonne Riley – Posts her spicy commissions and serializes many upcoming books for patrons. (https://www.patreon.com/c/LyonneRiley/)
Becca Syme – Thought leader on sustainable writing practices in the modern day. Posts about her virtual and in person events along with bonus content for her books. (https://patreon.com/beccasyme)
C. M. Nascosta – Provides early access to her monster romance books and additional perks. (https://www.patreon.com/c/Monster_Bait)
Bluesky
Strengths:
Emerging platform with decentralized features similar to Mastodon.
Potential for niche communities like paranormal romance and monster romance.
Less restrictive than traditional platforms and more privacy-oriented.
Weaknesses:
Still in its infancy, with fewer users and limited bookish communities.
New users may struggle to build an audience quickly.
The platform is still working through bugs and refinement.
Notable Authors/Influencers:
Bluesky is still growing in the indie/self-published romance space, and no major authors have fully committed to using it for book promotion yet.
Tumblr
Strengths:
Great for niche communities, especially for fantasy, paranormal, and monster romance fans. Has historically been a proving ground for authors like Lyonne Riley and C. M. Nascosta.
Allows for image-heavy posts, ideal for aesthetics, fan art, and book covers.
Highly customizable with tags to find specific sub-genres or book discussions.
Weaknesses:
Older audience compared to platforms like TikTok or Instagram.
Less interactive than newer platforms, focusing more on passive consumption.
The user base is smaller compared to others.
Notable Authors/Influencers:
Focus on hashtags like #monsterromance or #monsterboyfriend
TikTok
Strengths:
Highly interactive, with readers and authors making short, creative video content.
Explosive viral potential for book-related content, making it easier for unknown authors to reach new audiences.
Great for quick, visually engaging book reviews, teasers, and challenges.
Weaknesses:
Placed in a difficult to predict and trust position with the American government. Its existence in the US is largely dependent on the will of the American president.
Fast-paced content that might not allow deep engagement or long-term discussions.
Requires creative video production skills, which may be challenging for some authors.
Notable Authors/Influencers:
Colleen Hoover – Known for her dominance in romance on TikTok.
Lillian Lark – Frequently engages with readers, especially those into monster and paranormal romance.
YouTube
Strengths:
Long-form video content allows for in-depth author interviews, book reviews, and community building.
High engagement potential with readers through live streams and comments.
Weaknesses:
Requires consistent video production, which can be time-consuming.
Finding the right niche audience can take time.
Notable Indie/Author/Influencers:
Jess Owens (Book Reviewer with Romance and Fantasy Focus): https://www.youtube.com/@JessOwens
Elliot Brooks (Book Reviewer with Fantasy Focus): https://www.youtube.com/@ebnovels
Housekeeping
For more information about this newsletter’s spice and star system, check out this newsletter’s About Me page.