Websites and apps can be more of a hindrance than a help when it comes to writing. But just as Pinterest can help writers, so can Instagram. Plenty of people shy away from it, pointing out that the unrealistic view of reality it promotes isn’t exactly healthy. But the same can be said of everything in the media – it all depends how and why you use it. Here are three ways you can turn a potential time-suck into time well spent.
1) Get inspired
Ignore overly airbrushed ‘influencers’ and look for feeds that inspire you. These could be from fellow creators like artists, designers, and photographers. Or these could be collections of stimulating imagery from nature, architecture, interiors etc. If you do nothing else with Instagram, I definitely recommend doing this and immerse yourself in the online creative community.
2) Build your network
Social media is all about being, well, social. These days any writer needs a network, and just like Facebook and Twitter, you can follow fellow writers on Instagram to help build yours. It’s not about boosting sales or marketing (although it could help with that). It’s simply a great way to find new work and widen your connections to fellow writers. Take time to comment on posts and interact with other authors.
3) Give yourself a publicity boost
More than one writer has become ‘Insta-famous’, and although there are people who sneer at this it doesn’t necessarily make them any less talented. After all the same has been said of e-book authors and writers who shared their work on blogs, or Wattpad. The ‘Insta-poets’ have been especially successful, which isn’t surprising given the single image format lends itself to short, punchy work. It may not be the best place to share your fantasy epic, but why not try sharing some shorter pieces or any writing-related musings.
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Want to know what I write? Find out more about my books
Wordland 
I’m definitely using instagram to build my network – I don’t particularly care to have a bookstagram but I craft the images because it builds a following that I can use to eventually promote my published book to.
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Sounds great – I’ll have to check it out.
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