Confessions of a Reluctant Influencer (with 52 Followers and a Dream)

I never thought I’d speak on the internet. In English. With my real voice. And yet, here I am – a YA author pretending to have one million followers while my dog licks my face mid-shot.

This is not the dystopian future I imagined. And yet, it kind of is.

When I started writing The Last Girl on Earth, I pictured readers gasping at plot twists, shipping enemies-to-lovers arcs, and crying over my Shakespearean betrayals. What I didn’t picture was me, half in pajamas, lying on the floor, recording a TikTok and hoping no one notices my accent.

The Awkward Birth of a Social Media Strategy

I spent weeks researching viral content before posting a single video. Seventeen TikTok templates, hours of trend analysis, and countless videos of other authors confidently pointing at floating text bubbles. I thought: Surely I can do this too.

Spoiler: I could not.

My first take? A disaster. I stared at my camera like it had personally insulted me. I forgot my own script. My dog Miss Monroe barked every time I hit record. At one point, I gestured so dramatically I gave myself a cramp.

And yes, I speak in my videos. I use a teleprompter sometimes, especially when I want to sound like I’ve got it together. But when I tell stories – the real ones, the messy ones – I go freestyle. Accent and all. Because I figured if I wait for perfection, I’ll never post anything.

And still, I posted. With exactly 52 followers.

The 28-Day Challenge That Made Me Question Everything

So I launched my very own experiment: the 28-Day “Fake It Till You Viral” Challenge.

Each day, I pretend I already have one million followers. I show up like the bestselling author version of myself. I record writing tips, dramatic teasers, behind-the-scenes clips, and motivational videos about the chaos of storytelling.

One day, I talk about Leo Sinclair vs. the world. The next, I unveil Eve as an action figure: buzzcut, attitude, and tagline included. Sometimes I get five views. Sometimes ten. Once, a stranger commented, “You’re weird. I like it.”

Reader, I cried.

Not because I was offended. But because finally, someone got it.

And just recently, another person said: “What made me stop watching this video? Definitely your funny opening and the cadence of your voice 😂💜” — and I swear, that gave me enough serotonin to edit three more chapters and plan two more videos.

Why I’m Doing This Anyway

Look, I’m not here for fame. I’m here for the reader who scrolls past the noise and thinks, Wait… this story sounds like it was written for me.

I’m here for the girls who always wanted to be the hero. For the writers secretly working on their own epic. For the community that hasn’t found each other yet.

And if I have to post daily videos, write with a teleprompter, or get interrupted by Miss Monroe’s squeaky toy to make it happen? So be it.

What’s Next for My 84-Follower Revolution

Yes, I’m up to 84 followers now. Miss Monroe, however, has 507. But I get it. She’s way cuter.

Either way, I’ll keep showing up. For the girl who wasn’t supposed to survive. And the writer who almost didn’t write her story – or post on the web.

Because stories deserve to be told. And sometimes, they start with a TikTok.