Writing a book is hard. Marketing a book is also hard. And the idea that you have to constantly churn out fresh, original content on top of everything else? Exhausting.
But here’s the good news: We don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time we want to promote our books. In fact, we shouldn’t. Repurposing content—taking what we’ve already created and using it in new ways—is one of the smartest, most efficient ways to market without burning out.
If you’ve never heard the term “repurposing content” before, don’t worry. It’s not complicated.
Repurposing content is the art of taking something you’ve already created and presenting it in a fresh way for a new audience, a different format, or another platform.
For example:
A blog post can become a Twitter thread, an Instagram carousel, or a YouTube script.
A book excerpt can become a social media teaser, a newsletter feature, or an audiobook sample.
A live event can be turned into a transcript, a podcast episode, or a set of short video clips.
This isn’t just about saving time, though it definitely does that. It’s about getting the most impact out of every piece of content we create.
Instead of constantly coming up with new things to post, we can strategically use what we already have, and reach more people in the process.
One of the biggest fears authors have about repurposing content is that it might feel redundant to their audience.
While there is a small chance of that happening, it’s unlikely—at least if you are repurposing content intentionally. Here’s why:
Not everyone sees everything we post. Thanks to algorithms, people miss content all the time. What feels repetitive to us might be the first time someone else is seeing it.
People need repetition to remember things. Marketing is about consistency. It’s why brands repeat the same slogans over and over. Readers need to see your book multiple times before they commit.
The same content can be valuable in different formats. Some people love blogs. Some prefer videos. Some scroll Instagram but never check Twitter. Adapting your content for different formats makes it more accessible.
The trick to repurposing content well is tweaking it slightly each time. We don’t want to copy-paste; we want to reframe the same idea to fit different formats and audiences.
Ways to Repurpose Your Existing Content
Now that we’ve covered the why, let’s get into the how. Here are some easy ways to repurpose your content for maximum impact:
Turn Blog Posts into Social Media Content
If you have a blog post (or even a long newsletter), break it down into smaller bite-sized pieces for social media. For example:
Twitter/X Thread: Summarize the key points in a thread. Each tweet can be one important takeaway.
Instagram Carousel: Take the main points and turn them into a slide-by-slide explainer with visuals.
LinkedIn Post: Share a condensed version of the blog post as a text-based post.
Facebook Post: Post an excerpt from the blog along with a call-to-action (CTA) to read the rest.
Turn Book Content into Marketing Content
You already have a whole book of content—why not use it?
A few methods:
Pull quotes: Share compelling lines from your book as text graphics.
Post excerpts: Share an intriguing snippet of dialogue or a scene that sets the tone.
Behind-the-scenes insights: Share a story about why you wrote a particular chapter or how you developed a character.
You can also use book content for blog topics. If you wrote a sci-fi novel about deep-space exploration, write a blog about real space travel inspiration. If your book is about a haunted house, write a post about creepy abandoned places.
Repurpose Your Newsletter
Your newsletter is gold for repurposing because it’s content your most engaged readers already love. I do this with every newsletter—repost to my blog, make reels sometimes, or share it on social media.
Turn your newsletter into a blog post. If you shared a personal story, expand it into a full post.
Use newsletter content for social media. Pull a key quote and turn it into a post.
Make a video or audio version. Record yourself reading an interesting newsletter topic and post it as a podcast or TikTok.
If your newsletter included a funny anecdote about your writing process, post it on Instagram with a photo of your writing space.
If you gave book recommendations, turn them into a “Top 5 Books I Loved This Month” blog post.
Repurpose Live Events or Interviews
If you’ve ever done a podcast interview, live reading, or Q&A, that content shouldn’t disappear after one use.
Clip it into shorter videos. Take key moments and post them on TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube Shorts.
Transcribe the best moments. Use the transcript as a blog post or Twitter thread.
Create quote graphics. Pull a great line you said and turn it into a visual post.
The Key to Repurposing Content Without Burnout
The biggest mistake authors make when marketing is thinking they have to start from scratch every time. But if you use what you already have, you can save time, energy, and brainpower, simply by redistributing those same ideas in new and interesting ways.
This can help you save your time and energy for writing books, not coming up with new marketing content—and maybe even prevent burnout along the way.
A few strategies to help keep things manageable:
§ Keep a “content bank.” Save snippets, quotes, or ideas from your work so you can reuse them later.
§ Batch your content. Repurpose in bulk—write a blog, then immediately schedule related social posts.
§ Make a content template. Have a go-to format for blog-to-social conversions so it’s easier to reuse content quickly.
Work Smarter, Not Harder
Marketing doesn’t have to be a constant grind of coming up with new ideas. You’re already creating valuable content—you just need to get the most impact out of it.
So the next time you’re feeling overwhelmed by marketing, take a step back and ask:
"Have I already created something I can repurpose?"
Chances are, the answer is yes.
And if big brands can recycle content, so can you.
