The Sad Rich Girl's Guide to TikTok for Writers
How Sanibel Lazar built a platform with "elevated brain rot"
Hi Bleeders!
TikTok might seem like an intimidating place to grow your writing career, but for Sanibel Lazar, it’s become an unexpected launchpad (fingers crossed it doesn’t get banned!). With 14K+ followers and a knack for tackling complex themes like wealth, privilege, and class in a way that’s sharp, snappy, and just a little rage bait-y, Sanibel has carved out a unique corner of the internet without turning her content into an endless ad for her book To Have and Have More.
In this Q&A, Sanibel spills the tea on how she got started on TikTok, why she targets non-readers (yes, you read that right), and the lessons she’s learned about what actually works on the platform. She also shares secrets on branding, book promotion, and building your audience. Whether you're a writer curious about TikTok or just looking for a fresh perspective on marketing your work, you’re going to want to read this.
Spoiler alert: Sanibel’s advice is all about playing the long game and finding your audience—the “right” followers who’ll stick around for the journey, not just the clickbait. It’s an approach that works no matter which platform you choose to set up shop.
So let’s go behind the scenes of Sanibel’s winning TikTok strategy!
TikTok for Writers Q&A with Sanibel Lazar
How would you describe the vibe and themes of your TikTok content? How do you “brand” yourself?
SL: The themes of To Have and Have More (my book) dictate my TikTok content, so privilege, class, wealth, and race dominate. For my personal brand, I’ve stuck to a simple “cultural commentator” voice (it’s not as if I’m affecting a Paris Hilton persona.) Ideally, I’d like to be a Sofia Coppola-type of artist where my work circles around Sad Rich Girls, but I don’t necessarily have to bill myself as one of my own characters.
When and why did you start using TikTok to promote your writing?
SL: I started making TikToks in May 2024 because I was apprehensive about how the marketing plan/timeline was shaking out. Many scheduled milestones were missed by months, and the plan was not being revised, so I needed to do something that I could control.
Who’s your target audience on TikTok? (Age group, reading preferences, genres, etc.) Does that match your current audience?
SL: My target audience on TikTok is people who don’t read—people who will not ever see publishing marketing efforts (Goodreads campaigns, etc.) because they’re not part of the reader demographic. I figure, what’s the point of addressing an audience that traditional marketing methods are already attacking? I think I’ve been moderately successful in reaching the audience I’m after because I’ve seen a number of positive “wow the algorithm really missed but i like this” comments, and that speaks to people being skeptical of my content at first but ultimately sticking around.
How is your TikTok content differentiated from other authors in your niche? Is that something you even think about?
SL: I’ve found that most authors’ content is essentially ads for their books, so I’ve differentiated myself through the simple act of not making ads for To Have and Have More. Another author content trend I don’t partake in is “literary life” videos (day in my life as a writer, what I’m reading), and the next question explains why I avoid that. I’m not trying to be different for the sake of being different—I just see that (most of the time) ads for your own book don’t work.
What’s your content strategy? Including: What kinds of videos do you focus on creating? How often do you post? Do you plan and batch your content in advance or keep it spontaneous?
SL: I steer away from literary life stuff because I don’t count on anyone being interested in an unknown author’s writing process or recommendations. For 90 percent of my content, I try to hook people in with clickbait-y questions/commentary on wealth and class (i.e., wealth anxiety for kids, cringy Ivy League habit, rich parent fail), and I use the last 10 seconds of the video to plug To Have and Have More. The remaining 10 percent: I make videos on topics I’m interested in and shove in a ham-fisted reference to my book at the end. For example, I did one that was basically a summary of the Hey Arnold Vietnam War/Christmas episode, and it performed much better than expected (182K views, 242 new followers). I post 2-5 times a week, but I’m trying to make it more consistent because I was told that the algorithm is nicer to you if you’re consistent (2-3 times a week is manageable.) I’m constantly writing down ideas for TikToks (I have a document with 100+ ideas), so it’s mostly planned (and scripted) and maybe 20 percent spontaneous.
How many followers do you currently have on TikTok?
SW: 14.1K.
Do you monetize your TikTok directly (e.g., Creator Fund, brand partnerships) or focus on book sales?
SL: I just joined the Creator Rewards Program this week (which is different from the Creator Fund)—for 20K (qualified) views, I’ve made roughly $20. On Instagram, I started making subscriber-only content (charging $20/month) in November, and I’m in double digits for subscribers, so I’ll do it for another month. I’m doing both of these monetizing things as an experiment. I won’t be able to keep up the IG subscriber content indefinitely, but the Rewards Program doesn’t require me to do anything new/extra. I don’t think of it as focusing on either monetizing OR book sales because the value of social media (for me) is in “opportunities,” which I expand on three questions down.
What’s been your most popular video, and why do you think it resonated with viewers?
SL: My most popular video (500K views) was a bait-and-switch where you thought I was going to tell you what brands I think are “actually old money”—and then I gave a lecture about taste being a weapon of the ruling class to oppress the lower classes. I was surprised it did well: I’d assumed it’d get stuck in sub-1000 view jail like most of my more “cerebral” videos. This one resonated with viewers, I think because everyone on social media is hyper-critical of others being so obsessed with money—even though they are also obsessed with money. I think the judginess factor is what reeled people in. Also, I have a feeling many tuned in to pick apart my opinions and lambast the brands I described as old money, but that’s not what it was about. The setup was definitely a little rage bait-y.
Tell us about your TikTok growth journey. What have been the most effective strategies for growing your audience? Did you experience any viral moments, and what did you learn from them?
SL: I keep learning the lesson that simplicity is more important than thoughtfulness/quality on TikTok. Even though I want to tackle a complex and interesting topic and provide a complex and interesting distillation, TikTok is not the forum to do this. Elevated brain rot is the best thing to create. I don’t want to make total garbage, but it’s better to ease up on the rigor of thought because being nuanced isn’t rewarded (sadly), and it’s in my best interest to think exclusively in terms of efficiency when it comes to the time I spend making content. I’ve had a few videos do well, but nothing I’d consider truly “viral.”
How has TikTok impacted your career as a writer?
SL: I would love to answer this question once my book is out. So far, being on TikTok hasn’t helped me get pitches approved at the places that have historically turned me down (they’re still turning me down). The main benefit of making content is that people reach out to me to write articles, come on their podcasts, and lend me their platform (such as The Bleeders!) to promote my book. I appreciate this immensely. Rather than pitching myself one by one to publications and podcasts, I’m basically pitching myself all the time via my content. When I had to pull together a list of influential people to send ARCs to, I went through my followers and discovered that some very impressive people follow me. Almost everyone I DM’d was eager to receive one, which is a great feeling compared to cold emailing people who have never heard of me and hoping they might want to read a random book.
What’s your #1 tip for writers who want to start using TikTok to build their platform?
SL: Don’t take advice from anyone who is not an active (and frequent) content creator. Everyone has their two cents (I’ve gotten so much unsolicited, bad advice), but unless the adviser is speaking from direct experience (and you respect their online presence), tune it out. Are you taking writing advice from lousy writers?
What’s your #1 tip for writers trying to grow their TikTok audience?
SL: Don’t obsess over growing quickly or getting followers for the sake of followers. The “right” followers are more important because they’re the ones who will buy your book and stay interested in your career long-term. You’ll know if you have the “right” followers when you get requests for your opinions on specific topics and issues. I appreciate it when a follower DMs me a meme/photo/article and says it made them think of me (usually about wealth/privilege/class). These DMs validate that I am being associated with the themes of my book.
Shout-out another writer on TikTok who’s doing interesting things and inspires you.
SL: Tressie McMillan Cottom, Leigh Stein, and Jenny Han.
[Editor’s note: and are also doing amazing things on Substack! I love a multi-platform hustler.]
Anything else you’d like to add?
SL: If you’ve been thinking about it for a while, start now.
Thank you, Sanibel!
➡️ Preorder your copy of To Have and Have More on Bookshop.org or Amazon.
➡️ Follow Sanibel on Instagram @sanibel.ink and TikTok @sanibel.ink.
➡️ Check out Sanibel’s website for more info.
Want more TikTok inspo? Check out my Q&A with :
I’m teaching some upcoming workshops you might be interested in:
Podcasting for Writers: How to Start, Sustain & Grow Your Podcast
How to Build a “Platform” for Writers Who Shudder at the Thought
Start a Newsletter to Supercharge Your Platform, Network and Business
So… ROLL CALL! 🗣️
Are you on TikTok? If so, drop your link in the comments below—let’s connect!
This was fascinating! I hope this strategy pays off, as it does seem like a lot of work, except that she has a whole bunch of ideas in the bank -- that makes it easier!
I think my concern all along for my own platform has been 1) I'm not naturally good at short-form "elevated brain rot" plus 2) I'm actively trying to reduce my time consuming social media and so 3) The ROI for me is terrible. I also hate trolls and will waste hours thinking about some dumb comment.
I read this whole thing thinking “Such good advice! Spot on!” and then I got to the part where she shouts me out 😭😭😭