Confused about how to use Reddit but know that it’s important to have a presence there? Join our guest blogger Diane Kollman as she explains how writers and authors use Reddit to build their network and collaborate with others writers.

What is Reddit

Reddit is known as “the front page of the internet” because it is a forum where people discuss current events and every topic imaginable.

Here is a great, short video introduction to Reddit. For writers, Reddit can be an incredible tool for connecting with other writers, receiving critiques, asking for advice, and promoting one’s work.

Pieces and Parts

The Front Page and Subreddits

Before you dive into the writing world of Reddit, you should first know how to navigate the website as a whole. The screenshot below shows the Front Page, which is where you will see an amalgamation of posts from various “subreddits.” Think of subreddits as different groups. For example, you have a group for people to discuss TV show trailers (r/television), one to share cute animal photos (r/aww), and another for posting gorgeous travel photos (r/EarthPorn).

As you may have noticed, all subreddits are designated using “r/”before the name, which is part of the URL. So when you are typing in the website address, you can simply put in “www.reddit.com/r/” followed by a word and see what shows up.

In the screenshot above, take a look at the gray bar at the very top. Those are popular subreddits. The Front Page is based on the subreddits you are subscribed to, whereas r/all lists all of the popular posts across Reddit as a whole. The rest are fairly self-explanatory, although I must emphasize that AskReddit (r/askreddit) is by far the best subreddit. This is a place where people post questions, and anyone can provide an answer. As a writer, I read these post often for story ideas or research.

Here are some of the posts on AskReddit right now:

Important Icons

Look at the left-hand column. The blue megaphone symbol designates a promoted post—the ads that Reddit uses to make money. The green thumbtack is a temporarily “pinned” post that won’t change position for the time being; in this case, it is a US Politics Megathread, where all politics-related questions can be posted, since so many are coming in given the current political climate.

Upvotes and Downvotes

In the gray column next to that, you will see the number of upvotes as well as the arrows that allow you to vote if you are signed in. You can upvote a post when it contributes to the discussion and you can downvote a post when it doesn’t. Upvotes and downvotes can be given to entire threads (the main topic) as well as individual comments within the discussion.

Inside a Thread

Above is what it looks like when I click on one of those blue links. Posts on Reddit are automatically sorted by “best,” which is based on the number of upvotes and other factors. Essentially, the more upvotes a post or comment gets, the higher up it is in the discussion.

You can change how the comments are organized using the “sorted by” dropdown menu if you want to view the newest comments first or the most controversial (meaning the comments that receive a mixed number of upvotes and downvotes).

Instead of scrolling down the comment chain to find the next real response, you can click on the little minus symbol next to the commenter’s username, which will minimize it:

Reddit Gold

Around Reddit, you will often see posts with a little gold coin next them. This is Reddit gold, and posts that have these are gilded. These are just posts that are so good or funny or clever that another stranger has deemed them worthy of an extra “tip” on top of an upvote. Reddit gold is purchased with real money and is another way that the website sustains itself. So what are the benefits of receiving Reddit gold? Well, not much. You don’t actually get the money, but you do get the satisfaction of a stranger’s approval. You also gain access to an exclusive subreddit.

Below is an example of a gilded comment. As you can see, gold can be given for any reason. It’s just one of Reddit’s many quirks. You can also sort posts by “gilded” on the front page.

Common Acronyms

These are just useful to know as you’re browsing.

• AMA: Ask Me Anything – Celebrities, researchers, and authors often have Q&A sessions on Reddit.
• LPT: Life Pro Tip – Basically the same as “life hacks.”
• ELI5: Explain Like I’m Five – A request for experts to explain a complicated topic in layman’s terms.
• TL;DR: Too Long; Didn’t Read – People might provide this at the end of a post as a summary.
• ITT: In This Thread – Used to make fun of the common responses people are giving in a discussion.
• NSFW: Not Safe For Work – Implies nudity or violence or otherwise questionable topics.
• OC: Original Content – Redditors strongly prefer new content rather than “reposts” of old content.
• TIL: Today I Learned
• IMO: In My Opinion

Creating an Account

This is the easiest part of Reddit. Simply click the “sign-up” link in the right-hand corner on the main page. Enter a username and password. The email is optional but useful if you ever need to recover your password.

After creating your account, you should skim through the Reddiquette page, which is described as

“an informal expression of the values of many redditors, as written by redditors themselves. Please abide by it the best you can.”

Finding the Best Subreddit

It is easiest to look for subreddits via Google. For example, when Googling “self-publishing subreddit,” two useful results show up: r/selfpublishing and r/selfpublish. You may notice that some subreddits are more active than others. You can tell how active a subreddit is by looking at the number of subscribers on the right-hand side. Look at the screenshot from r/selfpublish below.

All of the posts on the front page of this subreddit are from a day or two ago, which is a good sign. On the right-hand side, you will also see a note describing the purpose of the subreddit as well as a link to their “wiki” page, which you will need to read before posting.

Every subreddit has its own rules and culture. Therefore, the first thing you should do whenever you plan to post to an unfamiliar subreddit is read the wiki or rules page, in addition to browsing the content that is already there. You can also search for topics that have been posted before in a particular subreddit using the search bar in the upper right-hand corner.

Creating a Text Post

When you’re ready to post your own content or question, hit the blue “Submit new text post” button on the right-hand side of the subreddit. There, you can add a title and your message. Be sure to adhere to the subreddit’s guidelines.

If you need to include any kind of formatting (e.g., bold, italics, hyperlink), click on “formatting help” in the bottom right corner of the text box. It will show you what characters you need to use to create that formatting.

A note about photos: You cannot attach photos to a post as you would in other forums. Instead, all photos and gifs are hosted through Imgur, a separate website, and then those Imgur links are shared. If you’re new to Reddit, it’s best to avoid posting pictures until you get the hang of the basics.

Uses of Reddit for Writers

Self-Promotion

Self-promotion is generally frowned upon, except in designated threads. In the r/selfpublish screenshot, you will see a “Weekly Self Promotion Thread” at the top, where writers are permitted to share their work without being criticized for spamming or self-advertising. Many other writing subreddits have threads like this that are dedicated to self-promotion.

Research

Have you ever wondered how the opposite sex feels about dating? Or the challenges that a certain profession faces? Look no further than AskReddit! Type your query into Google along with the word “reddit,” and you will find a number of related discussion threads. For example, you can search “reddit travel guides” in Google, and it will come up with a number of travel subreddits as well as specific threads like “Thoughts on Lonely Planet guidebooks?”

You can even post a question to a relevant subreddit asking people about their favorite travel guides and what they look for in a good product.

Receiving Feedback

There are several good places to ask for a critique of your work, one of them being r/writers. Other writing subreddits may have specific threads where everyone can ask for feedback (like with the self-promotion threads), whereas in r/writers you can simply create a new text post asking for a critique or to exchange books for review with others.

Asking for Advice

If you’re having trouble tackling a certain problem in your writing or the publishing process, there are always others willing to provide advice. Search the subreddit for similar questions first before posting your own. You will be sure to find a community of people open to sharing their experiences. I have seen posts from self-published authors asking for help deciding between book cover designs, for instance.

A Compendium of Writing Subreddits

• r/selfpublish
• r/selfpublishing
• r/freelancewriters
• r/writing (one of the biggest)
• r/writers
• r/write
• r/writing
• r/fantasywriters
• r/scifiwriting
• r/writingprompts
• r/destructivereaders

Diane Kollman received her Bachelor of Arts in English and psychology with minors in professional writing and creative writing from The Ohio State University.

She currently serves as a writing consultant and undergraduate admissions application reader, in addition to writing fantasy and sci-fi stories in her free time.