are you ready for it?

what romance authors can learn from the eras tour

Am I slightly pandering with this post? Yeah probably. But do I think this is incredibly valid, too? Hell yeah.

The Eras Tour was the most successful global tour ever. It reached over $2B in revenue, sold over 10 million tickets across 149 shows in 21 countries. It, in a word, ATE. And, yes, Taylor is Taylor, but I do think there is a lot to learn from how this tour was managed and apply those learnings to releasing your own book. Because, at the end of the day, Taylor’s music is great but she created a global obsession and it wasn’t done on the value of her work alone¹. This was strategic mythmaking at its finest.

So, scaling it down a bit, what can you take from the Eras Tour and bring it into your own author marketing journey?

1. Narrative Ecosystem: every new album was an era. So every new book of yours should be treated the same.

   

   Think unique color palette. Slightly different fonts. Elements that feel cohesive to you but are very of this era. If you want to know what I mean, check out Zarin Madiyha’s account - clear as day which book she’s talking about, right!?

   This also includes what you do within each era. You want a story, a narrative, something that hooks people into your world and not just your words. Notice how Taylor really leans into a theme from her album art, to the people she collabs with, to the merch and appearances she does. For you, this can look like:

   1. Having a moodboard for your book as the first stop in getting readers excited

   2. Pick a defining quote or tagline for your book that becomes almost like a rallying cry (think: “It’s been a long time coming…”)

   3. Lean into the color and vibes on yourself, too, whenever you film a reel (get your nails done or wear something that fits the mood)

2. Fan Participation Rituals: the magic of the Eras Tour was all the call and responses², the friendship bracelets, the glitter and sparkle and JOY that the fans brought. We - the audience - were part of the show in the most meaningful ways. And, even if you’re not selling out stadiums, you can build something like this for your readers, too.

   

   Photo from Billboard.com

   For your release, you can easily find some similar ways to get your readers involved in ways that can make it super fun and builds community³. Think:

   1. Naming contests - get readers to name your next fictional town or villain or a local business

   2. Coordinate with readers to help do a cover reveal - same time, coordinated release, like those sparkly wristbands at the Eras shows

   3. Give your readers full rein to fan-cast and moodboard your book. Get some of your favorite content creators to help you pull together the perfect playlist for your couple.

   4. Use an Instagram channel or a Discord to engage with those hard-core fans of yours. Give them special access to teasers or polls. Get them to vote on outfits your characters should wear. Tease where you’re going to be on tour.

3. Consistently Consistent: whether you went to a show in Paris, Rio De Janiero, or Toronto, you got a fairly predictable and consistent experience. Sort of like when you go to any fast food chain, you expect things to be…what you know. For you, as an author, this can be important to build both for readers and for your own sanity.

   1. Brand consistency: every book should have it’s own mini brand kit. Whether something involved or just a few colors that are distinct to your cover, make sure you’re showing up the same for each of your different eras

   2. Repetition is everything: those trope slides? Have one canned and throw it in at the end of every static post. Your character’s names? Make sure they are everywhere!

   3. Show up consistently: did you notice that we mostly had shows Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights? And the hardcore fans even knew the schedule for exactly when the stage set up would begin and end. No matter where the Eras Tour went, we knew when to expect it. Do the same for your readers. Give them consistency so good, they'll say, I knew you were trouble… because now they're addicted to you! Whether that’s a consistent publishing schedule (one every year? one every 6 months?) or just posting regularly⁴ (note: I did not say daily!), be something people can rely on.

4. Controlled Chaos: that being said, remember how we all got our own surprise songs at every show? Well as much as people love predictability, there’s something to be said for a little (planned and well-timed) (perceived) chaos. Or, you know, tension building like an angsty third-act.

   You want to think of certain parts of your release as opportunities to keep your readers on their toes. Tease your cover reveal in the lead-up to it (a super close up of your MCs sexy arms, maybe?). Drop a surprise bonus chapter like it’s your own All Too Well (10-Minute Version). Give your newsletter readers an extra pre-order goodie just for being in the crew. Get a fellow author to plan an exciting giveaway and spend the week leading up to it teasing it. Find ways to still surprise your readers in the midst of all the marketing they are expecting.

5. Emotional Resonance: put your hands up if you felt so overwhelmed at an Era’s tour show that you just…cried?

   

   Taylor Swift has an uncanny ability to write songs that really make you feel (I mean, I’ve been happily married for 11 years and I still shout sing “OLD HABITS DIE SCREAMING” every time I hear it).

   And, you know what? You as an author do the exact same thing⁵.

   So, lean into emotional hooks in your marketing. One thing I’ve noticed as a trend lately is a more even distribution between spicy and sweet posts from authors. There was a time where the spicy scenes drove the most engagement, but what seems to be resonating most with readers now is just pure emotion. Whether that’s steam, or a scene that makes you go “aww”, get readers excited about the feelings they can expect from your book. If your book packs a punch, let them know to have tissues on hand, and The Archer cued up. If they can expect to laugh and giggle, remind them to be careful listening while driving.

So…be your own main character and treat your book marketing like a lead up to night one of your very own Eras Tour. And, before we wrap, one more thing…

Authenticity Is Queen: here’s where I hope no one unfollows, because I’m going to (slightly) critique Dr. Taylor Alison Swift. While endearing and relatable, Taylor’s fame has made her (sometimes) feel less than authentic. During the Eras Tour, the asides and little monologue moments were very rehearsed (as they should be, realistically). EXCEPT, night 2 in Toronto where she was doing her band shoutouts and got very visibly emotional⁶. And, I don’t know about you, but for me as a fan…well, my love for her grew exponentially in that moment.

Author and reader spaces are becoming increasingly blurred and, frustratingly, increasingly demanding of authors. There is a (very very very) thin line between being accessible and keeping your peace. The creeping expectation for authors to be accessible at all times is, frankly, scary and there are now multiple examples of authors who have simply removed themselves from social discourse as a result.

So what do I mean when I say “be authentic”? I mean: find your comfort level with sharing yourself online (I’m talking outside of your books…it can be all, some, or none…all are the right answer). I mean: use your platform to let people know your heart (do not shy away from talking about causes or issues that matter to you, screw the haters).

I’m going to take this moment to shout out an incredible thing Susan Lee is doing over on her Instagram that is exactly this. If you’re an upcoming debut BIPOC author releasing in 2025 and feel like you haven’t had the best support from your publisher, check out Susan’s post below and reach out.

susanleewrites

A post shared by @susanleewrites

I mean: call bullshit or highlight when things are hard (but don’t complain to the point where you turn readers away). I mean: take time away if you need it, block people that aren’t helping your brain, focus on your writing, outsource if/what you can, and - above all - protect your peace like it’s your own Invisible String (sacred, personal, and not for everyone to tug on).

Actually, now that I write all that out, I think Taylor does this incredibly well. We get enough of her to know her, but not so much that we know her. You know?

Hopefully this post was useful or, at least, made you reminisce about a simpler time when we all rallied around Mother. At the end of the day, Mother may have given us Style, but you’ve got your own damn tour to headline.

And now, please enjoy one of my favorite Taylor Swift songs (and also one of my surprise songs):

xo

Ada

1. Although her work is great, no one come for me!

2. Real talk: I spent more than I’m willing to admit practicing for the right things to yell at the right time before I went to the show. “Let’s go, bitch” came the most naturally…I don’t know what to say about that.

3. Community really (REALLY) matters

4. I only post M-W-F on my personal account and…less often on Archetype. But this newsletter? Virtually every Monday morning since I launched. See? Consistent!

5. We won’t get into it here, but the amount of TEARS I have shed (happily and sobbing) at some of your books…oof. you’re all amazing.

6. Was that the first time we saw her cry? Maybe. But it really highlighted just how powerful the whole tour was for her.