Can I drop a link to my book in a comment?
No. The rules ban links to material you have written, whether it is for sale or for free.
Subreddit guides
r/authors rules, stats, and what to post
A source-backed Rankhog guide to r/authors: public rules, community context, posting fit, and startup-promotion risk before you publish.
By Anthony Riera, founder and operator of Rankhog.
Subreddit guides combine public Reddit source URLs, captured rules, visible verification dates, and Rankhog's account-safety workflow.
Current public stats
- Members
- 34,704
- Verified
- October 20, 2026
- Category
- Published authors and book writers
Rules can change, so Rankhog keeps verification dates and the original public Reddit sources visible.
Rule summary
- Post only on-topic material.: We are here to support published authors. We are not a general writing/publishing advice sub. If you have a question or would like to start a discussion about anything to do with your book AFTER it is published, this is the place for that. Posts about how to write a book, how to get published, critique requests, writing goals, &c., are not germane.
- Self-promotion is not allowed.: No links to material you've written, either for sale or for free, are allowed. Don't post in this sub to advertise your editing, proofreading, beta, or publishing services.
- Remain civil.: Be kind and curteous always. Anyone found bullying another user for their work, genre, gender, sexuality, race, etc will be banned. Be nice. Be adults. Responding to a moderator rudely is cause for an immediate and permanent ban.
- Mark your NSFW material.: Any posts containing NSFW material must be marked as such.
Works well
- A discussion post about a real problem you faced after your book was published, like a question about handling reviews or pricing, told as your own experience
- Sharing an accomplishment about a book that is already out, written as a story other authors can learn from, with no link attached
- A genuine question about a post publication decision you are weighing, asked because you want other published authors' takes
- Helpful comments on other authors' posts, sharing what worked for you after your own book came out, with no promotion attached
Avoid
- Posting a link to your book, whether it is for sale or free, because “Self-promotion is not allowed.” bans all links to material you have written
- Advertising your editing, proofreading, beta reading, or publishing services in any post or comment
- Asking how to write a book, how to get published, or sharing writing goals, since the rules say those topics are not germane
- Requesting critique or feedback on an unpublished manuscript, which the rules exclude
- Posting about a book that is not published yet, because the community only supports discussion about books after publication
- Talking down to another member about their work, genre, gender, sexuality, race, or anything else, which gets people banned under “Remain civil.”
What r/authors Is For
r/authors is a hangout for published authors. People come here to have discussions, share advice, ask for help, or share accomplishments about their books. The key word is published. The community says clearly that it is not a place for self promotion and not a place for general writing and publishing advice or questions. So the people posting here have already finished the journey of writing and getting a book out into the world, and they want to talk about what comes after that.
Rules That Matter Before Posting
Three rules decide almost everything here. “Post only on-topic material.” limits the sub to discussions about your book after it is published, so anything about how to write a book, how to get published, critique requests, or writing goals is off topic. “Self-promotion is not allowed.” bans links to material you have written, for sale or for free, and bans advertising editing, proofreading, beta, or publishing services. “Remain civil.” matters too, because bullying another user over their work, genre, gender, sexuality, race, or anything else gets you banned, and responding to a moderator rudely is cause for an immediate and permanent ban. There is also “Mark your NSFW material.”, which is simple but easy to forget.
What To Post
For a founder doing respectful Reddit marketing, the honest answer is that this community is a hard fit, because almost every classic marketing move is banned here. What survives is genuine participation as a peer. If you have published a book yourself, you can start a discussion about something that happened to your book after publication, like a lesson from your launch or a question about handling a post publication problem. You can share an accomplishment, ask for help with a real situation you are facing, or answer other authors' questions with what you learned. The value you give has to be your experience, not your link.
What To Avoid
The fastest way to get removed is to promote. Do not link your book, do not link free material you wrote, and do not advertise editing, proofreading, beta, or publishing services. Do not post about how to write a book, how to get published, critique requests, or writing goals, because the rules call those not germane. Do not ask for feedback on an unpublished manuscript. Never be rude to a moderator, since the rules say that is cause for an immediate and permanent ban. And if your post touches on NSFW material, mark it.
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Common questions about r/authors
Can I ask how to get my book published?
No. The rules say this is not a general writing or publishing advice sub, and posts about how to write or get published are not germane.
Can I talk about my book at all?
Yes, if your book is already published. Questions and discussions about anything to do with your book after publication are exactly what this sub is for.
Can I offer my editing services here?
No. Advertising editing, proofreading, beta, or publishing services is explicitly banned.
Do I need to mark NSFW posts?
Yes. Any post containing NSFW material must be marked as such.