Your Boss Can See You Marketing Your Book...
You wrote the post. You read it three times. Your cursor is sitting on the button.
Then you think about your boss scrolling past it at lunch. The coworker who sits next to you. The VP who connected with you two years ago and never said a word since.
You delete the draft.
Every now and then I work with an author who hits this wall. Often it's someone who wrote a book for a future pivot. Or a book about something that has little to do with the job they're doing now. A leadership book from someone in accounting. A memoir from someone in sales. A guide to a passion that might become a business one day.
They worry their boss will read it as one foot out the door. They worry colleagues will see them differently. And they get stuck on what to post at all. How much do I share? Do I mention work? Do I keep it separate?
If that's you, the feeling makes sense. It can feel like every eye in the office is on you. But most of that weight comes from conversations you haven't had yet and decisions you haven't made yet.
Let's start with something I believe.
You have the right to create
You are allowed to write books. You're allowed to build something outside of the job you have. You're allowed to be creative, have ideas, and share them.
Your job is one part of your life. It isn't the whole thing.
As long as you haven't signed something that says otherwise, and what you're sharing isn't offensive, I personally don't see anything wrong with promoting your work. Your social media is mostly yours. Some things you'll work around. Some things you'll work right through.
The rest of this issue is about how to do that well.
Step one: Know what you signed
Before anything else, know your ground. Pull up your employment agreement, the employee handbook, and any social media policy. Look for:
Social media rules. Some companies require disclaimers or limit what you can say about your employer or industry.
Outside activity clauses. Some require you to disclose side projects or get approval.
Confidentiality. Client stories, internal numbers, and company processes are usually off limits.
Intellectual property. Some agreements give the employer rights to work made on company time, on company equipment, or related to the business. If your book overlaps with your job, read this part carefully.
If you're in finance, healthcare, law, or government, public posts may need approval before they go live.
If anything is unclear, ask HR or an employment attorney. I'm not a lawyer, and this isn't legal advice. Once you know what you agreed to, you can stop guessing and start deciding.
Step two: Decide how open you want to be
Here's where most authors get conflicted. You don't have to choose between telling everyone and hiding everything. There's a range, and you get to pick your spot.
Option one: Talk to your boss before they see it
If your book connects to your work, or you simply want zero tension, this is the cleanest path. Your boss hears it from you, not from the feed.
Keep it short:
What the book is and who it's for
Why you wrote it, whether or not it connects to your role
What the marketing looks like, done on your own time
What you won't do: share confidential information, use company resources, or speak for the company
Then ask, "Is there anything you'd like me to keep in mind?"
Send a short recap email afterward. It protects you both.
If your book is about a future pivot, you don't owe anyone your five-year plan. You can say, "This is a project I care about outside of work," and leave it there. That's honest and it's enough.
Option two: Tell a few colleagues, not everyone
Pick two or three people you trust. "I wrote a book and I'm going to start talking about it. Wanted you to hear it from me first."
People who hear it from you tend to become supporters. People who stumble on it tend to become spectators.
Option three: Post without making it a thing
Not every author needs a sit-down meeting. If nothing you signed restricts you and your book is unrelated to your work, you can simply start posting. No announcement, no permission slip. If someone at work asks, you answer honestly and move on.
Option four: Take the work somewhere else
LinkedIn is not the only place your book can live. If it feels too close to the office, build where your coworkers aren't looking.
Instagram. Great for the visual and personal side of your book. Behind-the-scenes, quotes, your writing space, short videos.
TikTok. Short, honest videos about your topic can reach readers who would never find you on LinkedIn. BookTok has helped plenty of unknown authors find an audience.
Substack. A newsletter you own. It grows slowly, but every subscriber chose to be there.
YouTube. Longer conversations, readings, or teaching around your book's ideas.
Podcasts. Guesting on shows in your niche puts your voice in front of people who already care about your topic.
In person. Bookstores, libraries, local events, and talks.
Some authors keep LinkedIn quiet and professional while their book grows elsewhere. Others use every platform at once. Either is valid. Pick the one or two where your readers spend time and where you can show up consistently.
Step three: Decide what to share
When you're conflicted about what to post, run it through three questions:
Does it break anything I signed? If yes, don't post it.
Would I be comfortable if my boss read it out loud in a meeting? If not, rework it or post it somewhere else.
Does it serve my reader? If it does, it's worth sharing.
Beyond that, share what makes the book yours. Why you wrote it. A lesson from a chapter. A moment from the writing process. A reader's reaction. Each post is a breadcrumb that keeps you top of mind and shows people how you think.
This week
Read what you signed.
Pick your option: talk to your boss, tell a few colleagues, post quietly, or build on another platform.
Write one post about why you wrote your book, and put it where your readers are.
A quick update from me
My plan was to launch the next session of Author X this week. That didn't happen.
A few small details still need finalizing. Along the way, I realized there was something I needed to add to make the experience really great, and putting it together well takes time. So I'm giving it that time.
Things happen. That's life with a 16-month-old and working between naps.
It's coming soon, and I'll share the details here first.
One last thing
You're allowed to create something beyond your job. The goal isn't to hide it or to ask permission for your whole life. It's to do it with clarity, so you can stop holding your breath every time you hit post.
If you're stuck on what to share or where to share it, reply to this email. I'll help you think it through.
Hussein
