How to Keep Creating When No One’s Watching with Bestselling Poet Jennae Cecelia
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In today’s episode of The Personal Branding Podcast, I’m joined by bestselling author and poet Jennae Cecelia, whose words have inspired more than 16 million readers around the world—including through her viral poem I Met My Younger Self for Coffee.
Since 2016, Jennae has self-published 13 poetry collections, including The Sun Will Rise and So Will We and Healing for No One But Me.
Her work captures the kind of moments that feel small or ordinary in the present but become deeply nostalgic with time.
In August 2025, Jennae released her first traditionally published book, Deep In My Feels, with Andrews McMeel, a partner of Simon & Schuster—marking a new chapter in her career as both a poet and storyteller.
This conversation was first recorded live inside the Personal Brand Accelerator community, and it quickly became one of my all-time favorites. We talked about what it really takes to keep showing up for your work, especially when it feels like no one’s paying attention, and how to stay hopeful through the slow seasons.
Jennae shares her journey from self-publishing to traditional publishing, the strategies she used to grow on Instagram and Amazon, and what she calls the “postpartum blues” of publishing a book — the crash that comes after all the excitement.
If you’ve ever felt discouraged about your art, your writing, or your creative process, this episode will remind you why it’s worth it to keep going.
From Self-Publishing to a Book Deal
Jennae’s love for writing started early, though she didn’t realize she was writing poetry until years later. When she self-published her first book nearly ten years ago, she had no idea it would turn into a lifelong career.
Back then, self-publishing looked completely different. Authors used a platform called CreateSpace (later acquired by Amazon KDP). There were only a handful of poetry titles to compete with. Today, thousands of writers publish their books each year.
Her biggest challenge since then? Staying relevant. As more creators entered the space and new platforms emerged, Jennae had to keep reinventing her approach — learning how to market her work across Instagram, TikTok, and Amazon without losing the heart of what made it special.
How to Make Your Book Stand Out on Amazon
One of Jennae’s smartest early moves was learning how to categorize her books strategically.
“Pick three really specific categories,” she says. “If your book hits the number-one spot in a smaller niche, it still triggers Amazon’s algorithm and keeps getting recommended.”
By targeting micro-categories instead of broad ones like Women Authors or Poetry Collections, Jennae was able to land consistent #1 New Release rankings—and keep sales climbing month after month.
Her takeaway: treat Amazon like a search engine. Niche down, experiment, and watch what works.
Building an Audience on Instagram
Jennae started posting poems on Instagram in 2015 back when most people were still sharing Valencia-filtered photos of their lunch.
At first, her poems reached only friends and classmates. But over time, her consistency paid off. She built her following to more than 180 thousand readers by focusing on clarity, experimentation, and authenticity.
Here are a few of her favorite insights:
Don’t overthink your early work. “The first things I posted were terrible,” she laughs. “But I kept going.”
Stop writing for the five people you’re afraid will judge you. The more honest she became, the more people connected.
Keep testing formats. What worked five months ago might not work today. Right now, slideshow poems perform better than single-image posts because audiences engage differently.
The Secret Power of “Trial Reels”
One of Jennae’s best-kept secrets: Trial Reels.
These are short, six-second videos of a poem page — linked to a Facebook page for maximum reach. Because the clip loops before the viewer finishes reading, engagement skyrockets.
“Every time I post one, it gets at least 100,000 views,” she explains. “And it’s literally just a page from my book with music.”
It’s a perfect reminder that simple content can outperform complex concepts.
Reposting Isn’t Repeating, It’s Repurposing
When it comes to marketing her poetry, Jennae doesn’t reinvent the wheel. She repurposes each poem in three or four different ways:
As a carousel post (multi-slide poem)
As a single-slide post for quick shares
As a voice-over video with background text
As a reading video
This same strategy applies whether you’re promoting a poem, a podcast, or a Substack post. Start with one strong idea, then repurpose it across platforms and formats.
What Works on Instagram Stories
Stories, Jennae says, are where sales happen.
Even though only a fraction of her audience watches them, that fraction is deeply engaged. She’s sold nearly 1,000 custom poems — almost entirely through Instagram Stories.
Her advice:
Keep it simple. Text-based slides outperform talking videos.
Limit it to 4–5 slides. Any more and viewers drop off.
Post all at once and let them sit for 24 hours.
The Art of Showing Up
More than anything, this episode is about the courage it takes to keep creating—when your work feels invisible, when growth is slow, when doubt is loud.
As Jennae puts it:
“You have to be okay with your content not being great for a while. It’s how you learn what works.”
Whether you’re a writer, a poet, or a creator of any kind, her story is a reminder that showing up, again and again, is the only way to find your voice, build your audience, and make the art that truly matters.
Listen on Spotify | Listen on Apple Podcasts
If you’re a creator who wants to build a genuine, lasting brand that reflects who you are — without forcing yourself into a niche or losing your authenticity — come join my community where I teach and support people doing exactly that.
