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Instagram auto-replies for authors

Readers who find a book on Instagram usually ask the same things: where to start, what order to read in and when the next one lands. Comment-to-DM answers them while you write, and collects an email so you can reach readers later. Below are the words authors use, four set-ups, freebies and the rules to check.

Updated 6 October 2026

Start free See the set-ups

Comment words for authors

Ask people to comment one word in your caption or video. Each word sends something different.

CHAPTER: The first chapter of your newest book as a free sample, sent in the format the reader picks: e-reader file, PDF or a page to read online.
READORDER: The reading order for a series, with publication order and chronological order if they differ, and which book works as a starting point.
ARC: How to join your launch team: what an advance copy is, the format, the review you hope for and the sign-up for the next book.
SIGNED: How to order a signed copy: the price, what the dedication can say, the last order date for posting and where you ship.
NEXTBOOK: The release date of the next book, a short teaser and a place on the list, so readers hear first on the day it goes live.
CLUB: A pack for book clubs reading your novel: discussion questions, a character list and how to ask you to visit.
MAP: The map or family tree from a fantasy or historical series, as a print-friendly page that also helps new readers keep track.
AUDIO: Where to listen to the audiobook, who narrates it and a short sample, for readers who commute or prefer listening.

4 set-ups to try

Each one shows the conversation it creates. After a comment, the first DM is plain text, as Meta requires, and the link follows once they answer.

Chapter one from a trope Reel
Someone comments on your post
CHAPTER
Public reply under their comment
Chapter one is in your DMs 📖
First DM (plain text)
Glad the premise caught you. Do you read on a phone, an e-reader or paper? Reply and I'll send the first chapter in the format that suits, and tell you where the book is on sale.Yes pleaseRead chapter one freeStart reading
Reels built around a trope or a premise reach readers who have never heard of you. A sample lowers the risk of a first purchase, and the format they name tells you whether to send a file or a page.
Reading order for a series
READORDERGood question, the order isn't obvious. Which book in the series have you got, or are you starting from scratch? Reply and I'll send the order without spoilers.Series reading orderSee the order
Prequels, companion novels and later reprints make this a real question for readers. Knowing which book they own tells you whether to say carry on or go back, and a spoiler-free order is worth reusing for every new reader.
Launch team from a countdown Story
Replied to your story
ARCThank you for offering. Do you read ebooks or listen to audio, and are you happy to leave an honest review in launch week? Reply and I'll send how the launch team works.Join the launch teamSign up
An advance copy comes with no promise of a good review, so ask for an honest one and nothing more. The sign-up form, not the chat, collects the email and the formats, and caps the team at the size you can manage.
Signed copies from a cover-reveal Reel
Someone comments on your post
SIGNED
Public reply under their comment
Signed copy details are in your DMs ✍️
First DM (plain text)
Thank you, that means a lot. Is the signed copy for you or a gift? Reply and I'll send how signed copies work, what the dedication can say and the last day to order for posting in time.Yes pleaseSigned copies: how to orderOrder a signed copy
A dedication needs the name spelled exactly, so take it on the order form where it can be pasted in, not typed from a chat. Asking if it is a gift tells you whether the posting date matters most.

Freebies worth commenting for

The first three chapters of your newest book as an e-reader file and a PDF
A short prequel story or deleted scene, written for people who join the list
A series reading order with a one-line, spoiler-free note on each book
A map or family tree from the world of your series, formatted to print
Twelve discussion questions for book clubs reading your novel, with a character list
A character guide with the cast, how they relate and where each first appears
A reading-list pack of books you love that sit next to your genre
A signed bookplate, sent to a reader's address, for people who preorder

What readers ask an author in DMs

Most messages are kind and curious, and some come with a spoiler attached. The questions with a fixed answer can be automated. The ones about your characters should come from you.

They ask	Send automatically	Answer yourself when
Which book do I read first?	The READORDER page	They name a book and ask whether a later one spoils it
When is the next one out?	The NEXTBOOK date and the email sign-up	The date has slipped and you want to explain it
Is the audiobook out?	The AUDIO page with the retailer links	They ask about a language or format you do not offer
Can you sign my book?	The SIGNED page	They ask you to sign one they already own, which is a personal arrangement
Can I join your launch team?	The ARC sign-up	A reviewer or blogger asks for a copy for a feature
Will you visit our book club?	The CLUB pack	Always: you decide your time and your travel

Tip: Do not let the automation answer plot questions. If you use AI replies, add a line to the business information saying story and spoiler questions are for you, and reply to those by hand.

Posts that earn comments, and the word for each

A Reel pitching the book in one line and three tropes, with CHAPTER for a free sample.
A cover reveal, with SIGNED if you offer signed copies and NEXTBOOK for the release date.
A writing-session Story showing the desk and the word count, with a reply word for the launch list.
A reader's photo of the book, posted with their permission, with READORDER for newcomers to the series.
A poll asking which character readers would have dinner with, with CLUB for the discussion pack.
A map being drawn, or a research note from the book's world, with MAP for the printable version.

Release week is the one moment when an author's Instagram is working hardest. Set the words live before the cover reveal, since comments on a Reel count for the first day or two, and change the first message on release day so people are not told it is coming soon.

From a reader to a newsletter subscriber

The comment starts a DM that asks which format the reader uses. That answer decides what you send.
The card opens a sample or a sign-up page. Turn on email capture so the address is saved with the reader's reply.
Export the emails as a CSV and import them into your newsletter tool. A list reaches readers when Instagram's feed does not show your post to everyone who follows you.
On release day, post a Story with a reply word. Everyone who answers gets the buy links at once, because they wrote to you first.

Writing from India? The DMFast store can sell an ebook, a workbook or a writing guide as a digital product, give a free sample in exchange for an email and take free or paid 1-on-1 bookings, such as a feedback call, with payments through Razorpay. Print books sell wherever you already sell them.

Rules and risks for authors

Retailer terms. Some retailer programmes limit where an ebook may be given away or sold, and how much of it you may share. Read the terms for your book before you send a full chapter.
Reviews. Do not pay for reviews or ask for only positive ones, since retailers remove them. Many countries expect reviewers to say they received a free copy, so ask your launch team to say so.
Spoilers. Keep the first message spoiler-free, and say so on the reading order page.
Images and music. Use art you made or licensed. Do not use a song or a stranger's illustration in a Reel because it fits the mood.
Privacy. Readers' emails are personal data. Say what you will send, offer a way to unsubscribe and follow the law where you live and where your readers live.
Platform limits. One private reply per comment, within 7 days, and at most 750 an hour on an account; DMFast stays under 700 and queues the rest.

Messages to copy

Questions people ask

Can I send the whole book to people who comment?

You can, through a link on the card, but check your retailer's terms first. Some programmes restrict free distribution. A first chapter or a short story is the usual choice, because it hooks the reader and keeps the full book as the thing people buy.

Can the first DM include a buy link?

Not to a commenter. Instagram allows only plain text in the first message, so it asks a question, such as the reader's format. The card with the sample or the buy link follows once they reply. Story replies and DMs can get the link straight away.

Can it answer questions about the plot?

Keyword replies only send what you wrote. AI replies, on the Growth and Business plans, answer from the information you give them, one credit per reply. Leave plot details out of that information, and they will say you will reply yourself.

I write under a pen name. Does that matter?

No. It needs an Instagram Creator or Business account for the pen name, which is free to switch to. Keep the DMs consistent with the persona, and use an email address you are happy to show readers when they write back.

Can I announce a new release to everyone who ever asked?

Not by DM. Automated messages reach only people who wrote to you in the last 24 hours, and mass DMs are not possible with official tools. Email the list you collected, and post a Story with a reply word for people on Instagram.

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Answer every CHAPTER comment in seconds

Pick a post and the word. DMFast replies under each comment, sends the DM and follows with your link once they answer, day and night. It can collect emails on the way. Free plan, no card.

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