Outpaced for romantasyComing soon

Get readers through book one, into book two.

Romantasy readers come for the dragons and the slow burn, stay for the series, and buy the special edition. Outpaced would write carousels for every book in it.

Built for apps today; romantasy is next. Join the waitlist and we'll email you once when it's live.

Join the waitlist See the examples

schools that were never meant to let you graduate

"just push through book one" (everyone who's read this series)

  • The book-one stall
  • The special-edition collector
  • The trope hunter
  • The colour-coded annotator

Who it’s for.

The people romantasy posts would be written for, one persona at a time.

  • The book-one stall

    Started the series, stalled a few chapters in, needs a reason to push through to book two.

  • The special-edition collector

    Buys the sprayed-edge edition for the shelf and a paperback to actually read.

  • The trope hunter

    Wants fae or dragons, enemies to lovers and a morally grey love interest in one search.

  • The colour-coded annotator

    Tabs every scene by colour (romance, plot, cried) and posts the page with the key.

How it works here.

The same four steps Outpaced runs for apps, as they'd work for romantasy.

  1. 01

    Strategy

    Find readers at each book

    Outpaced would read r/fantasyromance-style threads, reviews and viral comments to propose personas by where they are in a series, each with dated evidence and a quote it actually read.

  2. 02

    Content

    World first, title last

    Parody lists and premises to get found, annotation keys and push-through posts to build trust, edition choices to sell. The world and the tropes lead; the title is the reveal.

  3. 03

    Distribution

    Built for release-day waves

    Posts to your TikTok and Instagram at each account's next free slot, on one calendar from cover reveal to release day. Warmed accounts already active in romantasy BookTok reach readers from the first post.

  4. 04

    Routines

    Recaps before every sequel

    A routine could switch to recap and reread carousels in the weeks before a sequel, then back to book-one posts after. Nothing posts until you approve it.

Why do romantasy readers stall on book one, and what pulls them back?

Reddit research

Audience language · Reddit

r/Romantasy · r/fantasyromance

Readers stall early in book one and want proof the series gets better.

  1. 690r/Romantasyseries where book two is better than book one
  2. 1.3Kr/fantasyromancednf'd book one at chapter 8, should i go back?
  • "book two is where i fell in"u/example_1 on r/Romantasy · 156 points · 23 Oct
  • "everyone swears it gets good later"u/example_2 on r/fantasyromance · 241 points · 12 Oct
ThemeThreadsQuotes
Stalling in book one1915
The book two payoff1411
Special editions108

IllustrativeExample data for an example niche. Not real accounts.

Content for every stage.

Every carousel has one job. Each format names the hook template it follows from our viral-hooks playbook.

Readers who've never opened the series meet its world and its stakes.

  • Countdown to #1L1 · Top of funnel

    fae courts you should never accept an invitation to

    A deadpan parody list that counts down to the book's own war college as #1.

    Playbook · Superlative mystery list

  • POV storytimeL2 · Top of funnel

    pov: you trained to be a scribe, but your mother signed you up for the dragons

    POV with a real contrast; it's the premise, without the title.

    Playbook · POV with a contrast

  • Tweet screenshotsL1 · Top of funnel

    "i don't read fantasy, there's always a map and a glossary and-"

    Romance readers new to fantasy say exactly this; the next slide interrupts it.

    Playbook · Cut-off quote

Readers who stalled or wavered get the reason to keep going.

  • iMessage conversationL2 · Middle of funnel

    "you will love it after chapter ten" (my sister, every single day)

    The most repeated advice about the series, quoted back; the slides say why it's true.

    Playbook · Quoted complaint on the cover

  • Paper notesL3 · Middle of funnel

    my annotation key for a book with dragons (yes, i need six colours)

    Annotation is a romantasy ritual; Hachette even sells romantasy tab sets for it.

    Playbook · List with a self-aware parenthetical

  • Apple Notes listL3 · Middle of funnel

    there are 5 stages to reading this series

    Stages end on 'final stage: i bought the special edition', the reader's own synthesis.

    Playbook · Stages ending on a synthesis

Readers who are in get a reason to own it, or pre-order the next one.

  • Note revealL4 · Bottom of funnel

    ??? special edition or the one i can read in the bath

    Two real editions, one per slide; collectors buy both and say so in the comments.

    Playbook · Which one should I go with

  • Paper notesL3 · Bottom of funnel

    i dare you to start it on a work night

    The dare promises the book won't let you sleep; the payoff is the first chapter.

    Playbook · I dare you

What we’d post.

Example carousels, written as if leaders in this industry made them.

Playbook

Hook template

Story

Stage

Niche photo

schools that were never meant to let you graduate

Example Fourth WingGet found

"just push through book one" (everyone who's read this series)

Example A Court of Thorns and RosesBuild trust

Fourth Wing and A Court of Thorns and Roses are shown as examples only, to illustrate the content Outpaced would create for this industry. They aren't Outpaced customers and aren't affiliated with or endorsed by Outpaced.

FAQ

Not yet. It's built for apps today and books are next. This page shows how it would work for romantasy authors and imprints. Join the waitlist on this page and we'll email you once when it's live.

Spoiler limits would be part of your brand: what's safe to say about each book. Carousels may only state those product truths, and a decline reason like off-brand is read by the next run.

Yes, as sale-stage carousels: which edition, what's different, when it ships. They'd go to the persona who already knows the series, not to cold readers.

Each carousel targets one persona and stage, so book one gets found-stage posts and later books get trust and sale posts. What's working ranks which hooks beat your own median.

Can’t find an answer to your question? Get in touch

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