The writer of 'One Last Stop' is sharing behind-the-scenes videos of her life as an author on TikTok

• Casey McQuiston is the author of "Red, White, and Royal Blue" and the new release "One Last Stop."
• She recently started posting TikToks about the behind-the-scenes life of an author.
• McQuiston is writing a YA book, and she told Insider the app is helping her understand Gen Z.

Romance author Casey McQuiston was a TikTok viewer before she started making videos of her own.

"I've been a long-time lurker on TikTok," the 30-year-old author of "Red, White, and Royal Blue" and "One Last Stop" told Insider. "I have a silly burner account where I just follow accounts that I like."

But somewhere along the way, McQuiston decided to start making videos of her own, in which she gives her drove of fans an inside look at the life of an author.

Casey McQuiston joined TikTok to research for an upcoming YA project

McQuiston became a New York Times bestselling author with "Red, White, and Royal Blue," in which the First Son of the first female president of the United States falls in love with the Prince of England.

Her much-anticipated second novel "One Last Stop" was released on Tuesday, but in a recent conversation with Insider, McQuiston revealed she is already working on her third book.

Unlike her first two novels, McQuiston's third book will fall into the Young Adult genre, which can be challenging for an adult author to write.

"I think it's really obvious when you read a YA, and the author does not know what teens talk like," she told Insider. "Before I even started writing it, I was like, I need to just inhabit what Gen Z cares about."

The desire to really understand teens led McQuiston to TikTok, as over 60% of the app's users are part of Gen Z.

In February, McQuiston decided to shift from lurking to creating content on TikTok, using the platform to organically interact with her followers.

Today, McQuiston boasts over 67,000 TikTok followers on her public account.

@caseymcquiston

i’ve never seen an author open a box of books safely and i’m not gonna be the first #booktok #authortok

♬ She Share Story (for Vlog) - 山口夕依

She shares behind-the-scenes looks at the life of an author in her videos, familiarizing readers with parts of the writing world they may not be familiar with.

For instance, a video McQuiston made of the covers of translations of her book racked up over one million views.

@caseymcquiston

possibly the coolest part of my job #authortok #booktok #louder

♬ original sound - I am Mikkie

"I think Gen Z especially, which is the engine that's powering that app, they really love a behind-the-curtain moment," McQuiston said of why she thinks her TikTok content is popular.

"I think Gen Z, in general, prefers to have a more familiar relationship with the creators of things that they like," she went on to say. "I can't tell you how many 17-year-olds address me as 'bestie' in my comments."

The app also helps McQuiston stay true to her voice as an author, which is earnest, authentic, and fresh.

"I try really hard, not just in the dialogue but also in the narration, to be really voicey and conversational," she told Insider. "I never want my narration or any part of my book to feel super stiff or stilted or something you couldn't imagine your friends saying out loud."

@caseymcquiston

ONE LAST STOP comes out JUNE 1!!! ##fyp ##authortok ##booktok

♬ Blue Blood - Heinz Kiessling & Various Artists

McQuiston's second novel explores fate and time travel against the backdrop of the New York City subway

Like "Red, White, and Royal Blue," "One Last Stop" is a queer love story, but rather than focusing on a famous couple trying to keep their relationship a secret, it explores a connection so powerful it literally defies time.

The novel stars August Landry, who moved to New York with hopes of blending in and forgetting a childhood spent sleuthing with her mom.

But everything changes when she crosses paths with Jane Su on the subway, a devastatingly gorgeous woman who breaks down all the walls August has built up with her tattoos, ever-present leather jacket, and love of retro punk music.

But Jane and August have a bigger problem than August's fear of intimacy in their way: Jane is a time-traveler from the 1970s, and she's been trapped on the subway for 40 years.

@caseymcquiston

go to bit.ly/OneLastStop to preorder!!!!

♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys - Kevin MacLeod

The novel explores fate, chosen family, and what it means to be a romantic lead, all in McQuiston's signature style.

"'One Last Stop' is a really, really different book from 'Red, White, and Royal Blue,'" McQuiston told Insider. "And I am really proud of that."

"I promise it's going to still feel like it's by me," she added. "It's going to still feel like a Casey McQuiston book. And I think it's going to make you feel just as good at the end, but it's just going to take a very different route to get there in a good way and really fun way."

You can order "One Last Stop" here.