On the social media sites I frequent, there's a lot of talk about helping writers get published. While supporting unpublished writers is important , it's equally important to remember that published authors need our support, too. Whether self or traditionally published, writers need to sell books in order to keep writing.
Other than purchasing an author’s books, the best way to support a published author is to keep the conversation going.
An incomplete list of ways to support authors:
The obvious: Buy their books
Sales directly support your favorite authors. Self-explanatory, right?
Something else you can do is preorder books before their publication. Preorders count toward first week sales, which are important for a number of reasons. A lot of times, preorders come with benefits for readers, like bonus material or giveaway prizes.
Request their books at your local library
The author gets a sale, you get to read, and others get to read when you’re done! The process is easy, too - I’ve personally done it online.
Leave reviews after you read
This is hugely important, especially for debut or indie authors. If you enjoyed a book, leaving a positive review encourages others to pick it up. Your review doesn’t need to be a lengthy, in-depth analysis of what you liked and disliked (though it certainly can be!) It can be just a quick sentence explaining what you thought.
Where can you leave a review?
Amazon - Right now, the rule is you need to have spent at least $50 within the past 12 months in order to review. This hasn’t always been the case, so check Amazon’s guidelines if you aren’t sure.
Goodreads - Anyone can create an account and review on Goodreads. It also helps to add a book to your “want to read” list.
Social media - tumblr, twitter, Instagram, wherever others will see it
Share promotional materials
Both traditionally and self-published authors market their work. On their social media accounts, they’ll post promotional materials, like giveaways, reviews, or art. You reblogging a promotional post exposes their work to a whole new group of people. It also sends the message that yes! People are interested in the book!
Additionally, if you’re interested, participate in promotional events. Giveaways, livestreams, contests - there are plenty of things authors do to promote their books. The more people who participate, the more fun it is for everyone!
Make fanworks
If you enjoy making fan art, fanfic, fan edits, go for it! For people who’ve already read the book, fanworks keep the conversation going, but they can draw in new readers as well. Think: Have you ever seen a beautiful piece of fanart and wondered “what’s that from?” Even memes can spark conversation. This leads to my next point…
Tell your friends
This sounds simplistic, but word of mouth is a powerful tool. How many times have you read or watched something because a friend raved about it to you? This doesn’t mean you need to publicly announce whenever you finish a book, but chances are you’ll know someone else who will like it. What’s more fun than chatting with a friend about a story you both enjoyed? People wanting to join the conversation = sales for an author.
Happy reading everyone :)
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