How To Support Your Favorite Author And Spread The Word
When I started my book writing journey I attended a seminar on “How to Self-Publish a Book.” The first bullet point of the course was “Writing the book is the EASY part!” Knowing what I know now, my reaction would be: Excuuuuse me? Have you written a book? Uhhh, no, nope, no sir…. it is NOT easy. Why don’t you cut yourself open, pour your entire heart and soul out, then publish for the world to read and judge! The first bullet point should have said, “I hope you have realllllllllllllly thick skin and fantastic self-esteem and enjoy being told you will likely amount to nothing.” That would be much more realistic. This video sums it up!
I am extremely fortunate to have a tribe that supports me unconditionally and not too many haters, (so far) but writing the book is not easy! The course I took second bullet point said marketing is the hard part. I get it. Marketing is hard and never-ending but nothing about this journey is EASY! Fulfilling? Rewarding? Unimaginable? YES! Marketing IS important, and fans can have a big impact in helping an author market their book. I’m sharing how you can best support your favorite Author and spread the word.
Here Are 6 Easy Tips To Rally Around A Self-Published Author And Spread The Word:
1. Give Reviews:
Reviews help increase the books ranking and searchability on retail sites.
a. If you are a verified purchaser, you can leave a review on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or other Retail Store.
b. Leave a Review on GoodReads. Readers are always looking for new reads. Leave a review of the book so others can see.
2. Buy Books As A Gift:
Depending on the content of the book, it might be something you can buy for a friend, coworker or teacher as a gift. You might even ask the Author to sign it to make it more personalized. Chances are the Author has copies available to buy direct. A few gift ideas include:
a. Birthday Gift
b. Teacher Gift
c. Gift Exchanges
d. Hostess Gift
3. Social Media:
Leverage your own circle to promote.
a. Invite your friends to like the authors “Business Page”
b. Post a Photo of the book along with a review on the Author’s Business Page so other people who like the page can see it.
c. Post a personal review on your own Social Media Page and tag the Author’s Page.
d. Share any advertised book contests, giveaways, events and discounted sale campaigns on your personal page to encourage others to participate.
4. Suggest It For Your Book Club:
You know the members of your book club, if you loved the book, chances are they will too. The author might even come to the meeting or Skype in for the event if they are available. It never hurts to ask.
5. Read in Public:
You never know, the cover may spark interest or generate conversation.
a. Read it on the train on the way into work.
b. Read on the plane on the way to vacation or work trip.
c. Read at a Café or leave it out on the table.
6. Ask for a copy at your Library or from your local Book Store
a. Yes, many people don’t think to request a book at your library, but you can!
b. Approach the information desk at your local bookstore and ask them to order you a copy!
Help Spread The Word!
If you are a fan of my books and The Beyond Series, I would LOVE your support in helping to spread the word! You can leave different reviews on different sites. Chances are they have different audiences, so it won’t be a repeat. Just remember, reviews are FREE advertising. For example, on Amazon, the number of reviews elevate the book in the Amazon Search Engine, so I get better visibility. Once the book is performing Amazon presents my book to readers who are purchasing books from similar authors. Every little bit helps. It takes a village!
To make it easy, here are some quick links to write a review for my books….
As always, I greatly appreciate your support!
If all of that is too much for you, then here are at least a couple tips on what NOT to do:
1. Don’t Buy the Book!
2. Don’t give a Review or worse, write a scathing review!
3. Don’t mention it to anyone under any circumstances!
….but hopefully you left this post a few minutes ago to go leave some earth-shattering reviews!
