Today’s post is all about sharing the love and supporting your favorite authors.
The best part? They’re all such simple little things for us (the readers) that have BIG, positive impacts for authors. And why wouldn’t we want to support the people who bring our favorite stories to life?
Please note: this blog post contains affiliate links which means that if you choose to purchase through a link, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
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WRITE A REVIEW
Have reviews ever been the deciding factor for whether you read a book? You can be on the other end of that decision-making process by leaving reviews on the books you read.
Reviews help by increasing visibility for the book and author, to other readers. They can also be as short or long as you’d like. A simple “I loved this book!” can make a huge difference for the author.
Furthermore, review platforms are everywhere. Don’t have reviewing capabilities on Amazon? No worries! You can review on a range of platforms, such as Goodreads, Instagram, Facebook, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, and more. Review how and where you want – it all helps the author!
RECOMMEND THE BOOK TO YOUR FRIENDS
I don’t know about you, but I love giving and receiving book recommendations! So many of the books I read or add to my TBR come from friends with a little comment saying “I think you’d really enjoy this” and I do. I really do.
Likewise, I want nothing more than my friends to immediately read and love the books I’ve just finished so we can discuss everything that happened within those pages. There is no support for book gatekeeping here. If you love a book, tell your friends!
Also, one of my closest friendships started from sharing book recommendations. She posted about Cora Reilly’s Born in Blood mafia romance series (which I added to my TBR and LOVED!), and I replied back recommending that she try A. Zavarelli’s Boston Underworld mafia romance series (which she tried and also LOVED). Boom, instant friendship!
PROMOTE THE BOOK ON SOCIALS
Similar to the above two tips, post about the book on your social media accounts. It can be as simple as taking photos of the book to publish on your socials, or reposting/resharing the author’s posts to your account.
Just remember to credit the source if you decide to repost or reshare someone else’s image!
Add in some hashtags to make finding your post easier, and you’ll have not only helped support the author but also helped other readers find their next great book!
CHECK OUT THE AUTHOR’S BACKLIST
Why stop with one great book? Check out the author’s backlist and discover more of their great stories. You already know you enjoy their writing style and ability to craft a story, so chances are you’ll love their other books too.
Short on funds? See if your local library stocks their books (if not, you can usually make a request!). You can also check their website for any freebies or bonus content they might have, or online book retailers (like Amazon) for any deals currently on.
See the next point below for another tip!
SIGN UP FOR THEIR NEWSLETTER
This is one of my favorite ways to support authors because it comes with so many benefits. First, it shows authors that readers want and enjoy what they’re publishing. It also brings an element of authenticity and realness to the authors. They usually include a little snippet about their lives or what they’re working on, which is enjoyable to read.
A big bonus to signing up for their author newsletter is the lead magnet often included! What’s a lead magnet, you ask? Lead magnets are the bonus content–typically, a free book–you receive in exchange for providing your contact details (i.e. email address).
WHAT NOT TO DO
Now, there are just a couple of little things that shouldn’t be done if you want to show support to an author. Not only are they unsupportive, but they’re unhelpful, and quite frankly, rude.
1. Don’t pirate books
Pirating books is illegal and steals money from hardworking authors. A lot goes into writing a book: time, money, effort, creativity, sleepless nights, a range of emotions, etc. As such, authors deserve to be fairly compensated for their work.
Piracy can also lead to having their author accounts and published works being forcefully removed from certain book retailers, which are often their main source of sales.
For example, authors on the Kindle Unlimited program can suffer legal and financial issues and have their work removed from the platform because someone has illegally uploaded their work onto a book piracy site.
Check out my blog post 13 Ways to Access Free and Cheap Books for more ideas on how to read on a budget!
2. Don’t tag authors in negative reviews
It’s totally fine if you didn’t enjoy a book; reviews are for readers, not authors, after all. However, please don’t tag authors in negative reviews.
If an authors wants to seek out negative reviews, that’s their prerogative. They know if they’re in the headspace or have the emotional capacity to take on negative feedback/criticism.
While opinions tend to vary, the general consensus seems to be that anything less than a 4-star review shouldn’t have the author tagged. However, I also believe content should be considered as well.
For example, if a 4-star book review also contains heavy criticism about one or two points, I wouldn’t tag the author.
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Hopefully this blog post has given you ideas on how to easily show support to your favorite authors. These are only a couple of basic ways to share your love for an author, but if you have more tips or ideas, let me know in the comments below!
Bookishly Nomes 