Here’s ten ways you can support your author friends:
1. Be a critique partner. We all need help polishing our manuscripts. As a critique partner, we also learn a lot about our own writing in the process.
2. Mark the book as ‘Want to Read’ on Goodreads. That helps it get noticed more. Plus vote for it if it appears on a Goodreads list.
3. Offer to host the author on your blog during his virtual tour. Either ask for a guest post or send interview questions. Even just a feature on release day helps spread the word.
4. Sign up to be on the author’s street team. You’ll promote on multiple platforms and get all sorts of cool bonus goodies.
5. Promote it on Facebook. Post notifications of the book’s upcoming release or host a Facebook party.
6. Promote the book on Twitter. Send out Tweets about the book – with an image. Retweet the author’s book tweets.
7. Promote the book on Instagram. If you have a review copy, take pictures of it. Same with Pinterest.
8. On release day, announce the book to your followers, friends, family, and fans, whether online or in the real world. Let them know they need to buy this book. Tell your local library and bookstore to order it. Hound them if you have to!
9. Buy the author’s book! Even if you got a free review copy. Years ago, Carolyn Howard Johnson said that was the number one thing you could do to support an author.
10. Review the book. Goodreads-Amazon-iTunes-Barnes and Noble – wherever! Just leave a review or at the very least a star rating. The book will get more notice with more reviews. Just make sure it’s an honest but not overly negative review. (If you’re out to slam other authors, you are in the wrong line of work.)
We all need to support each other and celebrate one another’s accomplishments.
And something else cool happens as a result – others will support us when we have a book release.
What other ways can you think of to support an author?
