5 Ways to Support Your Favorite Author | And Social Media Isn't One of Them.

Have you ever picked up a book, read it, loved it, stalked the author, promptly bought all of their other books (or eventually so, for those of us who don’t win the lottery), and now constantly tell everyone who’s anyone about them?

Yep, me too.

If there’s anything I love to do, it’s to help promote my favorite authors. From squealing to my friends when I finish their books to introducing others to their work to even fangirling in my sleep (yes, that has happened before), I find joy in being a part of putting their name out there.

And, believe it or not, this is very important to authors.

Authors rely on people hearing about their book and picking them up. It’s how they make money! And that makes the publishers happy, which, in turn, makes the authors happy, and happy authors equals more books! See how this works?

If you’re on any type of social media, you’ll no doubt see their own little bookish communities (i.e. book-tube, book-stagram, etc.), and that’s a great way to support your favorite author. But what if you don’t have an account? Can you still help support them then?

Absolutely.

Social media is fickle. While it might be a great place to spread the word about a new trend or upcoming event or book release, there’s no telling just how long it will last (that’s a topic for a different post entirely). It’s not the be-all end-all. Enough said.

Drumroll, пожалуйста. (Kudos if you can tell me what that says 😉).

I present to you 5 ways to help support your favorite author (that don’t include social media).

1. Leaving a Review

This might not seem helpful, but reviews are one of the biggest ways to get an author’s name seen. The more reviews a book has, the more people see it. Simple as that.

Amazon is, kinda obviously, one of the most impactful places to leave a review, even if it’s just a star rating. They have a whole system for what books get in front of which people, so they are a great place to start.

Goodreads is another place you’ll find a lot of us book nerds congregating. It’s a great place to pop in and leave a comment and a star review. They have tons of groups you join and even have the occasional book giveaway you can enter. You can also follow your favorite authors and friends, which, hey, is pretty cool.

2. Requesting Their Books at Your Local Library

Raise your hand if you love a good library.

*Hand shoots in the air*

There’s something almost magical about the library for me. All those books. Rows upon rows of them, just waiting to be picked up and checked out. Endless portals to other worlds. Countless lives to live.

Yes, I’m having a moment. Give me a second.

Did you know that you can request a book to be entered into a library system? The rules vary from place to place, but sometimes you can even donate books to a library (or, if you’re an author, give them a copy of your book!). An untold number of souls visit a library. It’s a great place to find a new read. And an even better place to find a new author!

Next time you’re at the library, see what their process is for getting a new book into the system. Readers and authors alike will thank you.

3. Book Buying Spree!

Yeah . . . we kinda saw this one coming, didn’t we? 🤭 But it’s true! Buying their books directly supports an author, end of story. Yes, I suppose getting an e-book counts, but come on here. These are BOOKS we’re talking about. They deserve to be held. Caressed. Smelled. Flipped through. Caressed again. Hugged. Cried on. Displayed on a shelf. Passed around. Loved on.

#Physicalbookadvocate

But seriously, an author is dependent upon people (that’s you) buying their books. Publishers won’t contract a writer whose books don’t sell. It’s a sad truth, but there it is. Fortunately, there’s a simple prevention for such a horrific act. *Pulls out wallet* Book splurge, anyone?

4. Tell Them How Much You Love Their Books!

When some people think of the word “writer,” a mental image pops into their head. One of a bent form huddled in a corner at a massive desk, papers scattered, hair in disarray. If this image happens to have audio, your ears would be blessed with either ear-piercing silence or whale-like moans being emitted from the disgruntled life form that people slap the label “writer” on.

Sound pitiful?

Yeah, it’s also a bit inaccurate (at times).

We ferret away to get those words in, yes, but we interact with people a lot more than some might think.

*Glances around* We also . . . uh, really like it when people tell us how much they liked our writing.

If you really enjoyed a book, tell the author so! Just say “Hey! My name’s [FILL IN THE BLANK] and I really loved your book [FILL IN THE BLANK].” (Go ahead and fangirl/fanboy, we really like that too, but try not to go too overboard.) There’s usually a contact form on their blog for just such purposes. Use it! Authors love hearing from readers. Like, a lot.

5. Word of Mouth

I saved the best for last. We’re not joking when we say that word of mouth is the most powerful marketing tool there is. Nothing spreads news quite like the grapevine, and books are no exception.

Tell your friends about this favorite author of yours! Mention a neighbor how they just got a new book and out they should really check it out. Comment in a chat group that you’re rocking this book you’re reading and link to the author’s blog. Those people will tell other people, who will in turn tell someone else, and et voilà. You’ve just helped your favorite author out. Pat yourself on the back.

Who amongst you agree with me here? Did I miss an important method? Be sure to let me know! And, hey. Who’s your favorite author? What book are you really into right now that you want everyone to know about? I wanna hear!

Catch ya on the flip side,

_Mac 🤎