Last time we shared the simplest, free-est ways to show some love to your favorite authors. Since then, we’ve put more thought on the topic and have been able to come up with a few more suggestions. If you’re looking for a way to spread the word for your new favorite author, and you’re willing to take a few minutes out of your schedule, these suggestions could offer massive amounts of support. And who knows, it may just be what it takes to push an unknown author more into the mainstream.
Buying a copy of a book you like is always a great start in supporting the author. They get a small bit of money to help them continue working on their next story, and lets them know that they shouldn’t give up, because there are people out there who are purchasing their work. If owning your own personal copy isn’t feasible, then request your local library to get a copy. It doesn’t cost you any money, and would put the title in a place where other potential readers can discover it, which is an added bonus.
Are you involved in a book club? If so, then what easier way is there to recommend a good book to a group of book-loving people? If the author is local, you could even invite them to attend a group discussion.
Do you have a blog? If so, then odds are you’re always on the hunt for content. Write a book review and post it to your site. Ask the author if they’d like to do an interview or guest post. You get some easy content, and the author gets some much appreciated publicity to a whole new group of people. That’s a win-win for everybody.
Likewise, if you have a podcast and are looking for interesting guests, invite local authors to talk about their books, current projects, favorite reads, or whatever other bookish topics you can think of. Again, easy content for you, and it introduces the author to a new base of potential readers.
These are the easy & free ways that we’ve been able to come up with to help show support to your favorite authors. What other things have you done previously, or what other suggestions can you think of to add to the list?
Circle City Publishing 