I never used to sign up for anything. I was a scrooge when it came to subscribing and downright anti-social on social media. Why would a ‘successful’ creative care what lil old me had to say to them? I thought. It wasn’t until I became an author I understood just how misguided that attitude was.
We authors need encouragement! And you, dear readers, are the key to this. See, writing is a lonely profession. Most writers will describe their job as long hours alone at a computer screen punctuated by occasional happy emails. We write for readers: to entertain, educate and edify, to inspire and inform. Getting feedback from the people we write for can sometimes be the difference between us wanting to give it all up and keeping on going with one more book!
So here are seven ways you as a reader can encourage an author today…and urge them on to writing more of the books you love.
1. Actually buy their books
So simple, but so encouraging. All authors rely on information about sales. Independent authors use the data to make decisions about where to go next in their writing. Publishing houses look at sales information to determine whether they will commission new books. If the numbers don’t stack up, a traditional publisher simply won’t keep going with that author…even if they are in the middle of a series! So make sure you invest in the authors you love to read. It keeps them writing!
If you can’t afford to buy books, then request your local library purchase a copy for you. We recommend requesting a physical book, not an ebook. In Australia we have a generous scheme allowing authors to be paid for works in public libraries, but it only counts for physical books. Also, it should go without saying, but buying an ebook, reading it and then returning it for a full refund (even if the platform you buy from allows it) is one of the fastest ways to discourage an author. Please don’t do it!
2. In fact, pre order books!
Preordering books is even more encouraging for authors than just buying a book after release. It spurs a writer on in the knowledge people are excited about the books they are writing. It helps a writer know their book launch won’t meet with crickets! It’s also a delightful surprise to have a book you’ve preordered arrive in the post and drop onto your kindle when you’d forgotten you’d ordered it!
3. Then write reviews
Whether you buy an ebook or physical book, make sure you review the books you love. I know it’s polite to say authors want honest reviews. But it’s not true. We want five star ones! But if you really didn’t like a book and feel like you need to give fewer stars, please say why. There’s nothing more discouraging than a one star review with no reason behind it.
4. Tell the author you loved their book
Reaching out and telling an author you liked what they wrote can literally be the difference between them wanting to give up and forging one with the next chapter. Just because people look important and confident on social media doesn’t mean they won’t be absolutely chuffed to hear you liked what they have written. We also put our hearts and souls into what we write. We get up early or stay up late. We sacrifice time with our real family or friends in order to sit at a computer manically playing with our imaginary ones. It really does make a difference to hear our work has touched someone’s life.
You could:
- Contact them through their website to say you enjoy what they wrote. I did this to my favourite author once, and it was the beginning of a wonderful mentorship!
- Slide into our DMs on social…in a non-creepy way.
- Reply to an author email.
- Tag an author in a rave review on social media.
5. Sign up to their author newsletter
In fact, sign up everywhere you can! The size of an author’s platform can decide the size of the author’s next publishing contract or how much time they can devote to writing. Your email on the list can make such a difference! And never be too shy to hit reply. Interaction with readers can make a writer’s day! Since I’m mentioning it. Here’s a plug for my email mailing list with a free WWII romance giveaway. I’d be very encouraged if you signed up 😉
6. Share your love with your friends!
Word of mouth is a very powerful marketing tool! One specific recommendation to a friend is more meaningful than writing five online reviews. It is direct, specific and personal. And people are more likely to read a new writer if they are endorsed by a trusted friend in a personal conversation, email or text. Make your recommendation in a way that feels sincere and genuine to friends you think will be interested. Of course, also feel free to shout out to all your connections on social media too (see point 4)!
7. Pray for us
Ultimately, this should be at the top of the list especially if both you and the author are Christian. There’s nothing more practical than prayer, especially when creativity is involved! After all, writers are children of the great Creator who built the world we live in. He is the Author of the Book of Life, so He must deeply understand the processes involved in bringing our meagre books to life! Authors may write with different purposes, in different genres and with different goals but Christian authors are all striving to honour The Lord. You can pray we will be faithful. And even if you don’t tell us directly, The Lord can encourage us anyway.
Over to you…
Authors, what are some of the ways your readers have encouraged you? When was a time that piece of feedback really made a difference? Readers, have you ever reached out to an author and made their day? We love to know in the comments below!
SO many excellent points here! I LOVE it when readers take the time to write and let me know a book has blessed them. Because I do view my writing as a ministry, and pray for inspiration and that my words will be used by God to touch hearts, so when someone writes to say a phrase really resonated to them, or they cried ‘ugly tears’ because they connected so deeply with a character, then I feel it’s working.
Readers, please preorder, please write and post reviews on Goodreads / Amazon / Koorong (a simple 25 words can be enough). Words ARE powerful, and a reader’s words to an author can mean the difference between pressing on or giving up.
At the moment I find people subscribing to my email list so encouraging! Very sign up is like a vote of confidence!
Hi Jen, Excellent post, and I agree with everything Carolyn said! 😊
In a world where piracy (theft of intellectual property) is seen by many as acceptable (rather than a crime), and readers send TikTok videos viral by following ‘how to buy, read & get a full ebook refund’ advice that’s not only theft, but costing authors/publishers who still have to pay electronic delivery fees despite the refunds, it’s refreshing to remember that there are readers who value books and want to support authors in writing more books. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. 😊
I can’t believe readers especially Christians can think buying an ebook, reading and returning isn’t theft. If in doubt get the sampler normally its enough to know if you will like a book or not. The only time I returned one which I didn’t read was because I already had the book and bought it buy accident but did it straight away. I feel its the same as a person in a bookstore reading the books in there before the book sells. We had volunteers do this when we had a bookstore they would carefully read a book when they were working. To me its wrong. (I got into trouble for voicing the same concern about playing the cd’s we were selling. We had some sample ones but many would play ones we were selling the idea was it may make someone want them. To me it was wrong as customers want a new CD not one that may have been played 50 times. But the manager didn’t see it that way and actually said we couldn’t bring our own cd’s to play even if they were Christian ones that we could order in).