5 Things You Can Do to Help Other Writers
by Alycia W. Morales
@AlyciaMorales
If you want to be a writer, one thing you should know is that it is far more fun to support other writers than it is to try to compete with them.
What does supporting other writers look like? Here are 5 things you can do:
1. Come to their book signings. These are typically held at local bookstores, like Barnes & Noble, Lifeway, or the "mom and pop" bookstore. Buy one of their books, even if you've already read it or don't see a need to read it. For example, one of my best friends and writing mentor, Edie Melson, is having a book signing at Barnes & Noble on Woodruff Road in Greenville this Friday from 3-5 PM. Her book is a series of prayers for those who have loved ones serving in the military. I will be attending, even though I don't have any immediate family overseas. I'll be attending to support my local author and personal friend. (And if you're in the Upstate SC area, maybe you could come too.)
2. Help them launch their websites. A3 (Almost An Author) is a new site for writers, written by over 30 people in the writing industry. It's full of information and tips about writing, craft, social networking, and more for those who would love to become published authors. The site is launching on July 1, 2015. That's two days from now. How can you help? You could join the Thunderclap campaign, which would automatically post to your Facebook page, Twitter feed, and Tumblr blog, should you opt in. It will only post once, on July 1, to spread the news about the new site. And it only takes about 10 seconds to do so. I (Alycia) am one of the editors who will be posting once a month.
3. Become a member of the author's launch team. These are also referred to as street teams. Or dream teams. When you participate on a launch team, you will usually receive a PDF version of the author's book. Some will send you a physical copy of the book. Most of the authors I've served by being a member of their launch team have used a private Facebook page to communicate with their team members. Basically, you'll be asked to leave a review of the book on the various bookstore sites like Barnes & Noble, Christian Book Distributors (CBD), Parable, and amazon. You may also leave a review on GoodReads. You can blog about the book. I love to do so when I'm reading a non-fiction book and God is revealing things to me. It's an easy way to share about the book without my blog readers feeling like I'm trying to sell them something. You'll also be asked to help promote the book via your social media networks. I find most of my opportunities to help launch a book on Facebook. Most authors will post that they are looking for launch team members. You may need to follow their author page.
4. Buy their books, read them, and tell your friends about them. Amazon reviews are a huge help to the author (as long as it's a positive review). And word of mouth is still the BEST form of advertising. And heed the cliche. If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. Also, if you need to point out a flaw, use the sandwich technique. Find two good things to say and put them around the flaw you need to point out. Praise. Flaw. Praise. Click here to read an example of a review.
5. Pray for them. Who doesn't need prayer? Authors face the same things in life that readers do. Just because they've had a book or seventy books published doesn't mean they aren't dealing with the same issues we all are. They have families. They have financial needs. They battle illnesses. They deal with life issues all the time. Pray that God meets their needs - physical, emotional, and spiritual. Pray that God blesses them with continued creativity, inspires their characters, and provides the words they need to fill their novels with page-turning imagery. Pray He blesses the work of their hands in a way that glorifies Him. Pray He opens doors of opportunity for them to minister to the needs of others via their platform. It's the least you can do that will yield the greatest reward.
Q4U: What other ways can you think of to support your favorite authors? We'd love to hear them!
Tweetable:
5 Things You Can Do to Support Your Favorite Authors {Click to Tweet}
Did you know there are ways to support your favorite author besides simply buying their book? {Click to Tweet}
@AlyciaMorales
If you want to be a writer, one thing you should know is that it is far more fun to support other writers than it is to try to compete with them.
What does supporting other writers look like? Here are 5 things you can do:
1. Come to their book signings. These are typically held at local bookstores, like Barnes & Noble, Lifeway, or the "mom and pop" bookstore. Buy one of their books, even if you've already read it or don't see a need to read it. For example, one of my best friends and writing mentor, Edie Melson, is having a book signing at Barnes & Noble on Woodruff Road in Greenville this Friday from 3-5 PM. Her book is a series of prayers for those who have loved ones serving in the military. I will be attending, even though I don't have any immediate family overseas. I'll be attending to support my local author and personal friend. (And if you're in the Upstate SC area, maybe you could come too.)
2. Help them launch their websites. A3 (Almost An Author) is a new site for writers, written by over 30 people in the writing industry. It's full of information and tips about writing, craft, social networking, and more for those who would love to become published authors. The site is launching on July 1, 2015. That's two days from now. How can you help? You could join the Thunderclap campaign, which would automatically post to your Facebook page, Twitter feed, and Tumblr blog, should you opt in. It will only post once, on July 1, to spread the news about the new site. And it only takes about 10 seconds to do so. I (Alycia) am one of the editors who will be posting once a month.
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| Click the Photo Above to Support A3 Thunderclap Campaign |
3. Become a member of the author's launch team. These are also referred to as street teams. Or dream teams. When you participate on a launch team, you will usually receive a PDF version of the author's book. Some will send you a physical copy of the book. Most of the authors I've served by being a member of their launch team have used a private Facebook page to communicate with their team members. Basically, you'll be asked to leave a review of the book on the various bookstore sites like Barnes & Noble, Christian Book Distributors (CBD), Parable, and amazon. You may also leave a review on GoodReads. You can blog about the book. I love to do so when I'm reading a non-fiction book and God is revealing things to me. It's an easy way to share about the book without my blog readers feeling like I'm trying to sell them something. You'll also be asked to help promote the book via your social media networks. I find most of my opportunities to help launch a book on Facebook. Most authors will post that they are looking for launch team members. You may need to follow their author page.
4. Buy their books, read them, and tell your friends about them. Amazon reviews are a huge help to the author (as long as it's a positive review). And word of mouth is still the BEST form of advertising. And heed the cliche. If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. Also, if you need to point out a flaw, use the sandwich technique. Find two good things to say and put them around the flaw you need to point out. Praise. Flaw. Praise. Click here to read an example of a review.
Q4U: What other ways can you think of to support your favorite authors? We'd love to hear them!
Tweetable:
5 Things You Can Do to Support Your Favorite Authors {Click to Tweet}
Did you know there are ways to support your favorite author besides simply buying their book? {Click to Tweet}
Alycia, all your suggestions are excellent. Thanks so much for sharing them. An additional way I can think to support our close writer friends is to be there for them with a listening ear and shoulder to cry on through all seasons of the writing process. Show up during the ups, downs, highs and lows. Be the friend they need and speak the truth in love.
ReplyDeleteThese are wonderful. I like to tweet or post their book on Facebook. Also leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads truly helps.
ReplyDelete