5 Ways to Support an Indie Author
It's 2am and, thanks to a brief 8pm nap in my toddler's bed, I'm wired. So I may as well be productive by sharing some of my learnings.
Have you ever wondered how you can support the awesome indie authors of the world? Here are 5 ways...
1. Read their books . Ummm... too obvious?
2. Spread the word . Word-of-Mouth is the lifeblood of indie authors. Without big PR and marketing budgets, obscurity is the reality for a lot of amazing indie authors out there. We need our readers, our family and friends, fellow authors, book bloggers (the angels of the literary world, in my opinion)... basically EVERYONE, to reach out to their own networks. Use what you use everyday... Facebook, email, Twitter, etc. Maybe you're not into that specific genre but I'll bet you know someone who is, or who has kids who are, or a spouse who is, or a coworker, or... get it? Word-of-Mouth is powerful.
3. If you loved it, write a review! Potential buyers DO READ REVIEWS! It doesn't have to be a mini thesis though the more time you spend talking about writing style, quality of story and physical product, the more impactful your review will be to potential buyers. Just as important... be honest. Bogus reviews are not appreciated and usually earn the wrath of future readers, who may come back and provide a harsher review than deserved because they feel like they've been tricked. And one last thing... please leave out the "love, mommy" at the end of your post, otherwise you've just marked your review as extremely biased.
4. Pat your indie author on the back: Writing a book in itself is a major accomplishment. Taking on the role of publisher and having the cajones to put your work out into the market is something altogether remarkable. Don't assume these cajones = confidence. Most authors are doubting themselves, their writing ability, their story, and their sanity on a regular basis. Let them know they're not crazy. Please.
5. Buy the book: I find it surprising how many people expect to receive free copies of books. Really? Indie author ebooks are typically less than the cost of a Starbucks (and sometimes less than a cup of that nasty day-old cornerstore coffee that you buy out of desperation). Print versions are not outrageously expensive either. Serious indie authors are spending hundreds, if not thousands of dollars launching a book between the cost of editors and designers. The few dollars they have at the end goes to buying print books for blogger reviews and contest giveaways. Oh, and don't forget - this is after spending months if not years writing the book. Considering all of that, is $0.99 to $15 asking a lot?
Stepping down from my soapbox now... :-)
Have you ever wondered how you can support the awesome indie authors of the world? Here are 5 ways...
1. Read their books . Ummm... too obvious?
2. Spread the word . Word-of-Mouth is the lifeblood of indie authors. Without big PR and marketing budgets, obscurity is the reality for a lot of amazing indie authors out there. We need our readers, our family and friends, fellow authors, book bloggers (the angels of the literary world, in my opinion)... basically EVERYONE, to reach out to their own networks. Use what you use everyday... Facebook, email, Twitter, etc. Maybe you're not into that specific genre but I'll bet you know someone who is, or who has kids who are, or a spouse who is, or a coworker, or... get it? Word-of-Mouth is powerful.
3. If you loved it, write a review! Potential buyers DO READ REVIEWS! It doesn't have to be a mini thesis though the more time you spend talking about writing style, quality of story and physical product, the more impactful your review will be to potential buyers. Just as important... be honest. Bogus reviews are not appreciated and usually earn the wrath of future readers, who may come back and provide a harsher review than deserved because they feel like they've been tricked. And one last thing... please leave out the "love, mommy" at the end of your post, otherwise you've just marked your review as extremely biased.
4. Pat your indie author on the back: Writing a book in itself is a major accomplishment. Taking on the role of publisher and having the cajones to put your work out into the market is something altogether remarkable. Don't assume these cajones = confidence. Most authors are doubting themselves, their writing ability, their story, and their sanity on a regular basis. Let them know they're not crazy. Please.
5. Buy the book: I find it surprising how many people expect to receive free copies of books. Really? Indie author ebooks are typically less than the cost of a Starbucks (and sometimes less than a cup of that nasty day-old cornerstore coffee that you buy out of desperation). Print versions are not outrageously expensive either. Serious indie authors are spending hundreds, if not thousands of dollars launching a book between the cost of editors and designers. The few dollars they have at the end goes to buying print books for blogger reviews and contest giveaways. Oh, and don't forget - this is after spending months if not years writing the book. Considering all of that, is $0.99 to $15 asking a lot?
Stepping down from my soapbox now... :-)
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