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This is a topic that gets covered extensively among the writing community, and there is a lot of great wisdom to be passed along from writers to newer writers. If you love an author or their book there are a lot of ways that you, as a reader, can help make an impact to drive up the sales and popularity of either that author or their book. Today I will be covering five ways that you can start to help your favorite budding authors gain the exposure they need to help solidify their writing careers.

  1. Buy their book! – Okay, so we’ll start out with the no-brainer to begin. If you like the author or love a particular book, the best thing you can do to support it is to buy a copy to own. The format doesn’t matter, so whether you love hardcovers, paperbacks, or eBooks you can take your pick and support the author that way. If they don’t have a book of their own yet, buy the book anthologies and magazine copies that have their stories featured, as these help to show the publisher that there was an interest in those stories which will make it more likely that they will consider a second story from the same author in the future. Also, don’t forget that books make excellent gifts! If you don’t have the funds to buy the books, see #3 for another way you can help.
  2. Read their book in public places – This will let other people seeing you read the awesome book, and the curious ones might even ask what you are reading. Don’t hold back when they ask, but rather see this as an opportunity to convert them to the fandom of your new favorite book or author. If you can get them excited, perhaps they will become curious enough to do step#1, which helps to show the interest in that author or book.
  3. Request it at your local library/bookstore – If you can’t afford to buy a copy for yourself, or if you already have a copy, ask about that book at your local library or bookstore. This shows the librarians and bookstore employees that there is some interest in the book, and every library or bookstore should take note and jot down when someone asks about a book they don’t already have. If enough requests are made, you may find that someday soon that book is there for sale or checkout.
  4. Review the book! – Apart from sales, reviews might be the second most important factor to influence the success of a book. When you read a book you love, or even one you just enjoy, take the time to write a review. It doesn’t have to be long, but it should be honest and as spoiler-free as possible. And then post it in multiple locations, especially on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. The more reviews a book has, the more likely a reader will be to investigate into the book and, perhaps, buy it. If the story is only on a website, be sure to like it and leave a comment so that it shows some reader activity and involvement.
  5. Spread the word – Social media is the ideal method for sharing information about your favorite author or book. If it is a book, share the cover of the book or your review (or another review that pops across your feed that you agree with) for your friends or followers to see. If it is an author, share links to their blog, their books, or their short stories. Become the street team to spread the word about that author to those who are yet to discover them. Word of mouth is a powerful tool so read and share about everything they write that you can get your hands on and generate some buzz about that author and their writing.

 

So there you go, five ways you can help your new favorite author or book gain some exposure or popularity. A few dedicated fans doing these things on the behalf of a book or author can help drive interest that otherwise might never surface. What are some authors or books you are currently excited about and might be able to help promote?

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