Go On, Help A Writer Out
So it seems like approximately 4 billion writers have books launching in the next few weeks. Because of Covid-19 lots of the Spring book releases were postponed and rescheduled to be published in the Autumn, (remember, back in March when we naively thought the Pandemic would all be over in a few weeks). Spring releases are now combining with the scheduled Autumn releases and with book festival and live readings opportunities radically scaled back and fewer review slots than in previous years it’s going to be difficult for some of these books -especially those by debut authors- to get the recognition and readership they deserve. Just imagine how gutted you’d feel if you’d spent years working on a book only to find it lost in an avalanche of books released on the same day.
I know lots of you want to support writers during this difficult time so I’ve put together a wee list of things you can do to help out writers who are releasing new books in the next few weeks.
Consider prioritising books by debut authors. Many debut writers rely on festival appearances, reviews and bookshop displays to establish themselves, all of which are going to be really limited this year. Already established authors are probably going to find it a little easier to negotiate 2020 and beyond.
Pre-order books. Pre-orders help to create a buzz about books and really help with writers’ nerves. It’s lovely to find out people are so eager to read your book, they’ve ordered it before it’s even published. (Ideally pre-order straight from the publisher or from your local independent bookstore so you’re supporting the infrastructure of the book community we all rely upon).
Take to social media. Literally no writer I’ve ever met dislikes being told a reader’s enjoyed their book, so if you’ve enjoyed something you’ve read shout about it on your blog, on Twitter, on Instagram, on Facebook. If you can, include a picture of the book cover as this helps to make it more visible and tag the writer and publisher in. (Also don’t forget to mention translators and illustrators as they work really hard and are marvellous too).
Suggest a book for your book group. If you’re part of a book group, why not read a new release this Autumn? It’s a great way for author’s to generate multiple sales and get the word out about their book.
Consider buying books for gifts. Birthdays. Weddings. Get well soons. I know I’d rather get a book than yet another smelly candle and they’re so easy to wrap.
Leave a review on Goodreads or Amazon or wherever you usually review books. Lots of first time readers glance through reviews when picking a book to read and a nice recommendation could sway them towards an author they’ve not encountered before
Order the book through your library. This is a great way to help if you’re short on cash. Writers get a tiny amount of money from library lends but, more importantly, libraries are great at introducing writers to new readers. It’s fantastic when libraries stock our books.
Suggest a writer to your favourite book festival. All the book festivals and reading series have a strong online presence. If there’s a writer you’d like to see featured at one of their events drop them a wee Tweet or message to let them know how amazing this writer is.
Come to the online launch. I know we’re all sick to the back teeth of online events and we’d rather be in a bookshop drinking wine and getting our books signed, but every writer needs a moment to celebrate when they release a new book into the world. Online’s all we’ve got at the minute and it’s such an encouragement to see other people have turned up to celebrate with you. Do your best to make the online option feel as special as possible. It won’t be the same as a real live launch but it can still be pretty great.
Encourage. Encourage. Encourage. I can’t emphasise this enough. It’s hard releasing a book at the moment. It’s such an anti-climax to pour yourself into a book and not get to witness readers’ responses directly or see your work gain the recognition it deserves. Now’s the time to send that encouraging message, or that letter that says I know how hard you worked for this, or that celebratory bottle of champagne or just about anything that reminds our writers they’re appreciated.
I’m not saying I’ve ever done this, (not saying I haven’t done it either), but you might want to move your mates books from the new release table in your local bookstore to the top of the bestsellers display.