Let’s be real…we’re still in a worldwide pandemic. Money has been tight and looking to get even tighter in the near future. Now with Christmas coming up, we all have added financial responsibilities and may not have the cash to be dropping on all the hundreds of books we would love to buy.
BUT we still want to support our favourite authors! How do we do that without spending any money? I will let you in on a little secret that everyone needs to know:
There are a LOT of ways to support authors without ever spending a dime. I certainly didn’t invent the items on this list, I’ve just read it countless times all over the internet and it’s definitely worth repeating!
- Request the book by title and author at your local library. If the author has more than one title, point this out to library staff. It doesn’t matter where you live in the world…request your favourite authors from everywhere!
- Are they already at your library? Check out their book. Tell your friends to check out their book. Get on the waiting list to check out their book. Keep that baby moving!
- Request the book to be stocked at your local book store. Yes you can do this without purchasing it!
- Review, review, review. Amazon, Goodreads, Facebook, etc. Write a few words, they really do help! Add the book to your Goodreads “to read” list.
- Aaaallllll the Socials. Follow the author, like, share, and comment! Engagement on social media is a very valuable contribution when you are looking for a no price, high value way to support. But don’t just hit that thumbs up on Facebook…use the different emotions, give a heart, and type out a comment of more than 3 words. The algorithms are all different and mysterious but steady engagement is key.
- Book club it up a notch! Especially when radio stations, websites, and Facebook pages ask for recommendations on what their next read should be. Suggest it to your local book club and word will get around.
- Speaking of word getting around…just simply tell your friends about it. You know who reads in your friends circle, who likes women’s literature, true crime, fantasy. Authentic interest starts here.
- Do you attend a conference? Request your favourite author as a speaker.
- Do you have a website/newsletter/blog of your own? Include a link to the author’s socials.
This list is far from complete and you could get creative with the suggestions but the simple fact remains, you can do a lot to support authors while keeping a firm handle on your budget.
And when you do have a few extra dollars to spend and pick up a book, take a photo for your socials and tag the author or shoot them an email. I promise you it will make them smile and they really deeply appreciate it.
