Thursday Thirteen #40 . . . 13 Ways Of Showing An Author Support . . .

Do you have a friend, relative or loved one who has succeeded in making the grand leap from writing to publishing? Nowadays, most everyone does. Well, if you've ever wondered how you might be of assistance to the "author" in your life, the following list may give you a few ideas . . .

1) Buy, borrow or steal a copy of the book

2) Read the book

Okay, now that we have the obvious out of the way, let's explore a few others.

3) Mention the book (That's right, talk it up, not only in normal, everyday conversations, but also on cyber hangouts, like Twitter and Facebook)

4) Review the book (particularly if you read and liked it. A few great places to post reviews on the internet are Amazon and Barnes & Noble. But reviews in print publcations--like magazines, newspapers, journals and newsletters--work just as well and sometimes even better)

5) Rate the book (If you're not up to writing a review, there are a number of web-based sites where you can assign books a specific number of stars or post one word reviews, like--"Great!" "Hilarious." "Moving," etc--and leave it at that. A couple of my favorite places for doing such are Goodreads and weread.

6) Post a blog write-up or interview (Mention the book or post an interview with the author on your blog)

7) Show-up (Even if you've already snagged a signed copy of the book, attend a reading or show up at a signing, just to say "hello" or lend a bit of moral support)

8) Take a friend or two (If you do plan on attending a signing or reading, why not get a friend or two to tag along? The more, the merrier)

9) Ask your favorite bookseller and/or library branch to carry the title (Requests help drive demand for the book. Many libraries will allow users to make requests on-line)

10) Pre-order the book (Why wait? Be among the first to own a copy. If your bookseller believes there is interest, he'll make sure plenty of copies are kept in stock)

11) Make the book a gift item (Spread the word. Exposure is half the battle)

12) Write a note (Send and/or give the author in your life a note in which you express your thoughts about the book or praise his/her efforts. A few words of encouragement go a long way.

13) Share what you know (If you hear about an event, book festival, new bookstore, a contest, etc., that might interest or benefit the author in your life, don't hesitate to pass the info along)

So, how many of these have you done? If you have additional ideas or suggestions, please feel free to share in the comments!

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