I haven’t published a book in a couple of years, but this hasn’t stopped me from fully and wholeheartedly supporting other authors, especially those who are independent. Whether I write another book or not, I will always support writers and do what I can to get eyes on their books.
As one example, I retweet and share other authors’ books on my X account. It’s not a tactic to necessarily encourage them to do the same for me, but simply because I want to help support other artists. I especially want to support independent authors because they don’t have a well-known name, expensive marketing campaigns, or sometimes the experience to reach as many people. And even if they make every attempt, it can often feel like being lost in a sea of other authors and books. Trust me, I know.
Add to this the fact that the number of authors publishing books has remained consistent, while fewer people are reading. In fact, I did hear a statistic recently that the number of people who read books has vastly dropped over the last few decades. This concerns me. In fact, this is one of the reasons why I took a break from writing a couple of years ago.
I also try to find a home for as many books as I can. I volunteer at my local library to help take care of the ongoing used book sale. If some books haven't moved for months, I shuffle them to a charity second-hand store. I guess this is with the hope that in a new location, an interested reader may find them. There’s nothing an avid reader loves more than finding a book they’ve been looking for, perhaps one that is out of print or was unaffordable at full price.
Another thing I do is enter book contests in a couple of different places. One of which is Goodreads. You’d be surprised how often I win. I give the book a fair read, and even if I don’t like it, I try to give it a review and pass it on. Sometimes I donate it to the library to add it to their collection. Some of these books are by well-known authors, but many are not. This puts their books in a position to get different eyes on them and potentially pull in a new reader that otherwise may not have discovered them.
Speaking of libraries, I’ve also suggested they bring in some less-known authors (not that I’m usually very successful), and I try to buy their books and later donate them to the library in hopes they do.
In my mind, regardless of who writes the book, someone put a lot of work and heart into their project. Sure, there are a lot of best-selling authors who certainly don’t need my help getting eyes on their books, but many authors aren't making as much money as you think. Even those with a traditional publisher
My efforts may seem minor and irrelevant in the grand scheme of things, but it all helps. If I can get one person who doesn’t read to pick up a book, I consider that a win. If I can draw a new reader’s attention to a lesser-known author, I feel like this is a success. In a world of smartphones and practically no attention spans, anytime someone picks up a book is a success in my eyes.
