Five Things You Can Do in Under Five Minutes to Support Your Favorite Author

By Lisa Ellison

Every book is a minor miracle. I know this because I coach writers for a living.  Most writers spend years—even decades—refining their stories and perfecting every line. Then they jump through the many hoops required by the publishing industry, often facing multiple rejections or false leads in the process. Once they finally get a book deal, they face the final hurdle: promoting their work. In the promotion game, authors must compete with other authors, 24-hour news cycles, a deluge of Internet and social media content on top of all the other things that fill our busy lives. And friends, it’s a tough market. Most writers wave frantically while yelling, “Pick me! Pick me!” hoping you’ll buy their book. 

In celebration of the release of Rev. Don’s new book, Pealing an Artichoke: Opening to the Heart of Spiritual Awakening, I’d like to share five things you can do in under five minutes to help an author promote their new book. 

1.  Buy a copy of their book on or before pub day. Book-selling giants like Amazon use algorithms to promote books with a high potential for sales. While their sales algorithms are closely held industry secrets, strong first-day sales can give an author a big boost. 

2.  Tell a friend. Most books are sold based on personal recommendations. If you love a book, tell your friends about it. Better yet, send them an email that includes a link they can use to buy the book. 

3.  Buy a second copy and donate it to the Little Free Library in your neighborhood. Little Free Libraries are exactly what they sound like—tiny libraries stewarded by neighbors for neighbors in your community. Anyone can add or take a book from a Little Free Library. As Unity folks, adding a book to a local Little Free Library is a way to participate in the divine act of giving and receiving. Besides, you never know who might need the message contained in your favorite book. Click here to find the nearest Little Free Library in your area. 

4.  Take a picture of the book and post it to social media. A simple post on social media along with the line “Hey check out what I’m reading” can spark interest in your favorite author’s work. It can also be a great way to start a conversation with other readers in your newsfeed. 

5.  Write a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and Barnes and Noble. This isn’t as intimidating as it sounds, and yes, it can be done in five minutes or less. All you need to do is add the number of stars you’re giving to the book along with a one-to-three sentence review. It can be as simple as this: Well written, funny, and so practical. I felt completely inspired by what I read. I can’t recommend this book enough! Reviews are another way readers decide what to buy. Having reviews in the double digits can increase an author’s reach and improve the perceived credibility of their book.