Authors today have to do a great deal more self-promotion than ever before. Between tweeting and pinning and Facebooking, it’s a wonder that they have time to write books anymore–but they won’t get that chance unless their current books sell, sell, sell.
However, social media also gives you the opportunity to help your favorite authors get that next contract. If you really liked that last book, don’t just tell your real-life friends, tell your Goodreads friends. Leave a glowing review, and follow the author there. Give ’em 5 stars on Amazon and B&N. Follow them on Twitter and Facebook. Comment on their blog. Publishers look at all of these when deciding whether the next book is worth the investment.
Not only will you be helping your favorite authors write more stuff, you’ll stay up to date on their live appearances and upcoming projects. You’ll get to read their writing for free–authors’ blogs tend to be outstanding. You’ll be one of the first to buy the new book, instead of the one who says “Oh, I didn’t know _______ had a new book out!” Also, authors tend to be way more entertaining on Twitter than celebrities (which is understandable).
Some of my favorite authors to follow include: Neil Gaiman (Sandman), John Scalzi (Redshirts), Veronica Roth (Divergent), Alexandra Robbins (The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth), and Jody Hedlund (whose books are Christian romance–not my usual cup of tea–but whose blog is collection of brilliant advice on publishing), among others.
OK, folks, time to support your favorite authors: Which author blogs/Twitter feeds/etc. do you read? Rec them here!
Julie Nilson, Author 
Great title. interesting post. Thank you and good morning.
Well! I follow Jeaniene Frost on Goodreads, FB, Twitter & her blog. I also follow one of her fansites on Twitter. I follow Sarah Rees Brennan on Goodreads, Tumblr, Twitter & her blog (which I haven’t visited in awhile). I follow Charlaine Harris on her blog, which I also just realized I haven’t checked in awhile. :-) I follow Arshad Ahsanuddin on Goodreads & quite a few others that are dead or have been writing for at least 20 years.
I’m trying to do better with the reviews/commenting but it isn’t easy. Can’t I just select a “like” button & move on? :-)
I haven’t read those, except for Harris. I’ll have to check out those blogs!
It would be nice if there was a Like system on blogs–sometimes I don’t have anything original to say, but I want the blogger to know I enjoyed reading the post.
Exactly! Plus, these are people that make their living with words. And I’m always like, “You….write…..good.” or something equally underwhelming.
Sarah Rees Brennan is a YA author. Her blog & Twitter feed are clever & hilarious. But she will also occasionally tweet her favorite shows as she watches them (Vampire Diaries, Revenge, Teen Wolf, Arrow, etc) & it is SO FUNNY.
I discovered Jeaniene Frost last summer/fall, thanks to Charlaine Harris actually. I just fell crazily, deeply in love with her supernatural, urban fantasy series. It didn’t hurt that Amazon had all her ebooks on sale at various times last winter either!
Reblogged this on Death of an Author and commented:
This is something I think ALL readers must know and do! Support your favorite authors -> writing is our passion, reading is yours, and in order to make our relationship work, we must support each other!
You are quite right, Julie! I may have just released my first novel in February, but some people would not have known about it except by referral from others. I can only promote my own work so much. If I was only doing self-promotion, I would never have time to write.
Exactly–there’s just a handful of writers who don’t have to self-promote much, but everyone else really needs to work for it!
But I don’t want to encourage my favorite writers to blog, I want to encourage them to create more books!