7 simple ways I support indie authors ...And why it matters!

1. Add their book my Goodreads TBR Why? Every time that you add a book or shift it to “currently reading” it shows up on your feed for friends and followers to see. Goodreads is social media for readers. There’s no trying to engage an audience that’s more interested in cat videos. This is close to the best organic reach a writer gets and, with tight budgets, most of our pockets have little more than lint left in them at the end of the month. 2. Download a free copy Why? Most indies can make money or they can make a list. Lists are awesome exposure and books are ranked off of the number of downloads. If I can push an indie friend just one rank higher it means that more readers will see that book and have a chance to get to know their writing. 3. Request an ARC of a book I really want to read Why? Well, there’s a caveat to this. Release days are akin to book birthday parties and it’s the one time that I believe it’s not socially acceptable to be casually late. Agreeing to accept an arc means agreeing to post a timely review. The more early reviews the better the book’s chances of success are. 4. Buy a .99 cent copy. Why? Listen, sometimes I want an arc, but like every else, there’s only so many hours in the day. Does the royalty rate suck? Yes. But it’s a sale and I can still rate/review on my own time without leaving anyone stuck with a book birthday cupcake with my name on it. 5. Recommend! Why? Dude, if I haven’t said it enough, let’s try it one more time: Authors are made by readers who recommend their books. And, while the online review rate is miserable, people still talk. I’ve lost count of the friends WHO DO NOT READ MY BOOKS looking to me for suggestions. They come back saying they "loved that suspense/cozy mystery/MC/historical fiction novel." So much so that now I think, Damn, I should write those! 6. Listen Why? The only other people who understand the deafening silence on release day when you’ve spent countless hours honing the best book possible are other indie authors. For those of us who wear multiple hats (writer, cover designer, formatted, marketing strategist and solo advertising “team member”, accountant, etc...) this is the toughest job we’ll ever have —sounds a bit like the Army or motherhood, huh? So if I’m online and an indie has a live video or a replay, I’m going to watch. I’m going to hit like or comment. I’m going to let them know they aren’t in this alone. 7. Retweet, share, and pin Why? Many moons ago, I created a top ten list graphic for a vampire series. It’s still one of the most shared on social media and whenever a new release comes out that bumps. Now, this author didn’t need little old me to boost her sales, but it keeps her voracious readers engaged. So I learned the value of sharing teasers, sales, and blog posts early on. Do I read all of the authors whose work I share? No, not all, but I have a relationship with each one of them and respect for what they’re trying to accomplish. Is there anything you do for your fellow writers? I’m curious. It may be something I can easily adopt to help indies achieve our goals. Let me know!