Being an indie author (or in fact an indie anything) is tough. You have no big names behind you, no giant publishing house, no industry contacts and no huge budget for marketing. It's a labour of love but there are lots of positives too such as having control over your own brand and the wonderful community of indies that you can find on social media.
There are plenty of ways to support indie authors and most of them don't cost a penny. Here are 6, can you think of any more to add?
1. Buy the Book!
It’s a good place to start! It may be worth asking an author where they would prefer you to buy from. Remember that authors still get paid even if you download their book for free with Kindle Unlimited.
2. Leave a Review
Positive reviews are essential for building momentum of a book. There are numerous places you might do so, e.g. Amazon, GoodReads or NetGalley or you can post on your own social media channels to recommend it to friends and family. It helps other readers to find books they might like. Remember not to give away any spoilers!
3. Follow on Social Media
A simple ‘like’ or ‘follow’ just helps to grow an author’s audience. You will benefit from seeing the author’s posts, links and maybe even giveaways. Depending on settings, liking a post on social media may bring that post into the feed of your friends or followers. It’s quick, easy and free but you might bring a book or an author to the attention of a brand new reader.
4. Share Posts
One step further than a like or a follow is to share posts. Perhaps used more sparingly, a well-chosen share on social media such as Facebook or Twitter is a more prominent way of highlighting a book to your own friends or followers. Always very much appreciated by an author!
5. Word of Mouth
It’s not all about social media. Simply tell your friends, family or colleagues about a new book or indie author that you’ve come across. Good old-fashioned word-of-mouth is still a handy way of spreading the news and celebrating the author’s work.
6. Support Indie Bookshops
This could be a direct support of an indie author or just a more indirect support of independent publishing.
Go and find an indie near you and give them some love today!