How to Help Out a Writer Friend

We all have friends who are writers of one kind or another these days. In fact, I am one of those, but this is not me asking for help yet, but I’ll remind you of these hints when my books is ready this spring.

1. Buy the book as soon as it is released if you can afford it. Early numbers encourage publishers and other readers. Don’t ask for free copies because they are not free to the author.
2. Personally recommend your friend’s book to your friends, family and everyone you know. Proudly claim the author as your friend but mention how great the book is too.
3. Send out an email to your friends and post on Facebook or Twitter (or whatever social networking site you are on) a link to the Buy Now or Information page for the book.
4. Ask your writer friend what to post on Twitter or Facebook, if you don’t know what to say that will help the most. They may have a marketing strategy with premade tweets that you can just copy and paste. Do this several times with different tweets because no one sees every tweet you do.
5. Schedule a house party or private or public book signing with people you think will be interested in buying the book. If you have a business where that would be appropriate, let your business sponsor a book signing, you get dual publicity. If the author is open, make it an interview the author and book signing. 
6. For books that may companion well with your business, buy up copies and give them away with a stamp on the front or back cover that says, “This book is a gift from ________ because you are a valued customer.” Again, dual publicity.
7. If you have a blog, write a short post about the book and add a link to a purchase site.
8. If you belong to a Meetup Group, and the book would fit well into the group, ask if the author can speak to your group and offer the books for sale. If you don’t, find a new group that you can offer the book/author to. But first check with your friend about scheduling.

I tried not to duplicate any tips in Eileen Flanagan’s blog post, so for 10 more tips on how to help your writer friends, click below: 

If you Love a Writer by Eileen Flanagan