5 Ways to Help Authors Through Covid-19
Let me start by saying that I know this situation stinks and many of us are scared. We’re all dealing with it in our own ways, and I’ve seen so many generous acts from authors and others. Some have made their books free for a limited time, others have them on sale. Some are podcasting or filming themselves reading extracts of their novels, some indies are bringing forward release dates and no doubt there are plenty others doing things I haven’t heard about yet.
One of my favourites in the WLW niche is this mammoth sale from 35 authors with over 70 books deeply discounted. Grab the deals quick because they won’t be around forever. Thanks to My Lesfic for coordinating.
The point I’m making is that authors are pitching in to help where they can and I know readers want to support their efforts wherever they can. So, what can you do to support authors – both those you know already and those you’re about to discover?
1. Read Via Kindle Unlimited
Lots of people have strong feelings about Amazon as a corporation, and that’s fine. But we’re in unprecedented times and book deliveries aren’t a priority. Reading digitally on a phone, tablet or computer using the Kindle apps and accessing all the titles in Kindle Unlimited for a monthly fee of £7.99 (and a 30-day free trial) may suddenly seem more appealing.
Authors receive royalties every time you read a page. They’re hardly bank breaking, but it all adds up and, for many indie writers, it’s a key part of their income.
2. Subscribe to Newsletters
Plenty of authors have newsletters and plenty of them give away freebies for signing up (along with exclusive extras as the months go by). Signing up to a newsletter doesn’t just mean you get the initial freebie, it’s also a great way to keep track of your favourite authors and get glimpses into their (self-isolated) lives.
Anyone signing up to my newsletter in the coming days will receive an exclusive sneak peek at the first chapter of my upcoming novel as well as a free Victorian short story so…
3. Leave a Review
As we’ve all got a little more indoor time on our hands, it’s the perfect opportunity to leave reviews for a few of those books you’ve enjoyed in recent years. A review doesn’t have to be long or detailed, but a few lines on Amazon, Goodreads or elsewhere can make all the difference to authors (especially indies) trying to make. Plus, I can’t speak for other authors, but I do get a goofy grin on my face for a while after reading a nice review.
4. Follow Them on Social Media
If social media’s your thing, follow your favourite authors and engage with them. We need all the social contact we can get right now, and it’s time we showed that social media can truly be a force for good rather than being the place of arguments and discontent.
I'm active on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. All links can be found in the header and footer.
5. Buy a Book
You knew this was coming, right? If you can afford to spend a few pounds on an e-book, it’ll ensure some pennies reach the author’s pocket a few months from now. As we currently have no idea how long this new normal is going to be around for, it could make all the difference.
However, hopefully I’ve made it clear there are other things you can do to support authors at this difficult time. And, I hope, authors will continue to push the boat out and offer as much support to their readers as possible.
I’m trying to speed up the release of my next book, working on an exclusive giveaway for fans of my Valerie Series and wondering whether I can bring my Victorian episodic novel out in the next few months. I won’t be bored, that’s for sure!
