How do you support your fellow writers?

[danielle100]

Posted this on my blog today and thought it was Bransforum worthy...

I recently purchased a few books on Amazon not only because I was uber excited to read the books, but also because I know the writers. And by know, I mean, I stalk them day and night, peering in their windows and watching them sleep. Just kidding.

Actually, I do follow them, but in a healthy way: via Twitter or blogs. Because of that, I have an idea of each writer's sense of humor, kindness, and intelligence. While I have not physically met them, I feel like I know them.

My recent purchases include The Bird Sisters by Rebecca Rasmussen, Making Waves by Tawna Fenske, and Jacob Wonderbar by Mr. Bradford. These books are the authors' first published book.

I really wanted to read them, but I also wanted to support the authors. I've received a ton of support these past three months since I wrote my first blog post and feel like I want to do the same for others. In addition, I needed some good reads for my trip to Seattle next week and I knew I couldn't go wrong with these writers.

So, let's all join hands, sing Kum-ba-ya, and love and support each other.

How do you support your fellow writers? What are your thoughts on the matter?

[Margo]

How do you support your fellow writers?

By buying their children so they can afford their cheese sandwiches. jk. Points for knowing the origin of the cheese sandwich reference, though.

[Sommer Leigh]

1) Recommend them. On your blog, facebook, Twitter, to your friends, family, coworkers, whatever. Write about them here on the forums.

2) Email the author to tell them how much you loved their book. I've read more than once authors commenting that they tend to get a lot more negative email than positive because people who love their books don't tell them while people who hate their books can't wait to tell them. Whether this is because readers think authors are too busy or don't care about a single email, I don't know. I told this to a friend of mine after we'd both read Kody Keplinger's The DUFF and we were both going crazy about how much we loved the book. My friend was blown away by how much she appreciated reading a book about a character just like her. So I encouraged my friend to write to Ms Keplinger and tell her so. The author responded the next day with one of the nicest, sweetest emails I've ever read. Even if authors don't have time to email everyone back, I think they appreciate knowing they've touched their readers.

3) Write good reviews on review sites (GoodReads, Librarything, Amazon, etc) Not just "I really liked this book" but give reasons why the book is good and who it would be good for. This is particularly useful to parents who are unsure about a book but appreciate reviewers saying "This book is fantastic but better for 16+ or mature kids younger than that."

4) If your local library or bookstore doesn't carry it, talk to the librarian or bookseller about ordering it.

[Cookie]

How do you support your fellow writers?

By buying their children so they can afford their cheese sandwiches. jk. Points for knowing the origin of the cheese sandwich reference, though.

I *make* them cheese sandwiches.

Since I am woefully poor, I will only purchase a book that I am really excited about, or really like the author. Otherwise, I get everything from the library. I will put it on hold, then wait patiently until the book becomes available.

I do recommend books I like a lot to people. I'm always looking for someone to recommend a book to.

[Mira]

I review them on Amazon.

HINT. HINT. HINT.

[danielle100]

Margo- That's hilarious, but I guess I don't know the reference
Sommer- Excellent ideas! I especially like the idea of writing to an author to let them know how much you appreciated their book.
Cookie-Mac-n-cheese for us! You are so patient to wait for them to become available. We have a very small library here with not a very big collection so it makes it difficult to get the books I want to read.
Mira- Yes, plan to do so for all three!

[Margo]

Margo- That's hilarious, but I guess I don't know the reference

Don't cry! It's from a really interesting and funny presentation Margaret Atwood did. You can see it on Sommer's blog:

http://sommerleigh.com/archives/2338

[Mira]

Mira- Yes, plan to do so for all three!

Yay!!!!

[Sommer Leigh]

How do you support your fellow writers?

By buying their children so they can afford their cheese sandwiches. jk. Points for knowing the origin of the cheese sandwich reference, though.

OH oh oh I know where the reference comes from!!!

[Cookie]

Margo- That's hilarious, but I guess I don't know the reference
Sommer- Excellent ideas! I especially like the idea of writing to an author to let them know how much you appreciated their book.
Cookie-Mac-n-cheese for us! You are so patient to wait for them to become available. We have a very small library here with not a very big collection so it makes it difficult to get the books I want to read.
Mira- Yes, plan to do so for all three!

One delicious mac-n-cheese coming up!

Luckily, my library is part of a 3 county system, so I can check out a book from any one of the 150 libraries that are part of it. Between them, they have pretty much everything. I think the longest I waited was 2 months, only because there were 5 other people who had that particular copy on hold before me.