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Caroline Shenton

Archivist, historian and writer

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Nine Ways to Support An Author for Free

7 October 2021 By Caroline Shenton

Of course it’s lovely if people buy an author’s book. That’s what all authors want. But there are other ways you can show your support without necessarily buying the book yet, or if you’ve already pre-ordered it.  Here are some simple, quick and FREE ways you can show your support for me or any other author you like…

1) Spread the word to friends and family about this amazing new book you know they will adore. Word of mouth is so important, especially if they’ve just read a review in a newspaper or magazine about it (or soon will). People generally buy something when they’ve heard about it five or six times from different sources.

2) Ask your local bookshop to stock it, in advance of publication (like lovely Toppings in St Andrews, above). This will help to reinforce the sales and marketing push they are getting from the publisher or which they’ll have picked up from the book trade.

3) With the festive season approaching, why not put it on your wish list for a loved one to buy for you?

4) Or maybe you have a birthday coming up and would like to ask for it as a present? Your friends and family may be racking their brains for what to get you.

5) If you’re on social media, then I’d love a retweet or comment on my posts about the book. For me, feel free to use the hashtag #NationalTreasures (let’s hope no-one thinks I’m setting up a Nicholas Cage fanclub).

6) If you’re in a book club, then why not suggest it for a future read? I’d be happy to supply you with some author questions for your discussions, as will most authors if you contact them.

7) Ask your local library to buy it. UK Authors get paid (yes really) each time a book is borrowed from a library. It’s only a few pence each time but it all mounts up. And, of course, librarians are great book buyers for themselves too.

8) If you have a local literary festival, and know the organisers, ask them to consider putting the author on the programme for next year.

9) When you’ve read the book, please leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, Waterstones or any other suitable site (so long as it’s nice, of course!). Reader-to-reader recommendations (technically known as ‘social proof’) are hugely powerful in driving sales.

Try one of those, or all nine – your favourite author will be very grateful for your help!

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Filed Under: Events and Speaking, Publicising the Book, Publishing the Book

About Caroline Shenton

Dr Caroline Shenton is an archivist and historian. She was formerly Director of the Parliamentary Archives in London, and before that was a senior archivist at the National Archives. Her book The Day Parliament Burned Down won the Political Book of the Year Award in 2013 and Mary Beard called it 'microhistory at its absolute best' while Dan Jones considered it 'glorious'. Its acclaimed sequel, Mr Barryís War, about the rebuilding of the Palace of Westminster, was a Book of the Year in 2016 for The Daily Telegraph and BBC History Magazine and was described by Lucy Worsley as 'a real jewel, finely wrought and beautiful'. During 2017 Caroline was Political Writer in Residence at Gladstone's Library.

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About Caroline

Dr Caroline Shenton is an archivist and historian. Her book The Day Parliament Burned Down won the Political Book of the Year Award in 2013. Read More…

Recent Posts

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