7 Free Ways to Support Indie Authors
We live in an age where, from many perspectives, being a creator has never been easier. Now, today, you no longer need a degree, or the approval of some head honcho in your craft to become an artist.
You can just be.
You can put your stuff out there. Your work can cover the entire, robust sphere that is Earth in one single day. In one single hour. And that makes me feel immensely lucky to be on this Earth at this point in time.
Nevertheless, with an abundance of choice in content creation, surviving as an indie artist can be quite tricky. Which is why it’s important to support indie creators.
Except that’s tricky, too. With so many great offerings on the market, we often don’t have the budget to support all the cool creators in our sphere. So here are some free ways to support your favorite indie authors this summer.
Engage on social.
A huge part of being an artist is building your online presence. We tend to think of supporting authors in terms of buying their book (and that’s also really nice, and appreciated!). But engaging with creators online is also a great way to support your favorite writers.
And it’s completely free.
Social engagement serves independent creators in two ways.
a. it’s a morale boost. Gotta be. There’s nothing nicer than someone out there seeing your work, and reminding you what you do matters.
b. it gets others a chance to see it, too. The more engagement an artist receives from their online community, the more chances they have of being discovered by new people. The more chances they have of being promoted by social platforms and their algorithms. This opens up pathways to new patrons, as well as alternative income streams (e.g. paid partnerships).
2. Whitelist ads.
I get it. Nobody likes ads. And yet, they are a big part of our world. Truth is, no one’s life is 100% ad-free. So since you’re gonna be seeing ads anyway, why not make sure it’s helping someone?
For many online creators, blog or YouTube ads are a viable way of earning a secondary income while also devoting time to their main passion. By whitelisting ads from your favorite creator’s blog, for instance, you’re making sure they get a little something without having to take money out of your own pocket.
How cool is that?
3. Give honest feedback.
Indie authors are constantly on the lookout for beta readers, or even early readers of their new books. Many authors offer free review copies to followers/independent reviewers in return for honest feedback, or an online review.
So if you run a blog, or even just an Instagram/Facebook page, this is a great, free way to promote an indie writer ~ tell others what you thought about their book!
4. Sharing is caring.
Clicking that ‘share’ button is 100% free. When you share someone’s post (maybe it’s a quote from their latest book, or a cover reveal), you’re helping indie creators grow their reach. And that’s so immensely valuable, both in the material plane, and on a psychological level (again, you’re telling us our work matters).
5. Add them to your Goodreads.
Goodreads is a bookworm’s heaven. Not only do you get to cozy up in books all day, you also get to hear about other people’s bookish loves. So if you like an indie author, and wanna support them, why not add them to your ‘currently reading’ list on Goodreads?
It takes a second. It’s easy and free, and it sends a little notification to all those people in your list, who may then think, hey, this book sounds neat. Maybe I’ll get it.
6. Suggest their book to a bookstagrammer/blogger.
I mean, presumably, if you’re reading this, you’re kind of a bookish person, yeah? Which means maybe you have a few Bookstagrammers/BookTokers/book bloggers in your follow list.
Tell them about your favorite indie creators. Being an indie author is difficult, especially when it comes to getting other people to hear about your book.
You can be that voice for your favorite creators.
You don’t have to buy the book, but you can encourage others to do it, to review it, to shout about it from the rafters.
7. Just reach out.
Finally, writing and promoting your own work can take a toll on an author’s mental health. Sometimes, if you wanna support the creators you love, it’s enough to send them a message saying,
Hey. I find value in what you’re doing out there. I think you’re an awesome hooman, and wish you the best.
It’s that easy.
So be kind. Be supportive, because this is a pretty cool world we’re living in right now, where people can follow their dreams and strike for the stars. It’d be a damn shame if we lost it.
Guess what. I am actually publishing my first novel this fall. Wild, I know. Meanwhile, I’m gonna be documenting my process/journey/slow descent into madness on here, while also dropping the occasional opinion piece.
So if you’re someone who enjoys that kinda writing, well, why not subscribe? It’s free. And I’m desperate. So there, honesty.
