Since writing my first Everyday Watercolor book in 2016, I’ve since released another how-to watercolor book, a sketchbook and have my third how-to watercolor book set to release in summer 2023! I often get asked “What’s the best way to support you as an author?” So I thought I’d list out some of the greatest ways you can support an author (any author!) you love (psst. If you have any of my books, I would be ever so grateful if you did these for me!!).

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links which means if you purchase certain products with my unique link, I may earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you. I only share my faves and it helps support the free content I share! Thank you!

The Best Ways to Support an Author You Love 

Preorder the book

I put this one first because it actually matters a TON. Not only is it exciting for the author and publisher (if the author isn’t self-published) to have a big pre-release launch, but it’s actually very important for the success of the books. Retailers pay very close attention to how a book performs in the preorder phase and will therefore decide whether or not to pick up the book, and how many orders of the book to add in their initial stock. It’s sometimes such a big deal to retailers that if the book isn’t doing well in preorder, they won’t even pick it up at all! 

Buy an extra copy to gift

Whether you buy a copy in the preorder phase or after it’s already released, every amount of support counts! Retailers like Amazon and all other stores take large percentages of an author’s revenue. If the author has a publisher, they also take a cut. And if an author has a literary agent, they take a cut too!! So, buy two or more copies whenever you’re wanting to show support for someone. Every little bit counts and, hey! Spread the love right? You can even encourage a group of friends to start a book club with you! 

Write a review

Similar to preordering the book, writing a review on Amazon is HUGE. I’m sure you’ve been scouring Amazon before and came across a product you’d like to try but they have no reviews. You’re probably hesitant to buy it, right? Well, the more reviews the book has, the more confident a potential buyer will have in purchasing that book, so that’s a biggie. You can write a review for my “Everyday Watercolor” book HERE! 

Share it on social media!

Whether you have a large audience or not, sharing the love on social media to your friends, fans, followers is so helpful! Similar to writing a review, having a personal story of how much you love a book can encourage others in your sphere to go buy it.  

Send them a message!

This may seem simple, but I get messages almost daily from people on Instagram and in emails telling me how much they love my books. This is SO encouraging and helpful to see. The author will usually reshare as well if this is done on social media, so that’s also a big bonus!

Do you have another favorite way to support an artist? Leave a comment—I’d love to know!