As little kids in elementary school, you may have participated in “Show and Tell.” But as writers, we are always advised, “Show. Don’t tell.” This admonition is intended to guide us into showing rather than telling what a character in fiction or a real-life person in nonfiction is thinking, feeling, planning, and so forth.
But for readers, it is important to TELL.Tell what? Tell whom?
Tell other readers about a book you’ve read and enjoyed, or about an author whose work you particularly like.
You see, we authors don’t get much support from our publishers—regardless of who that publisher is, from a small “boutique” publisher like Roundtable to a mega-giant like Simon & Schuster—when it comes to publicizing our books. Getting the word out is definitely on us.
Most non-writers (and many first-time writers who have yet to have a book published) are misled by the ads they see for books by top-selling writers. They think ALL writers, ALL books, have big, splashy ads in the New York TIMES and elsewhere, promoting them.
Would that it were so!
Alas, publishers large and small alike put their advertising money only behind blockbuster books from big-name writers. The rest of us are left to fend for ourselves. We can notify our friends and acquaintances, put notices on FB and other social media, try to get the attention of our local newspapers—which doesn’t do much good outside our immediate geographic areas, even if we do get a write-up—and do whatever else we can think of to attract attention to our books.
But the results—if any at all—are minimal.
That’s where YOU, the reader, and the “telling” part comes in.
Did you just finish reading a book you particularly liked? Do you remember a book you read some time ago that you enjoyed? Is there an author whose work you especially look for? TELL!!!
~ Write a review of the book on Amazon.
~ If the publisher’s website (or the author’s website) allows for reader comments, add yours.
~ Tell your friends, co-workers, and other associates about this book and/or its author.
~ If you blog or you Facebook or tweet, consider writing about the book and/or the author.
~ Send a letter to the author (if there is no contact info on the book’s back cover, Google him/her, find his/her website, and look for a “Contact” link or button). Praise his/her book or his/her writing in general. Not only will you make the author feel good, he/she can quote you in ads, on the back cover of his/her next book, and wherever else she/he can.
Most authors don’t live in the lap of luxury. Most books aren’t best-sellers. Most of us are struggling…just like you might be. We appreciate all the help we can get.
So TELL.