Crime authors are strange creatures.
We spend long periods alone, thinking up things that would make Sherlock Holmes snap his Meerschaum in half. A search of our browser history could have the constabulary reaching for the statute book and preparing to heave it in our direction at a considerable rate of knots.
All to claw a place in the sales rankings of an increasingly crowded market place.
As author, poet and dandy about town Michael J. Malone observed, you can’t throw a rock down a street in Glasgow without hitting a crime writer. And there are a few I’d like to test that on. Kidding again, they’re a wonderful group of people. Although I’m not too sure about that Skelton fellow.
But there we all are, bobbing and weaving, ducking and diving, setting out our stall in any way we can.
And you can help us.
Please send folding money to…..no, I’m kidding. You can help in other ways – actually buying the books being the most obvious. And we are all most grateful to everyone who parts with their hard-earned dosh for our work.
Leave an on-line review
So, if you have enjoyed a book then please, please, PLEASE leave a review and a star rating on-line. Both Amazon and Waterstones allow reviews and these are vital in helping books keep their noses above the waterline.
Goodreads is also a great place to leave positive reviews.
Of course, if you didn’t like the book, don’t say anything, especially if it was one of mine. Although, I know it’s highly unlikely you’d have anything detrimental to say about my work.
Clears throat…
Moves on quickly…
Share and share alike
You can also help in the marketing.
If you’re chums with an author on Facebook or Twitter and you see them selling their wares then by all means share/retweet. Don’t just like/favourite – pass it on. It doesn’t take much, a click, maybe a few words of praise – this author is the greatest thing since someone took a dagger to a loaf, that sort of thing – nothing more.
Then there are events. Authors really like to see people turning up to hear them blether on. It saves us talking to ourselves, something we do quite enough, thank you. You’re welcome.
Book events can be fun, and many of them are free! Please, please and indeed PLEASE go along and let the usually terrified scribe see a friendly face.
So come on, give a writer a little sugar. Show the love.
Especially me. I’ve got a new book coming out.
Well, it’s my blog…
I have sprinkled sugar for authors occasionally. Have also sprinkled the odd salt grain too, because to be honest, I am suspicious of those books that only have gushing 5* reviews. I am much more likely to read one that has mixed reviews…because that feels like proper, real people have taken the time to read and give their honest opinion, tather than the author’s Auntie Flo and Uncle Bob. I think I may be a bit of a loner on that score…
Good luck with the new book, hope you get lots of the sugar and just enough of the salt to bring out the flavour 🙂
You are, of course, correct. No book can please everyone, you can only hope to please most people. Or, at least, most of the people who take the time to post reviews. We put ourselves out there and we have to accept that some people just don’t like our work. The trick is separating the reviews that contain measured, valid criticism from those written by people who just want to gripe and lash out. You’re not alone in your views – I also wonder about an array of five star comments. And for the record, my Auntie Flo doesn’t like my books. Thanks for taking the time to post a comment here.