Welcome to the Buzz Blitz celebrating 5 years of buzzing about books with JustRead Publicity Tours!
5 Free Ways to Support Your Favorite Authors
Before I get into the topic, let’s give a humongous happy birthday to JustRead!!!
I’ve been with this wonderful group of authors and readers from the start, and have enjoyed so many opportunities to read books I might now have tried (or even heard of) if not for JustRead. Plus, the signups are easy, the HTML for blog posts is the best there is out there, and the opportunities to share about books are vast. The ladies behind the scenes are passionate about helping authors promote their stories and they love their hosts well.
So, here’s some virtual birthday cake. 🙂
And now, here are five easy and free ways to support your favorite authors (and why doing any of these things help them out)
Request your local library carry the authors’ books (both new releases and backlist titles). Did you know the life span of a book at the library is 2 – 3 years? With multiple libraries ordering new copies every few years, the author’s sales increase, meaning their publisher is more likely to offer them a new contract for new stories!
Follow them on social media. But don’t only follow them. Interact with them. Comment on or share their posts. Engagement on social media is something many publishers take into account when considering an author for contract. Social media is the new word of mouth, so if you enjoy a book, give it a shoutout. Got a new book you’re excited to read? Snap a photo and share it on Facebook or Instagram or TikTok or in email or tell everyone you see about it.
Follow your favorite authors on Goodreads, Amazon, BookBub, and/or subscribe to their newsletters. This is similar to social media but works in a little bit different way. Anything you do for an author on Goodreads (following them, adding a book to your to read/currently reading shelves, and writing reviews) shows on your feed, which means more readers are seeing the book/author you are interacting with. When an author hits a certain number of followers on BookBub (BB), then BB will send an email out to all followers when an author has a new release. And I know many of you are probably internally sighing at the newsletter, but author newsletters are the only form of communication authors truly own. If all social media were to disappear tomorrow, authors would lose all of those contacts. But with newsletters, authors have databases they can pull up and restructure to keep in contact with you. Plus, some author newsletters are a lot of fun!
If you read a book that is particularly meaningful to you or touches you in a way that few other books do, let the author know. Shoot them a DM on social media or tag them in a post. You never know if your simple note will turn a bad day into a better one for them or if they are struggling with imposter syndrome and your quick acknowledgement could dissolve their doubt. They could be facing a deadline with not enough sleep or time with their family and your message might confirm why the author is doing what he or she is doing. Here’s a secret: authors are just like you. They love hearing from readers. They enjoy making connections. They sometimes doubt whether they are truly called to write. And the truth is writing is often hard. It can be lonely, and confidence often takes a hit. Words of encouragement are such a beautiful gift to an author.
Write a review for the books you love. Okay, okay, this one isn’t exactly free since you’ll need to grab a copy of the book, but if you were planning on doing so anyway, reviews are so important to authors. First, your review lets other readers know whether they may also like the book. And the more reviews a book has, the more opportunities that book has for boosts. For example, did you know that when a book gets 50 reviews on Amazon, that book will start showing up in the “Books you may also like” section for other readers? This is why authors seek reviewers.
Reviews don’t have to be complicated. You can simply state what you liked about the book. Just be sure not to include any spoilers.
And if you’re looking for ways to get your hands on more books, becoming a JustRead host is a great option. Keep reading to discover more perks to becoming a host.
5 book bee perks
Blog tours, bookstagram tours, reviewer tours, etc. are different varieties of book campaigns. Readers who participate in JustRead campaigns are called hosts or book bees.
Various hosting options
Readers buzz about books in a variety of ways through blog posts (spotlights, reviews, interviews, guest posts), social media posts (bookstagram, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter), and posted reviews (Goodreads, Bookbub, and retail sites).
Reader community
Although reading is usually a solitary pursuit, enjoy a richer experience with community! Get to know fellow readers through comments, posts, and book recommendations.
Author interaction
Want to personally thank authors for writing books that you love to read? Authors often visit campaign posts to say hello, express gratitude, and answer questions.
Exclusive giveaways
Book bees are eligible for exclusive giveaways through the host newsletter and the monthly host giveaway in addition to tour-wide and occasional host exclusive campaign giveaways.
Access to sweet titles
Last but not least, the honey of the book bee life is sweet reads! JustRead promotes titles within Christian, wholesome, or clean reads genres with content notes tailored to conservative values when sensitive issues are present.
About JustRead
JustRead Publicity Tours, LLC provides readers with a steady stream of promotional and reading selections from Christian, wholesome, and clean reads genres plus exclusive participant giveaway opportunities! By equipping readers with tools and support to create positive, impactful bookish content, JustRead advocates spreading the word (aka buzzing) about books that inspire and are written from a Christian perspective.
Connect with JustRead by following on social media @justreadtours, visiting justreadtours.com, or subscribing to host or blog post email newsletter updates.
Tour Giveaway
(1) winner will receive a $25 gift card (winner’s choice of Amazon, Baker Book House, Christianbook, or Walmart)!
(5) additional winners will receive one print book from the JustRead stash and a JustRead bookmark!
Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight May 8, 2023 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on May 15, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
Facebook
Twitter
GoodReads
Congrats on 5 years.
great list of ways anyone can help authors, no matter their budget! Thanks for celebrating with us, Suzie! We so love having you as part of our hive from the very beginning!
congratulations on five years. I have loved reading your posts. thanks for this wonderful post today
Congratulations! Enjoy reading your posts. Thanks for the giveaway.
Happy 5th Birthday!
Congrats!! That’s a huge milestone!
Congratulations on five years. That’s a great list of ways anyone can help authors. I subscribe to my favorite authors newsletter so I can find out when they have new books out.