From leaving book reviews on Amazon and Goodreads to pre-ordering new releases and recommending books, there are so many simple ways readers can support authors and improve book discoverability. If you’re a reader who wants to support authors, independent publishers, and improve book discoverability, these simple actions can make a real difference.
Why Supporting Authors Matters
Reader recommendations, social media engagement, and reviews can significantly impact a book’s success by increasing visibility and helping new readers find it. While a single review may have little effect on a bestselling title, it can make a meaningful difference for an independent author.
Many successful indie books gain traction through reader enthusiasm and word-of-mouth marketing. If you’d like to support independent authors and smaller publishers, here are some of the most effective ways to do so.
How to Support Your Favourite Authors
1. Buy Their Books
The most direct way to support an author is to purchase their work. Every sale contributes to the author’s success. Sales figures can influence retailer recommendations, future publishing opportunities, advertising budgets, and overall visibility.
2. Follow Authors on Social Media
Following an author on social media is a simple but powerful way to show support.
Social media platforms use engagement signals to determine which content gets shown to larger audiences. When readers like, comment on, save, or share an author’s posts, it increases the likelihood of those posts reaching potential new readers.
3. Subscribe to Author Newsletters
Email newsletters remain one of the most effective marketing tools available to authors.
Unlike social media platforms, where visibility depends on constantly changing algorithms, newsletters allow authors to communicate directly with readers who are genuinely interested in their work. For authors, every subscriber represents a reader who wants to stay connected and support their journey. Plus, it can be a fantastic way to stay up to date and see more behind the scenes.
4. Recommend Books to Friends and Book Clubs
Word-of-mouth marketing remains one of the most powerful forms of book promotion. When readers recommend books to friends, family members, book clubs, online communities, or fellow readers, those recommendations often carry more weight than traditional advertising. A genuine recommendation from a passionate reader can introduce an author to an entirely new audience.
5. Share Book Posts and Announcements
Sharing a cover reveal, release announcement, review, or author update can help introduce a book to new readers. Even a single share may reach someone who becomes a lifelong fan!
6. Attend Author Events and Signings
Book launches, signings, conventions, and literary festivals provide valuable opportunities for authors to connect with readers. Attendance and engagement help make these events successful and encourage organisers to host similar events in the future.
7. Request Books at Your Local Library
Library requests can have a surprisingly large impact on an author’s success. Many libraries purchase books based on reader demand, meaning a single request can result in a book being added to a collection. This not only supports the author financially, but also introduces their work to new readers who may later purchase other books in the series.
8. Pre-Order
Buying a book before release day can make a big difference. Penguin Random House in their article ‘All About Pre-Orders’ says:
‘For an author, pre-orders can alert retailers and consumers that they should pay attention to your book. From the bookseller perspective, the pre-order quantity is a good early indicator of a book’s success, and can lead to retailers increasing their initial orders.’
Book launches are often driven by momentum. Early support can encourage retailers, reviewers, influencers, bloggers, and other readers to pay attention. The more momentum a book builds before launch day, the greater its chances of reaching a wider audience after publication.
Many retailers count pre-orders toward a book’s launch-week sales performance. As these sales are concentrated around release day, they can help improve chart rankings and visibility during a crucial period. A strong launch can create additional opportunities for discovery, recommendations, and media coverage.
9. Leave A Review
Corrin Foster, Sr. Director of Book Marketing & Promotions at Forbes Books, says on her guest post, The Benefit of Reader Reviews on NetGalley, that:
“Reader reviews are the social proof that helps to convert browsers into buyers.”
Reviews don’t just help authors; they help future readers make informed purchasing decisions. Seeing positive reviews can reassure potential buyers that a book is worth their time and money. In many cases, readers discover new books specifically because they were intrigued by another reader’s review.
Reviews also play an important role in how books are displayed on major retail and discovery platforms. While no platform publicly reveals its exact algorithm, books with higher levels of reader engagement are generally more likely to appear in recommendation feeds, search results, and “customers also bought” sections. More reviews can therefore increase a book’s visibility, helping it reach readers who may never have found it otherwise.
There are several places where readers can leave book reviews, including:
You can also share reviews through:
- Personal blogs
- Instagram posts
- Facebook recommendations
- Threads and Bluesky posts
If you post reviews on social media, tag the author. Not only does this allow them to see your review, but it can help introduce their work to your followers!
How Can You Support Sapere Books Authors?
Whether you enjoy historical fiction, crime fiction, thrillers, mysteries, romance, or non-fiction, every action you take can make a meaningful difference to an author’s success.
You can help Sapere Books authors by:
- Leaving a review
- Pre-ordering upcoming book releases
- Recommending books to friends, family, and book clubs
- Sharing your favourite titles on social media
- Following authors on social media
- Following Sapere Books on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky
- Subscribing to author newsletters
- Subscribing to the Sapere Books mailing list
What may seem like a small gesture can have a lasting impact on an author’s career and help ensure more great books are published in the future. Browse our latest releases, discover new authors, and join our growing community of readers who help support independent publishing every day.
