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As you may know, I recently published my children’s book, The ABCs of Homesteading for Kids. The process was fun (and exhausting) and I often had people asking how they could help. Because I was so new to it, I didn’t always know; but after being in the thick of it for some time now, I’ve learned the ins-and-outs of indie author support, and now want to share them with you!

First, what is an indie author? 

An indie author is an author who has decided to take a non-traditional route to publishing their written work and publish it themselves. There are many reasons why an author might choose the indie or self-publishing route, but the most common ones surround the barriers that traditional publishing has (I have a post digging into all of that down the road).

One of the biggest hurdles that Indie authors face is often feeling on their own; we don’t have an agent or editor guiding us through the process, just a ton of online articles (and a few amazing communities, such as the Kid Lit Support Squad). So when our circles advocate for us or help us out in any way, it means a LOT!

Let’s jump into how you can support indie authors.

7 Ways You can Support Indie Authors. 

1. Buy their book. Buying their book is the most obvious way to support an indie author. If you’re close enough to them, you can even ask which way will benefit them the best — some authors seek Amazon rankings, some prefer higher royalties, or some would rather the book be purchased on a specific website. Personally, I prefer the Amazon method in the first few weeks — it helps promote the book and place it in the rankings as a best seller. 
2. Leave a review. If you’ve read the book, leave them a review. Seriously. It goes beyond giving them warm fuzzies in their heart; it helps book stores and libraries decide whether or not to stock their book, helps rankings, helps promotion, and helps other readers decide to buy. 
3. Share about their book on social media. Do you follow your favorite authors on social media? Support them! Comment on their posts, share them to your story, and tag friends you think would like their books. If you have purchased a copy of their book, a post featuring that book and tagging them goes a long, long way. 
4. Request their book at your local library or bookstore. Have a library or bookstore you frequent? Take a minute or two and request the indie-published book. Ask the store clerk or librarian, or request a copy online. 
5. Buy them a coffee. If you want to show support but aren’t active in the book world, you can still send them love with a coffee or glass of wine. 
6. Advocate for their book in your circles. One of the biggest things others did for me during the publishing process of The ABCs of Homesteading for Kids was advocate for it to their own social groups:  homeschool groups, homesteading groups, farm groups, and the like. This helps reach the right audiences in a free and authentic way.
7. Follow their profiles. Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, GoodReads, Amazon Author…follow them all! This can help with their content reach and online existence (which can play a part in some libraries and bookstores deciding on whether or not to stock their books).

Are you an indie author? Do you support indie authors? Tell me how below! 

All books in featured image, pictured from left to right, top to bottom.

• How to Grow a Marshmallow Tree by Stefanie Gamarra
• My Body Sends a Signal by Natalie Maguire
• A Friend Is (Read for a Cause) by Jillian W. Boone
• The ABCs of Homesteading by Heide Rembold
• Common Grounds by Allie Samberts
• The Trouble with Love and Ink by Harriet Ashford
• Still Growing Wildflowers by Alisha Christensen

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• 10 Ways to Overcome Writer’s Block.