A Bestseller in the Making: 7 Ways You Can Help Your Author Friends

As an author, I have received many different reactions to news that my new book is about to be published. Some friends and family don't understand the huge undertaking it is to find an agent and negotiate a contract with a publishing house. Most, however, want to be able to help the new book get off the ground, but are unsure how they can assist.

An author is required to do increasingly more to help a publisher market and publicize a book and this is where you - as a friend or family member-- can really help out. Here are seven ways that you can help the author in your life create a bestseller:

1. Buy the book

This may seem obvious at first glance but, often, in the rush to help an author promote her book, friends can forget the most obvious, which is to purchase it. Also consider buying copies for other friends and family for gifts. Authors earn royalties on each copy sold so this strategy puts money directly in their pockets.

2. Share a link to the author's website or book listing on social media

If you have a Facebook, Twitter, or other social media account, you can help out an author by posting a link to their own website or to an online retailer's book listing. To create an even larger impact, post your impressions of the book or some compelling information to make your circles of influence click on the link and learn more. Don't say something to the effect of "buy this book because she's my friend." Give people reasons why they will like the book.

3. Review the book on a sales site such as Amazon

Online book buyers look at reviews when they decide which book to purchase and positive reviews convert into book sales. If you have read the author's book, post a detailed review on online sites. Don't write a commercial for the book, but honestly write about what you found helpful, exciting, intriguing, etc.

4. Check to make sure the book is available in your local bookstores

Keeping a book in front of potential buyer's eyes is critical to building readership. Every time you are in your local bookstore, whether it's a chain or an independent store, check to make sure they have at least one copy. If they don't, ask them to stock it.

5. Face the book cover out when you are in bookstores

This is a controversial strategy as it involves re-merchandising a store's bookshelf. However, facing a book cover-out rather than spine-out gives browsers a better opportunity to pick it up and look at it. Under no circumstances place the book on a display table or an endcap. Publishers pay money to be displayed in such locations and it is unethical to take advantage of that.

6. Review the book on your blog or website

If you have a personal blog or website, consider writing a review of the book, if it fits into the overall theme. For example, if you write about crafts, review craft-related books for your author friends. Introduce your readers to the book. Ask the author if she will provide a copy to give away in a contest on your site.

7. Bump up helpful reviews on online sites and bump down unhelpful ones

The order in which reviews are displayed on online book sites, such as Amazon, are partially dependent upon how useful potential buyers find each review. Amazon has a pair of buttons with which you can select whether the review was helpful or not. If you find positive reviews thoughtful and helpful, you can bump them up. Alternatively, if you find bad reviews poorly written, you can bump them down.