The Best Gift You Can Give An Author This Holiday Season

It's almost that time of year again. Even in the age of Covid-19 people want to reach out to their friends and loved ones, and let them know they're thinking of them during the holidays. And if you have an author on your gift list, you might be scratching your brain more than usual to find an appropriate gift for them to let them know they're in your heart even if travel restrictions and safety precautions mean you'll likely be limited to face timing.

I mean, what do you get for writers? A novelty pen holder shaped like a knight? A set of Moleskine notebooks for all their ideas on the go? A bottle of their favorite spirit of choice so they have something to crack open either when they land their next big contract, or when they need a shot of something when their current manuscript turns into a slog?

Is it coffee? Is that the secret?

Well, the thing about writers is that each of us are different and unique individuals with our own wants, needs, and tastes. However, I will guarantee you that if you really want to make the writer in your life feel special, there are two things you can give them for the holidays that will make them smile.

Reviews, and sales.

 

Also, if you haven't done so yet, sign up for The Literary Mercenary's newsletter! As a preemptive gift for me, and for you.

A Gift For Every Budget

I want to drop a little knowledge on you. Most folks who are regular readers around here have likely come across these facts before, but if you're new, this single image lays it all out for you.

You can probably see where this is going.

Every single notice on this digital cork board is a reason that the holidays can be an ideal time to really make an author's month. If you have a friend or family member that you know would enjoy one of their books, buy them a copy, wrap it, and put it under the tree. You can get them a hard copy or buy them an ebook, the author doesn't care because they get royalties either way. Heck, if you've got several friends that you know would enjoy a particular book, make it a holiday book club!

I can personally attest to that fact in the upper left hand corner. There have been some years that I've barely cracked that $10k mark, and only a fraction of that income came from my book sales. Every little bit really does help when that royalty check comes in.

Also, your regular reminder I have a new novel out!

If you don't have a budget to buy a whole bunch of books, though, then you can make a big difference to your author friends by reading their books, leaving reviews, and boosting their signal on social media.

I'm not kidding about this, either. At time of writing, Marked Territory just picked up its 11th review. My novel Crier's Knife rounded 21 reviews a few weeks back. My short story collection The Rejects has only managed to snatch 3 reviews since it came out a little less than a year ago (not surprising, short stories are a tough sell, but it is disappointing). There's only so much you can do on your own (especially in a pandemic with no in-person events you can attend), and authors need all the help they can get right now. So if you can give an author you like a leg up, that is a big deal! It might not feel like it, but it is.

If you're wondering why, it's because you are seen as an unbiased source to all the shoppers on the Internet. Of course we think our books are great; we wrote the damn things! But when you leave a review or share a post on Twitter or Facebook, people who see that see a person who is giving their honest opinion about a book. And if a few dozen of you all have the same high opinion of something, well, then the onlookers are going to have to check it out for themselves to see what the fuss is all about, aren't they?

Need Some Authors To Help Out This Holiday?

While I will never say no to more sales, ratings, and reviews, I did want to take a moment to boost the signal on some of my fellow authors and their books this week. We're almost into the time of thanks, and then the season of giving, so consider checking out some of the following!

- Geisha Hands by Lauren A. R. Masterson: Written and illustrated by the author, this historical fiction novel is definitely worth your time.

- The Hole Behind Midnight by Clinton Boomer: If you need your modern fantasy hit, and other authors just aren't packing the punch you need, Clinton has you covered. When you turn the final page, you'll with you didn't have to leave the bizarre world of the 25th hour!

- Bitter by Ruth de Jauregui: For those mystery lovers who like a side of grit, this is one you shouldn't let pass you by. Ruth's been working on the Bitter series and setting for some time, and this is enough to give you a bit of a taste.

Like, Follow, and Stay Tuned!

That's all for this week's Business of Writing! If you'd like to see more of my work, take a look at my Vocal archive, or at My Amazon Author Page where you can find books like my noir thriller Marked Territory, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife as well as my recent collection The Rejects!

If you'd like to help support my work, then consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi, or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page! Lastly, to keep up with my latest, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now on Pinterest as well!