7 ways to support your friend's new book
And 5 2025 books to preorder!
I’ve been getting this question a lot from friends and family who aren’t elbow-deep in the publishing world: “How can I support your book?”
Here’s what I’ve been telling them, and it applies to any book, whether it’s coming out from an independent press like mine or from a Big 5 publisher.
Preorder! If you’re too late to preorder, regular order! But preorders are super-important because they (1) tell the publisher how many copies to print and (2) tell bookstores how many copies to stock.
Request that your local bookstore carry the book. Especially if the book isn’t distributed through Ingram, the onus is really on the author and publisher to try to get bookstores to carry it. You can help by telling your local bookstore that if they had it, you’d buy it from them.
Request that your local library carry the book. Same! If they know people are eager to read it, they’re more likely to order at least one copy.
Rate and review it on your book rating platform of choice. Goodreads, StoryGraph, Amazon, anywhere and everywhere you can — throw it lots of stars and say some kind words if you’re up for it.
Attend the launch event. Better yet, bring friends. And while you’re there, buy some books (any books!) from the bookstore. Book launches and readings usually cost bookstores money — they have to keep the store open late, staff the store through the after-event cleanup, and stock the author’s book. If they end up selling enough books during the event, it can be well worth it. Support your friend by contributing to the event’s success.
Post about the book on social media. Share what your friend has posted, or write your own post saying why you loved the book.
Tell people about the book. Share it with your friends, family, coworkers, neighbors, anyone you think might like it. If your friend would be a good fit for a podcast you listen to, send a note to the podcast host and say that. Above and beyond would be buying an extra copy to give as a gift.
Even doing one of these seven things will help your friend, and most of them are free and easy. 🙌
Here are FIVE books coming out in early 2025 that I’ve preordered:
A Healthy Interest in the Lives of Others by Teresa Carmody — 2.18.25. My Autofocus Books pressmate! This book sounds like nothing I have ever read before.
Animal Instinct by Amy Shearn — 3.18.25. A recent divorcée creates an AI chatbot to date during the pandemic. I am reading an ARC of this one and it’s good fun!
In the Rhododendrons: A Memoir with Appearances by Virginia Woolf by Heather Christle — 4.15.25. I loved Christle’s The Crying Book and and this book about mothers and trauma and Virginia Woolf sounds right up my alley.
Better: A Memoir about Wanting to Die by Arianna Rebolini — 4.29.25. Full disclosure: I know Arianna, and she is a wonderful human being and I can’t wait to read this book.
Dyke Delusions: Essays & Observations by Sam Mann — 6.3.25. A “mix of body politics, motherhood, and feminine sexuality.” Sold.
Bonus number six! Stuart Murdoch needs no help making his book a smash hit, but the Bellle and Sebastian frontman wrote a novel called Nobody’s Empire and it’s out in January you know I bought it.
And, of course, you can preorder Leave directly from Autofocus, from our distributor Asterism, or from Lofty Pigeon, and this last option will get you a signed copy. If you’ve already read it, you can rate and review it on Goodreads. If you review books or want to interview me, hit me up for a galley. And save the date for the launch event — 2.25.25 at Lofty Pigeon Books in Brooklyn.
Many thanks to LJ Pemberton, author of Still Alive, whose excellent post So You've Got a Book Coming Out on an Indie Press inspired me to actually create a list for people instead of just repeating “preorder preorder preorder” over and over.
With love,
Shayne