17 Ways Authors Can Help Authors + Bestseller Update + Virtual Book Tour

Authors Helping Authors

The way to get through this challenging season of life is TOGETHER.

TOGETHER we are stronger, smarter, braver.

TOGETHER we can accomplish more.

TOGETHER we can make a difference.

This power in togetherness goes for all people, in all industries and walks of life.

Today I am sharing a list I’ve compiled of creative ways authors can support other authors. Why? Because we need to. Together we must stimulate the book industry, promote indie bookstores, champion reading, and be advocates for literacy, the arts, and each other.

We will get through this difficult time, BUT what our personal and professional lives look like on the other side will be determined in how we live right now.

Authors must help Authors.

Simple as that.

17 Creative Ways for Authors to help Authors

Include other authors on your blog in a round-up of books to read.
Feature the author on your blog in posting an excerpt from their book (with their permission of course).
Feature the author on your blog in an author Q&A interview.
Use seasonal themes to suggest the other author’s book in a book recommendation on your blog, in social media, or e-newsletter.
Welcome the other author to be a one-time guest contributor on your blog, asking them to write about some aspect of the creative process.
Launch a shared book giveaway.
Post about each other and the books on social media, sharing pictures and links.
Feature the other author in your e-mail newsletter.
Run a giveaway for the other author’s book.
Be a “stop” on each others Virtual Book Tours.
Celebrate the other author’s pub day, milestones like the first book birthday, and runs on the bestseller list by… you guessed it! Sharing and re-posting their content, graphics, and links.
Supply each other pre-written content including social media posts, blog posts, author interviews, and such so the sharing is quick and easy.
Interview each other in video format. Each take a video asking 5 questions and transfer the videos to the other. Each author answers back in a video the questions asked by the partner author. Use a video editor (or hire a pro) to cut the videos together into one or two videos. Post the videos on your YouTube channels and share on social media.
Create a virtual author event. Share the work of creating and marketing the event, share the fun of executing it, and promote each other.
Do joint Instagram Lives, Facebook Lives, and YouTube premiers.
Create cooperative ads. This is where the two (or more) authors pool their money to purchase an ad in a prominent placement, something they could not afford on our own. Design the ad (or hire a pro), launch the placement, and promote it together.
Come together to offer a “box set” of their books, aka one massive e-book file where the authors share the marketing and then split the profits.

I hope these ideas prove helpful for you! Please share this blog post and get your author friends on board. TOGETHER we can make magic.

NOTE: The above suggestions will work as long as both authors (or a group of authors) are mutually supportive. It leaves a bitter taste in the mouth of the helping author if they give and give while the effort and promotion is not reciprocated.

Here is an online article which helped prompt some of my ideas: 8 Ways Authors are Helping Authors With Books Releasing During COVID-19 – You might get some ideas for your own promotions from this.

Bestseller Update

+ Inside the Sun Virtual Book Tour Info

It has been my dream for as long as I can remember to become a bestselling author. I’ve been working my butt off to get there with my novel Above the Star, book one in The 8th Island Trilogy. Right now I have a 99¢ sale going on for Above the Star. My goal with this is to provide cheap thrills for #quarantinelife. No, you don’t have to be bored at home. With Above the Star, you can have an adventure without even leaving the couch!

Wonderfully, this sale has helped boost Above the Star in the rankings, giving me a quick taste of Amazon bestseller status. This is amazing, but the work is not done yet. I am aiming for the USA Today bestseller list, which calculates sales over a week’s span of time.

Which week you ask.

THIS WEEK – RIGHT NOW.

Which is why I implore you to please support the mission and purchase a book! Buy a book today. It will make a huge difference for me. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

Previous Bestseller Updates

If you have not been following my bestseller updates over the last few days, here are links to my previous two blog posts:

BESTSELLER DREAMS: I NEED YOUR HELP TODAY TO MAKE IT A REALITY + 99¢ ABOVE THE STAR E-BOOK SALE

BESTSELLER UPDATE: 33 WAYS TO SUPPORT YOUR AUTHOR FRIENDS, COVID-19 EDITION (+ I NEED YOUR SUPPORT!)

Amazon Rankings as of 5:00 PM Mountain Time, Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Rankings matter. Why you ask? No, it’s not a popularity contest. Making the bestseller lists affects my entire career as an author. The higher I rank, the more opportunities open to me as an author. As an indie author, that is a big deal. I sell more books, true, but there are other more powerful results of Bestseller status. Publishers will hopefully take notice of my books and doors will open there. Every book I publish from here on out will have ‘By Bestselling author Alexis Marie Chute’ on it.

The Canadian stats have been amazing! Above the Star continues to be ranked as a #1 bestseller in paranormal romance for young adults. That’s awesome! And paranormal romance?? That title is provocative in its own right lol.

CANADA Amazon Rankings for Above the Star

#1,026 Paid in Kindle Store
#1 in Paranormal Romance for Young Adults
#3 in Folk Tales & Myths Sagas & Epics for Young Adults
#4 in Survival Stories for Young Adults

The United States Amazon ranking for Above the Star have been falling, but still remain in the top 30 in the categories, which is fabulous. I’m hoping the sales will continue to come in and Above the Star will stay top thirties all week.

USA Amazon Rankings for Above the Star

#4,899 Paid in Kindle Store
#28 in Teen & Young Adult Survival Stories
#27 in Teen & Young Adult Paranormal Romance
#21 in Teen & Young Adult Survival Stories eBooks

HOW YOU CAN HELP – #1

Purchase the book.

Buy a copy for yourself, a family member, friend, or co-worker.

Ebook: NOOK | Kindle (USA) | Kindle (CAN) | Kobo | Google Play

Paperback: Indie Bound | Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Barns & Nobl e | Chapters Indigo | Target | Book Depository | Author’s Shop

This will make the biggest difference. Thank you so much.

HOW YOU CAN HELP – #2

Spread the word.

Help me build the buzz!

Post on social media.

Email your contacts.

Tell your friends in texts, phone calls, video chats (and in-person when #quarantinelife is finally over).

Forward my e-mail newsletters (If you’re not an e-news subscriber, sign-up by clicking here).

Re-share and re-post my social media posts.

Mention Above the Star on your blog, vlog, and/or newsletter.

HOW YOU CAN HELP – #3

Celebrate with me on mission achieved (or at least best effort)!

And console me if I don’t make it.

I will keep trying till my dying breath, but words of encouragement are always appreciated!

Virtual Book Tour for INSIDE THE SUN

The main purpose of this blog post is Authors Helping Authors.

I hope the list of creative ways to do this is helpful. Put it to use fellow authors. Le’ts make magic together!

The one need I have right now:

Fill in a few gaps in my novel Inside the Sun’s virtual book tour

I’m launching an epic release for book three in The 8th Island Trilogy!! Inside the Sun will come in to the world with virtual fireworks – and I want you to be a part of it!

I am looking for fellow authors to join with me:

If you have a blog, be a “stop” on my virtual book tour. I’ll provide you with content to share and will link the heck out of your blog and post in all my promotions!
If you have an Instagram page, again be a “stop” by posting about Inside the Sun on your chosen date. I can supply you with awesome intagrammable pics, text, and hashtags.