We are lucky in the genealogy world to have some great experts that write books: family histories, source editions, how-to books, research guides; you name it.
I thought I would share a few ways to support these authors, besides the obvious (buy their books!).
- Suggest the book to your library or to friends.
- Write a review for the book, for example on Amazon or GoodReads.
- Share announcements about books on your social media.
- Drop them a message if you enjoyed their book.
Authors sometimes have a hard time convincing publishers to take on their next book, or to make it available on a different platform (Kindle, Kobo, etc). Supporting authors gives them more bargaining power.
Publishing a book can feel like you’re releasing your brain child into the void. The writing process can be quite lonely, and if you then don’t hear anything it can make you doubt yourself. Seeing that your book is appreciated helps authors to find inspiration for their next work.
Credits: Willem van de Poll, collection Nationaal Archief (CC-BY)
About Yvette Hoitink
