It’s hard not to feel a little nostalgic. I love writing speculative fiction, and I love performing live music with a band.

The absence of live music during these past two summers has been (note: classic understatement ahead) really hard on concert-goers, and also on musicians. Cancelled festivals, gigs, and tours have become an all-too-familiar lament among my musical friends.

Even the show I performed recently—substituting in a band whose regular bassist is immuno-compromised—was marked by Covid-19 restrictions. Don’t get me wrong; I’m double-vaxxed and fully supportive of the health measures, but like everyone else in the band and the socially-distanced audience, I’m more than “done” with this unprecedented season.

As Star Trek’s Captain Kirk once said (in a meme):

“Either get vaccinated or put on a red shirt.”

My point is this:

The recording studio is fun. Band rehearsals are fun. Co-creating new material is fun. Shooting a promo video is fun.

But performing live is the end goal. The payoff. The raison d’être.

Writing is remarkably similar. The first draft is fun. So is editing, revising, and polishing the manuscript. Same goes for designing the cover artwork.

But the end goal is getting the book “on the road”—published, promoted, and discoverable. And that’s where readers can play an instrumental role. [Musical pun: “instrumental.” Get it?]

1. Write a Review

It’s been said many times. So many, I fear, that it becomes background noise. But it’s still true:

People choose books based on reviews.

This is especially true for indie authors. We don’t have publishing companies to create promotions, arrange publicity, and generate buzz about our latest novels. We have only ourselves.

And our readers.

Reviews don’t have to be long. In fact, it’s better to be concise: “I read this book. I liked it. I’d recommend it to others. Five stars.”

2. Amplify a writer’s social media posts.

“Likes” are always appreciated. Writers need that dopamine rush just like everyone else. It’s encouraging. And validating.

But “sharing” and “retweeting” widens our audience, brings new eyes to the stories we’ve written, and acts as an introduction to new friends and readers.

In short, they help new people discover we exist. And that we write stuff.

3. Post a picture of you holding the book.

You’ll not only increase the author’s visibility, you’ll also bring a smile to their face. I don’t know any authors who get tired of seeing happy readers holding their books (I certainly don’t).

Or, you can also post a picture of you holding your ereader/tablet/smartphone, with the writer’s cover art on display.

Visibility = discoverability = connecting with readers old and new.

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These are just a few ways to help an indie writer get their stories “on the road.” And indie writers will be quick to throw their arms in the air as they scream an exuberant and heart-felt “THANK YOU!“

In fact, allow me to be the first:

[ … ]

Could you hear me?