Beyond Book Sales: Supporting Authors in Publishing
Could being inactive on social media limit an author’s publishing prospects? Today, authors are increasingly expected to understand social media trends and maintain a social media presence to help promote their books. For some authors, social media is starting to feel less and less like an option (Hurley-O’Kelly).
Being a writer involves more than putting words onto pages. Authors need to promote their books, find ways to connect with readers, and try to earn a living from their work. At the online event, Kim Watt on Building Community vs. Chasing Book Sales with George Penney, I was interested to hear how building a community can help authors feel supported throughout their careers.
Watt, whose first book published in 2018 after years of trying to be traditionally published, explained how the writing and reading community had been a fundamental support system to her. It can be isolating for writers trying to establish themselves within the industry, and Watt explained how blogging helped her to become more comfortable interacting with readers and writers. Blogging allowed her to be herself without adapting a new online persona, showing how a community can provide a sense of support for authors during times of loneliness and uncertainty.
I also found the events discussions around artificial intelligence interesting. Penney shared an example of a writer accused of using AI whose beta readers strongly defended her, demonstrating how established relationships can build trust in authenticity during times of uncertainty and mistrust.
Despite the benefits, building a loyal community has its challenges. Penney discussed the financial hardships writers face, where their work requires considerable time but often receives little income in return. Further discussing how authors are being expected to manage their own marketing, sometimes spending more time promoting their books rather than writing them.
This raises an important question: how can authors build genuine relationships with readers when there is also a pressure to turn the relationships into sales?
Watt offered an encouraging perspective; she involves her readers in choosing book titles and provides a space within her community for writers to share their own work. These interactions allow her readers to feel more invested in her work and demonstrate how communities can build naturally alongside an author.
However, Watt highlighted the risk of relying on platforms from large cooperations which authors have no control over, by sharing her experience of being blocked on Facebook for spamming, after responding to numerous fan comments.
As a publishing student, I found it valuable to have an insight into the author’s perspective and consider how publishing professionals can better support the people behind the books. The event reinforced how important kindness, empathy, and community are for authors in the digital era. While selling books is essential to a sustainable career in writing, my biggest takeaway was that building a community should begin with connection rather than the goal of achieving high sales figures.
Works Cited
Hurley-O’Kelly, Sionna. “Is Opting Out No Longer an Option?” The Bookseller, 9th July 2024, ://www.thebookseller.com/comment/is-opting-out-no-longer-an-option
MarieXMartin. “Girl Smartphone Social Media.” Pixaby, 7th November 2020, pixabay.com/photos/girl-smartphone-social-media-5717067/.
Pexels. “Book Pages Chapters Open.” Pixaby, 28th March, 2016, pixabay.com/photos/book-pages-chapters-open-open-book-1283865/.
Pixelcreatures. “Cms WordPress Content Management”. Pixaby, 13th Febryary 2014, pixabay.com/photos/cms-wordpress-265127/.
Watt, Kim, and George Penney. “Kim Watt on Building Community vs. Chasing Book Sales with George Penney.” Online event, Zoom, 9th October 2026.
