Courage

I have one question for all of you. One very simple question, to which I simply cannot fathom the answer:

How on earth are we already this far through August?! 

*sigh*

We’ve been talking about the best ways you can support your author friends and help them thrive in this chaotic world that has too many voices spiraling all around it, and somehow, we only have three points left. I really don’t know how that happened.

At this point in our series, we’ve bought and read the book, we’ve reviewed it without nitpicking about any typographical errors we may have found, and we’ve even told all our other friends that they should read the book too… but you know what, there’s something we haven’t even touched on, in ways to support your author friends.

#6: Encourage Them

And I don’t just mean that you should be encouraging about the book they’ve already released. I mean that you should encourage them in everything they do. Encourage them to keep writing, remind them how much you liked their first book and tell them that they can (and should) do it again. Tell them that you want to see them succeed with their passion.

I’ll tell you right now, this is one of the best ways to be a friend to anyone. It’s not just about the monetary things, or spending time together, or being supportive when things are good or bad. It’s about being the kind of person who’s a constant reminder that dreams can be achieved.

You could do that, for your author friend.

Really, you could do it for all your friends.

Be an encouragement. Even if you don’t like the book, find something good to say about it. Talk about how many other people have read and loved the book, if nothing else.

Honestly, it’s okay if you didn’t like the book. I have lots of friends who haven’t enjoyed my books. But I know that they read my books, and that they tried to like them. They supported me. They even encourage me to keep writing them. And that’s the part that really matters. They’re being my friends, by being encouraging and supportive.

In return, I get to do the same for them. I get to support them in what they’re doing, and I get to encourage them when they have rough days.

I love doing it for them—but I love it even more, knowing it’s my turn to return the favor.

[love]

{Rani D.}