“Congrats on the book. What can I do to help?”

Last updated on: January 23, 2012 at 5:30 am by Ellen Painter Dollar

“Congrats on the book. What can I do to help?” 2012-01-23T05:30:44-05:00 Ellen Painter Dollar

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I am incredibly lucky to have supportive friends, family, and writing colleagues who rejoiced with me as my book No Easy Choice: A Story of Disability, Parenthood, and Faith in an Age of Advanced Reproduction was officially released last Tuesday. A number of people have asked what they can do to help spread the word about the book. So here are a few simple things that you can do to encourage others to read and share No Easy Choice.

Post a review on an online book-buying site, such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or the Thoughtful Christian. (This suggestion, of course, assumes that you will first read the book. I understand from a number of readers that, while the book is officially out, Amazon and Barnes and Noble aren’t shipping them until the end of this week. I apologize to those who are frustrated at the delay…and appreciate your eagerness to read. If it makes you feel any better, I haven’t received my author copies yet either!) While a number of blogs and magazines will be posting “official” book reviews in the coming weeks, reader reviews on places like Amazon are also important. When a potential reader clicks on my book and sees a lot of reviews (hopefully most of them positive), they can be reassured that this is a legitimate book by a legitimate author. Reviews don’t need to be long or literary; short and sweet is fine. It is particularly helpful for readers who liked the book to post reviews, because people who have a negative reaction are often more motivated to post a review. Think about it: If you order a sweater online, aren’t you more likely to go back to the web site and post a review if you hate it, or if it falls apart after three wearings, than if you like it? That said, however, reviews are helpful even if they include some criticism. So be honest.
Think about whether your church group, community group (e.g., a local moms’ club), college student class/group, or book group might like to adopt No Easy Choice for a book study, and/or invite me to speak. A lot of churches will be looking to fill their fall schedules in the coming months. Does your church need speakers for an adult forum? Teachers for a class on contemporary issues facing the church? Does your book group want to read the book and have me come talk about it? Do you know anyone who teaches ethics or some other relevant topic to college and/or seminary students? For more information on what I can offer to groups, visit my Events page.
Share my press release with your local radio stations or newspapers. Developments in reproductive technologies such as IVF and genetic screening regularly make the news, and the public is becoming increasingly aware of the ethical (not to mention emotional, financial, and medical) dimensions of the fertility industry. If you have a favorite interviewer on your local NPR station or know a columnist from your town paper, consider sharing my press release and suggesting they do a story on the book.
Suggest that your local independent bookstore stock the book. Unfortunately, my town’s last independent bookstore closed a few years ago. If your town is lucky enough to still have an independent bookstore, stop by and suggest that they stock my book. Again, reproductive technology is a significant contemporary issue, and memoirs are a popular genre.
Follow me on social media, and share with your friends/followers. This includes “liking” my Facebook page (my writer’s page, not my personal profile), following me on Twitter, subscribing to my blog (see the “Subscribe” dialog box to the right), and/or subscribing to my occasional e-newsletter (go to my web site and fill in the e-mail newsletter box on the right). If you like what you see, invite your friends to do the same.

This basically all boils down to, “Read the book, and if you like it, share it!” Again, many thanks for all of the support you have given thus far.

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