by Alycia W. Morales   @AlyciaMorales

How do you thank an author who has poured into you or your writing career?

Authors make a habit of encouraging others to reach their full potential as writers in a variety of ways. Some have poured into me as they’ve mentored me along my writing journey. Others have given me feedback on various writing pieces. Some have given constructive criticism that has caused me to change my way of thinking about some element of writing. And still others have blessed me with their wisdom and teaching at conferences and through online events.

What do you do to thank these authors?

Here are 7 Ways to Say Thank You to An Author:

1. Write a thank you note. This is probably the easiest and quickest way to say thank you. Remember to tell them what it was they did for you, and if you have an immediate positive outcome from taking their advice, share it. Authors love to know their advice has translated into the success of another.

2. Buy them a coffee. Or whatever else they may like to drink. Have a great appointment at the conference? See them in line at the coffee shop? Say thank you by offering to buy their beverage. If you don’t have this opportunity, most like gift cards to Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts or the local coffee shop.

3. Write a review. Positive, 4- or 5-star reviews go a long way toward bumping an author’s books up the charts on amazon. Don’t stop at amazon alone, though. You can leave reviews on GoodReads, Barnes and Noble, and more. Spread the love!

4. Write another review. Send the author an email with a review of their services and permission to use it on their sites. This is particularly helpful if they have side jobs as editors, agents, web designers, brand developers, etc.

5. Send them a token of your appreciation. Maybe it’s a gift card to amazon. Maybe they are willing to give you an address where you could send a small gift, like a desktop sign, a coffee mug, or something you know they are fond of. Etsy and RedBubble are two of my favorite places to shop for things like these.

6. Promote their latest novels or nonfiction books to your friends and family. Word of mouth truly does go far in this business. Share on Facebook or Instagram or Twitter.

7. Give them a shoutout on social media. This doesn’t have to be attached to their books. If you managed to get a photo taken with them, share the pic and how they helped you. Include how wonderful the author is, and encourage others to follow him or her at their social media hangouts.

Authors love to hear from their readers and fellow writers, so don’t hesitate to contact them and encourage them in return. Saying thank you is a great reminder that what they are doing truly is making a difference in this world and others’ lives. Say thank you today.

What’s one way you, as a writer, appreciate being thanked? Let’s make this list longer in the comments below.

Alycia Morales is a freelance editor and writer. Her work has been featured in numerous magazines and several compilation books. Thanks to her mad editing skills, her clients have won multiple awards in several national contests. In addition, she’s the prior Conference Assistant for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. Alycia is currently working on a nonfiction project while characters are running around in her mind waiting to be released into children’s books and novels. Surviving the Year of Firsts: A Mom’s Guide to Grieving Child Loss released on September 17, 2024.

When she isn’t busy writing, editing, and reading, Alycia enjoys spending time with her husband taking hikes in the Blue Ridge Mountains of the Carolinas or running off to the beach with friends. She loves coffee, sweet tea, crafting, and watching crime shows.

Alycia can be found at alyciawmorales.com. She hangs out on Facebook and Instagram.