Eight meaningful ways to champion an author — and why doing it before you need help yourself is the smartest move you can make
Why Authors Need Your Help (and Why They Won't Ask)
When a colleague announces they're launching a book, most people respond with enthusiasm — and then have absolutely no idea what to do next. And the author? They're often too embarrassed to say. Launching a book can feel intensely personal, and asking for support can feel uncomfortably self-promotional, even to the most confident professionals.
But the gap between intention and action is where books quietly struggle. Reviews go unwritten. Launch-day momentum fizzles. And an author who poured months — or years — of expertise into their work finds themselves hoping the algorithm will somehow do the heavy lifting.
In this episode of Easy Peasy Books, Gillian Whitney — business book coach and author — walks through exactly how to show up for an author during their launch. Whether you're a seasoned supporter or someone who's always wanted to help but never knew how, these eight actions will make a real difference. And if you're thinking about writing your own book one day? Practicing these now means you'll know how to ask for help — and have already earned the right to do it.
Eight Ways to Be a Brilliant Book Launch Buddy
1. Purchase a Copy — But Timing Matters
Buying the book is the most obvious way to support an author, and in nearly every case, it's also genuinely worth your time. Business books in particular are written by people with real expertise, and the content is usually directly relevant to your professional world.
But here's the detail most people miss: when you buy the book matters almost as much as the fact that you buy it. Authors who are aiming for an Amazon bestseller ranking in their category are working within a tight window. Amazon calculates bestseller status based on the number of sales within a single day — and that day runs from 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time to 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time, regardless of where you are in the world.
That means if you're based in London or Sydney, you'll need to adjust your purchase time accordingly. A book launch team will usually share the specific buying window — pay attention to it. Buying a day early or a day late doesn't help the ranking, even with the best intentions.
Pro tip: The Kindle edition is often discounted or even free on launch day. If you want the paperback, you'll pay full price — but the Kindle version is well worth keeping an eye on.
2. Write a Review on Amazon
Reviews are the social proof that influences whether a stranger decides to buy. Research consistently shows that most buyers check reviews before making a purchasing decision — and that's just as true for books as it is for anything else on Amazon.
The catch is that only about one to two percent of readers actually leave reviews. Which means the gap between people who found a book valuable and people who said so publicly is enormous. As a book launch buddy, you can close that gap.
To leave a review on Amazon, you need to have spent at least $50 on Amazon using a credit or debit card in the past year — gift cards don't count. If that's not the case for you, Goodreads is an excellent alternative, as is Barnes & Noble if the book is stocked there.
Your review doesn't need to be long. A headline, a short paragraph, and an honest star rating will do more for that author than you might realize.
3. Post Text First, Then Add Media
Here's a tactical tip worth knowing: Amazon approves text-only reviews much faster — often within a day or two. Reviews that include photos or videos can sit in the approval queue for up to three weeks.
The smart approach is to post your written review first, so it's live and visible as quickly as possible. Then, a day or two later, go back and edit your review to add a photo or video. Amazon will append the media to your existing review without losing the original text.
This way the author gets the boost of a visible review during the critical launch window, and your full review — complete with any media — lands eventually rather than all at once.
Gillian's tip: Write your review in a Word document first and save it. If Amazon declines it for any reason, you won't have to start from scratch.
4. Share a Kindle Quote
If you're reading the book on a Kindle app — whether on an iPad, iPhone, or any other device — there's a surprisingly easy way to create a shareable social media graphic in under a minute.
Highlight a passage you love, tap on it, and look for the share icon (a box with an upward arrow). This generates a ready-made Kindle Quote image: your highlighted text on a branded background, complete with the book title, the author's name, and the hashtag #KindleQuote. No design skills needed.
You can email it to yourself, airdrop it, or share it directly to social media. It's one of the most frictionless ways to help promote a book — and it costs nothing but thirty seconds of your time.
5. Share on Social Media — With Your Own Words
When an author announces their book launch on LinkedIn, resharing their post is helpful. But doing it with your own comment added is significantly more powerful. It signals to your network that this is someone you personally endorse — not just content you're passing along.
Keep it simple. A line or two saying you've read it, you're excited for the author, or you'd recommend it to a particular kind of reader is plenty. Tag the author using the @ mention feature so they're notified and can engage with your post.
This kind of warm amplification from real connections is something the algorithm — and other readers — trust far more than an author's own promotional posts.
6. Take (and Share) a Book Selfie
A book selfie is exactly what it sounds like: you, holding the book, somewhere interesting. It doesn't have to be glamorous. A coffee shop, your desk, a hiking trail, or even the dashboard of your car on a long drive — all of these work.
If you'd rather not be in the photo, that's fine too. The book beside a row of plants, propped up on a bookshelf, or staged with a cup of coffee is equally effective. What matters is that it's personal and specific to you.
Once you've taken it, you can post it to LinkedIn, add it to your Amazon review, or send it directly to the author. Many authors collect these selfies and turn them into collages or video slideshows — which then become additional launch content in their own right.
Worth noting: You don't need the physical book for this. A photo of your Kindle or tablet showing the book cover works just as well — and Gillian has done it many times.
7. Attend the Book Launch
A surprising number of authors host virtual book launch events — LinkedIn Lives, Zoom celebrations, online gatherings of their community. If someone you know is doing one, showing up matters more than you might think.
On LinkedIn, clicking the 'Attend' button signals interest to other people in your network and helps the algorithm surface the event. Commenting on the event post before and during the live boosts visibility. And watching the replay and engaging there can actually generate more reach than the live event itself — LinkedIn often gives replays more exposure over time.
If an in-person book launch is on the table, even better. Ashley Leeds, a guest on a recent episode of Easy Peasy Books, described how hosting a physical launch party — complete with live music and guests travelling from across the UK — gave him the deadline pressure he needed to actually finish his book. He'd booked the venue, so he had to show up with a book in hand.
8. Request the Book at Your Library
This one is easy to overlook but genuinely valuable, especially for authors who have distributed their books through platforms like Draft2Digital — which feeds into library streaming services like Hoopla and Overdrive.
Visit your local library (in person or online) and fill in a book request form. It takes five minutes and costs nothing. But for authors trying to get traction on library platforms, a single genuine request can be the difference between visibility and silence. Libraries are much more likely to stock or digitally carry a book if patrons are asking for it.
Gillian’s Framework: The Book Launch Buddy Checklist
Here’s a practical, repeatable guide you can use any time a colleague launches a book:
Step 1: Buy the book at the right time
Find out the launch day and the ideal buying window (usually coordinated by the author). Purchase within that window to support any bestseller ranking attempt.
Step 2: Write a text review on Amazon
Keep it honest, helpful, and focused on the reader. Even a short paragraph with a clear headline makes a difference. Post text first, add photo or video later.
Step 3: Create and share a Kindle Quote
Highlight a passage in the Kindle app, tap share, and post the auto-generated graphic to LinkedIn or send it to the author.
Step 4: Amplify on social with your endorsement
Share the author’s launch announcement with your own words added. Tag them so they know you’re cheering them on.
Step 5: Take a book selfie
Make it personal and share it where it’ll be seen — LinkedIn post, your Amazon review, or directly to the author for their launch collage.
Step 6: Show up to the launch event
Click Attend, comment, engage with the replay. Your presence creates energy and extends the reach of the event.
Step 7: Make a short video review
A 90-second video reviewing the book is one of the most powerful things you can do. Let the author know so they can request a copy of the clip.
Step 8: Submit a library request
Takes five minutes and costs nothing. Especially valuable for authors distributed through Draft2Digital and library streaming platforms.
Real Examples from the Episode
The Timing Problem Most People Don’t Know About
Gillian describes watching well-meaning colleagues purchase a book a day too early or too late during a launch window — missing the Amazon ranking window entirely despite their genuine support. Understanding that Amazon’s “day” runs on Pacific Time, regardless of where the buyer is located, is the kind of insider knowledge that makes your help actually count.
Tina Jarvet and the Podcast Introduction
In the episode, Gillian describes introducing her friend Tina Jarvet to Tim Lewis, the host of Book Chat Live. Gillian knew Tim from a guest appearance on Easy Peasy Books, and she thought Tina would be a great fit for his show as an avid reader. The introduction worked — and Tim gave Tina the chance to talk not just about books she loved, but about her own published work, including a book she and Gillian had co-authored together. What started as Gillian trying to do something generous for Tina ended up benefiting both of them.
Ashley Leeds and the Venue That Finished the Book
Gillian references a recent guest, Ashley Leeds, who described booking a physical launch venue before his book was finished. With friends travelling from across the UK (and beyond) expecting a party, he had no choice but to complete the manuscript. The book launch party became the accountability mechanism that got the book done.
G’s Book Launch Selfie Collage
Gillian describes a colleague she refers to as G, who collected book selfies from her community during her summer launch. G turned them into a video collage — a piece of launch content that was both heartfelt and shareable. Gillian was among the people featured, and she notes that some of those selfies found their way to G’s Instagram even though Gillian herself isn’t on the platform.
In Gillian’s Own Words
“Become a book launch buddy now and learn how you can support others — so that when it’s time for you to launch your book, it will be a much easier for you to ask people to help you when you have helped others.”
“If you know somebody is writing a book and they’re getting ready to launch, purchase a copy. Most of the time — probably 99% of the time — the book is appropriate and you will get value from it as well.”
“Be the good that someone else needs. It’s often that when we stop worrying about ourselves and shine the light on other people — those other people, they need it.”
Listen to the Full Episode
Ready for the Next Step With Your Business Book?
Whether you're writing your book, getting ready to publish, or looking for ways to market and promote it, Easy Peasy Books can help. Visit easypeasybooks.com to explore our book writing, publishing, and marketing services — or subscribe to the Easy Peasy Books podcast for a new episode every week.
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About Gillian Whitney
Gillian Whitney is a business book coach and the host of Easy Peasy Books: From Author to Authority. She helps professionals write and publish books that build credibility, attract the right clients, and establish lasting expertise. Learn more at easypeasybooks.com