Why Supporting Underrated Authors is Important
What if your favorite author never got their big break? Would they still be writing in obscurity, or would they have given up on their literary dreams? The answer to these questions is why supporting underrated authors is so important. Every author has a moment when they’re not yet famous. Some get lucky and find an agent who believes in them and their work enough to take them on as clients; others do not get so lucky. At some point, every writer with potential has been overlooked. If you love reading, it’s only natural that you’ll develop favorites among the many different kinds of authors out there. You may even have a few go-to writers from which you will read anything without reading the jacket flap first. But what happens when you stumble across another great writer that isn’t quite as well known? Fortunately, the answer to supporting underrated authors is exceedingly simple: Read their books anyway. Here are five reasons why supporting underrated authors matters more than you might think:
1. You’ll Find New Writers to Love
Reading is an intimate experience between the writer and the reader. When you love a book, you feel a connection to the author. After all, you have read their words, and those words have been transferred from the page to your mind and heart. Depending on how you react, this intense connection can be both a blessing and a curse. When you read a book and fall head-over-heels in love with the story and the writing, it’s natural to want to share that feeling with as many people as possible. Sometimes, your enthusiasm may blind you to the fact that the book you loved so much isn’t as well known as you may have assumed. When you find an underrated author and fall in love with their work, you may be tempted to share your new discovery with those around you. This is a great impulse and one that is meant to be celebrated! You want to see your favorite authors get the attention they deserve. That said, it’s important to understand that your friends and family may not be as excited by your recommendation as you had hoped.
2. They Need the Support
Reading is a solitary act. Even when you read in public, you are alone with your book. In many ways, reading is a very individualistic pursuit. However, that doesn’t mean that readers don’t have a collective mindset. Readers bond over books the way that people bond over sports teams, weather patterns, and even political affiliations. When you love a book and the author behind it, you naturally want to share that love with the world around you. However, if the author you love isn’t as well known as you had hoped, your enthusiasm can feel rather misguided. You are a passionate reader, and while it’s great that you want to see your favorite authors succeed, you need to remember that their books may not click with every reader in the way that they clicked with you. By supporting underrated authors, you let those authors know that their work has found an appreciative audience. You let them know that they aren’t alone, that someone out there appreciates their craft as much as they do.
3. Their Books Are Good — Maybe Even Great
The literary world has a long and storied history of celebrating the established authors of the day. We celebrate the bestsellers and the Pulitzer Prize winners, but we also celebrate the author who managed to release a single good novel. The publishing industry is far from perfect but also far from corrupt. Agents and publishers aren’t purposely trying to keep good authors from succeeding. Unfortunately, many readers forget that the publishing industry is very much a business. While writing is an art, publishing is as much a science as it is an art. What sells one year may not sell the next. What was in style 20 years ago may not fit the current market. As a result, some authors fade into obscurity, and many don’t deserve to. Their work might be old-fashioned or lack a clear audience, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t good. By supporting underrated authors, you show that their books are appreciated and that there is a market for them. If enough people buy a particular book, that book will stay on the shelves. Repeat purchases and word-of-mouth recommendations will eventually spread a book far and wide.
4. Discovering New Writers Helps You Grow as a Reader
Reading is a journey; every book you read takes you on a specific path. The books we read when we’re young shape our understanding of the world, while the books we read when we’re older help us to expand and adapt that worldview. Reading is a way of growing as a person, and it’s a skill you can hone and improve over time. When you read the same books over and over again, though, you end up growing stale as a reader. As a result, you miss out on many paths that you could have taken and miss out on the opportunity to succeed. You also miss out on the chance to support authors who need your help.
5. By Supporting Underrated Authors, You’re Helping Them Succeed
Reading is so much more than a solitary experience. Sharing a story with someone is an intimate act. When you find an author whom you love, who clicks with you on a personal level, you may want to let them know. In many ways, this is a wonderful idea. You can help lift up an author who has been overlooked for one reason or another. However, it’s important to approach this idea with caution. When you recommend a book to a friend, you essentially recommend that they buy it. You’re telling them they should put their money into that book and support that author. If the book isn’t as well known as you had hoped or isn’t as widely available, your friend may struggle to find it. If they can’t find a copy, they can’t buy it, and the author misses out on that sale.
Conclusion
Reading is a lifelong journey. The more books you read, the more paths you open up for yourself. The more books you read, the more you grow as a person. Supporting underrated authors opens up new pathways for yourself and helps them along the way.