An indie author on TikTok had some interesting insights on why she chooses to buy some books over others.

Author Elle Grawl said she doesn't just see books on shelves, she sees the hours and hours of work it took to get there. 

She said, "Seeing a book is a NYT best seller is a turn-off" as well as celebrity-written books, and wants to support the mid-list authors, the ones who made it to the bookshelf, but didn't win the lottery of big marketing budgets.

Given that the vast majority of authors never make it to the New York Times best selling list, this is why her statement is powerful.

There are people who want to buy your book and support you as an author precisely because you're not a best seller, because they know how hard the journey is.

That brings me to her next point. 

"If I find a book I like, I look into the author. I want to know all about their publication journey. I want to see what they're like on social media. I want to know if they have another book coming out."

This is why, as an author, you need to to actively post on social media platforms as part of your marketing plan. Readers want to know about you. That connection is vital to the reader's decision to buy your book.

If you want a free resource to help you begin to craft your author story, download 

30 Maine-Centric Social Media Prompts for Authors

For more tools on how to market your book at your own comfort level and pace, click here.