Lola’s Ramblings: How do you discover new to you authors?

Posted March 24, 2016 by Lola in Lola's Ramblings / 32 Comments

LolaRamblings

Lola’s Ramblings is a feature on my blog Lola’s Reviews where I ramble on about a book related or a non-book related topic. These are discussion type of posts where I talk about a topic and readers can weigh in on the topic in the comments. Usually these posts are everything that doesn’t fall under any standard header, like tours, cover reveals, memes, challenges, recaps or reviews. Lola’s Ramblings posts are discussions of a certain topic and my point of view on them. The banner for this feature is designed by Michelle from Limabean Designs.

As at the end of the year I often do a top ten new to me authors post I thought it would be interesting to list the different ways I hear about new to me authors and might give their books a try. There are quite some different ways to meet new to me authors and every year I try out a lot of books by new to me authors, so i thought this would make for an interesting topic. I think last year about one third or more of my books was by a new to me author. So yes I read a lot of new to me authors each year and am not hesitant to try out books by authors I don’t know yet.

How do I discover new to me authors?

  • Netgalley. It’s only fitting to list this on the top as most of the new to me authors I discover lately come through netgalley. I often visit netgalley and check the recently added books and if a book catches my attention I might request it. Sure I do request books by authors I know, but also a lot by authors I haven’t heard of before, because their book sounds good.
  • Review requests. Same as with netgalley I get a lot of review requests from authors I don’t know yet and I found quite some new to me authors thanks to review requests.
  • Reviews and blog posts. I like to visit other blogs and thanks to their posts I hear about authors I hadn’t heard of before and might eve decide to give a new to me author a try if their books sound good. These posts can be everything from book hauls to challenge recaps or update posts, top ten lists to blog tours or reviews. I’ve tried books by a new to em author simply because I saw one of their books on a blog and it sounded good.
  • Recommendations. Either recommendations from other bloggers or reviewers or Goodreads lists of recommendations that show up when visiting a book page and it recommends other books I might be interested in or sometimes more general recommendation type of posts. Recommendations can be a good way to try a new to me author as either someone else thinks I might enjoy that author or they are similar to authors or books I already know.
  • Goodreads Lists. Normally I don’t look a lot at Goodreads lists, but recently I have taken a bit of a liking to them and sometimes check them out. They can be handy if you’re looking to a specific book or genre, in my case they came in handy when finding books in a new to me genre like cozy mysteries. I recently added some cozy mysteries books to my to-read list as I saw them on a Goodreads list, namely this 2016 Cozy Mystery new releases list.
  • Anthologies. Anthologies are often a fun way to read stories by authors I already know and by authors I don’t know yet. And as anthologies are often cheap it’s also an affordable and easy way to try out a new to you author. Another nice thing is that anthologies often include novella’s, so you can get a bit of a feel for that author and their writing style and check out some of their other books if you like what you read.
  • Through authors I already know. Sometimes authors I already know recommend or promote books by other authors. Or I join a Facebook parties for an author I already know or because I got invited by an author I know to a facebook party from an author I don’t know yet and sometimes decide to give one of their books a try. I also have received a few authors newsletters where they recommend new to me authors.
  • Freebies or Discounted books. I pick up some free or discounted books if they sound interesting. Sometimes other bloggers list them and I receive e-mails form Bookbub with freebies and discounted books. It’s a nice and cheap way to try out a new to me author.
  • Authors who book a tour with me. Quite often it happens that authors who I haven’t heard about book a tour with Lola’s Blog Tours and if their book sounds good I might add it to my to-read list and I even met some new to me authors this way.

How do you discover new to you authors?

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32 responses to “Lola’s Ramblings: How do you discover new to you authors?

    • It does really show the power of reviews and blogger friends to hear so many people hear about new authors form blogger friends. It’s great to hear about so many new authors through reviews and blog posts on other people their blogs.

      I have to admit I go to netgalley almost every day and almost read only netgalley books on my ipad, so yes a lot of the new to me authors come through netgalley. And a good cover there can really catch my attention.

  1. For me it is almost exclusively from recommendations. I will occasionally pick up a book because something caught my eye and will try it, but it is pretty rare. I’ve also picked up authors because I met them at a conference. I’ve gotten a few from anthologies, but I mostly just read the stories for authors I already know. I can’t stress how much bloggers help me find new-to-me authors.
    Melanie Simmons @mlsimmons recently posted…Blackout Audiobook by Mira Grant (REVIEW)My Profile

    • Recommendations are a good reason to pick up a book and it’s nice to hear from someone who enjoyed the book already. I add lots of books to my to-read list because other bloggers recommend them.
      I often go to netgalley just to browse and will recommend a book if it catches my eye.

      I haven’t been to a conference yet as there aren’t many here, but it sounds like a good way to discover some new authors as well.

  2. In addition to the ways you’ve listed, Lola, I also find new authors by browsing in stores, particularly the local friends of the library used bookstore. Buying used books is a great way to sample new authors’ work without taking a lot of financial risk.

    I also tend to buy books that were made into movies or TV series. I discovered Elizabeth George, Val McDermid, Ian Rankin, and quite a few of my other favorites that way.

    My book club also reads books I normally have never heard of, although I have to admit that their tastes and mine are pretty different. I’m still hoping for a find from that though.

    • I don’t find many new authors by browsing stores anymore. I hardly ever go to bookstores anymore and order all my books online for multiple reasons. They don’t have a big collection of english books here and books are cheaper when I order them online. But yes when I still bought books in stores and before blogging that was the main method by which I found new books. I kinda miss browsing stores now and then.

      A book club and movies are also good ways to find new to you authors. I am not part of a book club, but it sounds like a fun way to discover books and authors you wouldn’t have tried else.

  3. Most of the time, I find new authors through Goodreads, mainly with the “readers also enjoyed” function. I go from one book to the next and browse that option until I discover a blurb that looks interesting.
    More rarely, I discover authors through other means, sometimes randomly even, like if an author has commented on a forum or has posted an intriguing snippet on Twitter. Blogs can be a good place too if they are proper blogs led by readers rather than marketers who shove tons of titles down my throat.
    But I admit I find it hard to discover new writers, because my favourite platform (Goodreads) tends to guide me towards the same people and the same books I’ve already said no to!!

    • Oh I rarely check that, but I have clicked on a book sometimes when it caught my attention. Sounds like a fun way to discover new authors. If you like goodreads, checking out some lists might be a good idea for genres you like. I’ve found a few good ones through lists.

      As a reviewer I guess it’s easier to find new authors with all the review requests we get(how I discovered you) and netgalley. I am not as much on twitter, but I can see how a good snippet there can catch your attention.

    • Reviews can be a great way to hear about new authors and get a feel for whether you’ll like their books or not. Goodreads list can be great if you’re looking for something specific. When I was looking for new cozy mysteries to add to my to-read list, I found some great ones on a Goodreads list.

    • Yeah most book bloggers probably find new authors through these ways. And freebies are always a good thing!

      I often read some reviews as well when I am considering whether to buy a book or not. Although it also happens a book doesn’t have any reviews yet, which can make deciding harder as I only have the cover, blurb, title and author to help me decide.

  4. oh what a great list of finding new to you authors. Most of the time its through goodreads and blogger recommendations. On occasion its an author request, but not that often. Love Netgalley too, you can find some great new authors on there.

    • I find most of my new authors through netgalley, but also got some through recommendations. And a few authors requests as well, I say no to a lto of request, but also found some great new authors that way.

  5. Honestly, I don’t pay much attention to authors when choosing books. Even my favorite authors have books I have no interest in and never plan to read. Yes I’m more likely to read a book if it’s by an author I like AND sounds like my kinda book, but in general I’m really a book/series person, not an author person. So I never feel like I find new-to-me authors because almost everything I read is by a different author lol. I just feel like I find new books, and I do that in some of the ways you talked about (Netgalley, requests, free ebooks, recommendations), plus I sometimes just kinda browse around Amazon and Goodreads, and I seem to always find a couple more books for my TBR every time I do a Cover Characteristics post lol.
    Kristen @ Metaphors and Moonlight recently posted…Discussion: The Good Thing About Bad BooksMy Profile

    • Oh that’s interesting. I always pay attention to authors and if I really like or love one of their books I usually will check out their other books and am more likely to read their books in the future. I do read a lot of new to me authors each year, but not everything. I can understand how those cover characteristics post are good for finding new authors/ books, those covers always make me curious about the book.

  6. That’s a good thorough list and the only thing I can add is when Amazon does the same as GoodReads and provides that feed below on the page of the book I’m looking at. Not even five years ago my new to me authors were solely from walking around in a bookstore or library or having a real life person recommend a book. Now, there are so many more that come to my attention through blogs and Good Reads. πŸ™‚
    Sophia Rose recently posted…Darklove by Elle Jasper #ReviewMy Profile

    • Yes that’s one I forgot to mention indeed. I sometimes go through the list on amazon and see what it recommend me when I am on a book page of a book i like or on a page of a book I consider buying. I also have spent some time going through their top 100 lists. Before I started blogging my new to me authors also were mostly through bookstores or books that caught my attention on the site where I bought books back then.

  7. The way I usually find new-to-me authors is through friends pushing books on me and reading debuts. I’ve always been in to reading debuts (which I didn’t know was a THING, but I guess it is), and it’s how I’ve found many of new fav authors. There’s just something exciting about someone’s FIRST book. Also, I like that I don’t have anything to try to compare it to. Bc comparisons can really hurt books for me πŸ™‚
    Michelle @ Pink Polka Dot Books recently posted…This Is Where it Ends by Marieke NijkampMy Profile

    • I don’t specifically look for debut novels, but I do read them when they catch my attention. I do think there’s something exciting about reading someone’s first book and then seeing how their writing changes over time. And indeed it’s nice to not compare it to anything else and not knowing what to expect can definitely be a good thing at times.

  8. I look on Amazon for free books in my favourite genres or at 99p. I also look at sites that offer free ebooks, discount offers etc. I never pay over Β£2 for an untried author as I’m on a budget. If I really like one of these ebooks, I’ll get the series in paperback or try other series by the author by cheap ebook. If I like the look of books over my Β£2 budget, I take note of them and wait to see if a deal on it is offered at some point.
    chucklesthescot recently posted…Book Review: Fortress Britain by Glynn James (Arisen #1)My Profile

    • I’ve started checking the amazon list for cozy mysteries lately to see if I could find some good ones, but so far most of the cozy mysteries freebies I found where thanks to two cozy mystery bloggers I follow on facebook. It’s great when you can try out a new authors for cheap. I am willing to pay more for a new to me author book when it sounds really good, but it’s even better when you can try a new to you author for cheap. I also am on a budget so I am very picky about which books I pay for.

    • I think it’s great to hear how much reviews and recommendations can help other find new authors. I get most of my review copies through netgalley, so that’s where I find most of my new to me authors.

  9. I find most new-to-me authors through blog friends. When you guys post about books you’ve recently gotten, or post a review for a book I haven’t heard of before. If it sounds good, I’ll try to get it from the library. If I love it, I then go out and buy my own copy!

    I also browse through NetGalley, I’ve found a lot that way too. Sometimes I check out the “people also liked” on GoodReads. And my library does something similar with their books, so sometimes when I’m adding a book to my library wishlist or hold list, I’ll check out what books they think I might like.
    Silvara recently posted…Crime and Poetry (Magical Bookshop #1) by Amanda Flower (review)My Profile

    • I think it’s great to hear reviews and blog posts can help you discover new to you authors.

      And netgalley is great for finding new to you authors. I’ve checked the “people also liked” on goodreads a few times, but might look there more often, they can have some good recommendations sometimes.

    • I get most of mine through netgalley, but also find some good ones through blogs. Not as many through goodreads as I a not as much there lately, but it’s a great place to find new to you authors. I also grab some freebies, it’s great to be able to check out a new to you author through a free book.

    • I don’t go to the library anymore or bookstores, but not having to spent money on anew author is a nice way to try them out as that way you don’t feel as bad when you don’t like it. For me that usually means freebies or review copies.

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