To expect people I know to read my book?

I write under a pseudonym and not one of my friends know it's me. I am rubbish at being criticised, even when it's constructive, and I would rather they didn't know me as an author. My work sells and I mostly get positive reviews, but it's all from people who don't know me.

YANBU, I’d be buying a few - let us know what book OP!

Not rtft but I disagree with people saying you're being precious. It's one thing not to buy your book if they decide it's not for them but theses people weren't even aware it was an actual book available in book stores and have been a bit hurtful implying they can't believe people would want you to sign a copy. Sort of shows they don't care about what's important to you.

My cousin has just self published her first book and I'm following with interest and encouragement. I'll probably download it and have a look but I don't think it's my kind of thing. But at least then I'll know who I can recommend it to.

She's not even my real cousin and we live in different countries but I like her and I can see what a big deal it is to her so even if I can only offer kind words I'll be positive and supportive.

I wouldn’t buy and read your book unless I was interested in it. Sorry.

Well done! A massive achievement. I self published mine and the same thing. No relatives wanted to buy it.

This is a fantastic achievement for you. But can you list the greatest achievement since September (in their eyes) of each of the people you’re talking about and how you celebrated them?

I have a friend who had a book published and the daughter of a friend has also had a book published. I made a point of buying them both. I don't know many authors and was proud of them both.

Honestly I wouldn’t buy it and read it because your telling me about it and I’d hate to read it and not like it and be under constant grilling by you as to have I read it yet, did I like it then have to lie or then more questions as to why didn’t I like well what part exactly.

I’d read a friends book because I happened to stumble across it and it turns out a friend wrote it but I wouldn’t buy one from a friend who keeps pointing out they wrote a book, yes that book just there

YANBU and Congratulations!! Do they never read or something? It seems odd they wouldn't at least praise you!

It's hard to get published, so it's a wonderful achievement, with great critical reviews as well. Well done OP. You have achieved many peoples life long dream through hard work, for that, you have my admiration.

Yanbu if they aren't supporting you. But yabu if you expect the support to be buying the book.

If a friend of mine had written and published a book I would be thrilled for them and would be asking them about it and maybe offer to go to a book signing if I could.

But I would only buy the book if it was a subject I enjoyed reading. And even then I might not buy it in case I didn't like it and then had to face telling my friend that.

I don't have much free time for reading for leisure. Support can be given in other ways

Congratulations!

I do try to read my friends' books unless they're published in Italian or whatever. It's a small gesture of support. So I think your friends are being a bit shit.

I don't like anyone IRL to read my writing, though. The mere idea brings me out in a rash, in fact.

I am about to publish my second book. Lots of friends and family have bought and read the first one, and are waiting for the sequel, but I don’t mind if they aren’t interested, and I don’t ask for feedback, I wait for them to mention it first.

Difficult one.

I have bought one from someone I know who self-published because I'd beta read it for her and loved it.

Not sure I'd necessarily want to if I hadn't checked first though. What if I didn't like it? Come to that, maybe they all have read it, and don't like to tell you they didn't like it

Publishing a book traditionally is hard, so congratulations. However if someone hasn't tried then they may not realise what an achievement it is.

But throwing it round a bit: Yes, it's an achievement, but you're asking people to spend their money on something they may not be interested in. If you go to a signing then there is an expectation you will buy too, so if people don't want to buy then they'll not want to come to that either.

If you're getting good reviews from independent readers and lots of sales then surely that's more important than friends' opinions.

Congrats, OP. And yes, I'm sorry, it's dispiriting!

I would buy and read your book if you were my friend. I’d be interested because I’m interested in things that matter to my friends, even if it wasn’t my thing. If I didn’t enjoy it I’d still be proud of you and happy for you. If I didn’t like it. it would be a bit watchIng my son play football, I don’t like football, I do it because I’m interested in my son.

Congrats OP. I hope you tell us what the book is.

It sounds like your modesty minimised your achievement and as a result friends don't know it's a "real book and in shops and stuff"! You should shout from the rooftops about your book to promote it and have it all over your social media which I presume your friends follow you on.

YANBU. My friend published a book a few years ago and I was first in line to buy it. It wasn’t really my taste but obviously still threw lots of praise her way. Your friends aren’t very good mates.

I can see why that would upset you. Equally, there is something very intimate about writing a book, and there can be an awkwardness about reading a close friend’s output, the feeling that the friendship might somehow go off kilter as unexpected experiences, ideas and feelings are revealed. I have a beloved cousin who writes books, and frankly I felt awkward when I read his first one. I’ve got into it since as he’s written a few.

then you would presumably want them to tell you what they thought of it,
Christ, no. Take the royalties and run.

Congratulations, what an achievement!

You are definitely not being unreasonable x

If you are who I think you are, can I ask why you wrote this on your Twitter page? "Thanks to all who brought and supported [the book]"

I do hope you come back and answer some questions.

Congratulations, by the way.

I know the feeling. I sing in a choir and perform in theatre shows and apart from my parents nobody I know ever comes to see my shows, even though they are genuinely good and get amazing reviews from people who do come.

OP, your friends are rubbish! My DH has had books published and short stories, as have a few of my friends, and I buy them and read them very happily. They aren't all books I'd choose in other circumstances, but as acts of friendship go, it's a pretty easy thing to do. Congratulations on your book!

YANBU - you buy a friend's book and you find something nice to say about it.

I think you are being unreasonable to expect them to read it but it's not unreasonable to expect them to support you.

I only like certain genres, so if the reading material didn't interest me, I wouldn't be able to engage in the book. Having said that, I would buy it, I would attend the book launch and have it signed.