To expect people I know to read my book?

YANBU your dearest friends should surely buy it?!

IME local book shops and even chains like Ws will publish local authors' self-published books if they are relevant to the area - ie historical. Otherwise, no.

Obviously the OP is not going to come back and give her name or the book as it will out her.

All I can say is that she apears to surround herself with friends who are not on the same wavelength as her, who don't appreciate the hard work in writing a book, and aren't especially nice friends.

They don't need to buy it but they seem pretty ignorant if they don't understand it's an achievement and that a signing is there to SELL your book - that's the whole point and why authors and book shops do these!

Do you not get a stack of books from your publisher that you give to friends and family?

waits for the DM to pick story up

@HelloFrostyMorning oh goodness. Getting into KCL to do law isn't remotely on the same tier as publishing a book..I did the former at 18 lol. Hundreds and hundred of people are accepted every year, it's not special at all. I honestly don't know a published author personally (other than people who write books for work).

I think the 'real book' comment maybe was just cf. 'ebook' and not meant to be degrading

I think self publishing and some small presses do just do ebooks and that's what friend was thinking.

(JL Carr self published. Quince Tree Press. Magnificent writer.)

I know a self published author who did Waterstones signing too (he had published mainstream in other genres though). The book did well and went on to win an award (Banff) so it can happen.

I know several published authors... some of them are modest, some of them it's all over their social media, mentioning it all time and in person, and giving out copies to F&F asking everyone to write reviews on Amazon. So no way their mates wouldn't know about it

They are a bit strange. My friend had a Children’s book published and I bought copies to give as presents as well as for us. I was sillily proud of her. Maybe they will get it if you invite them to the launch.

Yanbu to expect people to be a bit aware of it if you've talked about it etc.

But yabu to expect people to buy it. I fell out with a friend because they expected me to support their fledgling business selling on overpriced crap.

YANBU I think your friends are being a bit rubbish. "a real book" FFS. If you want to give benefit of doubt perhaps you've been too humble / not blown your own trumpet enough such that they didn't realise - hence it's a real book comment, etc noone wants to sound like they're ramming stuff down people's throats but you may have undersold yourself. X

Our local Waterstones DID do a book signing for a woman who self-published by the way. It does happen.

There is no shame in it, and it can be a stepping stone to a successful writing career, and many people who self publish are very good. But I am hazarding a wild guess that the OP did self publish. I find it extremely unlikely she is a signed, successful, recognised author.

Yanbu

I've published and my nearest have at least bought, read and commented/reviewed

If a mate of mine published a book I'd read it. It's called being supportive and it's normal among friends.

Another plopper. Posts 1 post, and then doesn't return.

So I won't waste much time with a bunch of posts - or a big post.

@bethc765 YABU. Good for you that you have achieved this probably self published book publication, but not everyone else is going to be as excited as you, if excited at all.

A woman I know had her DD get into Kings College London, to do a law degree. She was buzzing and ranting about her amazing daughter's achievement. Honestly........ nobody gave a shiny shit........

Surprised even.

Ok well as someone who has a friend who has published a series of books and probably wonders the same thing:

Her books are not my sort of thing at all. I typed out a long explanation but have erased it because I don’t want it to be too outing, and I do like my friend. But I don’t want to recommend her books to people because I’ve read chapters of them and I’d feel badly to mislead others into thinking they’re something I rate as being good.

I can be friends with someone without approving of whatever it is they do as a job or hobby. You might be an A+ friend but a C- coworker. Same for being an author. Just let your friends be, and promote your work yourself. There’s any number of reasons why they might not be supporting you.

Can I have a link to it I will buy it if it appeals. Always looking for a good read and I'm.surprosed your friends aren't curious and supportive and buying it.

DH writes books (non-fiction), published by a reputable mainstream publisher and stocked in Waterstones, Smith's etc. He gets given 12-15 hardback copies, and can buy more at half-price any time he wants. He gives these to close friends, beyond that he would not expect friends to buy them unless they have an interest in the subject(s). He has no idea if the ones he gives out get read, though he has seen them in a couple pf friends' bathrooms

I expect people who start threads to respond to people who comment.

unici5

Well, we will have to agree to differ. In my experience, one book authors are rare to vanishing- the cost of publicity for a single book just wouldn't be invested.
A sales bump of 20 due to friends around publication day wouldn't register.
50 Amazon reviews minimum to have any real effect.
Goodreads very much geared to the US market.
Agree a social media presence and keeping it up is an absolute must. Webpages and twitter and Instagram too these days.
Also agree that I am pretty old fashioned and started off in the days when Gollancz was in Henrietta Street and Hachette in France.

I have only one friend who has been published - many times now, since her first at the age of 22 or 23.
I have bought every single one. I was so excited for her when her first was published, and it's still exciting now. She's a childhood friend and years go past now between seeing each other, so YANBU to be disappointed that regular friends are disinterested. Our school friends all comment supportively when she posts to say she has a new book out.
Be proud of yourself and blow your own trumpet a little so they recognise it's a big deal.
Some odd comments on here. Always surprises me how insular some people can be. Don't let them make you second-guess yourself.

I got pissed off with some of my family for not reading my magazine work, not least because it was on topics they enjoy? So I get you on that score.

I don't ever expect my friends to read my stuff though, it's not broad appeal so unless I've made a joke about them in the column I don't mention it.

Wreath21 Of course you're right. I put that badly. I meant within the author's personal life.
As in, you would never ask an author to collect reviews from friends and family, or push sales on friends and family. Their goodwill shouldn't be assumed; it should be a free choice whether they read a book or not.
And to be honest, 'my best friend loves my book' isn't much to go on. What is needed is for complete strangers to love the book.
(Anyway, I don't believe in this book very much.)