To expect people I know to read my book?

YANBU One of my kid's friends parents brought out a book and I bought / read it / left a nice review on kindle to be supportive as she's really nice. I'd be a bit miffed if friends ignored it.

I'm a small business owner (day job) and writer.

I manage both without involving my friends.

I'm a bit undecided here. I have friends and family that have published books. The friend I've not read any as they are about her life and I find it a bit strange, I would rather talk to her, they are self published. A family member has published books and I've read some but not others as one genre is my kind of thing but the other not. However, I am hugely impressed that they've done it and certainly express my support even if I don't read them. So I can see why your a little disappointed in your friend's responses

YANBU

If one of my close friends wrote a book, I'd buy it, read it and give lavish praise (whether I liked it or not).

Congratulations!

I know where you're coming from. I started a small business a couple of years ago and out of my 200 or so friends on Facebook, only about 5 of them ever shared, liked it commented on anything. Just one reaction/like which takes less than a second would really help get my business seen, but hardly any of them ever bothered even though it would take no effort. Its shown me who really and truly does support me.(and when I've been on dragons den and I'm rich and famous I'll drive past their houses in my ferrari and wave)

well congratualtions on getting published but YABU to "expect" friends to read it....

Personally I would be really proud to have a friend who had her book published. I would have bought it without question.

I would be a bit disappointed if nobody had read a book I had written. It makes your friends sound very indifferent.

I've written quite a few books and sometimes friends read them or buy them as presents for people. I love it when they do, but I never expect it. I always make a point of saying my genre isn't for everyone as a gentle get-out clause as I know some people don't like reading, don't want to read what I write or just don't have time to read anything even if they are good friends.

If it's your first book OF COURSE you're going to be very protective of it and want everyone to read it but even if everyone you know and their mum buys it, it won't make much of a difference to your overall sales. A stranger in Waterstones is more important than your friend as far as building your reputation goes anyway. Be proud of yourself but also keep your focus on the next book, which is what actually matters.

Congratulations! I've tried writing so I know how difficult it is to get a book published.

I think there's a difference between a heartfelt well done and belittling you. It's too much to expect your friends to buy the book - why should they unless they have an interest in the genre - but I would expect them to be positive about book signings etc, in the same way I'd expect you would express mild congratulations if one of your friends got a promotion or something like that.

@LunaLivia

I have published several kids’ books that have been well received and reviewed. I’ve won an award too. I don’t say much about it and people are often surprised when they find out. I’ve noticed that some people are really congratulatory, interested and pleased for me. But others are weirdly dismissive… I sometimes suspect there’s an element of jealousy at work. My own sister never asks me anything about my writing or shows the slightest bit of interest. I’ve given her copies for her kids and she gives me no feedback whatsoever. I try to let it ride over me and continue to ask her about her work and hobbies Congratulations!

That's sad about your sister.

You've intrigued me now because I've always wanted to write a book it's just I always thought you had to be one of the lucky few to get published so I've never bothered.

I'd love to know more about the process, but also if I were your friend id buy your book as a show of support.

I have published several kids’ books that have been well received and reviewed. I’ve won an award too. I don’t say much about it and people are often surprised when they find out. I’ve noticed that some people are really congratulatory, interested and pleased for me. But others are weirdly dismissive… I sometimes suspect there’s an element of jealousy at work.
My own sister never asks me anything about my writing or shows the slightest bit of interest. I’ve given her copies for her kids and she gives me no feedback whatsoever. I try to let it ride over me and continue to ask her about her work and hobbies
Congratulations!

My friend could write a book about spiders or bricklaying or how to de-bobble a jumper (or anything I'm not interested) and if it was published I'd still buy a copy! I might not read it if it was on one of those subjects, to be fair, but most books aren't that expensive that you could save up even if you were skint.

I find it weird that they aren't supporting you, it's a pretty big deal to get actually published. At first I thought you were talking self publishing which is a bit different.

The thing that you're doing is the really important thing in your life. To you, it would just be them spending £10 to support you. Why wont they do that?
But to them, you're one of 20 friends of theirs who has something like this going on. They just cant support you all that way. It isnt the big important thing in their life, just like none of their other friend's "things" are either.

Depends if you are coming across as a bit braggy?

I know quite a few authors and find that, "I'm saving it for my holiday, so I can really enjoy it" is an effective lie line 😉

*Sorry, PLOT, not lot.

Generally - YABU.
I know 2 people who earn their living as authors and I know two other people who have also had a book published. I haven't bought any of them, because
a) I don't read much anyway
b) none of them are the sort of book I would read

I know someone that sells pottery that she makes. I don't buy her pottery either. Not that I don't appreciate that she is talented, but that I don't want to spend mney, buying stuff I don't want

I know someone else who is a singer songwriter. I don't go to that many of their gigs either, even though I know they get a proportion of the door money and they would like a bigger crowd there.

I know someone else that does carving - you know what? I don't buy their stuff either

Ditto the jam makers and the people that sell honey from their bees and the people that make door wreaths at Christmas and the friend that started making jewellery.

Good luck to you in your career, but there is only so much people can expect friends to fork out for things they wouldn't otherwise be buying.

YABU. Put it this way - if it were a genre I enjoyed and a lot that appealed, I would give it a go. If it were a genre I didn't like, then I would either read a little and lie to you or not read it at all and lie to you OR read it, not enjoy it, and point out all the ways that I thought it was bad. Take your pick.

I adore attending book launches by people I know in real life. It's a delight to see them getting the attention that they deserve and to be so caught up discussing their work with people who are genuinely interested in them and their processes. (NB: I mostly know non-fiction writers and can't recall attending a launch for fiction.)

Having worked in publishing for the last 30 years, have to say, that except to the author and the publisher other people's books have about the same charm as other people's sticky kids/dogs/holiday photos.

Friends and relations often kindly volunteer to read them, but being expected to go out and buy them is a bit much. And as I said earlier, you'd better check your contract, because you should have had gratis copies. Between 12 and 20, depending on hb or pb.

If you had a friend who was a plumber, would you expect them to redo your bathroom for free? If a friend was a chef, would you expect them to cater a party for you for free? Or an artist to paint a mural on your wall for free?

You won't get much plumbing or a refit of a bathroom for the cost of a book (£12 hardback?)

What a ridiculous comparison.

Honestly, I think it depends on whether they are keen readers and/or writers themselves. If they're not into books, they probably don't have an clue what an achievement this is. It's a bit like when DH, who is seriously into carpentry, shows me an amazing joint he has just made. I mean, I'm happy he's happy, but to me it's just another lump of wood, whereas another carpenter would appreciate the effort and skill involved.

As a side issue, my mother had a number of short stories published, and I found it incredibly weird reading them, because the authorial voice was also my mother's voice. But I did at least give it a go.

What's the book? I'll read it ☺️