Help Dangerous Writers - at Little or No Expense

And How it Benefits You Too

The Comandante in Lello’s Bookshop, Oporto, and with Fernando Pessoa in Lisbon

If you’re reading this, you’re probably either a writer yourself, or a reader who’s fed up with the boring, politically correct bilge you’re constantly told to buy. Or you may just want to push back against the New Puritanism and its rigid ideological agenda. In any case, I’m making the claim here that it’s to your advantage to support what I call ‘dangerous writers’. You might think it’s self-promotion, but it’s not. So far I’m owed £50 in royalties on my last novel, which was published nearly two years ago. Even if my sales double or triple, or multiply by ten, it won’t pay for my next holiday. That’s not the motive. What we want to do is create a community of independent thinkers and artists, and create an ecosystem in which their work can survive, and thrive.

So what can one person do? A lot! Here are some suggestions:

1. If you’ve read Our Parent Who Art in Heaven (or any other dangerous book which hasn’t got the attention it deserves), review it on Amazon or Goodreads, or both. It’s free, and takes you perhaps ten minutes. But it means a great deal to the author and the book. Algorithms show books that have been reviewed frequently and positively to potential readers. And yet getting people to review your book, even friends and family, is not just difficult, but nearly impossible. Why? Who knows? I’ve had people tell me they loved my book, and yet they don’t review it. Are they afraid of being associated with such an immoral work? (If so, they could post anonymously.) Just lazy? No idea. But this one is easy, and of immense value.

2. If you haven’t read my novel yet, do so. If you buy it, the retail price is £10.99, though it may be discounted, or you may be able to buy it second-hand. In other words, it’s not going to cost you more than a cheap lunch, at most. And if you can’t afford it—I understand, there were many years when I struggled to afford books—order it from your library. This helps the writer, and the book, just as much. Usually libraries will actually buy the book and keep it on their shelves.

3. Tell your friends about the book. (Again, not necessarily mine—if you don’t like my writing, find someone else’s work to champion.) Only the literary superstars get genuine promotion. You know their names. The rest of us have to find our way by word of mouth. Incredibly, that can still work, but only if our friends and followers are active in passing on the good news. Post on social media that you’ve just read a brilliant book. Better still, tell your friends and family in person. Lend them the book. Buy a copy for their birthdays or Christmas.

4. Suggest reading the book to your book club. Nearly all authors will be happy to talk to the club by Zoom, or in person if they live nearby, which can make for a fascinating evening. (I know this from experience.)

5. If you are a writer yourself, write a review for your blog or another publication.

6. Ask your local bookshop, if you have one, if they stock the book. If not, ask them to get copies in. They will generally do so, at least for you, but sometimes they’ll order more copies.

7. If you have like-minded friends, suggest that they subscribe to the dangerous writer’s Substack or social media. Comment on the writer’s posts—again, it helps the algorithms. If you don’t have time to comment, or can’t think of anything to say, like the post at least. That’s instant. It all helps attract attention.

As you can see, nearly all of these are entirely free. Even if you buy the book, which costs you a modest fee, it’s great value. Compare it with a visit to the cinema. A ticket is nearly as much as the price of a book, but a film lasts less than two hours, usually. Our Parent Who Art in Heaven has 288 pages, so is probably 8 - 10 hours reading. And if the quantity argument doesn’t work, what about quality? How often does a Hollywood film surprise you or challenge you in any way? Or even make you laugh? I venture that my novel will do all of those things—and if you disagree, let me know. I mean it.

We’re in the middle of a culture war, and the New Puritans are still winning. It’s no good throwing up our hands and saying we can’t do anything. We can. But we have to vote with our feet—and in this case, our eyes. Give your attention to writing that takes risks, that surprises, that isn’t just trotting out the pious platitudes of virtuous self-appointed commissars of culture. At the moment the publishing industry is solidly woke. But if enough people protest, and show they mean it by buying un-woke books, books that are dangerous to the New Establishment, the publishing houses and agents will take notice. They know which side their bread is buttered—their gluten-free, organic bread, that is, and of course it’s probably extra virgin, cold-pressed olive oil on it, not butter. Let’s make a noise. The silent majority has to stop being silent.

Thank you. Remember: without you, the readers, the writer has no function. Without you, he doesn’t really exist. An unread book doesn’t really exist.

It’s easy to change that. Support dangerous writing and dangerous writers! Read and write dangerously yourselves, my friends and companions!