How to Be a Good Literary Citizen (in Seven Easy Steps)

Last Sunday I spent hours at the Brooklyn Book Festival, a too rare occasion for me to pull myself away from the internet for an entire afternoon. As I looked around at the crowd on their way to panels or checking out indie press booths, I was reminded that, even if it doesn’t always seem apparent from looking at news headlines, there are many, many of us out there: people who care about books and culture and their community in general.

The previous weekend I had gone to Cleveland to give a talk about literary citizenship. It’s an amorphous kind of concept, often changing with the moment, but needed more than ever today when  corporate interests have a stranglehold on the arts, literary institutions are being devastated by the cancellation of NEA grants, and the freedom to read is under attack. As people who care, and if you’ve read this far I suspect you care, I figured we could all use a refresher on how to be a good literary citizen. Below you’ll find my top seven tips on how you can help make a difference.

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Show up.
The most important rule of literary citizenship is to show up. Showing up can mean a number of things: attending events at your local bookstore or library, volunteering at local literacy organizations, putting books in your neighborhood’s Little Free Library. Any time you can get face to face contact with members of your community is a win. But showing up online also counts! Subscribing to publications you enjoy is showing up you can do from afar. Do what you’re able…

Buy books.
Amazon avoidance is Literary Citizenship 101. It’s better for authors and booksellers and your own community if you’re able to shop local. But I understand that I am immensely lucky to have more than one excellent indie bookstore near my home. If not you still have options. For physical books and ebooks, Bookshop.org is the place to go, as is Libro.fm for audiobooks. Both stores share profits with independent bookstores. If you’re looking for used books, choose Thrift Books over Abe Books, which is owned by Amazon. Or simply request a copy from your library. That absolutely counts.

Talk about books you love.
If you’re perpetually online, like I am, you might be used to sarcasm as a primary method of communication. But enthusiasm is key for literary citizenship. Give yourself permission to enjoy things. And remember that being earnest is best; when you’re just cheerleading or going through the motions people likely will know. Better to spend your time shouting out the writing that makes your heart sing.

Read widely.
Now we’re getting a little more advanced. If you’re an avid reader, seek variety in the kinds of books you read. This means being aware of who publishes the books you read, and seeking out independent publishers along with books from the major corporate publishers. It means reading books in translation, reading fiction and nonfiction and poetry. I promise the world will feel bigger the more widely you read, more filled with possibility.

Authors: don’t gatekeep.
This tip is for authors: remember to hold the door open. Success in the book world is not a zero-sum game. Being generous to other writers elevates everyone. This might mean blurbing other writers’ books or even just praising them on social media, volunteering to read for literary prizes, or even sharing information about how the famously opaque world of publishing works.

Remember that authors are people.
Most authors don’t earn a living from writing books. Their names may appear on books but 99.9 percent of them are not mega celebrities. So yes, please post about books and don’t hold back. But if you really go off on a book that you really didn’t like, don’t tag the author in your post. Make it so they have to look for negative reviews, to self-Google and constantly check their Goodreads page. That’s about them, not you. On the flip side, if you loved a book, let the author know. Fan mail is underrated.

Support librarians.
Even as their jobs continue to be devalued, it’s important to keep in mind that there are many intelligent people who are paid to be knowledgeable about books and book culture. Let’s help them out by volunteering at your local libraries or donating to them, and by vowing to fight book bans. Banned Books Week is in October. Get involved.

Be a good regular citizen.
Talk to your neighbors. Help them when they need help. Fight ICE, contribute to mutual aid organizations, participate in local elections (including school board ones) as well as federal ones.

I’m a lifelong reader and a longtime observer of the book world and publishing industry, but I don’t have all of the answers. Literary citizenship is a collaborative process.I want to keep listening and learning. So please sound off in the comments if you’d like to add your own tips.