Honoring the people behind the books
National Author’s Day falls on November 1 and honors the writers whose work has informed, moved, and entertained us. It was conceived in 1928 by Nellie Verne Burt McPherson, a teacher and reader who wanted a day to thank American authors for the pleasure their books had given her, and it was later formally recognized. The origin is fitting: this is a holiday born from simple gratitude.
We tend to consume books as if they arrive fully formed, but every one is the product of a person, usually years of solitary, uncertain labor. National Author’s Day asks us to remember the human on the other side of the page and to say thanks.
Gratitude that actually reaches them
Here is a thing most readers never do: tell an author their book mattered. Writers hear from readers far less often than you would guess, and a sincere note can genuinely make a stranger’s week. Most authors are reachable through a website or social account, and a few honest sentences about what their work meant to you is one of the cheapest, kindest acts available today.
Gratitude can also take practical form. Buy a book from a living writer, ideally through an independent bookstore, and leave an honest review or pass the recommendation to a friend. Word of mouth is oxygen for a writing career, especially for authors who are not already famous.
A writer only begins a book. A reader finishes it.
Make room for new voices
One of the best ways to celebrate authorship is to take a chance on someone at the start of their path. Instead of another book by a household name, ask a bookseller or librarian for a strong recent debut. First-time authors need readers most, and there is a particular joy in loving a writer before the rest of the world catches on.
Try it yourself
And if you truly want to appreciate what authors do, spend part of the day attempting it. Write a page, any page, a memory, a scene, a letter to someone. You will quickly discover how stubbornly words resist doing what you want, which breeds real respect for anyone who wrangles a whole book into being. You may also find, as countless authors did, that the page pulls you further than you expected, and that the story only you can tell has been waiting for you to start.
How to celebrate
- 1Thank an author directly
Writers hear from readers far less than you would think, and a genuine note lands hard. Send a short message through their website or social media telling them what their book meant to you. It costs nothing and can make a stranger's week.
- 2Support a living writer
Buy a book from an author who is still writing, ideally from an independent bookstore. Better yet, leave an honest review or recommend the book to a friend. Word of mouth is how careers survive, especially for lesser-known writers.
- 3Read the author's note
Today, read the acknowledgments and author's note you usually skip. They reveal the years of labor, doubt, and help behind a finished book, and they deepen your appreciation for how much work a single volume represents.
- 4Discover a debut
Celebrate authorship by taking a chance on a first-time author instead of a household name. Ask a bookseller or librarian for a great recent debut. New writers need readers most, and you might discover a favorite before everyone else.
- 5Write something yourself
The best way to honor authors is to try the craft. Write a page today, a memory, a scene, a letter. You will come away with a fresh respect for how hard it is to get words to do what you want, and you might just keep going.