So the time is near. You have that
next book on paper, it is being edited and proofread and you’re starting to get
ready to launch that book to the top of the charts. You need to get all your
ducks in a row to start marketing that novel to the world.
The first thing you must ask
yourself: where, when and how do I start the promotion of my book? The answer to
these questions are more complex than you may realize at the start. Besides a
well-written book, you need a package of information and plan on how to use it.
An online presence is almost a
requirement in today’s industry and a contact list is needed. And then you need
to start that marketing buzz and at the same time develop your image to get
those repeat readers. Before you throw your hands in the air, read what other
authors have to say about how they approach the launch of their books.
It is study time again and I am
fortunate to have a group of outstanding, award-winning authors whose opinions
I value highly. Over 30 authors helped me with this study. (I have had to limit
my post to ebook publishing and fiction but the ideas relate to all of the book
publishing industry.)
From their comments, I was able to develop
checklists on the related topics and reference the authors and their ideas.
This is a long post but I hope it helps my fellow authors. For the authors complete
detailed responses to my study questions, a link will be provided at the end of
the post.
Starting Point
Every study needs a starting point. And
so do authors when they start the book launch process.
Author
Dianne Harman @DianneDHarman is Award
Winning Bestseller Romance author. Dianne discusses this important point
for us.
The book launch is a critical
subject to the success of a book. I start about three months ahead of
publication date and I use social media. I would tweet it, put it on Facebook
(particularly as soon as I have a cover for it), Google+ and of course, would
write several articles about it on my blog.
The Book
The book itself plays a key role in
the success of a good book launch. For self-publishers the need to address the
following issues is critical. Next is a list of topics that make your book more
marketable.
1. Professional formatting and editing
Todd Borg is the award-winning, bestselling author
of the Owen McKenna Tahoe Mystery series. Here is what Todd had to say
about formatting.
The most critical part of launching a book comes well before the launch.
I know that sounds tedious - Sorry! But so many times I've witnessed authors
doing all the right steps in their launch and then coming out with a book that has
a non-professional cover and no beta reader input and non-professional editing.
2. Cover design- thumbnail
The completion of the cover is one
of the first items needed for the launch. Remember your cover will appear in a
thumbnail (Amazon, etc.) so the placement of information and font size play a
key role in the reader’s first impression of the book.
3. Front matter
The front matter of your ebook should
be Internet enabled. All the links should be live links including your website
and social media addresses. Your list of other titles should be included with buy
links to Amazon and other retailers.
This is a great place to ask for
reviews. Give the reader a link to submit their opinion. Repeat this
information at the end of your book. This is important for your book’s success.
4. ISBN
Getting an ISBN number is one of the
items that needs to be completed before you publish your book. It is required
by most retailers. Your book doesn’t need to be finalized to acquire the
number. Title, author, blurb and date of publication are required.
5. Ebook format check
Always check your ebook formatting
on the popular ebook devices. What may be good for print may not work on a
Kindle or a Nook. If you don’t have the devices, download their software
readers to your computer and check out your formatting.
6. Price
The initial price of the ebook
varies on reputation, genre and the marketplace. An established author usually
can charge in the $3.99 to $5.99 price range. (Top sellers can charge more but
the market is different than the paper version.) You should study other authors
in your genre and see what the going price is.
New authors are usually a rung down
on the scale, $1.99 to $2.99. Most authors are saving the $0.99 and the FREE
price tag for sales and promotions.
Southern
Author Diana Anderson @DianaJAnderson1 is
the author of the Southern Country Novel series. Here is Diana’s strategy.
I try to
time my book launch date with another of my eBooks that I’m offering for free.
I contact several websites that will promote for free my free eBook. I have to
do this a few weeks in advance to get on their list.
7. Publishing your book on-line
For example, if the your website address changes, you could update their digital copy and upload the new version on the spot. The same with other live links included in the ebook. And of course, if you found an error, you what to change the cover or you want to add something to the front matter that can all be done on-line.
8. Buy Links
Once you have published your book,
the sales/buy address to your retailers becomes a key to your book launch and the
marketing of the book. I quickly grab a short link of the buy link to make it
easy to push the book through social media. I use bitly but there are several good link shorting sites.
9. Copyright
The copyright comes last. You can
note the copyright in your book but the actually filing with the copyright
office is done later and takes a while to receive your notice back.
Package of Information
Your book launch requires a package
of information. You should do your homework before your start the launch cycle
and before you publish. Keep a ‘Hot List’ handy (word doc works fine for this)
with the information you will need to publish, market, and use on social media.
The following is an outline summary of what our study group came up with.
Alan Jacobson @JacobsonAlan is the bestselling author of jaw-dropping thrillers. Alan
added this.
Once I hand in the final to my
publisher, I write promo blurbs for various uses and of different lengths. I do
interviews online and radio interviews; Advance Reader Copies are sent out by
my publisher; reviews are solicited; marketing materials are printed including
business cards, bookmarks, etc. My website is updated to include the new novel.
And…all the while, I’m doing full force on the next book. There is zero down
time, no break, no moment to breathe…
1. Author Bio/Profile
Spend some time on this one. Make it
interesting. I have reviewed hundreds of profiles for my blogs. Some are
interesting and engaging. Others are a waste of time and some authors have none.
Make sure you keep your profile up-to-date. Authors will use their profile in a
variety of places on the Internet and they should be consistent. Keep a list of
where your profiles are in your ‘Hot List’.
2. Author pic
This is one of the personal items
that you can use to form relationships with your readers. In the paper world
the back cover almost always has the author’s picture. On-line publishing is
not an exception. Have a large version and a small version in high quality.
Keep track of where your pics are and when you update your picture, change all
your sites.
3. Book description/blurb/teases
Develop the book blurb even before
you finish the book. You will need it to start pushing the book to your reading
audience. You need to broadcast your book description and cover to your readers before the book
is on your retail sites.
4. Excerpt
Have an excerpt of your book ready for bloggers, book tours and other
broadcasts of your book information. Some use the first chapter. Others use
their best scene. This should be part of your information package.
5. Pitch
Develop a pitch about your book.
Before you deliver your pitch you should qualify your prospect like a good
salesman. Have a long pitch for the real fans and a short one for the tire
kickers. You never know when someone will ask you what your book is about.
Terry Ambrose @suspense_writer is the author of
the McKenna Mystery series and a member of Murder, We Wrote. I asked Terry,
a veteran of book festivals, about his festival pitch?
“[Long ago I] learned the importance
of the hook. Depending upon the reader, the author has on average 10-15 seconds
to describe their book and get the reader interested. I have three different
opening lines that I'll use depending on the question I get from the potential
reader.”
One of my observations was that
almost none of the authors qualified me. They saw a live one, and there were
many at the festival, and jumped right into their sales pitch. We are talking
55,000 people on Sunday.
How about these questions? Do you
read Mysteries? Do you like Suspense?
As I saw, there was a variety of
people at the festival. You had readers. You know people that love to read. And
then you had tire kickers. There were people who were there for a good time but
were not buyers. Note: Tire Kickers sometimes buy books and a good impression
will last.
There was a lot of foot traffic and
the authors needed to work the prospects. Talk to them. Socialize with
everyone. Hand them a copy of your book. Here take a look? You never know.
6. Links
Keep a list of links in your
package. Items like your buy links (all retailers), review blogs, websites and
social media links and any Internet references.
7. Tweets prep
Do your tweets in advance. Make them part of your package. Twitter lets
you attach your cover picture and, if you use a short link of the buy link to
Amazon, followers will be able you reference the book description right from
Twitter.
8. Amazon Information Package
This will give you an idea of what
Amazon will ask for when you publish your book. Of course they want your title and
subtitle. Also they what your book description which should already be a part
of your information package. They ask for a list of contributors, the
publication date, publishers name and royalty plan you wish to use.
Major items that need to be
addressed are what is book’s genre, the initial price and the final cover
image before you publish.
9. Book trailer
Way down on the list is a book
trailer. The jury is out on how effective a video presentation is during your book launch
process.
Social Media
If you’re a new author especially, a
social media presence is a necessity. If you are marketing your own book,
social media is the place to start. Get involved with your readers. It will pay
to be in all the right places.
Award-Winning
Author Judith Marshall @whipsandjingles is
the author of Women's Fiction novels. Judith sums up the idea.
Set up either a free or hosted website/blog and start posting about the
upcoming book. Add your URL to your email signature line, so it’s on every
message your send. Also, use social media to build interest; i.e. Twitter, Facebook
(start a page for your title), Google+, etc. You can also set up a board on Pinterest
and post pictures about your writing, the steps to publication, or whatever
will attract followers. Be creative. Nobody follows a post that screams
“buy my book!”
1. Book topics/scene pics
Readers like to get involved with
the author and the book's setting. Diana approaches it this way on social media.
Southern
Author Diana Anderson @DianaJAnderson1 is
the author of the Southern Country Novel series.
I’ve already started promotions with
Remember When on Facebook. I find photos that pertain to scenes or places in my
novel and post them along with a brief description. It’s just a little
something to peak my fans interests.
2. Respond – Comment
Getting involved with other blogs in
the publishing industry can be helpful.
Author
Leti Del Mar @leti_delmar is an indie
author. She blogs about the craft of
writing and indie books.
I did this by regularly visiting blogs
and commenting, and not just about things related to my book. When the time
came to launch my book, most everyone I contacted was very willing to help.
Lists
One of the most important activities
you can do is develop a list of readers, reviewers, bloggers and anybody else
that can help you sell more book. You attack this list during the book launch.
Author
Dianne Harman @DianneDHarman is Award
Winning Bestseller Romance author. Dianne starts this section off.
Another method I do - and I have no
figures to support it other than my books do really well out of the starting
gate - is am email list I have compiled from book signings, blog, etc. I send
out a brief synopsis of the book along with the links.
Steven Konkoly @stevenkonkoly is the Author of
the apocalyptic thriller, The Jakarta Pandemic, and gritty covert-ops series,
Black Flagged. Steven thinks list are important.
I approach my book launches a little
differently now. Having built a solid readership, I rely heavily on their
support in the beginning… For me, leaning on my reader list has been the most
effective. Another important aspect of maintaining a dedicated reader list, is
the sheer number of reviews they can generate within the first month.
Author
Roger Stelljes @rogerstelljes is the
bestselling author of the McRyan Mystery Series. Roger agrees.
Build a "New Release"
email list and then send out an email announcing the new book.
1. Newsletters
Many authors use a newsletter to
develop a list. These are people who have a true interest in your writings.
They should be the first ones you contact about your book launch. Some authors
get their followers involved early in the process. Some even use them to help
develop the cover.
2. Groups
Being involved in groups of other
authors is very important. They all have lists of their memberships. Below is a
brief list of several national and Internet based groups.
National professional groups
Internet groups
Independent Author Network
3. Friends - Street team - readers groups
Everybody needs friends in this game
to help with the book launch.
NYT
and USA Today Best Selling Author Melody Anne
@authmelodyanne. She is the author of many Romance and Young Adult novels.
I do several things at the launch of
a new book. First off, I have a team of people who work for me who do an
amazing job of getting the word out. My street team advertises the book and
posts reviews. My marketing team places ads for the book in different areas,
and my fans share the book as well.
I have a release party where I give
out prizes and let people know a new book is out. The biggest thing, I guess,
is letting people know that there is a new book, so word of mouth, I have
found, is still the best advertising. I have done some Facebook advertising,
too, but I don't know if that helps or not.
4. Blogger connections – reviewers
Develop this list to give your book
that extra boast during launch.
Author
Leti Del Mar @leti_delmar is an indie
author. She blogs about the craft of
writing and indie books.
I'm all about building connections with bloggers PRIOR to releasing your
book. If you can establish a relationship with bloggers who review or
talk about your kind of fiction, they will be more likely to help launch your
book.
When the time came to launch my book, most everyone I contacted was very
willing to help.
Lists are very important to the
success of your book launch. John Huffman, as you see from the numbers below,
has developed a large list of followers.
Award
winning Indie Author John W. Huffman
@johnwhuffman writes Historical Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers.
When I launch a new book, I announce
its availability, with links, on Facebook, ( over 3,500 followers ) linkedin, (
500 links ) twitter, ( 10,000 followers ) my web site ( www.johnwhuffman.com )
schooldfeeds, ( 500 friends ) Goodreads, ( up to 5,000 views ) the
Independent Author Network 20,000 visitors a month ) and write my own article
to eleven different small newspapers across the southeast with a combined
distribution of 100,000 plus readers.
Written Plan: Tasks
A written plan of the scheduled
tasks for your book launch with estimated dates of completion is very
important. Hopefully this study will help you with the list of tasks. And then
for your next book, your plan would be modified with your experience and what
worked for you.
Award-winning
Author Mohana Rajakumar @moha_doha is an
author based in Qatar. She has a PhD and has been involved in various
foundations supporting young writers.
Book launches are like delivering
babies, you need month and months of preparation.
If you wait until your book is out to tell people, you'll already be scrambling
to get its attention. To get the most noise out of a launch, book a tour or ask
your blogging friends to host you on a series of days leading up to or after
the launch.
Science
Fiction & Fantasy Author Steven Montano
@Daezarkian. He is the creator of the BLOOD SKIES series. Steven plans.
For me the hardest part about a book
launch is remembering all of the steps. You have to make sure your cover
and ad blurb are ready early enough to start scheduling teasers and guest posts
well before the release, you have to make sure to have the ARCs in your book
reviewer’s hands early enough for them to be ready when the book comes
out...and of course you have to make sure you give yourself time to get the
book done in time to do all of that.
1. Reviews and their timing
The timing of reviews is critical to
a fast start book launch.
Brent Hartinger @brenthartinger is the author
of The Russel Middlebrook series. The movie version of his novel: Geography
Club was released in 2013. Brent talks about timing.
The good news about non-traditional
media (blogs and social media) is that they'll sometimes cover unusual books --
self-published books or books from small publishers. The bad news is that most
non-traditional media folks have no concept of the idea of "launch
date."
On the contrary, they're often eager
to be the first to review a book (to get in search engines, etc.). For whatever
reason, they'll often post a review of a book immediately after they've read
it, regardless of what you, the writer, suggest or want.
Which means that if you time things
poorly, you can end up with a lot of reviews of you book weeks or months before
your book is even on sale.
2. Cover release
Like reviews, the timing of the
cover release is important.
Author
Roger Stelljes @rogerstelljes is the
bestselling author of the McRyan Mystery Series.
Do an early cover release on your
website/blog along with a couple of sample chapters to give the readers a
taste. (I don't recommend setting
a specific release date until you know the book is live at all locations.)
3. ARC (Advanced Reading Copy)
Several authors weigh in on the
timing of their ARC process.
Brent Hartinger @brenthartinger is the author
of The Russel Middlebrook series. The movie version of his novel: Geography
Club will be released later in 2013.
Unfortunately, the only real
solution to this is to be very selective in who you give advanced reading
copies too. Otherwise, wait until the book is actually released to send it out
to blogs. This has the added benefit of spreading the attention out over the
first few weeks and months of release. If you're using NetGalley, however,
there's really nothing you can do about this. Chalk it up to building buzz, and
hope that people will pre-order.
Awarding-winning
Author Paul D. Marks @PaulDMarks is an
Author of noir, mysteries, satire & mainstream fiction.
It's all really pretty basic stuff.
Try to get review copies out to various people. Then use social media
like Facebook and Twitter to get the word out. Also word of mouth.
Then, hopefully one thing builds on another. And if you have a good track
record, a book that's been well-reviewed before or has won awards you can play
on that to try to get more attention for the new one.
Award
winning Indie Author John W. Huffman
@johnwhuffman writes Historical Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers. John adds
this.
I also send out copies of the book
to selected readers who I know and trust to write reviews on Amazon, Barnes
& Noble, and Goodreads. I then follow up with updates and author
appearances where ever I can get a foot in the door, such as book stores and
charity events, where I give a portion of the sales to the venue.
4. Launch with a free book
One of the ideas that sounds good is offered by Diana.
Southern
Author Diana Anderson @DianaJAnderson1 is
the author of the Southern Country Novel series.
I try to
time my book launch date with another of my eBooks that I’m offering for free.
I contact several websites that will promote for free my free eBook. I have to
do this a few weeks in advance to get on their list.
5. Months in advance
Your plan should start way before
your novel is complete.
Science
Fiction & Fantasy Author Steven Montano
@Daezarkian. He is the creator of the BLOOD SKIES series.
The easiest way for me to do all of
this is to decide what my end date is, which I don’t bother to set until I know
I’m about 90% finished with the final edits. From there, I can plan
backwards – if I’m releasing on Feb 7th, then I know to set the
cover reveal two weeks before that, to have ARCs out 3 weeks in advance,
etc. If you can get yourself a street team to help you spread the word
then you’re a step ahead of the game, because rather than soliciting book
bloggers and reviewers you already have a built-in support base to help you get
things rolling."
Author
S.R. Grey @AuthorSRGrey is the Author of
the A Harbour Falls Mystery series.
Preparing for the book launch begins
weeks and months before the book is released. I utilize a lot of social media
tools to drum up enthusiasm. For example, I may tweet teasers or post an excerpt
on Goodreads or Facebook. I also keep the readers updated on my progress.
Another important step is to have
the book blurb/summary ready in advance. It gives the readers an idea of what
the book will be about. I always post this months in advance on Goodreads. And
remember, you can always change it around as needed.
So, in closing, remember to: 1) get
the readers excited for your release. 2) Use all your social media outlets to
build awareness. And 3) prepare and post a blurb as early as possible.
6. Sample Plans
Written plans are
important to a successful book launch. I have included three author’s plans for
their book launch tasks for your review.
Two
Bestselling Mystery Authors writing under the name Sparkle Abbey @sparkleabbey. They are in real
life Mary Lee Woods and Anita Carter. They have written the bestselling Pet
Mystery Series.
Here are our book launch plans:
a.
Contact loyal readers for potential pre-sale reviews
b.
Schedule blog tour
c.
Share book information with reader groups
d.
Share book information with indie bookstores
e.
Schedule Goodreads giveaway
f.
Send invitations to online launch party
g.
Contact Greyhound rescue groups who have assisted in research for the
book
h.
Plan social media announcements (Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Tumblr,
Pinterest)
Todd Borg is the award-winning, bestselling author of the Owen McKenna Tahoe
Mystery series. Here is what Todd had to say about his plan.
So here is my launch timeline.
a.
After the book
seems done, get beta reader input
b.
Rewrite
accordingly
c.
Hire at
least two professional editors
d.
Write
compelling Back Copy.
e.
Get a
professional book cover designer.
f.
Pick your
official publication date enough months in advance so you can get Advance
Review Copies mailed out a month before your publication.
g.
Pick your
official publication date enough months in advance so you can get Advance
Review Copies mailed out a month before your publication.
h.
Prepare
your ARC review request letter.
i.
Prepare
your email blast, your social media approach, and your snail mail postcard
mailing.
j.
Set up book
signings
k.
Put
together a media kit that touts those signings
l.
Get your
book and all of your related info uploaded to Amazon, your cover, your book
description, which is your Back Copy.
m.
Prepare a
humorous, self-deprecating fifteen minute talk and contact your local libraries
n.
Find other
venues where you can sell books and do it.
o.
Get to work
on your next book.
p.
Congratulate
yourself.
Veteran
Author Susan Oleksiw is a bestselling
author of the Mellingham series and the Anita Ray mysteries.
Launching a book is almost as much
work as writing it, but I have a few established steps.
1. I order updated bookmarks with the
cover of the new book. I give these to everyone, and even put them into reply
envelopes for bills, etc. I also make sure I have enough business cards. I put
cards and bookmarks on every chair at a book event (if there is seating), and
hand them out at events like book fairs.
2. I compile a list of reviewers and
invite them to review the ARC. I send the ARCs out about three months in
advance. I ask colleagues, friends, and professional reviewers to review. I
include a letter from the publisher indicating the type of story, etc.
3. I begin setting up events--talks,
panels, etc., anything that gets my name out there.
4. I use social media, so I'll have a
few posts on my own blog plus do a few guest blogs. I post on FB and I am
learning to use Pinterest, especially since I have wonderful covers.
5. This one is harder, but I recommend
it if you can pull it off. I recently sold a short story with the Anita Ray
character, my series character, to Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine. This will
probably be published in the coming year, which will reinforce interest, I
hope, in the novel For the Love of Parvati, coming out in May 2014.
6. I use Wattpad to introduce readers
to my series characters by posting very short stories for free. I also have
posted the opening scene from a longer work, with a link to the site where the
reader can buy the whole work.
Marketing Buzz
How it’s time for the good stuff.
It’s time to start the buzz. It’s launch time. It’s time to turn on the NET.
International
Best-Selling Author Luke Romyn @LukeRomyn
writes Mystery & Thrillers, Horror, Science Fiction & Fantasy novels. Luke
starts it off.
At first it was a bit daunting, but
now I'm used to it. Once I do my run through and am happy with it, I'll
send it off to several proofreaders to pick up the final crumbs, and then
format it for both print and ebook. These can sometimes be annoying, but
nothing too strenuous. I upload the
copies and prepare the great Luke Romyn marketing machine - lots of begging,
pleading, and ultimately, weeping.
Author
Amy Metz @authoramymetz is an Author of
Mystery & Thrillers as well as a blogger and book editor.
I think it's important for authors
to try to get a "buzz" going about their book before it launches.
About two months before a launch, I send out queries to as many bloggers and
reviewers as I can find that fits with my genre. Many don't respond at all,
some say flat out no thank you, but some kind souls agree to review the book or
to do a feature on their blog. Interviews and excerpts give the reader brief
glimpses into a writer's style and their work.
As an author, I know what an
invaluable service bloggers provide to authors by helping us promote our work.
I try to support authors on my blog in that way and my goal is to feature a
blue million books--hence the name A Blue Million Books! In addition to author
features, I hope authors will find my page "Marketing for Dummies (and
Indies)" (http://abluemillionbooks.blogspot.com/p/marketing.html)
useful. There are so many free resources out there, authors should take
advantage of as many as they can.
1. Email blast/newsletter
Blast your lists with your book
cover and description.
New
York Times bestselling author J.A.
"Judith" Jance @JAJance. She is best known for the Joanna Brady
series and the J. P. Beaumont series.
A week and a half about before the
book goes on sale, I write the newsletter announcing the upcoming book, and it
is sent to my database (10,000 names amassed over 30 years.)
The day after the announcement goes
out, I'll receive probably 200 to 300 responses. Mostly they are nothing more
than thank you, but I scan them all and respond to those requiring responses.
(My first sales rep taught me that each personal contact with a reader is worth
ten additional readers.)
2. Paid Promotion
Colin F. Barnes @ColinFBarnes is a Hybrid
writer of dark fiction & Technothriller novels. Colin added this in a
recent spotlight post.
This is an area I’m still working
on. I tried doing a blog tour for Assembly Code and given the amount of work
involved for the return, I don’t think it’s effective. It can be good for
certain genres where you have blogs with huge amounts of readers (romance
particularly), but for me it was a bust…
My next launch will be more
structured and ad-supported with the various bargain book newsletters and
blogs. They can be really effective, and if your book catches, the Amazon
algorithms can kick in and really get it going in those first 30 days when
you’re on the ‘Hot New Releases’ list.
3. Cover use
Dave Folsom @davefolsombooks is a Mystery &
Thrillers author based in the Northwest. Dave’s take on covers and the book
launch.
At about midway in the writing
process I have the cover art finalized in order to use it for marketing.
I might make subtle changes later but mostly it is in close to final copy
stage.
I begin adding it to my tweets,
Facebook, and other social media pages early and include teasers about the book
at least a couple of months prior to my estimated release date. I also
start blogging about it about the same time or even earlier
Two months to six week out, I add it
to my webpage http://www.davefolsombooks.com
along with a short excerpt of the first chapter. The excerpt is somewhere
around 1000 to 1500 words depending on a good place to leave the reader wanting
more.
Christopher Meeks @MeeksChris is a Prize winning
novelist who writes serious and funny fiction. Chris adds this.
In today’s environment, books with
reviews by both customers and critics is the best way to have your book stand
out.
4. Blog plus pictures and the cover
Use your blog to start the
marketing. Start way before the actual release date.
Amazon
Best Selling Author Lizzy Stevens
@LizzyStevens123 writes Paranormal, Romance and Woman's fiction.
I use my blog to post the cover, buy
link and blurb and I use twitter to announce the new release and include the
buy link with my tweet.
5. Book tour – blog hop
Book tours and blog hops are becoming popular. The managed and
structured approach to the marketing is finding results with some authors and
with others, not so much.
Author
Connie Flynn @ConnieFlynn is the bestselling
award-winning author of many Mystery, Fantasy, Paranormal and Romance novels
and short stories.
With KNOW WHEN TO RUN I decided to
do a book tour. First I put an advanced reading copy up on Kindle to get input
and Amazon reviews, and then I hired a book tour company to guide me through my
first tour, which lasted two weeks. So far I have written two blogs and
completed four interviews and have compiled a giveaway list that includes my
books and their various editions that will extend through the entire tour. I'm
using a Valentine's Day theme and on the actual holiday I will offer a surprise
giveaway.
Author
Colin F. Barnes @ColinFBarnes is a Hybrid
writer of dark fiction & Technothriller novels. Colin added this.
This is an area I’m still working
on. I tried doing a blog tour for Assembly Code and given the amount of work
involved for the return, I don’t think it’s effective. It can be good for
certain genres where you have blogs with huge amounts of readers (romance
particularly), but for me it was a bust…
My next launch will be more
structured and ad-supported with the various bargain book newsletters and
blogs. They can be really effective, and if your book catches, the Amazon
algorithms can kick in and really get it going in those first 30 days when
you’re on the ‘Hot New Releases’ list.
6. Bloggers and promotions
Seeking help from bloggers to
promote your new release is a good way to start. You need to form a
relationship in advance with the blogger.
7. Contests
Everyone likes FREE. This is a popular
way to promote your works. Ebooks are an easy way to spread your writing
around. Contests allow you to gain attention, pass a few free books to your
readers and not give your book away free to the world.
Internationally known author of art-related historical
fiction Susan
Vreeland. She is a New York Times bestselling author of Clara and Mr.
Tiffany and more. Susan passes on this valuable information.
1. First
point, a book launch is not a problem to be tackled. For me, it is a joyous planning.
I am happy to tell you of several new ideas that I will utilize for the launch
of my new book, Lisette's List.
2. Six
months before pub date I announce the title on Facebook (I don't have a Twitter
account) and make references to the book's content from time to time when
something (like an art museum exhibition) comes to my attention for me to post.
3. I
host a little contest by posting two paintings by painters who appear in the
book, and ask Facebook readers to guess the artists. The first person to guess
both artists correctly gets a copy of the first chapter.
4. I
host a second contest asking another question relative to the book, for
example, I will give a quote (about art in my case), and give away another copy
of the first chapter to the first person who identifies who wrote the quote.
5. Three
months before pub date, I will begin posting a line or two from each chapter
every week on the same day, avoiding lines that give too much information yet
are intriguing.
6. Random
House is encouraging its authors to create a buzz about the revelation of the
cover. I am now working with the marketing department to design a "cover
reveal," some kind of hoopla to get people curious about the cover. Eight
days before the date of the cover release, I will begin a countdown on
Facebook, and encourage supporters to do the same. I chose eight days because
Lisette's List is my eighth book. The cover reveal will include a blog or blogs
that will go live on that date. (James, maybe that's how you can participate,
with a blog about Lisette's List or a blog speculating on what the cover might
be, the text preceding the cover image on the blog). Another kind of contest or
giveaway might be arranged by my publisher.
7. When
the book is available for pre-order, I will notify a limited number of friends
(not my whole mailing list of 5000) that they can order it now for delivery on
pub date. The first mass mailing will also include this information and the
cover.
8. Even
prior to being assigned a publicist, I will tell my local independent bookstore
which has hosted my launches in the past the date of release, and will ask that
they save the date, pending my publisher's plans.
9.
Giveaways - KDP
Amazon’s free book
program is a strategy that many authors are using. Currently you can list your
ebook free for 5 days every 90 days. Readers take advantage of this sometimes
big time. Exposure is the goal here.
10. Sets
and bundles
Another relatively new concept is bundling your ebooks into sets. (Always at reduced prices for the novels.) This increases your downloads if the bundle is marketed properly.
Another relatively new concept is bundling your ebooks into sets. (Always at reduced prices for the novels.) This increases your downloads if the bundle is marketed properly.
Along with this we are seeing the
bundling of novels from different authors, usually in the same genre. The power
of this concept lies in the combination of individual author’s social media
presence.
For more on this marketing method
see the blog, Ebook Marketing: Boxed Sets are
Gaining Exposure and Sales. The featured bundle in the post was Mystery Reader's Circle - 9 Killer Thrillers
bundle deal of the day. The response to this bundle is very impressive.
It’s time to launch that book
The book launch requires homework
and devotion. The book has to be ready and you need your information prepared.
You need to have a presence on the Internet. You need a list of people to
contact. You need a direction or a plan. And after everything is in place,
start that marketing buzz.
Author
Roger Stelljes @rogerstelljes is the
bestselling author of the McRyan Mystery Series. Roger wraps this up.
With each book launch I reassess the
process in view of what changes have occurred in the e-book market. Since
things are changing so fast what works one year may not work well the next.
Also launching a first book for an author will be ultimately more challenging
than launching an additional book in a series.
Two
Bestselling Mystery Authors writing under the name Sparkle Abbey @sparkleabbey. They are in real
life Mary Lee Woods and Anita Carter. They have written the bestselling Pet
Mystery Series. They add this.
Like so many other things in the publishing world, book launches have
evolved. The days of a release date, an announcement, and a launch party are no
more. For many of us the book launch begins months in advance with
getting review copies in the hands of readers/reviewers, getting the word out
about pre-sale opportunities, and planning for online launch parties or blog
tours. Do these things work?
We're about to find out as we have a new book coming out in April. Fifty
Shades of Greyhound is the fifth book in our mystery series and we're hoping to
use what we've learned on the past four to have a great launch! Still with the
number of books available to readers today, finding those readers who are
looking for your type of book is increasingly challenging.
For a complete summary of all the author’s responses access the detail
post that accompanies this post: Your
Book Launch Study: Detail From Outstanding Authors
Related Articles
David
Brin @DavidBrin1 is the award-winning bestselling Author, Scientist and
Futurist with such books to his credit as: The Transparent Society, Existence,
Earth and The Postman. David Brin provided these references
I
can also offer a general site containing advice bits from other top
writers. (http://www.scoop.it/t/advice-for-writers)
Then
there is my advice video!
Many people have found these items extremely
helpful.
Also,
for remarketing, have a look at the amazing video preview-trailer for
Existence, with incredible art by Patrick Farley! See: http://www.tinyurl.com/exist-trailer
Leti Del Mar added this reference.
I have a chapter on this in my book, How ToSelf-Publish: A DIY Approach.
Some sources from the HBS Author’s Spotlight Crew
Leti Del Mar - How To Self-Publish: A
Do-It-Yourself Approach
Connie Flynn - BOOTCAMP FOR NOVELISTS BASIC
TRAINING MANUAL
Matthew Iden - Telling Your Tale
Joseph Lallo - Interviews with Indie
Authors
M.R. Mathias - The First Ten Steps
Phyllis Zimbler Miller - TOP TIPS FOR HOW TO
PUBLISH AND MARKET IN THE AGE OF AMAZON
Joanna
Penn - How To Market A
Book
eBook Author’s Corners Related Posts
Follow me:
Follow Me on Twitter: @jimhbs
Or EMAIL at: jim@jamesmoushon.com
View my website: James Moushon – Mystery Writer
Or visit my blog: The eBook Author Corner
Take a look at my Author’s blog: HBS Author’s Spotlight
Or my Mystery blog: HBS Mystery Reader’s Circle
Check
out the Jonathon Stone Mystery Novel: Black
Mountain Secrets
NEW
RELEASE: Another Jonathon Stone Mystery: Game
Of Fire
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