I invited author Harley Wylde to come give us some pointers on launching a new release.
Whether this is your first book or your twentieth, launching a new release can still be a daunting task. Your goal will determine how much, or how little, you need to do for your new release. Authors with a steady following may not need quite as big a push as someone just starting out. A lot has to do with the groundwork you set before your book even went up for preorder (if you did a preorder).
For now, let’s talk about things you can do on release day to help spread the word about your book… These are all things you can do even you aren’t self-published. I know most blog posts and webinars seem to be geared more toward self-published authors, which makes it difficult for hybrid or traditionally published authors to implement anything they learned from that source. Difficult, but not necessarily impossible.
By now, you’ve possibly had a cover reveal and been building up the expectation of your readers. You may or may not have been marketing your preorder. But it’s now the big day! Your book is live at retailers and you’re anxious for readers to pick up a copy… so here are a few ways you could make readers aware of your book.
- Send out a newsletter with your book info, and include an excerpt. If you have a short teaser not available anywhere else, even better. Readers love exclusive sneak peeks.
- Be sure to share your release on your social media pages (all of them!). Instagram is especially hot right now with the book community. Don’t be afraid to post more than once about your book. Maybe not bash everyone over the head with it, but give them glimpses into who your characters are, put up short teasers, or shiny images. Those are all things you can do not only at Instagram but also on Facebook and Twitter. If you’re on SnapChat, make a book clip!
- If your book is available at sites other than Amazon, be sure to include all links in your Facebook or Instagram post. If you’re tweeting about your book, try making a tweet per retailer or use a books2read universal link. Often, authors focus on one retailer and tend to neglect the others. If you want your book to get noticed on all platforms, you have to let readers know it’s available.
- Ask your author friends (who write in the same genre) if you can share your book in their group. If you have a reader group, be sure to reciprocate.
- Have a street team? Post cute teaser graphics with the links for them to share. Put up fun games so you can interact with your fans.
- Assuming you knew your release date a few weeks in advance, you could also have requested a guest spot with some bloggers. Or you could place ads at various book sites (I’ll use romance as an example since that’s what I write – Romance Book Junkies, The Romance Studio, and Coffee Time Romance are just a few who offer reasonable ads).
Doing all of these won’t guarantee the best book launch ever, but it will help. In all honesty, you need to start marketing your book long before it’s become available. Even before you have a cover. Generate buzz so people get excited.
Most authors are first and foremost – readers! Think of it this way… how did you discover that new-to-you amazing author? For authors you already like, how do you hear about their new releases or sales? Word of mouth is the absolute best when it comes to marketing. When you’re talking about your new or upcoming book, think about what would make people talk about your book to their friends and family.
As much as writing is fun (for most of us), and a passion, if you’re writing full-time, or hoping to, then it’s also a business and you need to treat it as such. Would you open a shop without spreading the word about your opening date, what you sell, or anything at all about your new venture? The more excited you are about your book, the more readers will want to hear more.
th a father and brother who are in law enforcement, and overprotective, doesn’t make it easy to date. Which is why I was still a virgin at eighteen and had never had a serious boyfriend. If I’d realized chasing Cuddles through the biker compound would result in the hottest night of my life, I might have fixed my hair and dressed a little better. Not that Hawk seemed to mind. He made my knees weak and blew my mind. I just didn’t realize the night would end with a free gift with purchase — one that’s an eighteen-year-long commitment.
Hawk — Never thought I’d make it to the age of forty without ever finding someone special. But I did. Then I met Hayley. She’s the last woman I should fall for, but I can’t seem to help myself. Too bad I figured it out after she disappeared. If I’d known our one night had repercussions, I’d have tried harder to find her. Finding out I have a daughter is the best and scariest thing, but it means I get what I want most. A family.
WARNING: Hawk is part of the Reckless Kings MC series and contains scenes of graphic violence and adult relationships, a couple who just can’t seem to get it right, a troublesome raccoon, and some well-meaning meddlesome bikers who aren’t above causing a bit of mischief.
