How to Prepare For Your Book Release

Releasing a new book is a lot like giving birth. Your life will never be the same. The demands on your time will leave you with little time for writing or sleeping. Like expectant parents preparing a nursery, there are several things you should do before the Big Event.

Create a Media Kit

A media kit is a tidy package that contains all the information bloggers or interviewers will need to promote your book. It should contain:

1.    Your photo. Label the jpeg with your name.

2.    Your book cover. Label it with the title of your book.

3.    A short blurb about your book. (Essentially, the back page blurb.)

4.    A short excerpt.

5.    Your bio. This should be about a paragraph. Bonus points if you write it in the same vein as your book. For example, I write Young Adult Paranormal, so my bio mentions one detail from my high school years, and the fact that I am a shaman and live with a dragon.

6.    Your social media links. (No, you don't have to be on everything!)

7.    Your buy links. These may not be available until the last minute. Ask ahead of time if your bloggers would prefer you to wait and send the media kit after you have your buy links. Some will want to set up their posts and just add the buy links at the last minute.

8.    A book trailer. You may want to save the trailer and release it if sales begin to drop.

Additional Materials

1.    Author interview Q & A.

If you can afford a professional blog tour (I’ve used “I am a Reader, Not a Writer”) then by all means book one. Not all bloggers will want to do a spotlight. Some will request an author interview and will either email you questions, or want you to provide the questions and answers. (5 are a good number.)

2.    A 5 or 10s list. Lots of bloggers request these. And if they don’t, you can use them on your blog. Your lists could be about writing or books in general, or relate to your book specifically. For example Your 5 Favorite Romance Books. Or 5 Fun Facts About Dragons.

3.    Pick quotes from your book that you can use on social media.

4.    Gather advance review quotes if possible.

Social Media

You need to have some presence on the web. An author website is a must. Beyond that, decide what types of social media you enjoy. Blog. Facebook. Twitter. Google+. Pinterest. Etc. Social media is necessary for book sales and an enormous time suck. Proceed accordingly. Whichever platforms you choose, google rafflecopter and learn how to do a giveaway.

After Your Book Release

Set up an author profile on Amazon by going to Author Central.

Create an author page on Goodreads. You may have to request the librarian include your new book.

Prepare what you can ahead of time. Ask questions on author loops.

Congratulations on birthing your book!

Ariella Moon is the author of the Teen Wytche Saga, a sweet contemporary Young Adult series. http://www.AriellaMoon.com