You've got your contact information figured out, started writing press releases, gathered up some images to provide to media outlets, but what about the actual book?
With your book you'll want to have a tantalizing book description, a strong excerpt to draw in readers, information on where to buy your book, and also a "Review Copy" request form.
Book Description
Your book description should be well-written. Actually, everything you write publicly should be well-written. Potential readers will be making judgements about your book based on their experiences with your writing. So make sure to have your description copyedited by another person!
Your book description's goal is to convert potential readers into readers. By making your book sound interesting, without giving too much away, you'll be sure to lure in readers. Think about how movie previews work when you go to a theater. They try to build suspense, excitement, and a sense that a story will be laid out that you will enjoy. Use those same techniques to build a "must-read" book description.
Book Excerpt
Often authors are more than happy to give readers a taste of their book by offering up an excerpt from their book. This is a great way to introduce reader to your book and help them make the decision to buy your book. However, be careful not to give them too much! Choose a page or two from a key chapter that you think is one of your best. That's all you need. Some authors will offer up a free PDF of a full chapter from their book to entice readers: that's a great idea! But for a press kit, website, or blog you'll want to keep it short.
Online readers aren't often ready to invest the time it takes to get through a full chapter if they haven't elected to do so by downloading it. If you just have a page that continues to scroll for ages on a site, you're likely to lose the thing you want: them to buy your book. They are likely to just click on their next bookmark and move along to another site.
Review Copy Request Form
A form like this allows you to screen who is reviewing your book. There are lots of people out there who would be willing to take a free copy of your book under the guise of being a "reviewer."
By making your reviewers do a touch bit more work and also providing a papertrail so you know who is reading your book and where they'll talk about it, you make it easy to select appropriate reviewers.
In our free book marketing guide, we talk about figuring out who your core audience is going to be. You'll want book reviewers who are going to understand the genre you write it, who are read by those interested in books like yours, and who will help you spread the word about your book.
Here is a sample form you can take and personalize!
Book_Review_Copy_Request_Form.doc
With your book you'll want to have a tantalizing book description, a strong excerpt to draw in readers, information on where to buy your book, and also a "Review Copy" request form.
Book Description
Your book description should be well-written. Actually, everything you write publicly should be well-written. Potential readers will be making judgements about your book based on their experiences with your writing. So make sure to have your description copyedited by another person!
Your book description's goal is to convert potential readers into readers. By making your book sound interesting, without giving too much away, you'll be sure to lure in readers. Think about how movie previews work when you go to a theater. They try to build suspense, excitement, and a sense that a story will be laid out that you will enjoy. Use those same techniques to build a "must-read" book description.
Book Excerpt
Often authors are more than happy to give readers a taste of their book by offering up an excerpt from their book. This is a great way to introduce reader to your book and help them make the decision to buy your book. However, be careful not to give them too much! Choose a page or two from a key chapter that you think is one of your best. That's all you need. Some authors will offer up a free PDF of a full chapter from their book to entice readers: that's a great idea! But for a press kit, website, or blog you'll want to keep it short.
Online readers aren't often ready to invest the time it takes to get through a full chapter if they haven't elected to do so by downloading it. If you just have a page that continues to scroll for ages on a site, you're likely to lose the thing you want: them to buy your book. They are likely to just click on their next bookmark and move along to another site.
Review Copy Request Form
A form like this allows you to screen who is reviewing your book. There are lots of people out there who would be willing to take a free copy of your book under the guise of being a "reviewer."
By making your reviewers do a touch bit more work and also providing a papertrail so you know who is reading your book and where they'll talk about it, you make it easy to select appropriate reviewers.
In our free book marketing guide, we talk about figuring out who your core audience is going to be. You'll want book reviewers who are going to understand the genre you write it, who are read by those interested in books like yours, and who will help you spread the word about your book.
Here is a sample form you can take and personalize!
Book_Review_Copy_Request_Form.doc
Labels: author platform, author support, how to market a book
posted by KatG on 6/22/2009
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