A great way to learn about a book launch is to ask for
advice from fellow authors. That’s why I’m asking you to leave tips on
your past book release events.
Consider the following questions:
Would you do it differently?
Any big mistakes?
What’s your best advice?
Leave your comments and on November 28th, 2012 one lucky
blogger/commenter will win an e.copy of
My first release was on August 1st. I didn't have anyone to celebrate with and I wanted to get the word out. I created an event on Facebook from my fan page. I invited everyone from my regular Facebook and asked them to invite their friends. I also announced the event, (with the link) on the loops. It was great!
Hi Christine! Welcome to the world of blogging :) I didn't do anything for my first book's release. I was so green to the world of publishing, and I was also lucky enough to have won with the contract a book promotion package. Unfortunately, because I was so green and had no web presence, I fear I squandered that package. Sigh... ah, well - we live and learn! Hopefully anyway. With my second, I had a big release day party. I hosted it on my blog, and because I live in NZ, I had it over the two days to make sure I got readers from both sides of the globe on the day of release. I had international giveaways, man candy posts, and exclusive exerpts. If you want to visit my blog and go back to June 27th, you can get an idea of what happened. It was a fun way to celebrate :) ' I'm looking forward seeing what you do! Great cover by the way!
Blog looks beautiful - I used the same colors but I *love* your background that looks like red fabric - very nice. I tried to be as prepared as possible for my release - I had a website, FB, and had participated in the loops to learn the ropes. I wish I had learned twitter and started a blog beforehand, but I'm getting there now. You're off to a great start!
I love red websites! Wish I could add something, but I can't. My first book comes out 11/23/12, and so far I've signed up for a blog tour, some guest posts, and taken out a few ads on romance review sites to display my cover. I think it's a tricky release time, being around the holidays, (and my novel takes place during the summer!), so we'll see what happens. Good luck!
Very pretty blog. As for "events" I love releasing a new book. I hate the promo. I've done book signings. The ones in my hometown do the best. Others are iffy. Blog hops are stressful for me. Blogging once a week more fun. Less stressful. I use social media a lot. Twitter.Good Reads. Facebook. And I review other authors books so hopefully, they'll review mine. My best advice is to do as much promo as you feel comfortable with.
I love the blog. Congrats! I don't have a release date yet so have not got any great advice. About once a month I do an interview of an author at my site. I post once a week, usually on Monday, have a website, twitter, FB and Google+ pages and belong to a book club. Have not done anything with Goodreads. I have a page from years ago but just don't get over there. My guess is I'll need to look at a blog tour although I hate the thought, I do have a few friends who are willing to host me on their sites though, so that's good. : )
Christine, the blog looks great. I love the color and your book cover. My first book doesn't release until December 7th. I'm doing the social media,added a blog to my website,and have taken out a couple of ads for the month of December. Goddess Fish set up a blog tour and they're putting together a video. I signed up early, so all the slots filled, and I've completed the interviews. That will make those two weeks easier to manage.
Great blog, Christine, and you've already had some really good advice. When my first book was released by TWRP in 2009 I was completely green and had no idea what I should be doing to promote. I had a website, blog and My Space page for myself as an author, and one for my main character. However My Space is mainly used for bands and music now, and I hardly ever go there any more, I don't think many readers use it now. I really don't think I promoted my book very well, although I was lucky enough to have a few appearances of friends' blogs, and put it out on various loops as much as I could. Three books later, I'm still learning, and seem to spend vast amounts of time keeping my blogs going, and they, together with Facebook and Twitter, seem to be the best ways of getting known so that when my next book is out (I'm still working on it) hopefully people will know my name and be interested in the release. (fingers crossed). Good luck with Maximus and if you - or anyone else - would like a spot on my blog, to feature your book, just ask. I love featuring other authors. You can leave a message and check it out here - http://www.hywelalyn.blogspot.com
All these comments make great reading - like others, I also feel I could have done more for my first book release - we all live and learn, right? When my first book came out with TWRP I mostly promoted on facebook and my blog... but didn't put a lot of time into getting visitors to my blog, so it was a slightly wasted effort! Blog hops and tours are a great idea for linking into everything that's going on in the romance world, and TWRP authors are so supportive, so have fun learning from them all.
Lovely blog, Christine! I've had three book launches so far and I STILL don't know what works the best. I think a great deal depends on these three things: 1. Location- where do you live? Are there other authors near you that you could team up with and throw a "reader" event with several authors? Those seem to go over really well and can introduce you to new readers you might not otherwise meet. 2. Author personality - What are you most comfortable with? Are you shy? Or are you the type who never meets a stranger and loves a crowd? 3. Your genre - what works for a historical romance might not work as well for a suspense, contemporary or paranormal. Reading back over this --I'm not so sure I've been much help to you. I'm sorry. Blame it on the cold medicine. ;-)
Whatever you decide works best for you, good luck to you. I'm sure you'll do just fine.
Sign up on www.goodreads.com as an author and look at their author programme. If you have a print version of your book, with ISBN , a launch giveaway on www.goodreads.com attracts a lot of attention (over 1,000 readers in my experience) and you usually get 2 out of 3 winners giving reviews, though there's no compulsion. Based on advice from goodreads admin, I'd let the giveaway run for 2-3 weeks, and I'd put 3 books up as giveaways. Publicise the giveaway frequently via your social media and write a little message to congratulate the winners(but not hassling for a review). I allow anyone, anywhere in the world to enter - if someone's online at all, their opinion reaches many other people, and, in my view, it's worth the postage. Plus, it's fair!
My first release was on August 1st. I didn't have anyone to celebrate with and I wanted to get the word out. I created an event on Facebook from my fan page. I invited everyone from my regular Facebook and asked them to invite their friends. I also announced the event, (with the link) on the loops. It was great!
ReplyDeleteHi Christine! Welcome to the world of blogging :)
ReplyDeleteI didn't do anything for my first book's release. I was so green to the world of publishing, and I was also lucky enough to have won with the contract a book promotion package. Unfortunately, because I was so green and had no web presence, I fear I squandered that package. Sigh... ah, well - we live and learn! Hopefully anyway. With my second, I had a big release day party. I hosted it on my blog, and because I live in NZ, I had it over the two days to make sure I got readers from both sides of the globe on the day of release. I had international giveaways, man candy posts, and exclusive exerpts. If you want to visit my blog and go back to June 27th, you can get an idea of what happened. It was a fun way to celebrate :) '
I'm looking forward seeing what you do! Great cover by the way!
Blog looks beautiful - I used the same colors but I *love* your background that looks like red fabric - very nice. I tried to be as prepared as possible for my release - I had a website, FB, and had participated in the loops to learn the ropes. I wish I had learned twitter and started a blog beforehand, but I'm getting there now. You're off to a great start!
ReplyDeleteI was going to like your page but don't see a button for it. Love the colors and clean look though. Love the book cover! Congrats!
ReplyDeleteI love red websites! Wish I could add something, but I can't. My first book comes out 11/23/12, and so far I've signed up for a blog tour, some guest posts, and taken out a few ads on romance review sites to display my cover. I think it's a tricky release time, being around the holidays, (and my novel takes place during the summer!), so we'll see what happens. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteVery pretty blog. As for "events" I love releasing a new book. I hate the promo. I've done book signings. The ones in my hometown do the best. Others are iffy. Blog hops are stressful for me. Blogging once a week more fun. Less stressful. I use social media a lot. Twitter.Good Reads. Facebook. And I review other authors books so hopefully, they'll review mine. My best advice is to do as much promo as you feel comfortable with.
ReplyDeleteI love the blog. Congrats!
ReplyDeleteI don't have a release date yet so have not got any great advice. About once a month I do an interview of an author at my site. I post once a week, usually on Monday, have a website, twitter, FB and Google+ pages and belong to a book club. Have not done anything with Goodreads. I have a page from years ago but just don't get over there. My guess is I'll need to look at a blog tour although I hate the thought, I do have a few friends who are willing to host me on their sites though, so that's good. : )
Christine, the blog looks great. I love the color and your book cover. My first book doesn't release until December 7th. I'm doing the social media,added a blog to my website,and have taken out a couple of ads for the month of December. Goddess Fish set up a blog tour and they're putting together a video. I signed up early, so all the slots filled, and I've completed the interviews. That will make those two weeks easier to manage.
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
Great blog, Christine, and you've already had some really good advice. When my first book was released by TWRP in 2009 I was completely green and had no idea what I should be doing to promote. I had a website, blog and My Space page for myself as an author, and one for my main character. However My Space is mainly used for bands and music now, and I hardly ever go there any more, I don't think many readers use it now. I really don't think I promoted my book very well, although I was lucky enough to have a few appearances of friends' blogs, and put it out on various loops as much as I could. Three books later, I'm still learning, and seem to spend vast amounts of time keeping my blogs going, and they, together with Facebook and Twitter, seem to be the best ways of getting known so that when my next book is out (I'm still working on it) hopefully people will know my name and be interested in the release. (fingers crossed). Good luck with Maximus and if you - or anyone else - would like a spot on my blog, to feature your book, just ask. I love featuring other authors. You can leave a message and check it out here - http://www.hywelalyn.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteAll these comments make great reading - like others, I also feel I could have done more for my first book release - we all live and learn, right? When my first book came out with TWRP I mostly promoted on facebook and my blog... but didn't put a lot of time into getting visitors to my blog, so it was a slightly wasted effort! Blog hops and tours are a great idea for linking into everything that's going on in the romance world, and TWRP authors are so supportive, so have fun learning from them all.
ReplyDeleteLovely blog, Christine! I've had three book launches so far and I STILL don't know what works the best. I think a great deal depends on these three things:
ReplyDelete1. Location- where do you live? Are there other authors near you that you could team up with and throw a "reader" event with several authors? Those seem to go over really well and can introduce you to new readers you might not otherwise meet.
2. Author personality - What are you most comfortable with? Are you shy? Or are you the type who never meets a stranger and loves a crowd?
3. Your genre - what works for a historical romance might not work as well for a suspense, contemporary or paranormal.
Reading back over this --I'm not so sure I've been much help to you. I'm sorry. Blame it on the cold medicine. ;-)
Whatever you decide works best for you, good luck to you. I'm sure you'll do just fine.
Looks great, Christine!
ReplyDeleteThere is still an opportunity to win an e.copy of Maximus until 28th November. Leave a comment and/or your Book Launch Tips.
ReplyDeleteSign up on www.goodreads.com as an author and look at their author programme. If you have a print version of your book, with ISBN , a launch giveaway on www.goodreads.com attracts a lot of attention (over 1,000 readers in my experience) and you usually get 2 out of 3 winners giving reviews, though there's no compulsion. Based on advice from goodreads admin, I'd let the giveaway run for 2-3 weeks, and I'd put 3 books up as giveaways. Publicise the giveaway frequently via your social media and write a little message to congratulate the winners(but not hassling for a review). I allow anyone, anywhere in the world to enter - if someone's online at all, their opinion reaches many other people, and, in my view, it's worth the postage. Plus, it's fair!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Robena Grant, the winner of an e.copy of Maximus. Thanks to everyone who posted a comment.
ReplyDelete