Book Promotion Tips From a Publicist Turned Writer
I’m a writer but I also walk through life with a publicist’s eye.
I’ve worked in PR and social media for more than twenty five years and with my debut thriller out in May 2023, I’m taking an even keener look at how authors promote their work. There’s a lot to learn and book publishing is its own world, however a few things have caught my eye. So, let me share with you…
3 OBSCURE PROMOTIONAL TIPS YOU MAY NOT HAVE CONSIDERED
- Create a variety of author bios
Every author needs a short biography, right? They appear on book jackets, on publisher websites, author social media profiles and more. And if you’re invited to speak at an event, invariably the organiser will ask for your bio.
Often, authors use the exact same bio – no matter the channel or the context. It’s a one-size-fits all approach but sadly, what works on your Twitter profile may not appeal at your local library talk.
When crafting an online bio, you may need items like the hashtag for your latest book, or links to pre-order.
When crafting a bio that’ll be read at a live event, consider its sound. Read it aloud yourself. Are there any phrases the MC or host will trip over? Does it sound too stiff or conservative for the audience? Does it sound too flippant or humble?
I recommend writing a series of bios and saving them all to one document. That way, you’ll have them ready to parcel out. They could include:
- One 90 word bio
- One 200 word bio
- One localised bio for events in your city/state which make mention of your hometown roots and some local terms the audience might appreciate
If you’re booked for events, make sure to check your bio with the hosts. Hopefully they aren’t lifting an aged bio from your website (see item 2 below).
And don’t be shy about using phrases like “you can find out more at michelleprak.com”. It’s your space, use it to your advantage.
- Regularly check the ‘use by date’ of your content
On the subject of bios (above), does your author information need updating?
Sometimes I’ll see an online profile where for example the author says ‘debut out in 2021’ and yet it’s 2023 and their second book is out. I know, we’re all busy writing actual manuscripts, and who can remember, right?
Is your email footer up to date? How about your Instagram or Twitter profile spiel? The ‘about’ section of your Facebook page? Schedule a time – perhaps every six months – to check whether your information has grown stale. It can be one of those things you do when you’re procrastinating at deadline.
But how to keep track? I have an excel spreadsheet of my URLs. It’s the only way I can recall spaces like Medium, Quora and so on (yes I’m a social media junkie). Don’t forget your GoodReads and Amazon profiles, too. For the most part, you can copy and paste the same fresh bio into every profile.
- Book events: prep all the speakers
When it comes to book events, authors are usually wonderful speakers and ambassadors for their work. The same cannot always be said of others who share the stage.
I was once at a launch where, on stage, a publisher lamented the state of the industry and put on quite a depressing performance. The author had to follow that act.
I know it’s not easy to be ‘the diva’ and hand out instructions left, right and centre, especially when we’re so grateful our work is being published and noticed at all. Think of it this way: you’re a team. You all want the same winning result. So before your book launch or author interview, get into a huddle, make sure you’re all on the same page. Who is going to say what, what are the major beats? What’s the (PR jargon alert) key message? How do you want your audience to feel as they’re shuffling out of the room? Enthused or dazed?
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Michelle Prak is a South Australian-based writer whose debut thriller THE RUSH is out with Simon & Schuster Australia in May 2023, and with Harper Collins France later in 2023. Chilling, tense and twisted, this compulsive thriller will send adrenaline coursing through your veins. #TheRushNovel
Aka Prakky, she’s a public relations consultant and teaches at the University of South Australia. Please follow her:
https://www.instagram.com/prakky/
https://www.facebook.com/michelleprakauthor
https://www.tiktok.com/@michelleprakauthor
THE RUSH
SOME THREATS ARE CLOSER THAN THEY APPEAR …
The first drops start to fall when Quinn spies the body. With no reception and nothing but an empty road for miles, does she stop to help or keep driving to safety?
Back at the iconic country pub where Quinn works, Andrea is sandbagging the place in preparation for heavy rains. Alone with her sleeping son in the back room, she reluctantly lets a biker in to wait out the storm.
Out on the wet roads, tensions arise among four backpackers on their way to Darwin. They haven’t prepared for this kind of weather and the flooding isn’t the only threat on the horizon …
Chilling, tense and twisted, this compulsive thriller will send adrenaline coursing through your veins.
‘An electrifying outback thriller that’s unlike anything I’ve read.’ Mark Brandi, author of Wimmera
‘This has to be the most terrifying book I’ve read in years! Michelle is a very assured writer, and her characters are so believable. I genuinely cared whether they lived or died, which is what made the book so deliciously tense.’ Shelley Burr, author of Wake
BUY HERE
Category: Contemporary Women Writers, How To and Tips
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