The Big Day: Book Launch Tips

Imagine if you will, it’s the night before your big day. You run through your checklist, again, just to make sure you haven’t forgotten anything; dress–check, speeches–check, hair appointment–check, wine ordered–check, cake collected–check, guest list–check.

Everything seems in order. Jittery, you decide to text a close friend you’ve invited to double check she’s still coming because unlike a lot of your guests, she has recently moved away from the area, which means she has some travelling ahead of her tomorrow. Message typed, you press the send button on your phone and wait for a reply. 

Seconds turn into minutes, which feel like hours. Staring at the phone, you decide you need a drink (not alcohol though; you don’t want a headache in the morning) and flick the switch on the kettle. The kettle comes to the boil just as your phone pings. Steaming mug of coffee in hand, you lift your phone and read the message. Your heart sinks, your friend isn’t coming. She says she is feeling under the weather and has a lot on at the moment. You swallow, hard; hot coffee burning your throat as it circumnavigates the large plumb now lodged there, tears stinging your eyes. You chastise yourself. You’re disappointed but you remind yourself these things happen.

The following day, after a restless night’s sleep, you wake up to lots of ‘good luck’ messages via social media, and head for your hair appointment. Your phone pings, it’s another message, followed by another, then another, all from friends and relatives explaining why they can’t make it. By the time you arrive at the venue, your other half waiting inside, your dad by your side, guiding you through the door, you are a bag of nerves, convinced no one is coming. You take a few deep breaths and tell yourself to remain calm––what will be will be. To your utter relief, the evening is a resounding success with plenty of friends and family present to share your ‘Big Day’.

If, reading up to this point, you thought I was describing my wedding day. I wasn’t. I was actually describing the recent book launch for my third novel, Time Will Tell, which although a much smaller and far less important event than one’s wedding day, was almost as nerve wracking. A lot of time, planning and effort go into a book launch, and I, rather foolishly, believed the more I did (this was my third one), the easier they would get. They don’t.

However, unlike my previous book launches, which mainly involved me signing books and nervously thanking everyone for taking the time to attend, I did something a little different for this event. This time I arranged a Meet The Author, which included a reading, signing and Q&A session, and for once I wasn’t alone.

I invited local (to me) crime writer Tony J Forder to take part and together we hosted it as a joint event. This meant we both shared the floor, each reading extracts from our respective latest novels, after which we both joined in with a fun filled Q&A session. Like a lot of authors I am a typical introvert, so having another writer present to share the spotlight really helped ease the burden of public speaking––in fact, I’d even go as far to say I enjoyed it.

If you’re a writer and are thinking about having a book launch, it’s worth knowing that many publishers, particularly smaller independent ones like mine and Tony’s, don’t necessarily arrange them. If you want one, more often than not you must do the legwork yourself. Is it worth it? I believe it is, and here’s why. On the evening itself, as well as selling copies of our respective books, Tony and I also got to chat about all things bookish for a few hours with like-minded individuals, including other writers. Also, because Tony and I both write in different genres, we each gained new readers; people that initially wouldn’t have thought about buying our books but had their interest piqued during our readings. 

Nonetheless, like a wedding, you need to plan well in advance. Ideally you should converse with the various parties involved at least six months prior to the big day. Then there’s the financial consideration, mostly for refreshments.

We opted for wine, soft drinks and book themed cupcakes. However, it’s also worth remembering that a lot of bookshops have an annual budget set aside to contribute towards author events, and although I sorted out the cakes (for which Tony paid half), after a bit of negotiation Waterstones agreed to provide and cover half the cost of the wine and soft drinks, while Tony and I shared the cost of the other half. Then there’s the promotion of the event, which is imperative to drum up interest and awareness, which Tony and I did mostly via Facebook groups and our various social media platforms.

Feeling inspired to arrange your own book launch? Here are my top five tips.

• Bookstores – visit your local bookstore(s), introduce yourself to staff members and find out who manages book launches.
• Budget – be cheeky, ask your publisher if they can contribute towards the cost (some send wine), if not ask the bookshop if they can provide/contribute towards refreshments. 
• Promotion – use all your social media platforms to promote your event and invite as many book-loving friends as possible, including (where possible) other writers, publishers, and agents. Don’t forget to post regular reminders of your upcoming event (people have busy lives and forget) but don’t bombard everyone.
• Planning – as Benjamin Franklin once said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” Plan your location, your budget, your outfit, and most importantly, what you will say, who you will thank and, if you’re reading an extract from your book, what you plan to read. Make sure it grabs your audience. If like me you’re a little nervous about public speaking, practice well in advance. 
• Enjoy – and finally, last but not least, enjoy your book launch.

—

Eva Jordan was born in Kent in the UK but has lived most of her life in a small Cambridgeshire town. She has a BA Honours Degree in English and History, and describes herself as a lover of words, books, travel, and chocolate, and is sometimes partial to the odd glass or two of wine. She is both a mum and step mum to four adult children, which proved to be very challenging when they were all teenagers, but provided her with some of the inspiration behind her three novels, 183 Times A Year, All The Colours In Between, and Time Will Tell––all of which take a delightfully funny, but sometimes tragic and poignant look at contemporary family life.

Her career has been varied including working for the library service and at a women’s refuge. She also writes a monthly column for her local lifestyle magazine The Fens and is a motivational speaker. However, storytelling through the art of writing is her passion. 

Urbane Publications released Eva’s third and latest novel Time Will Tell as an ebook in February this year, and as a paperback in April. 

You can find Eva at all the usual places:

Website: EvaJordanWriter.com

Twitter: @evajordanwriter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EvaJordanWriter/

Instagram: evajordanwriter.com

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/l/B015OH21JG

TIME WILL TELL

Eva Jordan’s much-anticipated follow up to the bestselling ‘All The Colours In-Between’. Writer, Lizzie Lemalf, and her loving but somewhat dysfunctional family are still grieving over the loss of a much-loved family member. Lizzie is doing her best to keep her family together but why does the recent death of a well-known celebrity have them all in a spin? The police suspect foul play; Lizzie and other family members suspect one another. Lizzie begins searching for answers only to find herself being dragged back to the past, to 1960’s London to be exact, and to the former life of her father, that up until now she has never been privy to. Every family has its secrets but how can the past hold the key to a present day celebrity death? They say the past comes back to haunt you. Surely the truth will out? Maybe, but only time will tell…

 

 

Tags: featured, women writers

Category: How To and Tips