Promoting Your Book Before Launch: A Guide for Eager Authors

The day has come–your book is complete. After months or even years of hard work writing and editing, your publishing and marketing team is working on getting your book ready for print. Behind the scenes, they’re coordinating distribution, capitalizing on PR opportunities, sending pitches to media outlets, and more.

Still, it can be difficult to wait for a launch date when you’re excited to get your book in the hands of appreciative readers, especially if that date is out of your immediate sight. If you have an existing network of friends, family, and professionals looking forward to reading it, then in fact you must take action in order to have a successful launch. After all, an author is their own best marketer.

But what can you do to drum up attention, publicity, and readership on your own before the release date arrives? More than you might think. The period before publication is crucial to creating a base of buyers in your book’s infancy, and as the brains and passion behind this operation, you can do that better than anyone. If you’re eagerly anticipating launch day, the best thing you can do is act like today is launch day.

Talk About Your Book

Once you’ve announced your book to your family, friends, and network, it’s important to keep it top of mind. They can’t buy or read your book if they don’t know when it’s coming. So don’t be shy about sharing—these people are your first fans and supporters!

Don’t know what to talk about? Here are some ideas:

• Talk about yourself! You’re an author now, and you have valuable insights to share.
• Share insight into your writing process. So many people have dreams of writing a book; give them a window into your creative journey.
• Speak about your publishing experience. This is often a total mystery to everyone outside the industry. Share what your journey has been like, what you’ve learned, and why you elected to work with a hybrid publisher like Ballast Books.
• Embrace your expertise on your book topic, particularly for nonfiction books. Address your experience in your chosen area and tease the tips you’ll be sharing in the book.

Get Active on Social Media

In today’s digital society, social media is the new “word of mouth.” Being active on social media is a great, and relatively affordable, way to get your work in front of new readers. There are a million platforms out there, all with different purposes, but we recommend using the platforms you’re currently on and most comfortable using. No need to reinvent the wheel here.

Not sure what to do on social media to reach new audiences? Here are a few ideas:

• Posting frequently on a public profile will help get you in front of new people. Use the ideas above to get started.
• Connect with other authors or professionals in your field. Share advice, swap reviews, or post about your excitement to read each other’s work.
• Build relationships with readers. Host a Q&A session on Instagram or Facebook Live where you can answer questions about your book itself or your experience publishing it.

If you’re an avid writer with a lot to share, you can use a platform like Medium or Substack to host your content and reach your existing and new audiences. Not a fan of emails or blogs? You can record video content for TikTok, YouTube, or Instagram Reels.

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