You've Written a Book. Now What?

/

All the tasks that go into writing, revising, and marketing a book can be overwhelming. I’ve broken down some of the key tasks with some ideas for new (or seasoned) writers.

What You Need to Get Started

  • A Professional Headshot – Selfies won’t give you the quality you need for these to appear correctly in print or digitally.

  • Your Biography (For your website, you may want to have a short one and a longer one.)

  • A Short Description of Your Book (Back cover text)

  • A URL and a Site to Host Your Website

  • A Newsletter/Email Marketing Service

  • Digital Images of Your Book Covers

While You’re Writing/Revising Your Manuscript

  • Make your work the best it can be.

  • Create a list of book promotion ideas (e.g. blog tours, blogs to guest on, Facebook reader sites, etc.).

  • Start collecting email addresses for your newsletter list.

  • Build your social media following. This takes time.

  • Build or update your website/blog.

  • Find your crew. Writing is solitary, buy you need collaboration from time to time. Find a writers’ group, critique group, or writing partner for feedback and networking.

Remember the Social Part of Social Media

  • Update your key sites regularly. If possible, schedule your posts to ensure that you have fresh content.

  • Be Social/Be Active. Celebrate with others. Make sure to like and comment. Respond to comments on your page.

  • It takes time to build a following.

  • Be genuine.

  • Remember the 80/20 rule. Only 20% (or less) of your posts should be about “buy my book.”

  • Don’t let your social media time take over your writing time.

While You’re Querying

  • There is a lot of waiting while you query agents or publishers.

  • Work on your next book.

  • Build your social media platforms and followers.

  • Collect email addresses.

  • Update your website.

  • Start your blog. You don’t have to have a book published to start this, and it’s a way to drive traffic to your website.

  • Work on your newsletter.

  • Build your connections.

Before Your Book Launch

  • Create a calendar with all your due dates.

  • Contact book reviewers when you have your ARCs (Advance Reader Copies).

  • Schedule blog tours.

  • Schedule Facebook takeovers/parties online.

  • Reach out to libraries and bookstores.

  • Write press releases and target media outlets to send them to.

  • Create a list of newsletters that have member news sections and make sure to announce your new book (e.g. alumni, neighborhood groups, and places of worship).

  • Tell everyone you know

  • Plan your launch on social media.

  • Update all your bios.

  • Add book cover to your sites.

  • Make bookmarks and other swag.

It takes a lot of energy and creativity to write AND market a book. Figure out your schedule and your budget and find a way to keep the myriad of tasks and due dates organized. What would you add to my list?