Let’s be honest: Marketing fiction is harder than marketing nonfiction.

That’s partly because it’s harder to find your ideal readers, but it’s also because fiction relies so much on good word of mouth. Nothing can do more for your novel than readers telling friends how much they loved it.

It’s because it’s more difficult that fiction marketing mistakes can be a real problem. It’s hard enough as it is — you don’t want to do anything that will contribute to your struggle.

One of those mistakes is reflected in this article title — I had to include the word “fiction” to get your attention. Otherwise, you might have skipped over it, thinking it didn’t apply to you.

That leads to the first mistake.

Mistake # 1: If the marketing tactic isn’t labeled “fiction,” you discount it.

Authors used to email me to say, “You have so much helpful information on your website but I don’t see much that applies to fiction.”

It’s always been there — they just didn’t see it because it didn’t shout FICTION!

I hope I fixed this misperception when I added a fiction category to this blog. It allows me to identify articles I think are especially helpful to fiction writers.

To find those articles, use the dropdown menu under the newsletter form on the right. (Note that it isn’t comprehensive because I haven’t finished tagging older posts with this newer category.)

Much of what works for nonfiction works for fiction, too

You might be surprised by how many nonfiction strategies and tactics work for fiction, too.

For example, most fiction authors I talk to think guest blogging is just for nonfiction authors. I hope I changed a few minds when I wrote, “The fiction guest blogging audience most novelists don’t know about.”

The approach in that article applies to podcast interview opportunities, too.

In reality, most of what works for nonfiction book marketing also applies to fiction. Here are links to a few articles on this site as examples:

• “How to create book promotion quote graphics that help you sell.” Book promotion quote graphics — also known as “image quotes” and “quote cards” — are social media images that excerpt praise about your book. Use them on your sales pages and as social media content.
• “Why you need an audience waiting for your book.” Nonfiction and fiction authors alike will sell more books sooner if they invest in audience-building long before the publication date.
• “8 ways to leverage someone else’s network.” It’s a smart strategy if you want to sell more books or other products, build an email list, or increase your social media follower count.
• “How to promote your book with tip sheets.” A tip sheet is a press release that uses bullets or numbers to offer tips or advice. Scroll down to “Book publicity tip sheet topics” at that link for a fiction success story.

Mistake #2: Not using email marketing.

Email marketing is one of the most effective ways to:

• Build a fan base and stay connected to them
• Find beta readers
• Generate reviews
• Sell more books

And yet, many fiction authors avoid it.

Some are intimidated by the technology. Others are underwhelmed by the fiction-writer newsletters they subscribe to. And, when you don’t have good examples, it’s hard to get a sense of what you should do with your own newsletter.

I recommend subscribing to the newsletters of popular novelists to see how they handle it. You’ll discover a variety of approaches — and one of them might appeal to you.

You can’t ignore email any longer, so I hosted a “here’s what you need to know” training session with my email marketing service provider, Kit, a few months ago. You’ll find my training recap and a link to the entire webinar you can watch for free in “How to build a powerful author email list, step by step.”

Mistake # 3: Not connecting face-to-face with readers.

It’s certainly easier to just stay at your keyboard and write. What’s more, writing is a “come as you are” experience — bad hair days and sweat pants work just fine. 

Getting out and meeting people, on the other hand, takes planning, effort, and courage. Lots of courage.

But it’s worth it.

When you talk to readers face-to-face, you learn what they do and don’t like about your books.

You discover why they enjoy your genre and its most popular authors.

You uncover what is happening in their lives — gems you can work into your stories so they resonate with your fans and others like them. For example, you might learn that several of those you speak to have started making more time for exercise and fitness. Could that be something your next character does, too?

How to connect in person

The more you interact with your readers or those who read your genre, the better able you are to produce books they will love and talk about.

Here are a few ways you can connect with readers in person:

• Invite them to an in-person gathering to provide feedback. Author Chanin Kaye asked select people to read her book, then meet in her home for a group discussion. Kaye’s gathering was book-specific, but you can invite readers to discuss the genre instead of your books, too. Libraries and bookstores are good venues for this type of meeting.
• Plan a library or bookstore event with other local authors. Think in terms of a half-day mini-book fair that includes presentations on topics that would appeal to local book lovers or authors-to-be, how-to sessions, or question-and-answer panels. In other words, give people more reasons to attend than to peruse author display tables.
• Attend book festivals and events. Go local or consider attending one of the larger national or regional events, including the Brooklyn Book Festival, the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, or the Northwest Bookfair. Talk to fans of your genre’s authors who are speaking or exhibiting while people are gathered in the function room before or after a genre author’s presentation or at their exhibit table.

What’s the biggest fiction marketing mistake?

The biggest fiction marketing mistake is not doing any marketing at all.

I understand how that happens — I truly do.

Maybe all you want to do is write. Or you fear coming off as a shameless self-promoter. Perhaps you don’t know where to start — especially if you have no marketing experience — so you just don’t.

You are the author I created “Book Marketing 101 for Fiction: How to Build Book Buzz” for.

With this self-paced, affordable e-course, you’ll learn how to create a book marketing plan — your blueprint — and discover which tactics will work best for your book (not everyone else’s).

In addition, you’ll learn how to execute the tactics you’ll use, whether it’s pursuing reader reviews, working with book clubs, or making sure your Amazon page is as good as it can be.

This is a written training program, making it ideal for people who prefer reading to watching videos when demonstrations aren’t necessary. Get all the details about this popular training program here.

What have you been doing to market your fiction that’s working for you?

(Editor’s note: This article was first published in January 2016. It is updated and expanded.)

When I asked authors to give me their best tips for book giveaways, I had limited-time raffles or contests in mind. Those who responded with advice opened my mind to other options, though.

They include:

• What I consider the classic giveaway, where you have a specific goal in mind when inviting people to enter to win a book
• Using the book as an always available email subscriber lead magnet
• A device for giving back to your community
• A chapter giveaway lead magnet with a strategic twist

So what’s their advice? Here’s what we can learn from them.

Tip 1: Your giveaway must have a strategic goal.

This applies to everything you do to market your book. Giveaways are no exception.

Why are you considering a giveaway? What will it help you achieve? It might be to generate excitement around a book launch, grow an email list, or reignite interest in an older title.

Exposure was Alexander Debelov’s TikTok giveaway goal for The Prayer: Rise with Jesus. “I wanted real buzz and a wall of authentic, unpaid reader testimonials,” he says.

To do this, Debelov used a TikTok Shop with a twist. Print book giveaway recipients were required to post a video. If they didn’t, TikTok charged them for the book.  

David Ghozland also required an extra step when he offered just a chapter of TRImesters: A Scientific Approach to Healthy Eating for You and Your Developing Baby to his target audience, pregnant women. By asking subscribers to submit a pregnancy worry they’d like information about along with their email address, Ghozland knew who was most interested in his book’s content.

“That one question alone weeded out those who were just coming for the freebie. The ones who answered the question were interested, read the content, and continued to be on my list well after the giveaway was over,” he reports.

Elizabeth Harrin, author of Managing Multiple Projects, likes to use giveaways to thank her community. “My giveaway goals have always been to raise interest in the book I am giving away, but also to simply do something nice for my community,” she says.

Tip 2: Explore making it an evergreen offer.

This is smart only if you’re doing it for the right reason.

To build an ongoing reader pipeline, Celtic fantasy romance writer Shea Hulse gives away her book Fireflies as a newsletter lead magnet.

She says, “The readers who opt in via the giveaway/newsletter have the highest engagement of any segment on my list.”

Tip 3: Be thoughtful about the book format you give away.

Alan Watt, author of The 90-Day Novel, advises, “Give away e-books, not books in print, or you will go broke before you build momentum.”

On the other hand, Megan Mary, author The Dream Dimensions: A Metaphysical Mystery of Magick, recommends giving away multiple formats when the giveaway is part of an event, like her virtual book launch. “This allowed me to randomly pick a winner for each format – e-book, paperback, and audiobook – live and during the event,” she explains.

Through his experience with several Goodreads giveaways, Debelov has learned that print book giveaways generate better results than those offering e-books.

“You get a lot of people adding your book to their bookshelf or to their reading list so they can participate in the giveaway,” he says.

Tip 4: You need a system for managing entries.

Mary used Wheel of Names to select giveaway winners for her book launch party. As you add names in the template on the right of the free tool, they’re automatically added to the wheel. Click the wheel to spin, and you get the winner.

Harrin likes managing her giveaways with KingSumo, a WordPress plugin available in free and paid versions. She promotes the blog-based giveaways to her email list and on social media.

KingSumo prompts entrants to share the giveaway on social media, too. Harrin’s most recent event generated 324 individual entries who bumped that number to 462 when Harrin set up the tool to offer bonus entries when they shared it with their social networks.

Tip 5: Offer a book bundle.

“My best tip for a giveaway is to bundle several books. The best giveaway I’ve done, in terms of responses, was my ‘birthday giveaway’ where I offered a bundle of three books,” says Harrin. “This had a much better response and interest rate than where I have offered a single book.”

You’ve only written one book? No worries. Bundle with someone else’s, too. (See Tip 6.)

Tip 6: Use someone else’s book for the giveaway.

That’s what Nicky Blewitt did as part of the launch plan or his humorous fantasy novel, Escape from Samsara.

After finding a signed copy of a Terry Pratchett book – “a master of the genre” – on eBay, Blewitt used KingSumo to give it away. He promoted the giveaway with Facebook ads, in social media groups, and in online forums.

Offering the genre star’s signed book paid off. By Escape from Samsara’s launch day, Blewitt’s email list had grown to 4,000 subscribers. He sold 300 books during the launch.

Harrin uses this approach, too. “I sometimes give away books that are my own, other times they are from other authors in my field where I know my audience would appreciate the opportunity to read them,” she says.

Tip 7: Be smart about how you use paid advertising to promote the giveaway.

“If you use Facebook ads, be incredibly specific with your audience targeting or you will spend a lot with little to show for it,” says Watt.

His Facebook-advertised giveaway used The 90-Day Novel as an email list-building lead magnet. During the year-long advertising campaign, Watt increased the list size by 65%.

Tip 8: Follow up with people who entered but didn’t win.

When Harrin keeps her books in front of her target audience by following up with giveaway entrants who didn’t win, she sometimes sells a few books in the process.

“I’ve been reaching out to participants who were unsuccessful and either offering them a discount or signposting them to where they can get the book if they still want a copy. This gives the secondary benefit of driving a few sales,” she notes.

Be selective about tactics to have a successful a book giveaway

As you think about your next giveaway, remember that the only true essential is that the program must serve a goal. That goal will help you decide which of these tips – if any – could work for your situation.

Like so much with book marketing, giveaways aren’t one size fits all. An evergreen giveaway isn’t necessarily the best option when the goal is to build excitement around a book launch or cover reveal. And, many of you will structure a giveaway that doesn’t require an online tool like Wheel of Names or KingSumo.

Pick and choose what works for your planned giveaway.

And… big thanks to these authors for sharing their experiences with us.

Quick video tip about the most essential element of your book giveaway

Here’s a short summary about why you must have a goal for your book giveaway.

Have you done a book giveaway? What did you learn from the experience?

Do you ever feel like you’re in this book marketing game all by yourself? It can seem like a pretty lonely experience at times, right?

Why not counter that by working with other authors to get the news out about your book and how it will entertain, educate, or otherwise help people?

This doesn’t mean that you should writers and ask them to share information about your book with their fans, audiences, and followers. Unless you have relationships with them already, that won’t get you very far.

The golden rule

You want to work collaboratively, always following the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

If you want help from others, help them first.

With that in mind, here are 10 creative ideas for supporting other authors in ways that will encourage them to support you, too. You’ll be much more productive. And you might feel less like you’re in this alone.

1. Cross-promote lead magnets.

Lead magnets are those enticements you offer readers to sign up for your email newsletter.

Collaborate with one author or a group of them to build your email lists by sharing each other’s lead magnet links on social media and in your newsletter.

2. Plan a “local authors night” at a bookstore or library.

The connections you make with other local authors will support you well beyond this fun night of book signings and sales.

Consider solidifying the connections by meeting in person on a regular basis to brainstorm or share information.

3. Form a book marketing group on Facebook or LinkedIn.

Groups built around a shared interest or challenge offer opportunities to get feedback, request opinions, or ask for help solving a problem. You might be surprised at the level of support you can get from a group of like-minded individuals.

Authors are talking about book marketing challenges and sharing their experiences in the Build Book Buzz Group on Facebook. Join that one, or form your own there or on LinkedIn, where there are lots of existing groups to join, too.

4. Be a “connector.”

Look for opportunities to connect authors in your network with promotion opportunities or quality service providers you’ve worked with or who have been recommended to you by others you trust.

Maybe it’s a book blogger, podcast host, librarian, or book marketing coach. Don’t wait for someone to ask who you’ve worked with to get podcast interviews or set up your email newsletter. Look for opportunities to connect author friends with those who can help.

5. Form a Meetup group.

Connect with local authors by organizing and promoting a regular Meetup.

Defining in advance what you hope to get from group meetings will help you be specific about the people you’d like in the group. You might want to meet only with novelists or with just nonfiction authors, for example.

Get started at Meetup.com.

6. Guest blog for each other.

Guest blogging is such a win-win.

When an author who writes for the same audience as you contributes an article to your site and promotes that post to their network, more of the right readers will discover you and your content.

And, when you write for your friend’s blog and promote your guest post, you’re not only connecting with their audience again, you’re bringing your readers along with you.

You’ll both find new fans in each other’s crowd.

To be the best guest blogger ever, download and use the free Build Book Buzz Guest Blogging Cheat Sheet.

7. Recommend books in your newsletter.

I love it when author newsletters share information about books they think I and other subscribers might like. I take those recommendations more seriously than I do the random recommendations I see on social media when someone posts, “What should I read next?”

Focus on recommendations that target the same audience as your books. Select titles that are similar enough to yours that it’s likely your subscribers will enjoy them. 

For example, if you write psychological thrillers, you can recommend others in that genre along with domestic or legal thrillers or even police procedurals. But avoid deviating too far from your category. Romance novels, prescriptive nonfiction, or young adult fiction, to name a few, wouldn’t be a good fit for a thriller writer’s subscribers.

8. Read and review each other’s books.

Arrange with your network to write honest reviews of each other’s books. Minimize problems by establishing rules in advance about how to handle books that members don’t like.

Also, if you give each other review copies, be sure to declare that fact in your Amazon review. You’re required to state when you receive a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

For a bonus boost, buy the books on Amazon so your reviews show up as verified purchases. These reviews show up first, ahead of those that aren’t verified as purchased on Amazon.

But always, always, always, write an honest review.

9. Use their books as contest giveaways.

Contests can expand your social media following, build an email subscriber list, and generate interest in your books.

Using friends’ books as additional awards supports them while it solves the “what can I offer for prizes in addition to my books?” conundrum.

10. Recommend each other for media opportunities.

Soon after my first book landed me on The Montel Williams Show as that episode’s expert guest, one of the produc called to see if I could recommend an expert on a related topic for a different episode. (My topic was “why men don’t call after the first date”– hahahaha, I’m not kidding.)

I was happy to help.

Similarly, if I’ve approached a newspaper with an article idea or a TV talk show that brings on multiple guests to address the segment’s topic, I recommend other sources, too. It’s an easy way for me to support others in my network.

Plus, the easier you make it for a journalist to cover the topic you want to discuss, the more likely they are to make it happen.

Implement even three of these ideas and you’ll feel more connected and less isolated while you market your book.

What other ideas do you have about collaborating with others to make book marketing less lonely and more productive?

(Editor’s note: This article was published in April 2019. It is updated and expanded.)

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means if you click on them and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission (at no extra charge to you).

I’m seeing a lot of authors killing it with their book launch on social media.

They understand how social media works and they use it effectively.

For example, they know that each social media site has its own personality, so they don’t share the same content across all networks. Each post is tweaked according to the social media platform’s unique needs.

I’m also seeing a lot of mistakes.

This can turn into a real issue for authors making several of them because it can kill their connections quickly.

Here are the three I’m seeing most often, along with suggestions for turning them around.

1. The only thing you post about is your new book.

I’m interested in your new book. Really, I am. I am all about books and your book in particular.

But I’m connected to you on Facebook, X, and Instagram, and all I’m seeing from you is how excited you are that your book will soon be published/is finally published today/was just published.

People will tolerate that for a while, but three or four weeks of nothing but book launch posts is pretty intense.

At first, we might think, “Oh, that’s interesting! I’ll have to check it out.” As we see more and more posts, we start to think, “Is that all you’ve got going on these days?” Eventually, we disconnect from you because of the not-so-interesting-anymore repetition.

During your book launch period, share some of the content you usually share, too, so you’re not a one-trick pony.

Louise Penny, author of the best-selling Armand Gamache series, offers a good mix of content on Instagram.

2. You’re doing what everyone else is doing.

Classic example: the unboxing video.

I recently saw one that went on for at least five minutes. That was four minutes and 30 seconds too long. (I stayed for the whole thing just to see how long it took.)

If you’re doing it because you’re certain that your network truly can’t wait to see you cut open a carton of books, then go for it.

But if you’re doing it because everyone else is doing it, don’t. After all, we know exactly how your unboxing video will unfold. You’ll lift out the first book facing you, look surprised and/or delighted, then turn the book to the camera as you talk about how excited you are to finally see the finished product.

What if you tried something different to capture interest and attention? Do you think people would share your video if you created something more attention-getting and less predictable?

Start by asking yourself: “What does my audience need to know about this book?” or “What about this book will excite my readers?”

3. You aren’t helping us help you.

We want to help you get the word out about your wonderful new book, but we’re all pressed for time, ya know?

So, when we offer to support your launch by sharing your good book news, give us the tools we need to do that well.

They can include:

• A short book description that helps us describe it accurately
• Sample text for social media posts
• A few social media graphics we can share
• A link to your book on your preferred retail site or to your list of purchase site options on your website

When my friend Monica Bhide asked me to support her book, Read. Write. Reflect., she provided a social media graphic with a pre-publication blurb I had written (see below). This made it easy for me to promote the book on the social networks where I’m active because all I had to do was add some text that reinforced my testimonial, grab an Amazon link, and post with the image.

The more you help us help you, the more we can do to support you.

Everything in moderation

To help keep your network engaged, learn what works on the various platforms you’re using and create custom content on each so there’s less overlap (and network burnout).

Then, create a mix of everyday life and book launch posts so what you share isn’t such a dramatic change from your routine when you don’t have a new book. I like to use Author Social Assistant because it creates some of that content with almost no effort from me.

Finally, remember that everything doesn’t have to happen during the small window of time surrounding the publication date. You should be promoting your book as long as it’s available for purchase.

If you burn out your audience during the launch, you’ll have fewer connections to promote to later, when it’s just as important.

If you liked this article, be sure to read “Get better book launch results by taking these 9 steps while you’re writing.”

What’s the one thing you’ve done on social media during a book launch that you think has had the greatest impact?

(Editor’s note: This article was published in May 2018. It is updated and expanded.)

By now, you’ve probably heard that AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude can help with book marketing.

Maybe you’ve even tried one.

And maybe — like a lot of authors — you stared at the screen thinking, “I don’t understand why everyone’s raving about this.”

Was the output too generic? Maybe a little flat? Perhaps it was nothing like the way you actually write or talk about your book.

Here’s the thing: It’s not the tool. It’s the prompt.

What’s an AI prompt?

A prompt is simply the instruction you type into an AI tool.

And the quality of what you get back is almost entirely determined by the quality of what you put in.

Think of it this way: AI tools are like a brilliant new assistant who started today. They’re smart and eager, but they know nothing about you, your book, or your readers — yet. Your prompt is how you bring them up to speed.

The good news? Writing a great prompt isn’t hard once you know what goes into one. Here’s what I’ve found makes the biggest difference.

What makes a good AI prompt for book marketing

I asked Claude for advice on creating a prompt that will create the kind of response you need. Here’s that advice plus mine, based on my trial and error experience.

1. Give context or background first.

Before you ask for anything, tell the tool what it needs to know. That means your book’s genre and topic, your target audience, your tone, and your goal for this particular piece of content.

Weak prompt: “Write a social media post about my book.”

Stronger prompt: “Write a Facebook post for my cozy mystery novel aimed at women over 50. The book features a retired librarian sleuth, and the tone is witty and warm. I want readers to feel curious and a little charmed.”

The more relevant context you provide, the less generic the output.

2. Be specific about what you want.

Tell the tool exactly what you’re asking for — format, length, platform, and purpose.

“Write some tweets” leaves too much to chance. “Write three 280-character tweets to promote the launch of my memoir” gives the tool something to work with.

3. Assign a role — a job title — to your tool.

Asking the tool to step into a specific role often dramatically improves results. You’re essentially telling it what expertise to draw on.

Try this: “Act as a book publicist writing a pitch to a podcast host who covers women’s nonfiction.” Or: “Act as a book marketing expert helping a debut self-published author build her email list.”

4. Include guidelines, dos and don’ts.

Tell the tool what you don’t want just as clearly as what you do. Constraints help you avoid the overly enthusiastic, exclamation-point-heavy output that AI tools can give you.

Example: “Avoid exclamation points. Keep the tone warm but not gushy. Don’t mention the book’s price or any discounts.”

5. Describe your audience.

Specify who the content is for, not just what it’s about. This single detail can change everything about the tone, vocabulary, and approach the tool takes.

Example: “This is for first-time self-published authors who are new to social media and feel overwhelmed by it.”

I tell the tool I’m using not to use marketing buzzwords without defining them.

6. Ask for options.

One of my favorite “tricks” is to ask for multiple versions, especially when brainstorming blog post titles or product page headlines. This gives you raw material to mix, match, and build on — which is where your own voice usually reappears.

Try this: “Give me five different opening lines for my email newsletter announcing my book launch.”

7. Iterate — don’t start over.

The first response is a draft, not a finished product. Follow up with specific refinements rather than starting a brand-new prompt. This is where the real magic happens.

Useful follow-up prompts:

• “Make this more conversational.”
• “Shorten this to two sentences.”
• “Try a version that opens with a question.”
• “This sounds too formal. Make it sound like I’m talking to a friend.”

Sample book marketing prompts to try right now

Ready to put this into practice?

Here are prompts you can copy and paste into ChatGPT or Claude (the two AI tools I use the most), and customize with your own book details. I’ve marked each with which tool I recommend, though honestly, both work well for all of these.

Social media post

Good for: ChatGPT or Claude

Prompt: “Act as a book marketing expert. Write three Facebook posts to promote [YOUR BOOK TITLE], a [GENRE] book for [TARGET AUDIENCE]. The tone should be [YOUR DESIRED TONE]. Each post should be under 150 words and end with a gentle call to action. Avoid exclamation points and hype.”

Email newsletter

Good for: Claude (especially good at longer, structured content)

Prompt: “Write an email newsletter to my subscriber list announcing the launch of my new book, [BOOK TITLE]. My readers are [DESCRIBE YOUR AUDIENCE]. The book is about [BRIEF DESCRIPTION]. My voice is [FRIENDLY/CONVERSATIONAL/AUTHORITATIVE]. The email should be 200–250 words, open with a personal anecdote or question, and close with a clear link to purchase. Don’t use the word ‘journey.’”

Podcast research

Good for: Perplexity, which includes links to research results

Prompt: “I’m the author of [BOOK TITLE], A [GENRE/CATEGORY] book about [A FEW WORDS DESCRIBING IT]. Provide a list of 10 podcasts that could be interested in interviewing me. Don’t select the most popular or least popular podcasts – stay in the middle. When possible, provide contact information or a link to where I can find it online.”

Podcast pitch

Good for: ChatGPT or Claude

Prompt: “Act as a book publicist. Write a short pitch email to a podcast host whose show covers [PODCAST TOPIC]. I’m the author of [BOOK TITLE], a [GENRE/TOPIC] book for [AUDIENCE]. Suggest three specific episode angles I could offer in the pitch based on my book. Keep the tone professional but personable, and keep the pitch under 200 words.”

Book description for back cover

Good for: Claude (strong at nuanced, audience-aware writing)

Prompt: “Write a 100-word back cover description for my book, [BOOK TITLE]. It’s a [GENRE] book about [BRIEF SUMMARY]. My target reader is [DESCRIBE READER]. The tone should feel [WARM/SMART/GRIPPING]. Open with a hook that speaks directly to the reader’s problem or desire. End with one sentence that makes them feel like they need this book.”

Audience identification

Good for: ChatGPT (great for brainstorming and insight)

Prompt: “I’m the author of [BOOK TITLE], A [GENRE/CATEGORY] book about [A FEW WORDS DESCRIBING IT]. Describe my ideal reader in great detail and outline where I will find them online and in the real world. I’d appreciate specifics on their demographics.”

One more thing: always edit what you get

AI output is a starting point, not a finished product. Even a well-crafted prompt produces something that needs your eyes on it.

Read it out loud. Does it sound like you? Does it say something accurate and true about your book? Is there a word or phrase you’d never use?

Fix it if you need to. That’s not a failure of the tool — that’s just good editing. The goal is to spend less time staring at a blank screen, not to hand over your voice entirely.

Finally, use your manners. I always say please and thank you in my prompts. (But I also thank Siri when I talk to her on my phone….) Courtesy probably comes naturally to you anyway, and research shows it will improve your results.

Used well, AI tools can genuinely take the pressure off the parts of book marketing that feel like a chore and give you more time and energy for the writing itself.

Quick video tip about AI prompts for book marketing

FAQs about AI prompts for book marketing

1. Do I need to pay for ChatGPT or Claude to use them for book marketing?

Both tools offer free versions that are genuinely useful.

Paid plans unlock higher usage limits and additional features, but for writing social media posts, email copy, and pitches, the free versions will get you quite far. The system will tell you when you’ve hit the day’s limit on a free plan along with when it will reset.

2. What if the AI gets my book’s details wrong?

AI tools don’t know anything about your book unless you tell them in the prompt.

If you provide clear, accurate details — title, genre, audience, themes — the output will reflect them. If the tool makes something up or gets something wrong, simply correct it in a follow-up message: “Actually, the protagonist is a retired teacher, not a librarian. Please revise.”

The more you share about your book in your prompt, the better the response will be.

3. Will AI-generated content sound like me?

Not automatically — but you can get close.

The key is to be specific about your voice in the prompt (“friendly and direct,” “warm but not gushy,” “conversational, like I’m talking to a friend”) and then edit the output. I paste in a sample of my writing and say, “Write in a similar tone to this.”

Plan to spend a few minutes shaping the output. The tool handles the blank page; you handle the finishing touches.

4. Is there a difference between ChatGPT and Claude for book marketing?

They’re more similar than different for most marketing tasks.

In my experience, Claude tends to shine with longer writing tasks like email newsletters and book descriptions, while ChatGPT is excellent for brainstorming and generating lists of ideas quickly. I also use ChatGPT to help me think through a project’s process. The best approach is to try both and see which one you like working with and for what task.

Keep in mind that you can always take output from one and refine it in the other.

5. How do I get better at writing prompts over time?

Practice, mostly — but there’s a shortcut.

When you get a response you love, look back at what you asked and notice what you included. When you get something flat or off, look at what was vague or missing.

Keep a running document of your best prompts so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time. Over time, you’ll develop a personal prompt template that works reliably for your voice and your audience.

EDITED 6/24/26 TO ADD: I received an angry email from a subscriber who said this article encourages — even endorses — writing a book with AI. Wrong. If I wanted to communicate that message, I would have done so. You don’t have to read between the lines of my articles. But because others might infer the same thing as my disgusted subscriber, let me state unequivocably that nobody should write a book with AI. In the article I linked to above about using AI as a book marketing assistant, I make it clear that I don’t support that. And I explain why it’s a bad idea.

Have you tried using ChatGPT or Claude for your book marketing? Tell us what’s worked (or what hasn’t) in a comment!

“I’m really uncomfortable with book promotion,” an author told me recently. “It’s just not who I am.”

“What makes you uncomfortable?” I asked.

“I don’t know . . . ” she began. “I think it’s all that waving your book around and telling people how great it is. I’d like my book to speak for itself, without me always getting in people’s faces.”

I reassured her that there are many, many authors who view marketing and promotion the same way. They don’t want to be constantly posting on social media, attending book fairs, or looking for opportunities to talk about their books before an audience.

They just want to write.

Who can blame them?

But in today’s in-one-ear, out-the-other world, all authors have to be willing to take on book promotion. It doesn’t matter if you’ve got a six-figure advance or you’re self-published.

You need to let your target audience know about your book.

Why did you write your book?

But you can do it without feeling like a shameless self-promoter. All it takes is making a slight shift in how you view book promotion.

Right now, your perspective is that it’s all “look at me, look at me, look at me!” And that bothers you. (It bothers me, too.)

But here’s the reality: You wrote that book for a reason. What is it? Is it one of these? Did you write it to:

• Educate
• Inform
• Entertain
• Motivate
• Inspire
• Preach
• Impress
• Sell

No matter why you wrote it, you want your book to do something for readers.

How will your book have an impact if nobody knows about it?

Will you be able to achieve your goals for your book if nobody reads it?

Will your book make a difference — whether you want to entertain or change minds — if people have never heard of it?

Reframe your perspective

It’s pretty simple: Your book won’t do what you want it to do if people don’t know about it.

And people won’t know about it if you don’t tell them about it.

Ergo, telling your audience that your book could change their world is a public service. I repeat: Sharing information about your book is a public service for your audience.

When you realize you are providing a service to the people you wrote the book for, it book promotion and marketing become easier. It’s less uncomfortable.

Because you know you’re serving people.

Will you ever be all up in their faces chattering away about how totally fantastic and extra special your book is?

You will not.

But it will be easier for you to speak from the heart at a book event. Or do a podcast interview about how you found the courage to tell your painful story in a memoir. Or write a guest blog post about the extensive research you did to make your historical fiction set in World War II Europe as reality-based as possible.

No longer uncomfortable with book promotion

Your book won’t help, serve, or entertain anybody who’s never heard about it. So do two things now:

1. Figure out who will love your book.
2. Let them know about your book in a way that you’re comfortable with.

You will be doing readers in your target audience a favor when you let them know how your book will contribute to their lives.

Provide a public service: Let people know about your book.

How do you get over your discomfort with promoting your book? Please share your best tip in a comment! 

(Editor’s note: This article was published in February 2018. It is updated and expanded.)

July is kind of a big month in North America.

On July 1, Canada commemorates the Constitution Act of 1867 with Canada Day. In the U.S., Americans celebrate adopting the Declaration of Independence on July 4, Independence Day. This year marks the 250^th anniversary of that foundational event.

July is also the most popular vacation month in the U.S., in large part because students are enjoying their summer break. Keep that in mind if your book is the perfect beach read.

One thing’s for sure: July brings authors much more than annual, national celebrations and rituals. It offers an intriguing list of lighthearted, unexpected, and quirky occasions you can use to bring attention to your book.

How to leverage book promotion opportunities in July

What’s the best way to take advantage of the many fun July book promotion opportunities listed below?

Once you identify those that are a good fit for your book or promotion goals, how can you use them?

I’ve selected a few less obvious examples to inspire your brainstorming. But if you write science fiction, you’ll love World UFO day – especially since UFOs are having a moment – and western novelists should run with Day of the Cowboy.

July is Anti-Boredom Month

Is your children’s book about a child who complains about being bored?

Do you write about psychology?

Would you describe a main character in your novel as “over-extended?”

Research shows that boredom is actually a good thing. In fact, researchers claim that not enough boredom is behind depression and anxiety. Consider a counterintuitive approach to Anti-Boredom Month by advocating for more boredom.   

Here are a few ideas:

• Create and distribute a tip sheet for parents on how to help children tolerate “boredom” – a summer vacation affliction that often occurs immediately after the last day of school.
• Write a newsletter article challenging people to disconnect from electronics more often so they can be in their minds while cooking, exercising, and so on. Explain why it’s smart to do so; set goals for your readers.
• Create an Instagram carousel on why boredom is important to our health.

July 11, Cheer Up the Lonely Day

Is one of your book’s characters lonely?

Are you a therapist?

Do you write for young adults?

Loneliness is an epidemic in the U.S., especially among those 30-44. (That age range surprised me – did it surprise you, too?)

If you improve one life by connecting your book to this occasion in a constructive, helpful way, it will be well worth your time.

• Before the holiday, ask your social media connections or newsletter subscribers what they do to combat loneliness, then create a series of social media images or infographics documenting their tips.
• Create a series of short videos about how to overcome loneliness for YouTube and social media.
• Interview a therapist about how to deal with loneliness for an Instagram or Facebook Live event, Tiktok, or YouTube.

July 14, National Macaroni and Cheese Day

Are you a cookbook author?

Have you written a book about cheese?

Are you a cheesehead?

I’ll confess that I selected this one because I loooooove macaroni and cheese. I collect mac and cheese recipes (and I make them!). I even have a macaroni and cheese cookbook.

Here are a few ideas to use on this oh-so-special day. (Do we get mail on National Macaroni and Cheese Day?)

• Survey your newsletter subscribers about how they feel about macaroni and cheese. Do they love it or hate it? Share results in your next newsletter and on social media.
• Record yourself making your favorite mac and cheese recipe for YouTube and social media. Include the recipe (with attribution) in the caption.
• Ask your subscribers and social media connections to send you their favorite mac and cheese recipes. Compile them into an e-book shared with contributors and others. (In the right situation, it could be a fun lead/reader magnet.)

Your July book promotion idea triggers

Here’s a partial list of the July marketing opportunities you can add to next month’s book promotion calendar. Get the full list on the Holiday Insights site. (And while you’re there, look ahead to other months.)

• National Anti-Boredom Month
• National Cell Phone Courtesy Month
• National Park and Recreation Month
• July 6-12 Nude Recreation Week
• July 1 Creative Ice Cream Flavors Day
• July 1 International Chicken Wing Day
• July 2 I Forgot Day
• July 2 World UFO Day
• July 3 Compliment Your Mirror Day
• July 3 Eat Beans Day
• July 5 Build a Scarecrow Day
• July 6 International Kissing Day
• July 9 National Dimples Day
• July 10 National Motorcycle Day
• July 11 Cheer up the Lonely Day
• July 12 Different Colored Eyes Day
• July 13 Fool’s Paradise Day
• July 14 Cow Appreciation Day
• July 14 National Macaroni and Cheese Day
• July 15 Be a Dork Day
• July 15 National Give Something Away Day
• July 17 World Emoji Day
• July 20 Moon Day
• July 23 National Sprinkle Day
• July 24 Cousins Day
• July 24 National Drive-Thru Day
• July 25 Day of the Cowboy
• July 27 National Love is Kind Day
• July 30 International Day of Friendship

Be sure to check out the list of book-related occasions during July in our 2026 literary calendar, too.

Need a book marketing coach to help you determine where to put your effort with book marketing, publicity, and promotion? I can help! Learn more on my book marketing coaching page.

Which of these fun July holidays speak to you? How will you use this list next month to create engagement while calling attention to your book in a lighthearted way? Please tell us in a comment.

Give me an A!

Give me a U!

Give me a T!

Give me an H!

Give me an O!

Give me an R!

What’s it spell?

“AUTHOR!”

Louder!

“AUTHOR!”

Yaaaaaay!

Be a cheerleader!

I was a high school cheerleader for one memorable year.

I learned about more than clapping, jumping, and how to polish white Keds, though. I also discovered the importance of crowd and community support.

That’s probably why I’m still a cheerleader today.

Now I’m cheering for authors, not football and basketball players. (And I don’t wear briefs dyed green to match my cheer sweater anymore.)

You can do it, authors!

Jami Albright’s guest post on her inspiring success as an indie author underscores the importance of cheering for other writers.

“I’ve tried to be the best community member that I can be. I cheer people on, I support them, I share their stuff, and I offer help when I can,” she wrote.

As she noted, it’s so important for us to take time away from our own writing and marketing to support other authors we know, respect, or like.

It’s counter-intuitive, but . . .

Perhaps what I’m proposing seems counter-intuitive, especially when you already feel like you don’t have enough time to do what’s needed for your own book.

How will you ever find the time to be a cheerleader for other authors, too?

Let’s focus on the “why” before the “how.” Here’s why it makes sense for you.

5 reasons to cheer on other authors

There are so many reasons to support other writers, but here are my top five.

1. It’s good for your soul.

It’s better to give than to receive, right?

Seriously. According to the American Psychological Association, simple acts of kindness can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety while also increasing happiness and self-esteem and lowering emotional reactivity. 

Help someone else and you’ll help yourself.

2. You will learn.

Connecting with other authors will expose you to the tactics and tools they’re using to promote their books.

You could be privy to the “behind the scenes” work that goes into certain types of promotions. That insider information can save you a great deal of time later if you decide to implement one of those tactics.

Be a beta reader. Join a launch team. Attend a book signing by a lesser-known author who doesn’t have a large fan base yet.

3. You will create a valuable community.

The authors you start supporting today become the people you can turn to tomorrow when you need a recommendation for a cover designer, an editor, or a proofreader.

Or help promoting your book. When you support others, they will often repay the favor by supporting you.

4. It’s good training.

When you cheer on other authors, you learn more about what kind of support you will need when it’s your turn.

You’ll have a better understanding of what to ask for, how to ask for it, and when to ask for it.

5. You will make authors happy.

Imagine how excited you would be if another author shared on social media their glowing review of your new book! Don’t you want to do that for someone else?

Set an example for others by re-sharing their promotional posts. Create and share your own content about their books. Tag authors you’re supporting so they know what you’ve done.

Those author will be happy… and so will you.

It takes so little time

Supporting and helping your writer colleagues can take just a few minutes every day.

There’s so much in this for you that I can’t imagine why you wouldn’t want to do it.

Here are just a few ideas:

• Buy their books when possible and tell people you’ve done so — and why.
• Interview them for your YouTube channel.
• If you liked the book, review it on Amazon and Goodreads as soon after launch date as possible.
• Make books your go-to gift for those occasions or events that warrant a gift.
• If you know someone who can help, connect them.

Get even more ideas in “5 ways to collaborate with other authors.”

The more you give, the more you’ll get back, so make supporting other authors a regular practice.

What are you doing already to support other authors?  

(Editor’s note: This article was published in October 2018. It is now updated and expanded.)

When many authors picture a book launch, they imagine publication week.

They think about social media posts, launch emails, perhaps a local signing event, and watching sales rankings on Amazon.

And yes, those things matter.

But here’s what many authors don’t realize until it’s too late: A successful launch isn’t created during launch week. It’s created in the months leading up to it.

That’s why so many authors feel disappointed after publication day comes and goes without much excitement, visibility, or momentum. They thought the launch began when the book became available for purchase.

In reality, that’s the middle of the process, not the beginning.

The good news? You do not need a giant marketing budget, publicist, or massive online following to have a strong launch. But you do need time. And you need a plan.

That’s why understanding your book launch timeline matters so much.

A book launch is not a one-week event

Before we talk about what authors should do early, let’s reframe what a launch actually is.

A book launch is not:

• One Facebook post
• One email announcement
• One signing event
• One week on the calendar

Instead, a launch is a series of small, consistent actions that build awareness and momentum over time.

That momentum is what helps readers discover your book.

And momentum takes time to build.

This is especially important for authors who are publishing independently or working with smaller publishers because they don’t have a large in-house publicity team creating opportunities for them behind the scenes. On the other hand, though, even those with larger traditional publishers often don’t get much in-house support, either.

One of the realities of book publishing, no matter what publishing model you use, is that the author has to do most of the work around a successful launch and long-term sales.

The earlier you begin, the more options you have.

When authors wait until a few weeks before publication to think about marketing, they often find themselves scrambling to create graphics, contact podcasters, recruit reviewers, update websites, and figure out social media… all while dealing with Amazon details and publication stress.

That’s exhausting.

Starting earlier gives you breathing room.

Some marketing opportunities require months of lead time

Here’s something many first-time authors don’t know: Certain marketing opportunities need to be arranged months in advance.

For example:

• Podcast hosts often book guests weeks or months ahead.
• Monthly magazine editors work months in advance of publication dates.
• Reviewers need time to read and review.
• Launch teams need time to organize and prepare.
• Your email list needs time to grow.

This is one reason authors benefit from following a structured book launch timeline instead of trying to wing it.

If your book releases in early October and you begin building a launch or street team in September, you’re going to be scrambling.

That doesn’t mean your launch is doomed. It simply means your options become more limited.

The earlier you start, the more flexibility and opportunity you create for yourself.

Building visibility takes longer than you think

Many authors presume people will automatically care about their book once it’s available.

Wouldn’t that be nice?

Unfortunately, readers are busy and distracted. Most people need multiple reminders before they notice or act on something.

That’s why visibility matters.

When you begin talking about your book months before publication in subtle, natural ways, you give people time to become familiar with it. You’re not “bothering” people. You’re introducing them gradually to your project, your message, and your excitement.

This early visibility might include:

• Sharing behind-the-scenes updates
• Talking about your writing process
• Mentioning what inspired the book
• Growing your email list
• Connecting with influencers in your niche
• Becoming more active on one or two social platforms

Notice that none of these activities require hard selling. They’re simply relationship-building activities. And relationships are what sell books over time.

Launch week is smoother when you prepare early

Let’s talk honestly about launch week for a moment.

Even with preparation, publication week can feel stressful.

There are last-minute details, technical glitches, emotional ups and downs, and lots of moving parts. That’s normal.

But authors who start early usually experience far less panic because they’ve already completed many important tasks. They’re all set with:

• Social media graphics ready and waiting
• Launch emails scheduled
• A launch team that knows what to do and when — and has what they need to do it
• Podcast interviews on the calendar
• An up-to-date website
• Organized promotional content

Instead of trying to create everything during launch week, they can focus on engaging with readers and enjoying the experience.

That’s a huge difference.

And honestly? It’s one of the biggest benefits of using a book launch timeline.

Starting early also reduces overwhelm

I think this is especially important for authors who are balancing writing with careers, caregiving responsibilities, lifestyle transitions, or other life demands.

So many authors I encounter don’t have marketing or even business experience. They’re people with something to say who simply want their books to reach readers.

That’s why trying to do everything at once can feel so overwhelming.

But when you spread launch activities over several months, each task becomes much more manageable.

Instead of: “Help! I have 47 things to do before publication!”

It becomes: “This week, I’ll focus on reaching out to podcast hosts.”

Or: “This month, I’ll work on growing my email list.”

Small steps feel doable. And doable creates progress.

You do not have to do everything

Having lots of time to plan and prep doesn’t mean you have to use every marketing tactic you see online, though.

You do not need to do everything.

In fact, you shouldn’t. A good launch plan focuses on the activities that make the most sense for:

• Your book
• Your audience
• Your goals
• Your personality
• Your available time and energy

For example, if your readers aren’t on TikTok, cross that option off your list.

If public speaking terrifies you, there are plenty of other ways to promote your book.

A launch plan should support you, not exhaust you. That’s why having a customizable framework is so valuable.

Start where you are

We’ve been talking about an ideal world situation here, one where your publication date is months away.

But what if it isn’t?

What if your launch is in six weeks… or three… or one?

Start where you are in the publishing timeline. There’s still so much you can do in a short window to support a successful book launch.

Create those social media graphics. Get review copies into the hands of the right people. Start outlining your virtual book tour.

Do what you can where you are and with what you have. It will all work out.

A book launch timeline gives you clarity and confidence

Get guidance on what to do wherever you are in the publishing process with The Ultimate Book Launch Timeline & Task Checklist.

I created this printable resource because I wanted authors to have a practical, flexible guide that helps them understand:

• What tasks matter
• When to tackle them
• How far in advance to start
• Which activities can be skipped
• What to do based on when their book goes “live”
• How to reduce last-minute stress

The Ultimate Book Launch Timeline & Task Checklist walks you through six launch phases, from early audience-building to post-launch momentum.

And perhaps most importantly, it helps you stop wondering: “What should I be doing right now?”

Instead of trying to keep everything in your head, you have a roadmap you can follow and customize for your own situation.

Because every book launch is different.

But every successful launch benefits from preparation.

Get the details and see how this timeline and checklist will help you at this link.

Start planning for your launch early… and often

If there’s one thing I hope you take away from this, it’s this: Your launch does not begin on publication day. It begins the moment you start intentionally preparing readers to discover your book.

That preparation does not need to be perfect… it does not need to be complicated.

And it certainly does not require doing everything all at once. It simply requires starting earlier than most authors think.

One small step at a time, you build visibility, confidence, relationships, and momentum. And those small steps add up.

FAQs about creating a book launch timeline

1. When should I start planning my book launch?

Ideally, authors should begin planning their launch at least six to 12 months before publication. But even if your release date is much closer, starting now is still better than waiting longer.

2. Why is a book launch timeline important?

A book launch timeline helps you organize tasks, reduce stress, and avoid last-minute scrambling. It also helps you take advantage of marketing and publicity opportunities that require advance preparation.

3. Do I need to do every task in a typical book launch plan?

No. A good launch plan is flexible. You should focus on the activities that fit your book, audience, goals, personality, and available time. That varies from author to author.

4. What should authors focus on first when planning a launch?

Early priorities often include identifying your target audience, growing your email list, building visibility on social media, and creating a basic marketing plan.

5. Can authors still have a successful launch if they start late?

Yes. Starting earlier gives you more options, but even authors with shorter timelines can improve their launch results by focusing on a few high-impact activities and staying organized.

What’s one thing you wish you had known earlier about book launches? Please tell us in a comment!

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means if you click on them and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission (at no extra charge to you).

“Lead magnet” is a marketing term for the digital gift you give readers as an incentive to add themselves to your email list.

Think of it as an ethical bribe.

Unless you’re a successful, well-known author with a newsletter that attracts subscribers easily, you need this free, downloadable gift to motivate readers to subscribe to your occasional author updates or regular newsletter.

Book relevance and and reader appeal are key.

I use several lead magnets to encourage authors and others to subscribe to my free, weekly Build Book Buzz book marketing newsletter that delivers how-to advice to their inboxes every Wednesday morning. Here are the landing pages for a few of them so you see how this works if you’re unfamiliar with the concept or offer process:

• 5 Book Marketing Building Blocks e-mail course
• 5 First Steps to Getting Media Attention
• Top 5 Free Book Promotion Resources

Here’s the big question to ask yourself: What should I offer as my incentive?

Not an easy answer for novelists

That question is easier for nonfiction authors to answer than it is for novelists. Nonfiction authors can create quizzes, templates, infographics, cheat sheets, and samples, among other options. (If you write nonfiction, be sure to read “5 nonfiction lead magnet ideas.”

More often than not, if fiction writers are using any kind of lead magnet, it’s a novella, short story, or sample chapter.

But is that your only option?

Nope.

Here are a few suggestions for other “freebies” you can create for your ideal readers.

Fiction lead magnet idea #1: How to do something

Bear with me on this. It’s possible.

The author of The Language of Flowers could create a one-page illustrated guide to preserving flowers, with suggestions for how to use the dried beauties.

Because the main character is a caterer, Jane Green’s Saving Grace makes frequent references to foods that sound delicious. I wanted those recipes. I wanted them so badly that I searched for Green’s version of them online. No luck.

If Green had offered a collection of her caterer’s recipes as a lead magnet, I would have “opted in” — marketing-speak for “added myself to her list” — without thinking twice.

See how this works? Find a “nonfiction nugget” in your book and build around it.

Fiction lead magnet idea #2: Cheat sheet

If you write fantasy novels or science fiction with many characters with unusual names, consider creating a one-page PDF character guide with names and descriptions.

Have you thought about creating a map for your world? I love Louise Penny’s character-rich Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series set in the fictional Canadian village of Three Pines. After reading several of the books, I wanted a map of the village.

Thinking it would be a great lead magnet for fans, I Googled “Louise Penny Three Pines map,” and to my delight, found exactly that on her site. She doesn’t require email opt-in, but she could.

I’ve learned a great deal about the Italian Renaissance masters through Daniel Silva’s Gabriel Allon espionage series. Like Penny, he’s successful enough that he doesn’t need a lead magnet incentive to attract subscribers to his newsletter. But if he did, I’d welcome a Renaissance masters cheat sheet.

Fiction lead magnet #3: Your book’s first chapter

This is the go-to option for most novelists. It’s frequently recommended not because it’s the best option but because it’s the easiest to offer and implement.

It lets readers sample your storytelling and writing skills. Keep in mind, though, that the “Read sample” feature on your Amazon sales page does that, too.

If this is your choice, simply save your first chapter as a PDF file and set it up in your email service provider’s system for downloading as soon as people sign up for your newsletter.

If you’re a seasoned writer with an established fan base, consider going beyond this. Get creative with the first two options described above. You’ll have more fun with it, and so will your readers.

Creating your lead magnet

You can create an attractive, effective lead magnet with low-cost resources. I’ve used each of the following:

Fiverr

Fiverr is a freelance marketplace. After you create your free account, search for “lead magnet design.”

In general, I find that I get the best results when I give the designer an example of the type of look I’d like to have. Very specific instructions make a big difference, too.

If you’re not sure what you’d like yours to look like, add yourself to lots of email lists and download the corresponding lead magnets. When you find one that you like, include it in your design instructions.

Alternatively, scroll through the design samples offered by Fiverr designers to find something that resonates with your vision.

Canva

While Canva has a robust free level, if you aren’t familiar with it already, it will be your most time-intensive design option.

After creating your free account, decide what you want to create — a checklist, e-book, map, etc. Select “templates” in the middle of the left toolbar, and type what you want to create in the search box. You’ll get a nice selection of options and templates. (I always start with a template.)

Alternatively, select “templates” in the middle of the left toolbar, and scroll through the design type options under the search box. Click around each collection to find something that speaks to you.

I do a lot of clicking through templates when I use Canva, but I always find something that’s a solid starting point for the end product I want.

Designrr

I also use Designrr, a $27 web-based tool that lets me repurpose content I’ve already created into a range of end products. (To get the $27 deal, click on that option in the bar at the bottom of the screen at this link.)

When I wanted to create a special free gift for a conference I spoke at recently, I used Designrr to turn a blog post into a short report. The nerd in me enjoyed exploring the templates and imagining the many design options for the audience handout.

You’ll get a PDF as well as a URL that houses the PDF.

Getting subscribers

Collect email addresses by creating a lead magnet landing page — a dedicated web page that describes your newsletter and invites people to sign up. “Dedicated” means that page’s sole goal is to generate newsletter signups. For that reason, there’s no toolbar linking to other pages on your site.

Don’t expect readers to stumble upon it — send traffic to it constantly.

Remember to promote your lead magnet in your book, too. Reference it with the landing page link in both your front matter and back matter. Readers who like what you write will happily connect with you further this way.

And hey, if you want to brainstorm lead magnet ideas, join the Build Book Buzz book marketing group on Facebook and start a discussion. Tell us you’re looking for help with a lead magnet idea, provide your book title, and give us a short book description.

Let’s rally the troops to help!

Fiction lead magnet FAQs

What is a lead magnet and why do I need one as a novelist?

A lead magnet is a free digital gift you offer readers in exchange for their email address — essentially an ethical bribe. Unless you’re a well-known author who attracts subscribers easily, a lead magnet motivates readers to sign up for your newsletter or author updates.

Are fiction lead magnets limited to sample chapters or short stories?

No! While a first chapter is the most common option, novelists can also create “how-to” content inspired by their books or cheat sheets, such as character guides or maps of fictional settings.

How do I find a “nonfiction nugget” to build a lead magnet around?

Look inside your own book for practical or interesting elements that readers might want to explore further. If readers would search for it online, it’s worth offering.

What tools can I use to create my lead magnet?

Affordable options include Fiverr (where you can hire a designer by searching “lead magnet design”), Canva (a free tool with customizable templates), and Designrr (a $27 web-based tool that converts existing content like blog posts into polished PDFs).

Once my lead magnet is ready, how do I get people to download it?

Create a dedicated landing page that describes your newsletter and invites sign-ups, then drive traffic to it consistently. Be sure to include the landing page link in both the front and back matter of your book.

What are you using as an incentive to get people on your list? Tell us in a comment. 

(Editor’s note: This article was published in July 2018. It is updated and expanded.)