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.)

Most of today’s authors self-publish – for a wide range of reasons:

1. They want complete control over the end product
2. They believe they will earn more
3. The book isn’t traditional publishing material
4. They don’t know how to pursue a traditional publishing contract

Today’s article reviews a book that authors in that fourth category need.

Get Signed: Find an Agent, Land a Book Deal, and Become a Published Author by literary agent and former book publicist Lucinda Halpern demystifies the “how to snag a traditional publishing contract” process while providing the blueprint you need to make it happen.

You know a lot of this already – you just don’t know you do

If you’ve been reading the articles here regularly, you’ll see overlap between the book’s content and the book marketing priorities I write about. Turns out that so much of what’s necessary for effective book marketing is also required when preparing to pursue literary agent representation.

Throughout this blog, you’ll find information on key points Halpern introduces – whether it’s why you must know who will love your book and what they want from it or why building a platform that includes an email list gives you an advantage. (Are you tired of hearing me push email newsletters yet?)

Hopefully, much of Get Signed will feel familiar to you. That’s a good thing.

What’s your “big idea”?

I think I most enjoyed “Step 1: Discover Your Big Idea” because it stresses that it’s not enough to have a good idea for a book – it has to be a marketable idea, too. Halpern helps us see what is and isn’t marketable while she offers exercises that help her readers refine and test their “big” ideas.

She walks a fine line between workshopping the idea you have and finding an idea that needs an author, then trying to make yourself that author. I’m a fan of the former, not so much of the latter.

It’s worth asking yourself: Do you want to write a book for the sake of writing a book or to bring to life that idea that’s been living inside you for years?

If you’re looking for a literary agent, know your “differentiator”

The section on deciding your differentiator stood out for me because I expected it to be about the author – why are you the right person to write this book? What differentiates you from everyone else in her inbox?

Halpern does cover that topic, but in another section on claiming your authority. The differentiator in Step 2 applies to what differentiates your book from its competition.

I love that she stresses that it’s actually a good thing if there are other books on your topic or perhaps with a similar storyline – especially if they’re selling well – because it tells publishers there’s market interest in your topic.

You’ll learn how to find and assess competitive titles and determine how well they’re selling. This is essential information when pitching an agent and publisher, so don’t skip this section.

What will you learn?

Outside of Michael Larsen’s How to Write a Book Proposal for nonfiction authors, this is the only publishing-insider book you’ll need if you’re writing a manuscript that has a shot at securing a traditional publishing contract and all that comes with that.

You’ll learn:

• The role of a literary agent and why – despite what anyone tells you – you need one (Spoiler alert: A good agent will always negotiate a much better contract than you will on your own.)
• How to develop an irresistible book idea
• Why what you’ve learned about book marketing – knowing your reader, having a platform, creating a top-quality product, identifying pitching angles – applies to offering the right agent a book that will sell
• How to craft an attention-getting pitch, including what to feature and what to exclude
• The best ways to find agents to pitch and why you don’t want to contact anybody and everybody

Why this book works

Here’s what I really love about this book: There’s no padding, no filler.

Halpern establishes her credentials quickly so we know we can trust the information she shares. And, she draws heavily from her client list and industry network to offer examples and anecdotes that bring the concepts to life.

Whether she’s sharing tips from editors or presenting pitch letters that secured representation so you know what yours might look like, Halpern’s advice is grounded in experience and expertise.

I highly recommend Get Signed: Find an Agent, Land a Book Deal, and Become a Published Author.

My sad story

One of Halpern’s observations about the agent’s role really resonated with me.

She wrote, “Your agent works for you, and your editor works for the publisher. These relationships are church and state.”

Except when they’re not, which was my situation years ago.

I wrote one of my books after an agent found me through her network. A publisher had an idea for a niche business book; the agent’s connections led her to me.

All went well until it didn’t, and I needed my agent to go to bat for me when someone in the mix behaved unethically.

She balked, saying the situation was hopeless.

Wrong answer.

I successfully fought the battle solo, only later discovering why the agent wouldn’t advocate for what was right – and contractually required.

My agent had her own book contract with my publisher.

She never disclosed that to me, of course – which says a lot, don’t you think? I could only conclude that she was worried about jeopardizing her own author relationship with “our” publisher.

Buy the book

Use Get Signed: Find an Agent, Land a Book Deal, and Become a Published Author to create an irresistible package that attracts the right agent who, as Halpern expresses it, works for you, not the publisher.

After you make the purchase – I got the paperback so I could make notes in the margin – follow the author’s instructions in the book’s front matter to watch a video masterclass and download her author’s playbook.

I hope it brings you the agent – and the deal – you deserve!  

Do you have a literary agent? Tell us in a comment how you connected with yours!

Raise your hand if you’ve seen a bad author photo on a website or social media profile recently.

My hand is up.

I’ve seen photos where the author is just staring into a webcam. No smile. No warmth. Just a stare. (And come on. A webcam?)

Then there are the smartphone selfies. (What adult has actually mastered the art of the selfie?)

Selfie or not, sometimes you can tell that another person has been (not completely…) cropped out.

Other times, the author is joined in the photo by someone else — usually a spouse — who isn’t cropped out.

If your author photo is bad, is your book bad, too?

These amateur photos are certainly more affordable than professional head shots, but they aren’t very useful. The author might as well be saying to readers, “Quality isn’t important to me.”

Put another way: When readers see that you don’t care enough to use a quality head shot, they might think you don’t care enough to write a quality book, either. Who’s going to take a chance on a book that might be subpar at best?

I’ve said it before: Quality counts. You need to write a better-than-good book. And you need to present yourself to readers as a writer who cares about getting things “right.”

Signal that to your audience by ensuring that every reader encounter — on social media, on your website, and in person — says “I’m giving you the best I’ve got.” Your headshot is the centerpiece of that, since it follows you everywhere you appear.

So it had better be good.

Yes, you have to spend money to get a high-quality professional author photo. Many authors are reluctant to do that, while others simply don’t have the money for it. Money can be an obstacle, but there might be a way around that.

Know what you want in an author photo

Before considering how to make your improved and affordable headshot happen, get clear on what you want in a final image.

Study a wide selection of author photos. What do you like about them? What do you dislike? Saving them to a Pinterest board will make it easy for you to compare them side-by-side.

You can share that board link with your photographer, too. That will let them focus (pun intended) on the best-for-you angles and settings.

Photofeeler, a site that lets users solicit feedback on headshots, reports that people prefer images where your eyes are visible — so no sunglasses — and that show teeth in a smile.

Once you know what look you want to achieve, you can take a few different approaches to getting a headshot that does you (and your book) justice:

• Work with a photographer
• Collaborate with a friend
• Use artificial intelligence (AI)

Here’s more information for each.

Spend less on a photographer

Here are four ways to get a headshot that’s better than the do-it-yourself option but less expensive than paying full price at a studio.

1. Barter with a photographer.

Bartering involves swapping services.

What do you do well that can help a professional photographer? You can also ask the photographer what they need help with and then figure out how you can contribute in a way that makes a service swap fair.

You might write a few marketing newsletters, shop for props, or serve as a baby wrangler on a shoot.

2. Offer to model for a photography class or workshop.

Offer to model in exchange for images from all the students.

Give aspiring photographers practice that helps expand their portfolios so you get an image collection representing a range of perspectives and styles.

3. Hire a photography student at a discounted rate.

Students don’t expect to be paid top dollar, but they deserve to be paid for their time. It’s an incentive for them to do their best.

What if you don’t like the beginner’s photos? Discuss that in advance. You might be able to negotiate to pay only if you’re happy.

4. Get it done at a writer’s conference.

I’ve paid for discounted headshots at the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) annual conference in New York City for close to two decades. Participating photographers discount their fees because they can pack their schedule with back-to-back on-site shoots.

This is typical of writer’s conferences in general. If you plan on attending one, be sure to check the schedule to see if this service is offered as an add-on.

Get help from a friend

You can also take the almost D-I-Y approach. “Almost” means you’ll need help for this.

Who do you know who consistently takes great smartphone photos? You know who they are — you regularly comment on Facebook or Instagram that you love their photos. This is someone who knows their way around a phone camera. And it’s someone you want to enlist.

If they haven’t done this before, a Google search can help both of you learn how to get the best image possible. You’ll want to learn about lighting (natural light is best; I prefer headshots taken outside), appropriate apparel, and the most appealing poses. Practice those poses in advance.

Your photographer will want to read up on the best approach for the smartphone they’re using (for example, “portrait” mode works well with an iPhone) for both shooting and editing images.

Hubspot offers advice in “How to Take Your Own Professional Headshot: A Budget Friendly Guide;” Snapbar shares tips in “Top 5 Tips for How to Take a Professional Headshot at Home.”

Use an AI tool

There are a number of AI tools that can generate a professional-looking headshot, but you still need a photo to start with. You can get a friend’s help with that “starter” photo as outlined above or take your own photo — aka a selfie.

I found these instructions and the corresponding demo video for using Google’s Gemini from LinkedIn HR leader helpful.

A Google search for the best AI headshot tools turned up several articles, all produced by… of course… AI headshot tool providers. Each company ranked its own resource at the top, of course, but even biased information can be helpful.

Check out “5 best AI Headshot generators HONESTLY rated” and “We tested Top 8 Best AI Headshot Generators.”

Canva has a free tool, but when I just tested it, it was too glitchy to recommend with enthusiasm.

My favorite resource remains Adazing’s Author Headshots because it’s designed specifically for an author’s photo needs. I was fortunate to get it during the introductory discount period and have gotten a lot of use from the images generated.

Put that great author headshot to work

Now that you’ve upgraded your look, remember to use the same headshot for all social media profiles and everywhere you are online, including your website and its media/press room (learn more about that in “Must-have online press room elements for authors and books“).

Your author photo says a lot about you. You want it to say the right things.

Author headshot FAQs

1. Why does my author photo matter so much?

Your author photo is part of how readers judge your professionalism.

When they see a low-quality image, they may assume you don’t care about quality — and that can extend to how they perceive your book. Every reader encounter should signal, “I’m giving you the best I’ve got,” and your headshot is a big part of that.

2. What makes an author photo look unprofessional?

Common issues include staring into a webcam without warmth, awkward selfies, poorly cropped images, or photos that include someone else who shouldn’t be there. These kinds of images don’t present you — or your book — in the best light.

3. What should I think about before getting a new author photo?

Start by getting clear on what you want.

Study other author photos to see what you like and dislike, and consider saving examples to compare. Pay attention to details like visible eyes and a natural smile. Knowing your preferences will help you (and your photographer, if you use one) create the right look.

4. How can I get a better author photo without spending a lot of money?

You have several options: barter services with a photographer, model for a photography class, hire a student at a lower rate, or get a discounted headshot at a writer’s conference.

You can also work with a friend who takes great smartphone photos or explore AI tools that generate professional-looking images using a starter photo.

5. Once I have a good headshot, how should I use it?

Use the same photo everywhere — on social media, your website, and your online press room. Consistency helps reinforce your professional image and ensures that your author photo is working for you wherever readers find you.

Have you seen a great author photo? Please share a link to it 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).

If you’ve been hanging around the Build Book Buzz community for any length of time, you already know how passionate I am about email marketing. I talk about it constantly — and I make no apologies for that. Report after report after report validates the value.

That’s why I recently hosted a free training webinar with one of my favorite email marketing experts: Shiv Chibber, education lead at Kit. That’s the email service provider I’ve been using for my newsletter for about six years. If you attended “How to Get Your First 1,000 Subscribers” live or caught the replay, you know what a rich conversation it turned out to be.

I’ve shared the replay at the end of this article for those of you who haven’t watched it yet.

I’ve also pulled out some of the most valuable insights from that training to share here. I think this information is too important to stay locked inside a video.

Why email marketing matters so much for authors

We started by explaining why we were doing the training: Email marketing is more effective than social media, which is where many authors focus their efforts.

Here’s the thing about social media: It’s wonderful for discovery.

Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook can introduce you to readers who’ve never heard of you before, and that visibility has real value.

But there’s a crucial difference between someone scrolling past your post and someone who genuinely wants to hear from you. And that difference shows up most clearly when it’s time to sell a book.

As Shiv explained during our webinar, “viral” and “visible” don’t always translate into sales or loyal readership. Companies like Meta design social media platforms to keep people in the app. That means every link you share — to your website, book page, newsletter — has to fight against the platform’s design.

In other words, those platforms don’t like it when you post external links.

Email marketing is a different animal

Email marketing is different by design. It exists to deliver information directly to someone and invite them to take action.

That’s why email consistently outperforms social media when it comes to actual conversions from interest to action.

You may have heard the statistic that for every dollar you invest in email marketing, you receive about $36 back. While that number comes from the email marketing industry broadly, Shiv’s explanation of why it’s true makes a lot of sense.

Email gives people a clear next step — buying a book, reading a blog post, or registering for an event.

And there are no algorithmic gatekeepers deciding whether your message gets shown. It drops into every inbox you send it to. (And it stays there.)

You — not anyone else — owns your email list

There’s another reason I care so deeply about this, and Shiv articulated it beautifully: Your email list is an asset you own.

Any platform owner can shut down social media accounts overnight. Algorithms change without warning. A platform that’s thriving today (remember Vine? No? You see my point….) can become irrelevant tomorrow. Your email list, on the other hand, belongs to you. Nobody can take it away.

And you don’t need a massive list to make it meaningful.

Shiv shared the story of author John Meese, who made more than $10,000 from a list of just 257 subscribers. Remarkable, right? Meese built trust with his newsletter; that trust led to speaking engagements and coaching clients.

It’s not about the biggest list. It’s about the right list — people who genuinely care about what you have to say. That’s what Meese has.

The obstacles so many authors face

Even if you understand this, you might still face obstacles. I hear it all the time when I’m working with authors as a coach: “I know I should be building a list, but…” What holds them back is typically one or all of these challenges:

• Concern about the technology
• Uncertainty about what to write
• Confusion about how to actually get subscribers in the first place

This article is going to focus on that third challenge because it tends to be the one that keeps people stuck longest.

We’re going to talk about how to get your very first subscribers, then how to grow from there to 100, and ultimately to 1,000. As Shiv put it during our webinar, getting your first 10 subscribers is actually the hardest milestone of all.

So let’s give that first step the attention it deserves.

How to get your first 10 subscribers

These strategies aren’t complicated. They don’t require a big platform or a polished website. They’re personal, direct, and completely doable — starting today.

Step 1: To build a powerful author email list, think about who you already know.

Your first subscribers aren’t strangers on the internet — they’re people already in your life.

Think about your family, friends, colleagues, and community members. Who among them would genuinely benefit from what you’re writing about?

Whether your book is a romantic suspense thriller, a self-help guide, or a cookbook, you have people in your existing network who are interested in your topic. Write down 10 names.

Step 2: Ask them a simple question.

Here’s the script Shiv shared. I love that it’s direct and simple..

Reach out to those 10 people and say something like: “I’m working on a new book about [your topic/genre]. Would you be interested in following the journey and getting behind-the-scenes updates?”

Add anyone who says yes to your list — and that yes counts as their required opt-in. If some people say no, keep going until you reach 10 enthusiastic yeses. You don’t have to stop at 10, either.

Step 3: Ask those first subscribers what they want to hear about.

Once you have your initial subscribers, you have a built-in research panel.

This step is especially powerful for nonfiction authors, though the underlying principle applies to fiction writers, too. Reach out to your new subscribers and ask them two questions:

• Where do you currently go online to learn about this topic?
• And what’s your biggest challenge or hurdle within it?

Their answers tell you everything you need to know. What they struggle with is what you write about. Where they already go to learn is where you promote your work.

It’s a remarkably elegant solution to the “what do I send my list?” question that keeps so many authors frozen.

Step 4: If you write fiction, take a slightly different approach.

Fiction authors aren’t trying to solve a problem for their readers the way nonfiction authors are. For them, the content question looks a little different.

During our webinar, Shiv and I talked about what resonates most with fiction readers in a newsletter context. The short answer: It’s about you and your world, not just your books.

Think about sharing:

• A “slice of life” glimpse into your week
• Recommending books you’re reading (your readers trust your taste!)
• Going behind the scenes of your writing process
• Explaining why you made a particular plot decision or chose a certain character trait
• Information about contests you’re running (maybe to name a character?)
• Your thinking behind a plot twist
• Any personal connections to the themes in your books

Because fiction readers are often more interested in the author as a person than they are in a topic, let them get to know you.

Step 5: Set up a simple way to collect email addresses.

You don’t need a complicated website to get started.

In Kit (and most other email service providers), you can create a landing page — a dedicated web page whose entire purpose is to describe your newsletter and invite people to sign up — or a simple “opt-in” form you embed to an existing page.

Either way, the process is more straightforward than most people expect.

Are you still intimidated by the technology? Kit has a resource page where you can find professionals who specialize in getting authors set up. Freelance platforms that include Fiverr are another option for affordable help.

From 10 to 1,000

As Shiv explained, once you’ve got those first 10 subscribers and you have a clearer sense of what to write about, the path from 10 to 100 is really about showing up consistently in the places your readers already gather.

And going from 100 to 1,000?

This is where your growth can really start to accelerate. It comes down to two powerful tools: lead magnets and author partnerships.

Lead magnets are free digital resources you offer in exchange for an email address.

Author partnerships let you work with other authors reaching your ideal readers. Shiv queried our attendees live about whether they’re leveraging partnerships with other authors. A whopping 88% said no.

And yet some of the most impressive list-growth stories he’s seen — from small lists to large ones — come from authors who collaborate rather than compete.

We go into each of these list-growth opportunities in detail, so be sure to watch the replay below.

Free webinar replay teaches how to build powerful author email list

Everything covered in this article came from our live training, and I promise you there’s even more good stuff in the full session. That includes a live demo of Kit’s tools and a lively Q&A with specific examples from authors in a range of genres.

Near the end, Shiv mentions a discount for new Kit customers. That has expired, but I’ve got something else for you instead.

Because of my partnership with Kit, you can get 25% off annual plans until April 30. And, if you’re moving your list to Kit from another service provider, you can get migration support from a real person on Kit’s team, so you don’t have to figure out the move alone.

If you’re a MailChimp user, you already know that provider is raising its rate for certain users this month. This is after cutting the allowed number of subscribers and emails sent under the free plan.

When an author friend grumbled about the MailChimp price increase recently, I immediately sent her information about this discount. When she saw that a Kit annual plan would cost her less than if she stayed with MailChimp, she made the switch.

She’s now (happily) using Kit.  

Watch our training below, and feel free to share this article link with any author friends who are still on the fence about email marketing. The sooner they start, the sooner they’ll wonder why they waited.

There’s a lot of helpful how-to information packed into this one-hour session.

Whether you’re just contemplating building an email list or you’ve already started and want to continue to add subscribers, you’ll appreciate our practical here’s-how-to-do-it approach to the topic.

If you’re using a lead magnet to build your email list, tell us about it in a comment and include a link to it. (Maybe some of us will subscribe!)

When I ask authors what they’re doing to promote their books, they often say they built a website, or they’re posting about it on social media.

Rarely do they mention pursuing the free news media exposure known as publicity.

They aren’t trying to get their books mentioned in short news briefs or longer articles, and they’re not pursuing talk show and podcast interviews.

Because publicity’s impressive value isn’t on their radar, they’ve done nothing to make their book relevant to the media.

And yet, you don’t have to spend anything to get the kind of media exposure that’s at least 10 times more effective than advertising.

What’s more, you can snag book publicity even if your book was published years ago. It’s your book’s content that matters, not when the content became available for purchase.

It’s not as hard as you might think

You don’t need special skills or tools, either. You just need to know how the media works and what it needs from you.

A big piece of this is understanding how to make your book and its topic relevant to the press.

It comes easily for some, not so much for others. For the most part, becoming relevant and interesting requires paying attention to topics covered by the press and the sources they use for information.

Here are five tips that will help you become one of those sources.

1. Plug in to the news.

Consume “real” news so you know what is and isn’t newsworthy.

The more you know about what’s out there, the better able you will be to understand where you, your book, and the topics or issues you write about will fit into the media landscape.

Follow what’s happening in your community, region, nation, and globally by reading at least one bona fide daily newspapers online. Watch the news on legacy networks. Listen to fact-centered, news-focused podcasts. This will not only deliver the facts, it will help you spot trends and hot topics.

On the flip side, pay attention to ideology-based alternative outlets so you’re exposed to conspiracy theories and opinions developed from feelings rather than facts.

This will help you see how controversial or counter-to-accepted information perspectives can generate publicity. Talk radio, in particular, likes controversy. And a counterintuitive media pitch can get attention.

2. Study your target media outlets for format and approach.

After you determine which media outlets influence your ideal readers, you want to study them so you understand the content they use.

What sorts of segments or stories do they run? How many sources do they use? Are the articles or segments short or long? Do they frequently site statistics from surveys or research?

Use an Excel file or Word table to make notes and look for trends that will guide how you approach each outlet.

3. Connect your topic to what’s making news.

Marketers refer to this as “newsjacking” — hijacking the news.

Monitor what’s making headlines and brainstorm ways to link your topic to the developments. There are perennial topics, like gun control, that present ongoing opportunities for both nonfiction and fiction authors who write about this.

As I write this, the U.S. is bombing Iran. Did you research anything related to this for your fiction or nonfiction? There could be a publicity opportunity for you with local media outlets.

It’s easier than ever to stay on top of the news, thanks to smartphone apps. Make sure you’re getting alerts so you don’t miss any opportunities.

If connecting your topic to trending topics is difficult for you, ask a friend to help you brainstorm connections between the range of topics in your book and what’s making news today and this week.

4. Stay current on your topic.

This will allow you to spot trends, and trends make good article/segment ideas.

It’s not hard to see how this applies to nonfiction authors, but it works for fiction, too.

Popular author Daniel Silva, best known for his long-running espionage series starring spy and art restorer Gabriel Allon, is an excellent example of an author at the cutting edge of their books’ themes. Any Silva fan (raising my hand ) knows more about the Israeli Mossad, Nazis, European art history, and Vatican inner workings and history after reading one of his books.

Thanks to his research, Silva is an expert on these topics.

Louise Penny’s The Black Wolf offers one of the most striking recent examples of authors who really know their sh*t. SPOILER ALERT for fellow Armand Gamache enthousiastes: Stop here if you haven’t read the book.

The book centers around a U.S. plot to annex Canada. How suprising, then, when just months after the book’s October 2025 release, newly inaugurated U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to annex Canada as the 51st state.

Fiction mirroring reality doesn’t happen by chance. It comes about when the writer researches the topic. Penny, a Canadian, is likely as qualified as many other sources to comment on U.S./Canada relations right now.

Pitch trend stories

Continuously monitoring topics you know best allows you to spot trends.

Use that up-to-date information to pitch a story or segment based on those trends that you can comment on as an expert resource. All the research you did for your book – plus your effort to stay current – provide the credentials you need.

Be open to this possibility. Don’t underestimate how much you know about the topics you write about, whether your book is nonfiction or a novel.

5. Monitor publishing industry developments.

Book publishing is evolving rapidly in multiple ways.

How people read is changing, as evidenced by the growth in audiobook popularity. So is who influences what we decide to read.

Diversity in book publishing is an ongoing issue. Do you have personal experience that can add to the conversation with the media?

Even what books look like is changing. Sprayed page edges revealing lovely graphics opposite the book’s spine is one of my favorite design trends. Does your book feature this attention-getting touch?

Do you write poetry? The Guardian and other sources report that poetry is more popular than ever. Pitch a local talk show host about why that’s happening. Organize a gathering of poets with your local bookstore and promote it to the press.

The more you know about publishing, the more you’ll be sought out for interviews and speaking engagements.

Start locally first, then regionally. You might be surprised at how easy it will be for you to become the local publishing industry expert — as long as you make the effort to follow industry developments.

Help build the story

As you make yourself and your book increasingly relevant to the media, understand that a major feature on a topic or trend nearly always uses more than one source.

Know that, and be prepared to seal the deal by offering others who can comment on the topic. Being prepared and realistic, and making it easier for a journalist to say “yes,” can make you and your book very, very relevant.

That, in turn, will generate the news media attention — the book publicity — that sells books.

Use the right tools

Getting and keeping your book title in the news does take some effort and thought. But what promotional effort doesn’t?

One of the easiest ways to connect with journalists on trending topics is by using three of the most popular tools for both journalists and expert sources like you: HARO (Help a Reporter Out), SOS (Source of Sources), and Qwoted. These free email newsletters list stories and segments journalists are working on and the types of sources they need to complete their assignments.

When you understand how to respond to their source requests effectively and appropriately, you’ll find that you’ll soon be quoted on trending topics — when it makes sense — more easily than you ever imagined.

Discover how to do that with PitchPro: Your Expert Response Toolkit, my collection of instructions, templates, cheatsheets, and worksheets that help ensure you write the best response possible.

Once you understand the type of information your targeted media outlets use and how they present that information, you’ll find yourself generating the types of article or segment ideas that get used. Then you’ll be snagging priceless media exposure for your book.

What’s one of your media exposure goals for this year?

(Editor’s note: This August 2019 article is now updated and expanded.)