PR Tips for Authors

Promoting your book (and yourself aka your brand!) is an essential skill for writers. The more people who hear about your work, the better! It’s a worthwhile investment to put in the work and know what makes a great PR campaign and how to get the best results possible.

1. Make your theme timely

At any given time, a media outlet can be considering dozens of books pitches, so to give yourself a better shot, make it timely. Plan your book’s release when the theme of the book makes the most sense. For example, if you wrote a thriller set on an exotic island, try aligning the promo to a time when people are talking about travel and exotic getaways. If you can’t pick the release date, then choose a subtheme in your book and tie it into the current news cycle. If you dig deep enough, you will always find an angle.

2. Provide a Takeaway

Whether it’s an inspirational story or the theme of a novel, make sure that you are not only talking about your book but also giving the audience food for thought, like a life lesson they can learn from or a recipe from your cookbook. The more the audience relates to you, the greater the chances they'll be interested in your work. Find a takeaway that is relatable and make it a central message in your press. If you’re considered an expert in your field, keep an eye out for current events that you could comment on.

3. Giveaways

Most media love to give their audience a reason to interact with them and giveaways are a great way to accomplish this. By offering free product to select media outlets, it entices them to take your pitch over someone else’s because there’s something extra in it for them and their audience.

4. Gift Guide and lists

You also want to keep gift guides or book lists in mind. For example, some print or digital publications might run a ‘Top 5 historical fiction books for the holidays’ or ‘Top 5 biographies for Mother’s Day’ lists. If you feel like your work could fit into a list, it’s always worth a pitch!

If you’re able to secure some press coverage, be sure to request a book mention and a link to your website in the piece. And once it’s published or broadcast, take to social media and share, share, share!