Interested in fiction book marketing? Knowing how to market a fiction book is an important part of becoming a successful self-published writer. Your book could be brilliant, but that won’t do much for you if nobody knows about it. The right fiction book marketing tactics will help you get the word out about your novel.
Fiction Book Marketing: Start Strong With a Book Launch
A well-planned book launch will get your fiction book marketing off to a good start. It’s not enough on its own, but it will set the tone for your marketing campaign. Start planning your launch before you finish your book. It should roll out just before your book is printed.
Here are the six steps to a successful launch.
1. Prepare your marketing materials
A successful book launch requires specific marketing materials. To promote your book, you’ll need a full set of fiction book marketing materials that include:
- Press release announcing the book’s publication (a press release should be short, no more than 300 words, and written in a newsy style).
- Marketing package that includes your author bio, copy of the book’s cover image, and where you plan to promote the book.
- List of your upcoming speaking engagements or the date of your book launch event.
2. Send out your press release
When deciding where to send your release, focus on reporters and writers who cover your subject. News organizations get thousands of press releases every week, and yours will only stand out if it’s considered newsworthy. Local papers, book reviewers, and book bloggers are good targets for a release about a book.
Editors won’t read a release that looks amateurish. Press releases have a specific format you must follow if you want to appear professional and get your book the attention it deserves.
If you’re confused by the entire process of writing and sending a release, consider services like Prowly, Accesswire, or EINPresswire. These services will help you write the release, choose the right people to receive it, and send it out correctly.
3. Choose a venue for your book launch event
Many authors find it helpful to hold a book launch event for fiction book marketing. Also known as a book launch party, this marks the official date of your book’s entry into the world. A book launch party isn’t necessary, but it can be a useful part of your fiction book marketing campaign.
Here’s how to market a fiction book through your launch party:
- Choose the right venue. Your house is fine, but consider a local bookstore or a place that ties into your book’s theme. You might choose a historic home for the release of a biograph, a local haunted site for a horror novel, or a local gardening center for a book on gardening.
- Pick a date. You don’t have to hold your launch on the exact date your book is published, but make it as close to your printing date as possible.
- Post photos and videos. Take pictures and videos of the event, and post them to your social media accounts. Add them to your author website.
- Build word of mouth. Start sending out invitations at least two months ahead of time. Build anticipation for your book.
6. Contact book reviewers for your fiction book marketing
Alert book bloggers, podcasters, book TikTokers and others who might help promote your book. A month before your book is ready to go, start compiling email addresses of people who might be interested in reviewing your book or interviewing you about it. Send each one a press release and invitation to your book launch event. There’s no guarantee they’ll respond, but you need to cover all your bases for fiction book marketing.
Hold Book Readings for Fiction Book Marketing
This is a time-tested method for fiction book marketing. Book readings and signings may not lead to high sales, so don’t expect to clean up in terms of money or copies sold. They are useful as promotional events. They’re also an effective way to partner with local businesses who may have supported you in your quest to become a writer.
While bookstores and libraries seem to be the logical choice, use a creative approach to find the right venue. You could hold your book reading in the cafe where you spent hours writing on your laptop, the park that you sat in for inspiration, or another place that was linked to your success. Look for venues that make a natural, logical link to your book’s topic. Your creative approach will help spread the word and increase interest in your work.
Use 3D Book Mockups in Fiction Book Marketing
Book mockups take your advertising and promotional materials up a notch. These are applications that let you use your book’s cover to create three-dimensional images of a finished book. Pictures of a finished book are more impressive than pictures of just a book cover. You will have an edge when you market a fiction book with these powerful images.
Find ways to incorporate mockups in all your fiction book marketing materials. Use those 3D images to create a photo of someone curled up in a chair reading your book, or create a picture of your book on someone’s desk, on a bookstore shelf, or piled high at a book reading. Post the pictures on your website and social media sites.
You can create your own book mockups at:
- Canva
- Pixelied
- Mockuptree
Use Social Media to Market a Fiction Book
A strong social media presence can help you market your book and find new readers. If you’ve neglected your accounts, now’s the time to update them, clean them up, and use them as the free promotional tool they are.
- Facebook: A Facebook author page is essential for fiction book marketing. An official page gives you credibility and allows you to post news, observations, information about your ongoing events, and other news related to your work.
- Twitter/X: Twitter can be a powerful marketing tool if it’s used correctly. You’re limited to short posts here, so you must be concise. It’s also important to offer something intriguing that helps you stand out. Use hashtags to find readers who might be interested in your book.
- Instagram: If you have a solid following on Instagram, use it to promote your book. If you don’t, start building your followers by offering images and posts that pique the interests of Instagram users. Like other social media sites, Instagram lives and dies by what is currently popular, so be sure you’re aware of what is trending, and try to match those trends to your book.
- LinkedIn: Although LinkedIn is primarily a networking site for business professionals, it can be a good way to build your authority in a subject. It’s an especially good marketing tool for nonfiction writers, but it can be useful for fiction authors.
Offer Special Pricing
Consider offering exclusive pricing as part of your fiction book marketing. You can set an exclusive price to your social media followers and other supporters who were there at the start. Offer the book at half off for people who attend your book readings, book launch party, and other live events. Special pricing may cost you some money up front, but it can work as part of your overall fiction book marketing.
Some authors use special pricing to get early interest in their book. Offering your book for free on an online publishing platform is a risky move, but it could pay off. Readers are more likely to take a chance on an unknown writer if getting the book doesn’t cost them anything. You’re also more likely to get those all-important first reviews on the publishing site.
Use Meetup to Market a Fiction Book
If you haven’t used Meetup, you’re missing out. This site was launched as a response to an overly online world and a desire to build stronger local communities. It makes it easy for people with shared interests to meet in real life. Meetup lets people get together for bowling games, potlucks, city tours, and day hikes. If you want to try something new or want to meet others who do it, Meetup is the way to do it.
How does that fit in with marketing a fiction book? Meetup has groups dedicated to writing and publishing. There are groups for self-published writers in your area. The site is free to use, and it filters out groups by your zip code and interest. You can find authors, book agents, fiction critique groups, book marketers, and others who are willing to share their ability and ideas.
Market Yourself for Success
If you want to succeed in the competitive field of self-publishing, you must know how to market a fiction book. We hope you found these tips helpful. Dazzle Printing has helped many first-time writers achieve their goal of becoming published authors. We’d be happy to be part of your successful journey, too.
