8 Dos and Don’ts to Prep for a Book Event

Many authors dream about the day they’ll host a book event. Having people come out to hear about your book is an incredible honor as an author. It’s also an opportunity to build deep connections with your audience that go a long way in solidifying your reputation and business as an author.

So how do you enjoy the fun of meeting readers while also creating buzz around your book? With prior preparation! If you’ve got a book event coming up, here are some dos and don’ts to guide your approach to getting ready.

DO: Choose the right venue(s).

Make sure your location matches your audience. Think carefully about who you think would connect with your message and then consider spots that attract those people.

For example, if you wrote a book about healthy recipes for busy college students and young professionals, choose a popular bookstore in an area near a college or in a neighborhood where postgrads tend to live. If you wrote a summer beach read, see if you can find a bookstore in a nearby seaside town. It’s not always possible to align things perfectly, but you can do your best by figuring out who will be interested in your work—and then make it easy for them to find you.

DON’T: Assume that people will just show up.

In fact, assume people will not show up. Sadly, it’s the truth. I’ve done many book events through the years and it’s very difficult to get people to show up. They want to but people aren’t always realistic with what they can do. You need to do the legwork beforehand, or you’ll be staring down a bunch of empty chairs (yikes!). Invite your friends and family—and encourage them to bring plus-ones. Better yet, if you can pre-sell the book as a ticket price to get people in the room then even better.

Create event pages on LinkedIn and Facebook so people can easily access details about when and where the event is happening. You can also make an event page on Eventbrite. You should definitely send out info via your email list or newsletter—and post to social media about what’s happening!

It’s an expert move to create a video announcing your book events. This way your audience will see and hear you and know how enthusiastic you are about this book.

DO: Plan ahead.

You need to secure spots for your event well in advance. Reach out to a variety of places, including bookstores, coffee shops, and libraries. Keep track of each one so you know where you’ve already heard back from (I recommend a spreadsheet).

Depending on the marketing plan your publisher might be working on, the logistics could be someone else’s job—or you might be handling it. Either way, your input is essential.

I suggest also hiring a videographer to capture the event. I did this for the release of my second book Listful Living and I’m so thrilled to have video from that event. I was able to use it to create a speaker reel and a trailer of sorts with reader testimonials about the book.

DON’T: Be afraid of self-promotion.

This is a common pitfall for authors, but it can be helpful to reframe by reminding yourself that sharing your work is an act of service.

Yes, you. Yes, your book. You have an important message to share—so get out there and share it. Relying on the venue to spread the word is not enough. Plus, oftentimes they will be counting on you to fill the room. (It never hurts to bring wine and cheese to get people to events! It’s worked for me in the past.)

Video is one of the best ways to grab people’s attention. Recording some short clips to share via social media or a longer video going into some aspect of your expertise will entice new readers. Then, use that momentum to share information about how they can meet you live! I have tons of tips about creating high-quality video content—here are some of my best tips.

DO: Get there early—and be prepared.

You should arrive early with everything you need. This includes copies of your book, lots of pens, a banner or sign, and a sign-in sheet so you can collect emails to stay in touch. Another strategy is using a QR code that people can scan to opt into your emails. One of the best pieces of advice I was ever given as an author was to start collecting emails. It has proven to be essential in my business and at the time I had no idea what I would do with all those emails.

Depending on the venue of your event, you might need to set up a payment method in advance for people who want to buy a copy of your book. Many authors use Stripe, Venmo, PayPal, and Square. If you’re at a bookstore, they’ll probably process customers using their own checkout system.

To figure out these details in advance, reach out to your contact at the venue so you have plenty of time to prepare. Or you could bring in an off-site bookseller like On The Road Book Events if your event is not at a bookstore.

[5 Ways to Get and Keep Media Attention After Your Book Launch]

DO: Practice your presentation.

Decide beforehand if you’re going to read an excerpt, talk about the origin of the work, teach something or speak about one of the topics you cover in the book. This will vary depending on the genre and your audience. A children’s book event requires something different than an event for a nonfiction book about economics.

When you’re preparing, you can use many of the same strategies you’d use if you were doing a media interview. I like to create talking points for myself—I have some strategies outlined here. Practice out loud with and without notes. I used notes for some of the first book events that I did but they were just bullet points. I didn’t write out full sentences, only topics. This will help if you get stuck.

DON’T: Assume your day-of look will create itself.

People say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. But the truth is that we all do, at least a little. Your “cover” should match your content.

Put some thought into how you want to style yourself. This will be guided by what kind of book you wrote, where your event is taking place, and who your audience is.

If you wrote a career advice book, you’ll want to dress professionally to communicate your expertise. If you wrote a comedy book, you probably don’t need to wear a suit! Consider what kind of styling will support the profile you’re building. For more tips, I have some resources you can check out about dressing professionally and doing your makeup.

DO: Decide beforehand how you’re going to follow-up.

Following up after a book event is essential. You’ve made the connection—so how are you going to maintain and deepen it?

You might post pictures to social media the following day, record a video welcoming new readers to your channels, or send an email out thanking readers for their support and sharing further content and resources. Depending on your publisher, this might be something you’ll work out with the marketing team in advance to align strategies.

If you have a book event coming up, preparing appropriately will allow you to get the most out of this exciting opportunity. A great book event can ignite curiosity and excitement around your book that translates to media opportunities, book sales, and the elevation of your profile as a writer with an important message. 

Learn more from Paula Rizzo at the 2024 Writer’s Digest Annual Conference in Cincinnati!