What to Do to Maximize Your Launch Week and Get Your Book Noticed

My book Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published launched in June 2023, from New World Library (NWL). The book distills my years of experience as a magazine editor, journalist, and writing teacher into 352 tip, trick, and strategy filled pages—Here’s what worked for me, and how you can make it work for yourself.

Publicity Is Key

I have a background in public relations and was working with the director of publicity at New World Library. Some people also hire an outside book publicist, but I didn’t feel I needed to do that, because I already have deep contacts in the industry, including assignments, podcast guest invites, invitations to speak at conferences, associations, and book clubs and do webinars, but I’m always open to doing more.

What my publicist did that is invaluable is they also applied to have Writing That Gets Noticed reviewed by Publishers Weekly (the most highly regarded review in the publishing industry). Publishers Weekly gave my book the coveted 200-word “Buy this Book” review, which encourages libraries and booksellers to buy the book, and it also looks great when a potential reader is perusing Amazon.

Estelle’s Edge: Ask early for your publisher to submit your book to Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Booklist, and Kirkus Reviews. Usually it is best to submit it at least four to six months before publication.

Book Trailer

My publicist also taped a book trailer for me, based on a list of questions that she asked me to fill out beforehand. Here is a link to the trailer in case you want to create your own.

Estelle’s Edge: You can easily get a Vistaprint placard or set a table beside you with your book, or just hold your book and film your own video using your iPhone or on your computer. Have a friend ask you questions, off-line (so you just hear the voice) and then you answer them. You can add music, and/or wording directing them to your website.

Podcast Power

Getting a spot on podcasts is a great way to increase your audience. Although I had many guest podcast spots, such as on Mom & Podcast, Real Women’s Work, Legacy Launch Pad, I also have my own podcast Freelance Writing Direct where I share craft and business tips and interviews with prominent writers, broadcasters, assigning editors, and New York Times bestselling authors. Through luck and planning, I had Cheryl Strayed on during launch week, and taped a short promo for my book. I also got a YouTube channel just in time for launch week.

Estelle’s Edge: Go to podcast directories like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Google Podcasts, and use keywords related to your book’s genre or theme to find podcasts. I don’t only appear on writing podcasts. Because I cover financial topics like contracts in my book, I can be on financial podcasts; such as Wellness for Financial Grownups, and because I cover spiritual transformation, dating, and health, I can be on those kinds of podcasts. You can make a list for yourself, too, based on what you cover in your book. You can also sign up for services such as PodcastGuests.com or MatchMaker.fm . I signed up on HARO.com (Help a Reporter Out) as an expert, and you can do that, too.

Blurb It Up

I posted the 12 blurbs I received from top editors, Emmy and Tony-award winning producers and TV reporters, and bestselling authors I already knew on my website, and the publisher put them on Amazon. I also found an app called Adobe Express and got a free trial week so I could make pretty photos with the blurbs or animate them. I did a big push showcasing my cover blurb: “Full of invaluable tips and tricks that won’t just get you results—they’ll get you published.” — Noah Michelson, editorial director of HuffPost Personal

Estelle’s Edge: You can use Canva (for free) or Adobe Express to create beauty boards (quotes from you), and also for your blurbs.

Beauty Board sample

Event Day

The day of my book launch, I led a pitch slam panel at ASJA’s virtual conference with six top assigning editors, which was a perfect tie-in. I had a placard of my book in the background.

Estelle Erasmus at book launch party

Party Pearls

Many people collaborate with bookstores or literary events and appear or speak there the week their book is published. I choose not to do that. Instead, I hosted a small launch party at a local restaurant. I did not offer books, but I signed ones if people brought them, and for others I brought book plates, and signed them. I had food buffet style, plus pass around appetizers, cookies, and cake (that had the cover of my book on them). I also ordered Tote bags with notebooks and pens, and a welcome poster for my book that people could sign which left me a memento. My publisher had provided me with postcards with QR codes, which I stuck in the tote bags.

I paid for the party myself, but figured I’d never had a Bat Mitzvah, like my daughter did last year, so this was my Book Mitzvah—and I used the same team. I even had the owner of the restaurant create a secret-recipe, Get Noticed Drink. At the party, a journalist friend interviewed me, and asked guests to leave reviews, plus I read from my book (which also includes stories from my life as a magazine editor and when I became a mother in midlife and started writing about parenting).

Estelle’s Edge: Some people skip the parties and the bookstores, and plan virtual events. You can create a FB live or Instagram Live event, with an author reading, Q & A session and giveaway.

Tag You’re It

I made a post asking friends and students to send me a photo of the book with their praise and I have been posting on Instagram and tagging them. I am going to start doing the same with the Amazon reviews for writers I know through social media.

Estelle’s Edge: At first I just asked for Amazon reviews, but now I am asking people to review my book, and then cut and paste their review into Goodreads as well, and to ask their local library to order the book.

Newsletter News and TikTok Talk

I already have a newsletter, but I also created a Substack newsletter called Writing That Gets Noticed and shared an interview I did with a New York Times editor for my event series at NYU, Editor-on-Call,and an open pitch review call. I also offered writing and life advice on TikTok during launch week.

Estelle’s Edge: If you don’t have a newsletter or Substack, create one. Recently, I did one of those FB follow me on TikTok threads, that seems to build your audience.

Email Exercise Finding Freedom

To minimize the stress of book launch week, I created an out-of-office email that said for the next month I will be consumed with my book launch, and unless it’s urgent, I will reply the following month.

Estelle’s Edge: I used the email as a marketing tool, by offering links to the book trailer and where to purchase the book. I felt good knowing that I was promoting my book through its publication week and beyond.

Launching a book is not for the faint-hearted. But if you are proactive, build on your platform, and enlist your friends, colleagues, and students, like me, you can make this stressful time a successful time.