Seven Things about Book Promotion I Wish I’d Known (and Acted on) Sooner!
As a 12 x 12 member for many years, I’ve relied on the group’s resources as I wrote, revised, and re-revised manuscripts. In 2021, I was thrilled to have my picture book A BOOK FOR BEAR accepted for publication! I started thinking about book promotion. As a debut author with a full-time job, I worked on finding time. As an introvert, I worked on developing my confidence. I thought I was starting early, but should have started even earlier! Here are things I’ve learned about book promotion.
1. You are the best promoter of your book!
You know what inspired you to write, the passion that motivated you through many rewrites and revisions. The themes of A BOOK FOR BEAR reflect my passions — love of reading and how reading fosters friendships.
You also know the details of your path to publication and the contributions of others — critique group friends, publishing professionals, and others who offered suggestions and encouragement. Promoting your book offers a chance to acknowledge and thank these people!
2. Take the initiative to contact teachers, librarians, booksellers, and other book lovers.
As a book lover, I frequent bookstores and libraries, and I love the people I meet. Promoting a book allows you to forge more connections with book-loving teachers, librarians, booksellers, parents, and kids — what better company can there be than book people! I’m very appreciative of the book people who have offered advice. A bookseller at a local bookstore invited me to accompany her to school visits presented by an experienced author. A librarian featured A BOOK FOR BEAR at one of her story times and invited me to participate and answer questions. A bookseller recommended me to a librarian friend who was sponsoring an Author Day story time and book signing. Networking has been valuable in promoting my book.
3. Develop promotional materials early. As you work on a manuscript, be optimistic and start a list of promotional ideas.
If you don’t have a website, create one. If you have a website, revise and update it. Develop slides, sell sheets, presentations, and props.
Think of themes and phrases that capture the essence of your book, and use these phrases on your website, bookmarks, sell sheets, and author visit announcements. Remember to include a QR code with a link to your website on your business cards and bookmarks.
Develop activity sheets for use by teachers and parents. I created activity sheets for a range of ages, and they’re downloadable from my website.
Think about ways to engage your audience at author visits. Ask audience members to volunteer to assist in dramatizing your book. Think about possible props and about dressing up. An author friend sent me a surprise gift — a felted Book Bear and Book Ellen that now accompany me on all author visits. My daughter made me a Book Ellen “look-alike” outfit, and my husband capped it off with the finishing touch — a blue wig!
Just as critique group comments assisted in revising manuscripts, sharing drafts of promotional materials with critique and book promotion groups assists in revising these materials. Revision is the secret sauce for all types of writing.
4. Grow your social media presence and don’t forget the power of word of mouth.
Post about books—and about all the other things you love—family and friends, pets and hobbies. As my book title indicates, I love books and bears. I also love birds, bees, butterflies and many other animals and activities that don’t start with B. Your posts help to humanize you to old and new friends. In your social media posts, you’re promoting your passions as well as your books and other authors’ books.
Tell everyone about your book—not just family and friends, but also coworkers, neighbors, and people you meet casually. Following the advice of another author, I keep bookmarks in my handbag (or pocket) to give to people I meet at parties, doctor’s offices, libraries, out walking their dogs, doing home repairs.
5. Forge connections with other authors.
As a member of 12 x 12, you’re already connecting with lots of other authors and illustrators.
Join a book promotion group. I found my book promotion group through 12 x 12. These groups provide opportunities to share ideas and to review and support each other’s books. Book promotion groups create social media accounts and help spread the word about all member books. Another author gave me advice about how to improve my Instagram presence, and now it’s my favorite social media.
Team with other authors to do bookstore and library visits and to attend book festivals.
6. Create lists and use them to plan and record your book promotion activities.
Lists motivate you to follow through on contacts with people and provide a record of contacts and responses. Lists are also a great way to share information with other authors and to organize group events.
I created and am still expanding lists of promotional ideas; bookstores, libraries, and schools to contact; book awards to apply for; writing events; and special days and months related to books. Posts related to National Poetry Month, Picture Book Month, Author Day, Poem in Your Pocket Day, and others can celebrate your books and other authors’ books.
7. Thank the people who’ve assisted you! Celebrate every achievement! Have fun meeting other book lovers!
I’m deeply appreciative of the kindness and contributions of many people, including 12 x 12, Storystorm, and SCBWI friends, on my path to publication and on my book promotion efforts.
When a work colleague sends you a photo of a child reading your book, when a friend you haven’t seen for years shows up unexpectedly at a book signing, when an online friend posts a glowing review of your book, thank them and celebrate!
The most satisfying part of promoting A BOOK FOR BEAR is the friends I’ve made.
ELLEN RAMSEY’s love of reading and writing led her to careers as a teacher, technical writer and editor, and author of stories for children. A BOOK FOR BEAR received a Moonbeam Gold Medal for the Best First Picture Book and has been nominated for a Keystone State Literacy Association “Keystone to Reading Elementary Book Award.” One of her poems, published in Highlights High Five, won an SCBWI Magazine Merit Award for Poetry. She and her husband live in a bear-friendly house in Pennsylvania that is filled with thousands of books, many teddy bears, and lots of laughter.
You can follow her on Instagram @ellenlramseybooks, on Facebook @ellen.l.ramsey.5, and on X/Twitter @ellenlramsey1.
Ellen is offering one lucky winner a signed copy of A BOOK FOR BEAR or a picture book critique. Share your comments below for a chance to win. Which tips inspired you? What are other book promotion ideas?
12 x 12 may earn a commission from books purchased through the links in the post. Proceeds go to fund 12 x 12 diversity programming and scholarships.
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53 Responses
Thank you for sharing! I appreciate your tips and the way you make book promotion sound fun. I think a lot of people dread promoting their books, so it’s nice to read an upbeat article with concrete ideas for it.
Thanks, Jennifer. So glad you enjoyed the article. Book promotion is an exciting and challenging opportunity. Just like being a 12×12 member, it’s a way to meet lots of interesting people who are also book lovers.
Such a good idea to think of promotional ideas early! It feels hard to do that when you don’t know if this particular project will ever be published
Thanks, Jennifer. Glad you liked the ideas. Glad I started early with a few of the general ideas like building up social media presence, attending writing conferences, and meeting librarians, teachers, and publishing professionals as well as other authors and illustrators. Good luck with your writing!
This was all very helpful information. Thanks for sharing it. I also reserved your book A Book For Bear from my local library!
Thanks, Jodelle, I’m delighted that you found the information helpful. Thanks for reserving the book at your library–hope you enjoy it.
Hi, Ellen! I believe we met in an SCWBI virtual event and I think you are the person who got me interested in 12×12. Thank you for sharing your promotion efforts, and the idea of starting early.
Thanks, Sherry. Good to hear from you. Hope we meet again at another writing event.
Thanks for sharing all of your great tips, Ellen. You have some great ideas that I haven’t seen before!
Hi Susan, Thanks for letting me know you found some new ideas in the post. Hope you’ll enjoy the book.
Thanks, Ellen, for sharing all your wonderful book promotion ideas! Loved all seven of your suggestions!
Thanks, Alice. Glad you liked all seven!
Wonderful advice, Ellen. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Heather. I loved participating in the SCBWI EPA Debut Author Panel with you.
Love the lookalike outfit! Thanks for sharing your ideas. 🙂
Thanks, Robin. So glad you like the lookalike outfit–I’ve had fun wearing it!
Hi Robin,
Thanks! Glad you like the lookalike outfit. I love wearing it!
Thanks for the advice. Networking is always a good idea. Best of luck with your book. I love bears.
Thanks, Chelle. As you can tell, I love bears too and we have a houseful of well-loved teddy bears.
Thanks, Chelle. As you can tell, I love bears and bear books. We have a house full of well-loved teddy bears.
Thank you so much for this wonderful list. I think it is one of the best short and concise lists of promotional ideas I’ve ever come across. I’ve already shared it with friends.
Thanks, Sharon. So glad to hear you liked the suggestions and have shared with others.
Great ideas, Ellen! I hope I will get to use them some day. And I love how you dressed up as your character. Such fun!
Thanks, Rose. Great to hear from you. You and KSLA have also helped me with book promotion ideas!
Ellen, I found your post so helpful. I am pre-published and really had little knowledge as to what is expected as far as PB promotion goes. Now I have a foundation of tips and ideas to expand upon thanks to you. Congratulations on your debut picture book.
Hi Susan,
Thanks. Glad you found the tips helpful. I had a lot to learn about book promotion. Happy Writing!
I dread the idea of being a salesman of my own
book–it feels pushy. So I really like your idea of carrying around bookmarks with your book information on them! I could do that–you’re giving someone something and there’s no pressure. Thank you!
Hi Linda, Glad you liked the bookmark idea. I’ve had to learn how to promote the book in ways I’m comfortable doing. I love having bookmarks with basic info about the book–cover, selected interior illustrations (once you have them), and a QR code linking to your website, which includes links about many ways to purchase the book. A small local library has put A BOOK FOR BEAR bookmarks at their checkout desk so that helps to spread the word about the book.
Wow. What a lot of notes I took from this featured author post! I always worry that I’m being pushy or overstepping when I talk about my books. Now I have a list of seven things to think about instead of my fears. I love the photo of you in blue hair. I bet the kids love that.
Hi Bibi, Glad you found the promotion tips helpful. It’s taken me a while to find ways that I’m comfortable with in promoting my book. I love dressing up so it’s fun to look like Book Ellen.
Congratulations! Thank you for sharing and giving so many tips! I’m curious if you explored creating an author email list?
Hi Alli, Yes, I explored different types of lists and have created several lists–bookstores, libraries, schools, and book fairs/festivals. I’ve used the bookstore list most to offer to do Story Times/Book Signings, often with other picture book authors. I also have an email list based on people who contacted me through my website, and I’ve added appropriate emails to the other lists I’ve been maintaining.
Such practical suggestions for book promotions. Very doable. I would love for someone to send me a copy of my book in the hands of a child once I get one published.
Thanks, Lori. Glad you found the suggestions “doable.” You’re right–seeing photos of children reading A Book for Bear was an exciting part of book promotion. Several of my friends and work colleagues were kind enough to email me or post online photos of their kids or grandkids reading the book. One friend sent me a photo of her reading A Book for Bear in a class she was taking on writing picture books, so that was fun to see and much appreciated!
Thank you for sharing these tips and ideas. I took notes.
Thanks, Stacy. Hope your notes will be helpful in your future book promotions!
Thank you for so many good tips about promoting our books and for the advice of starting early. Congratulations on publishing A BOOK FOR BEAR and for all the promotion you’ve done. You set a great example for those of us who are introverts.
Thanks, Teddie. Glad that the post was helpful. Book promotion is definitely a “challenging opportunity,” especially for us introverts.
Thanks for sharing your tips, Ellen. I especially love the idea of asking audience members to assist in dramatizing your book during book readings. Fun!
Thanks, Amy. I’ve also asked audience members to repeat the “refrain” that occurs several times in the story, i.e., when a teacher, librarian, and bookseller are startled to see a bear–“A bear! A bear! A bear in our school! [library . . . bookstore].” Another activity that I’ve used with older kids is to have them volunteer to represent the people involved in the process of bookmaking and reaching readers–author, illustrator, editor, printer, bookstore clerk, and of course–reader. I have six colored bags with numbers on one side and names of people on the other side. Each bag contains something that represents what each person does. The last bag contains a copy of A Book for Bear.
Wow, there’s so much great advice here, thank you! This comes at a perfect time for me as my debut, Kenzie’s Little Tree, launches in a matter of days! I love the idea of having bookmarks in my purse to hand out to people if the occasion arises. Thank you!
Thanks, Amy. I’ve also asked audience members to repeat the “refrain” that occurs several times in the story, i.e., when a teacher, librarian, and bookseller are startled to see a bear–“A bear! A bear! A bear in our school! [library . . . bookstore].” Another activity that I’ve used with older kids is to have them volunteer to represent the people involved in the process of bookmaking and reaching readers–author, illustrator, editor, printer, bookstore clerk, and of course–reader. I have six colored bags with numbers on one side and names of people on the other side. Each bag contains something that represents what each person does. The last bag contains a copy of A Book for Bear.
Terrific advice, thanks so much! I enjoyed hearing your story. Congrats.
What a helpful post, Ellen. Thank you for putting so much thought into this! As a shy, introvert the idea of “promoting” is so daunting I mostly haven’t even let myself think about it simply for fear that it will freeze up the flow of new ideas. Public speaking, eeek! Promotional materials, akk! But, this break down the various aspects in a bitesize format that I can return to a step at a time. I appreciate your openness with how much of a team effort it is too! Tip #7 is one that I know would go a long way. And #6 is probably the most “natural” fit to my personality, as I do love a list.
Your photos and tips make me excited to read A Book for Bear!
Thanks, Angela. Glad you found the post helpful. The team effort approach helps a lot. Hope you enjoy A Book for Bear–let me know what you think!
Great post! With my debut picture book coming out this fall (A CHRISTMAS WISH FOR LITTLE DALA HORSE: A ST. LUCIA CELEBRATION), I read every word. Some of those ideas are already in a marketing plan draft, but I’m going to make sure I take note of all of her great ideas. So thoughtfully written! Thank you, Ellen!
Thanks so much for these! I especially like the Point #7 – being grateful.:)
Great ideas! Thanks so much for sharing.
Hi Ellen – thanks for all these great promotion ideas! Your book is adorable and I look forward to reading!
Thank you for sharing these tips. I look forward to putting them to good use in the future.
These are all great ideas for book promotion! Thanks for reminding me of many of them, especially the one about making lists of promotional things to do. I also would add contacting book bloggers to review your book. I was hesitant in doing this, but found that the bloggers were all very supportive and most of them agreed to book a date for my debut picture book WHO’S WALKING DAWG?.
Thanks for the book promotion tips, Ellen! And YAY for A Book for Bear! 🙂
Thank you for reminding us that being an author is so much more than just writing down words. Your tips encourage me to go beyond what I have already done in these areas. Being more of an introvert, I have always wondered what to include on a webpage. This area has been a challenge for me and your suggestions have offered many new ideas.