August 03, 2015

Preparing for Release Day + August Question of the Month


Preparing for the release of your book can be stressful. I’m going to give you a small checklist to help you prepare the best you can:

1. Create a Goodreads page for your book.

You’ll need to already have an account on Goodreads to do this. Here is the link with the form you have to fill out in order to create a page for your book: 

You’ll need to know the ISBN or ASIN number, release date, and number of pages. It’s always a good idea to include the blurb in the description. But you don’t need the cover to create the page. You can always add the cover later.

2. Create a Goodreads Author profile.

If you’re already signed up with Goodreads you’re halfway there. All you have to do is search for your author name, which is located under the book you just added, click on it, scroll down, and then click “Is this you?” Doing this will send a request. Once your request is accepted, your profile will be upgraded to an author profile.

For more info on this go here: http://www.goodreads.com/author/program

3. Tell everyone you know about your book and let them know they can add it to their TBR list on Goodreads.

4. Create an Amazon author page. If you plan on selling your books on Amazon, and you’d be crazy not to, it would be wise to add an author page for readers to learn more about you. You will need to sign up for Author Central in order to create an author page. Add as much information about yourself as you can such as your bio, picture, and blog.

For more information go here: https://authorcentral.amazon.com/gp/help

5. Either your publisher will add your book to Amazon for you, or you will if you self-publish, either way make sure to include everything about your book as possible such as the blurb, your bio, interesting tidbits about the story in the “From the Author” section, and reviews from credible sources.

6. Plan your blog tour the moment you know the release date for your book. You’ll need to find blogs in your niche to contact. Make a list of the blog’s name, URL, the blogger’s email address, and what type of guest posts they accept. Keep this for later!

Stay tuned for my post next Monday: BLOG TOURS

7. Create buzz!

On your blog, share short excerpts of your book and create posts fashioned toward your book’s themes. For example: My story Witch of Death is of course about witches, so I wrote a post about witches tailored toward writers.

On Facebook and/or Twitter, share interesting tidbits (How you got the idea for your book, 5 facts about your hero/heroine, talk about the setting/time period, etc.) Get creative!

8. Set up an event on Goodreads about a week before your release date.

On your GR Author Page, scroll down and click “Add an Event” in the “Upcoming Events” section just above your recent updates. Fill in all the information. Include the blurb for your book and the buy links. Choose the date for your event, which should be the actual date of your release. Pick a title. For Example “30 Seconds Is Coming!” Then set a reminder for the day before and invite every one of your friends on Goodreads.

9. You can also create an event on Facebook and invite everyone you know. The important thing is to be present that day, share fun tidbits, ask questions, offer giveaways, and have guests.


10. When release day comes, make the announcement EVERYWHERE! Post a status on Facebook, send out a tweet, publish a blog post, email your Yahoo loops, and ask your friends to do the same.

Best of luck!




QUESTION: Authors: How do you prepare for release day?

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To join this monthly blog hop visit Michael G D'Agostino's blog.


August Question of the Month: 

If your parent or child committed a major crime, would you turn them in?


That is a tough question. I’m not sure anyone would truly know what they’d do in a situation like that unless they were in it, and even then you probably wouldn’t know. It would also depend on the “major” crime. If it were murder, I like to think I’d do the right, but if it were something else like grand theft auto or drug trafficking, I think I would try to talk my loved one out of doing it. For the sake of a fun answer though, let’s say that I would help my loved one cover up his/her crime and we’d go into hiding together. ;P


See you on Wednesday for IWSG day. I'm co-hosting! :)


65 comments:

  1. Great plan of action for a book release.

    You make a good point about not really knowing what we'd do in a case such as proposed in the Question. Makes for a good story idea though.

    Lee
    Tossing It Out

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    1. There's no way of knowing because it's so bizarre to think about. ANd it would make a good story! ;)

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  2. So if you vanish, you're in hiding with a loved one?
    Great checklist. I'd add set up a Thunderclap. That's a great way to get the message out to many people on multiple platforms.

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    1. YUP! :P

      I thought of Thunderclap after creating all of my pointers so that's why I added it as a tip at the end. I've never done one but it looks like it was worked well for so many.

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  3. Great tips! Even though I'm nowhere near publishing, I've come up with a few blog tour post ideas. I guess just because those are fun to think about!

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  4. Yep, sure have to go through many of those indeed. haha on the run may not be as fun as it sounds.

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    1. Probably not. But it would make a great story. :P

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  5. That August question is tough. I'd call the police, and I'd call a lawyer. It always bothers me when relatives claim that the suspect would never hurt anyone, despite all the evidence to the contrary.
    I don't have an account on Goodreads, but I've heard a lot of good things about it. Sometimes I check out the site anyway, just to see what other people are saying about books.

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    1. Calling lawyer is probably the best thing to do for a loved one in this situation.

      Goodreads is the best! Readers are more inclined to post reviews there.

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  6. Step #3 trips me up every time. But I do have Amazon and Goodreads author pages, so I guess I'm not completely hopeless.

    Great tips!

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  7. Great tips on the book release. I really need to update my Amazon author page, but man, I hate fiddling around with that kind of thing. It's like eating broccoli. I know it's good for me, but I'd much rather do a million other things.

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  8. it would have to depend on the crime but I'd prob have to! and great checklist! I had no idea my book was on GR, and no clue who put it up but I'm excited! I started playing around with my author page! :)

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    1. Maybe your agent/publisher put it up there. :)

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  9. Nice, useful list. :-)

    I prepare by having a check-list and taking things one goal at a time.

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  10. Hmm, flip that question around - what would your loved ones do if you committed a crime? Would you not tell them, sure they would turn you in? Or would you tell them, knowing they wouldn't? :)

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    1. That's interesting! I know a couple of my loved ones who have my back no matter what.

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  11. I just know I couldn't live with myself knowing what I would. It would just weigh heavily on my mind.

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    1. It would weigh heavily. Who could live with knowing that? Even if you turn in your loved one?

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  12. I love your blog. All the buzz you give about preparing for release days, writing blurb and other tips on writing always infuses within me more excitement for the writing I do. Though I'm not published, and not sure how close I will ever be to that, it still gets me motivated. I started breaking through my Writers Block this weekend and I hope to have the second episode of my YA series complete within in the next week or so. Thanks for all the motivation.

    Question of the month: It truly does depend on the nature of the crime. Anything petty, and of course I'd look the other way. When we start talking about murder, I don't think I could turn the other way. Even for a family member. Which brings me to another point. It also may depend on which family member has commited the crime. It being a significant other would make more of a difference than if it were a second cousin.

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    1. That's excellent to hear! I love motivating writers because I really needed motivation and this information when I was just starting out. Actually, I STILL need motivation and info because I'm not that far.

      Exactly! The crime and who the person is does impact our answers greatly.

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  13. I haven't done much with my two Goodreads author pages, and I don't think I have a real Amazon author page. After my embarrassing sales, it just feels like a waste of time right now. If I tried to host a giveaway or contest on Goodreads, I'd be shocked if more than a few people took part.

    If it were a crime like premeditated murder or rape, I'd certainly turn them in, though for a crime like drugs, I'd probably try to find out just what motivated it instead of rushing to the police.

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    1. Amazon is the best place to sell books, though. Even if sales are low, not many readers now to even look at rankings of books. It's definitely not a waste of time to be on Amazon or Goodreads. I really think you just need to reach out more.

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  14. Great check list for release day. Wish I'd had it for my first release, but sometimes its okay to learn from experience. As for the question of the month, you're right; we can't really be sure what we'd do til faced with the issue.

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  15. There's so much to do that your list is a great help!

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  16. The question this month was a difficult one. I appreciate your tips. I'm working on a blog tour at the moment so I'll be watching your post on it with interest.
    Susan Says

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    1. Awesome! My blog tour post will be up in 2 weeks. Hopefully that's in time for you to plan.

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  17. Good book release info! I hope to use it some day!
    I think maybe you're right that nobody knows for sure what they may do in that situation, especially with someone so close to you. I like to think I'd stand firm because my major crimes I list on my blog are do severe, but.. who knows?

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  18. Wonderful list! It's as important as it is motivational! All we have to do now is - do it! :-)
    Even if I knew and on some level understood the reasons, I couldn't live with myself for not seeking justice since it (murder) is evidently easier to commit after the first time. If the crime was doing drugs I'd certainly seek help for them, but not criminal charges. It's their life - to live or lose.

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    1. YES! DO IT!!! :D

      You're right. Murder is always wrong and once someone can decide to kill one person they can easily do it again.

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  19. Step 1: sign up for Goodreads. Still need to do step 1. I'll get on Goodreads one of these days...

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    1. Goodreads is a lot of fun and a great resource for readers.

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  20. Your question of the month hits too close to home, just saying...

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    1. It's not my question. Michael thought it up. I just answered it.

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  21. More great information!

    Interesting question, very interesting!

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  22. Covering up the crime and going into hiding together sounds like a good book idea. Imagine what can be done with that plot.
    Thanks for all the tips. I'm saving it because I never know quite where to find stuff on Face Book and Good Reads. This will help.

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    1. Doesn't it? I guess that's where my thoughts go. It's hard not to be a writer. ;)

      You're welcome for the tips, Beverly! I hope they help. :)

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  23. Great timing, Chrys. My release day is tomorrow....

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  24. Fantastic tips. A lot of authors are saying it's key to get on Goodreads. I like to plan far in advance and have everything ready, so all I have to worry about is responding to comments and promoting.

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    1. It really is key to have a presence on Goodreads because so many readers are there and you want to be where readers are.

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  25. Marketing is still a big mystery to me. I don't know how I'll feel about it when the time comes :P

    I liked the fun answer to your question. Sorry to make it so hard ;)

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    1. Marketing is tricky. It's all about learning with experience.

      Thanks! I knew many would answer it too seriously, so I thought I'd shake things up a bit. :P

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  26. Good pointers for release day! I think I would turn a loved one in if they created a major crime. Like I said on someone else's blog, I would wonder if this one crime might lead to another and then to another, all escalating in severity.

    betty

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  27. Great checklist Chrys. Plus you can re-release an already published book with the same tips. And as for your question, I wouldn't know what I do. But I did hear/read a story about how a mother brought her son to the police station and made him confess to the crime he committed. I don't remember what happened afterwards though.

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    1. That's a good point!

      She sounds like a good mom.

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  28. I'm still figuring it out, and made notes to make my November release day a little easier. Thanks for the info :-)

    Anna from Elements of Writing

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    1. You're welcome, Anna! It's all about learning as you go. :)

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  29. I had my books on Amazon for a while.
    I missed Question of the month due to being unwell.
    If my kids committed a most serious crime I would report him/her but would stand by them whatever the outcome.....if that makes sense.
    Yvonne.

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    1. Reporting and then standing by them is probably the best things a parent could do.

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  30. Great tips here. I especially like being on Goodreads so I'd probably do a release there (if ebook releases are allowed, of course. I know GR doesn't do ebook giveaways). As for FB, I always feel self-conscious there so I'm probably not going to do much on it.

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    1. Goodreads is a fabulous place to be! I love it!

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