6 surefire ways to promote your novel
by Sandra Beckwith

The biggest mistake most novelists make when promoting their books is believing that it's all about book reviews. Wrong. Book reviews are valuable and securing them should be on any author or publisher's book promotion to-do list, but your novel deserves more widespread, long-term, and ongoing exposure than it can get through reviews alone. It deserves to be talked about month after month -- as long as the book is available for purchase. Read more ...

5 tips for writing a book announcement news release that will get used by the press
by Sandra Beckwith

A book announcement press release helps us tell the world our new book is available for purchase. It's often sent to the media with a copy and included in the book's press kit. It's not the only media relations tool you'll want to use to generate book buzz, but it's an essential resource when your goal is to tell the media and online outlets read, watched, or listened to by your book's target audience that there's a new book they'll want to know about.

An effective a book announcement press release is written in a journalistic format that mimics how a magazine or newspaper would report on your new book. It uses the traditional news release format that journalists are accustomed to receiving.

Because this is such an important tool -- and because there is a trend among inexperienced publicists to turn the announcement into an advertisement that journalists will reject, not embrace -- it's important to understand how to write a release that will get read and used.

Here are tips designed to help you avoid common and costly errors with your important announcement release.

1. Use the traditional news release format. This includes your contact information, a headline, and your announcement written in a journalistic style. Study the press releases at www.prweb.com and www.prnewswire.com for examples. Don't use graphics, multiple columns, or different fonts, sizes, and colors.

2. Remember that you are not the news. Your book is the news. Unless your name is recognizable, don't put it in the headline. "New book details secret World War II plot" is more compelling than, "John Brown's first book is about World War II." Read more ...