“Unlocking Literary Connections: How Strategic Book Publicity Can Transform Your Relationship with Readers”
So, when my publishing team approached me about writing a series of essays, or “companion pieces,” to help promote the book, I bristled. The last thing I wanted to do was sit down and write 10,000 words about the 80,000 words I’d just written. But my publicist assured me it would be time well spent. Writing smaller pieces and placing them in big media outlets would elevate my debut, make my name more recognizable, offer new readers a preview of my work, create “buzz.”
It’s a painful truth that to promote their existing writing, authors must create even more material: Personal essays. “Day in the life” videos. Listicles. Excerpts. Behind-the-scenes stories. Office tours. This publicity content helps audiences get to know an author and a book before they commit to buying. It’s the first impression, the swipe-right that leads to a long-term, writer- reader relationship.
