Today I’d like to tell you how to write a professional author press release, why they’re important, and how you can use them to promote your book. If you think a press release is meant only for big, breaking news, and very important people, you’re wrong. Besides, who’s to say you’re not an important person and your book isn’t big news? In fact, that is the whole point of a press release—to convince the media and others that you and your book are newsworthy!
First, What a Press Release Should Contain and What it Shouldn’t
A press release doesn’t just alert the press to your book, it also adds to your credibility and informs your audience about you and your book in a succinct way. It also lets readers get a taste of your writing ability and style—your brand. That’s why it needs to be polished, professional, and precise, just like all your Author brand related assets are.
Who, What, When, Where and Why
A press release answers the five W’s. Who are you? What is this press release for? When will this book be available? Where are you, or where is your book event? And finally, Why should the reader care?
Before I tell you about Press Release structure and style, I just want to get a few conventions out of the way.
1- Place your release on your company/imprint letterhead. This helps ensure that your release looks professional and trustworthy.
2- Be sure to include your contact information (both your email and phone number) so you are easy to reach for questions.
3- At the top of the page, include the words “For Immediate Release,” left justified, on its own line.
4- It’s a good idea to end your release with three hashtags, like this ###, which indicates to your reader that they have reached the end of the release.
Outside of those standards, a lot of the writing style and personality is up to you, your book, and the tone you want to convey. But I do have to say, it should have a certain structure, and it shouldn’t be dull!
You’ll always want the following in your press release:
- Headline: This is your hook, the thing that grabs attention. Make it short, as a headline should be, so about 20 words or fewer
- Subheading: Not essential, but if you need one, make it just a sentence
- Location and Date: Here is where you put your city and state and the date of release
- Introduction: This is an overview and a way to grab the reader’s attention
- Bio: Your short media bio goes here. Maybe one or two paragraphs (50-60 words)
- Book Information: A nice summary of your book, as you may see on your back cover
- Your CTA: Tell the reader what they should do now—a link to purchase your book, or to sign up for your event
You can also add an author quote in there if you want. You can put it right after the Introduction and before your Bio. Make sure it’s dynamic and sparks interest.
In general, a press release should stick to certain conventions in order to look professional, but like everything else, it shouldn’t be boring. You want to stand out! Give the recipient a reason and enough information to draw their interest. Let yourself shine! But you also don’t want it to be too long or to contain superfluous information. The reader needs to be able to quickly see those five W’s! This is where that content writing experience I’m always talking about will come in handy.
If your’e still not sure where to start, I’ve included a few page one author press release samples (click to enlarge) to help get those creative juices flowing.
Now, if this sounds like a bit too much for you, that’s okay! In that case, I think it’s totally worth it to hire a copywriter or publicist to compose your press release for you. Because if it’s not going to be great, you don’t want to send it out.
Getting the Most Out of Your Press Release
Once you have a compelling, correctly formatted, and polished press release you’ll want to make sure it ends up in the right places. Some obvious ways to use a press release are to, well, send them to the Press. But here are five more ideas to consider.
1- Outside of sending your press release to your local news outlets (such as weekly and daily papers) you should also consider sending it to bloggers in your area of expertise. Business and Trade journals are also great ideas, if they fit into your niche. It’s also a really good idea to send it to bookstores and podcasters before your book tour or release party.
2- Add it to the Press section of your website. This way, when people are wanting to know more about you and your book in a nice, neat package, they can find it right there on your site.
3- Print out a copy, fold it nicely and insert it in your ARC (Advance Review Copy) before sending it to reviewers. Of course, if you’re sending out a PDF of your book, attach your press release as a PDF as well.
4-Send it out to your friends and colleagues, or even share it via LinkedIn. This can give you a big boost if you have the type of support network that loves to share news of your success.
5- If you plan or hope to speak at an event or do a workshop, send it to the planner or organization. Or, if you’ll be doing some networking, bring a printed copy with you to that conference! This will be handy when someone asks what your book is about, or where and when your event will take place.
Need Help with Your Press Release?
These are some of the things you can do on your own. But if you’re feeling overwhelmed, you can also seek out free press release distribution services. What these sites do is essentially act as a database for those searching your topic for the press release. So they cast a wide net, but they aren’t always super effective.
And of course, if you have the budget you can always consider using a PR firm. The teams I work with frequently are Ollie Media, Jen Coburn, Smith Publicity and PR By the Book. They are wonderful, as I can attest, and they can usually work with you based on your budget and needs, so they are definitely worth checking out!
In conclusion, you need a press release to promote your book, and they are valuable tools in so many ways. So, bookmark this one for when your big day comes along!
Stay healthy, friends!
