Cozy Florida

• Book-Babies need a village to grow. Start collecting your community as soon as you have a release date. That community is your newsletter subscribers. It doesn’t matter if that number is -100 or 1000+. It is also your family, friends, workmates, and writer peers. Also, your favorite librarian, barista, and bookstore clerk. Word of mouth is priceless. They will be the people spreading the reader-to-reader word about your book. Let them know you need them to talk about your book. Help them feel comfortable and confident by giving them examples of how to do it. It is ok to ask them to share a link.

• Social media should be fun and authentic. That’s when it works best, IMHO. So, don’t waste your time if you hate it. Yes, Book Tok is cool, and you might find readers for your masterpiece. But if you hate making the videos or can’t keep up with the quickly changing trends, it might not be the best use of your time and energy. You don’t have to do an unboxing video for Instagram. But TBH, I love them. Seeing the excitement on an author’s face as they open a box of ARCs is pretty close to watching kitten and puppy videos. It’s a mood lifter. Find the social platform that matches your personality and focus on doing it well. I’m terrible at promoting my writer profile on Facebook, but I joined forces with a group of other writers, and now it’s kind of fun. 

• Have a launch plan. Don’t wing it. There are plenty of excellent articles, videos, and checklists to guide you. By the six months mark, you need to be organized. What podcasts and blogs are you going to contact? FYI some of them plan their content 6-12 months in advance. You will be writing book two while your launch is happening. You need to budget your time accordingly. Having a plan and a schedule will keep you on track.

• Get comfortable with writing essays and blog posts. Go ahead and make a list of subjects and potential titles. Does the MC of your story have a hobby or passion? Make that into a clever article. What authors and books inspired you? Write an essay about it. Have a few themes ready to pitch. Let the publicist at your publisher (or if you’ve hired one) know you are available and eager to write a few articles. Conserve your energy in regards to blogs. Pick and choose which ones fit your readership.

• Reviews aren’t for you. Reviews help with visibility and discoverability. They are for book buyers and booksellers, not for the author! Your critique group, beta readers, and editor are for you. Leave GoodReads, Amazon, and Library Thing alone. Some authors read their book’s reviews; others do not. It really depends on how thick your skin is. I do read mine. And yes, sometimes they hurt. But the golden rule is: Do Not Reply! Scream at your screen. Just don’t hit send on your rebuttal. Now, if there are spoilers or hate speech, that is a different matter. In that instance, talk to your publisher (first) and peers to enlist their help in reporting it.

• Invest in your setup. The pandemic has been awful, but it has opened opportunities for writers that weren’t there before. Virtual conferences, panels, and book clubs are not going away. The price tag doesn’t have to break the bank. A good ring light can cost as little as $12. Get headphones and a mic. It will help with feedback and noise. It will also make you look prepared and professional. Make your recording space comfortable and purposeful. Your backdrop should be a poster of your book cover or a decorated and organized bookshelf, not your dirty clothes basket.

• Enjoy it! If you managed to write a whole novel, find an agent and a publisher, then get through the rounds of edits, you will handle the last book baby pushes just fine. It might seem huge and imposing, but you’ve got this. Enjoy the congratulations like they are presents at a baby shower. Pamper yourself with a bit of self-care. If you don’t have anyone to buy you a book cake, then buy yourself one. You’ve done the work, now enjoy the party. 

If you are an author, please drop a comment below with your BTDT best advice. If you are a debut author, please comment with the title, date, and pre-order link for your book.

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My debut culinary cozy Mango, Mambo, and Murder has its book birthday on October 12th, 2021.

Follow me across social media platforms as @LatinaSleuths.

“A vibrant, diverse, LGBTQ-inclusive cast and Raquel V. Reyes’s deft balance of sensitive topics and frothy intrigue make this a standout.”

Carole V. Bell for Book Riot