Countless craft books and blogs will tell you that the beginning of your book needs to be some of your strongest writing. You have to introduce your narrator and your world and hook your reader into the story, often in a matter of just a few sentences. In some ways, your book’s launch serves the same purpose. Each new story you share with the world has the potential to reach new readers and entice them to explore your other titles. You want each launch to be as strong as possible, to reach the largest number of readers, and to help sustain your business until the next one. This month, Joe Solari of Author Nation kicks off his newest column by exploring how to do just that.
Perfecting your launch isn’t the be-all and end-all of your book’s success, and there are certainly countless strategies to try, some of which may resonate better with your readers than others. But having a strong start undoubtedly makes a difference.
Of course, the metaphor fizzles out at a certain point. Some of you would probably argue that writing an intriguing first line is much easier than keeping track of everything that goes into a book launch—there’s a reason IAM’s Maria Connor crafted a checklist to help you stay organized. Others may point out that your book’s first line has to do a lot more heavy lifting; if you can’t snag a reader during your book’s launch, they may still fall in love with your writing years after you published it. Michael La Ronn offers some ideas for how to make your backlist shine in this month’s Ten Tips article.
There is one more comparison worth making, however. Whether you’re writing the first words of a new story or tracking those first sales of a new book, that beginning is worth celebrating. It’s the start of the next step in your author journey.
Nicole Schroeder
Editor in Chief
