I held a cover reveal for my first book last week. As is maybe the nature of most things in life, I didn’t know anything about book covers, much less cover reveals until I needed one. But I did need one, and here’s why.
I’ve worked hard at learning the craft of novel writing, and I’ve worked hard to improve it. I spent more precious hours than I’d ever care to calculate researching and pouring myself into this book. Finishing a book is a real accomplishment–just ask anyone who’s got one lying unfinished in their desk drawer. So, once I had finished this product–this “book baby” as they’re so aptly called–it was important to put a face on it that reflected not just the story inside, but its potential value to a reader. I hired professional cover designers that came highly recommended to me, and I took the time to work through the process to get it just right. Want to see the result of all this hard work? Yes? Great; here it is.
(Photo removed due to mobile use issues)
So, I’ve got this great cover that I want to show the world! And I need to show the world, because marketing and publicity are how I’ll gain readers beyond, you know, my mom. What to do? The book doesn’t release until October. That’s where the cover reveal comes into play. Authors host these all the time to incite momentum, to elicit excitement about the upcoming release. Authors can reveal to their fans and friends a cover and release a blurb about the book. If they’re smart, they’ll already have the book up for pre-order. That way, those marketing dollars and all the effort are put to good use. Let’s face it, the ultimate goal is to sell books, so if people are looking at the cover, you might as well show them how they, too, can own the beautiful thing.
But how do I have a cover reveal, a new author might ask. Good question. When a book is released, many authors schedule book tours, or hire a professional promotional company to publicize the upcoming release and entice bloggers to sign up to write about it. I found the company I use–again–through research and recommendations from my colleagues from DSRA. Xpresso Book Tours also does promotional events, like…you guessed it…cover reveals. It was inexpensive, over 40 bloggers signed up to participate in the cover reveal, I got new social media followers, email list additions, Goodreads followers, and even a few pre-orders. Don’t get me wrong; I’m no Sylvia Day. But my first experience with promotional events was a good one and I was pleased. My book tour, which coincides with the book’s release, is set for October 6 with the same company.
If you’re looking to create a little buzz about your upcoming book and don’t have a built-in audience of your own, I highly recommend a cover reveal with the help of a professional. Worked for me.
I’ve worked hard at learning the craft of novel writing, and I’ve worked hard to improve it. I spent more precious hours than I’d ever care to calculate researching and pouring myself into this book. Finishing a book is a real accomplishment–just ask anyone who’s got one lying unfinished in their desk drawer. So, once I had finished this product–this “book baby” as they’re so aptly called–it was important to put a face on it that reflected not just the story inside, but its potential value to a reader. I hired professional cover designers that came highly recommended to me, and I took the time to work through the process to get it just right. Want to see the result of all this hard work? Yes? Great; here it is.
(Photo removed due to mobile use issues)
So, I’ve got this great cover that I want to show the world! And I need to show the world, because marketing and publicity are how I’ll gain readers beyond, you know, my mom. What to do? The book doesn’t release until October. That’s where the cover reveal comes into play. Authors host these all the time to incite momentum, to elicit excitement about the upcoming release. Authors can reveal to their fans and friends a cover and release a blurb about the book. If they’re smart, they’ll already have the book up for pre-order. That way, those marketing dollars and all the effort are put to good use. Let’s face it, the ultimate goal is to sell books, so if people are looking at the cover, you might as well show them how they, too, can own the beautiful thing.
But how do I have a cover reveal, a new author might ask. Good question. When a book is released, many authors schedule book tours, or hire a professional promotional company to publicize the upcoming release and entice bloggers to sign up to write about it. I found the company I use–again–through research and recommendations from my colleagues from DSRA. Xpresso Book Tours also does promotional events, like…you guessed it…cover reveals. It was inexpensive, over 40 bloggers signed up to participate in the cover reveal, I got new social media followers, email list additions, Goodreads followers, and even a few pre-orders. Don’t get me wrong; I’m no Sylvia Day. But my first experience with promotional events was a good one and I was pleased. My book tour, which coincides with the book’s release, is set for October 6 with the same company.
If you’re looking to create a little buzz about your upcoming book and don’t have a built-in audience of your own, I highly recommend a cover reveal with the help of a professional. Worked for me.
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