5 Ideas For a Book Launch Event

If you’re a self-published author, one of the ways to market your book is through a book launch event. 

While we can’t hold in-person events because of the pandemic, the next best way to celebrate it is through a virtual book launch. 

And that’s exactly how I’m planning to launch my debut novel about music, friendship and following your dreams,  The Hush Society Presents, this February 21, 2021. 

As I was mapping out my virtual book launch event, I thought I’d share with you the 5 ideas that I’ll be implementing in my book launch to help fellow writers thinking of hosting their own launch event. 

WATCH A REPLAY OF MY BOOK LAUNCH:

Prepare marketing collaterals in line with your book’s theme 

One of the first things I did when I decided to hold a virtual book launch was to create marketing materials such as an event poster and e-invite. 

I made sure to relate it to my book’s theme, which is music, so my launch poster is a concert poster and the invite is a ticket invite. 

In the same sense, think of the main theme of your book and ask yourself what sort of poster and invite design can you create that’s related to that theme. 

Aside from the poster and invite, I also create a playlist of songs that inspired the fictional artists and bands in my book. 

That same playlist will be on loop during the waiting period of the event and. 

Get your readers excited with a book trailer 

Another way to promote your book and market your book launch event is through a book trailer. 

The way I approached this was like how I’d want the opening sequence or introduction when my book gets turned into a television show or Netflix series. 

I tried my best to also steer away from including close-ups of people in the trailer so that the readers can imagine how the main characters look rather than me telling them what they look like. 

Here’s a 30-second book trailer that I posted on Youtube and I’ll be sharing as well during my book launch. 

Invite performers to spice up your book launch event

Who doesn’t like watching live performances be it a dance group, a musician, or maybe even a stand-up comedy sketch? 

Again, since the main theme of my book is music, I invited one of my close friends who runs the YouTube channel Ted & Kel to play a song from the playlist I mentioned earlier. 

In the same sense, even if your book isn’t about music, but there are certain songs that reflect the vibe of your book or represent your book well, you can invite a musician to play during your book launch.

Hold a fun Q&A segment to give readers a more behind the scenes look into the writing process 

A main segment of the book launch event is the Q&A segment where I’ll be sharing more about my book journey and how I planned to self-publish with Amazon kindle.

I’ve been working on my debut novel for over ten years, so there are a lot of stories to tell. 

If you need a guide, you can use some of these questions during your Q&A segment. 

1. When did you start writing the book?
2. What inspired you to write your book?
3. How did the story begin?
4. Did you participate in any writing challenges to help you write your book? 
5. What steps did you take to write your book?
6. Why did you choose to tell the story in your book? 
7. Is this the first manuscript you’ve written? 
8. Why did you decide to self-publish?

You can even do it rapid-fire style like those famous Vogue interviews with celebrities. 

Need help promoting your book? Check out Your Ultimate Guide to a Powerful Book Launch. 

Play games relevant to your book 

One way to make your book launch is to involve your readers by playing games. 

For example, when I attended an online magazine launch, we played online bingo. 

It was fun to participate in a game even if it was online only. 

I won’t give away what game I have prepared for my book launch event, but I can give you a hint: be sure to listen to the book playlist. 

Those are the 5 ideas for your book launch event. 

And with that, I also want to extend the invitation to you. 

You’re invited to the virtual launch of my debut novel this February 21, at 8 PM PHT at https://youtu.be/smVdFBSA4xw

Be sure to subscribe to my channel and click “set reminder” so that you are notified once I go live. 

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