For Creative Book Promo Ideas, Ask a Librarian
Looking for creative book promotion ideas? Ask a librarian!
By Julie Tollefson
With more than 20 years of library experience, currently as director of the Tonganoxie (Kansas) Public Library, Max Wirestone knows a thing or two about what makes a successful library book event. But he’s familiar with the challenges and pressures of promotion from the author side of the equation, too. His novel, The Questionable Behavior of Dahlia Moss, won the 2019 Shamus Award for best PI paperback original.
Here, Max offers five tips for working with your local library to put together an event that serves the needs of the community while promoting your book.
1) Make friends with your librarian — Get to know your local librarian even before you have a book to promote. An existing relationship makes the idea of approaching the library less daunting later when you have a deal in hand.
But if you’re not already besties with your librarian, think of pitching a program as similar to querying agents: Tell the librarian who you are and why they should want you, your program, and your book in their library.
To grab the library’s attention, Max advocates leading with your accolades. Let the library know that you’re local, or if you’re not, why your book will appeal to their patrons. If you’ve been nominated for an award, say that. Tell them you’re a member of MWA and other professional organizations, and include samples from your book.
Being a familiar face at the library is even more important for indie and self-published authors.
“The game is not fair if you are not traditionally published,” Max says. “There are some excellent indie published or self-published writers, but if you’re self-published, starting the conversation with a librarian can be a little harder. If you have a relationship with the library already, that’s golden.”
Keep in mind limited budgets and community needs often tip the scale when it comes to books libraries can acquire or programs they can offer.
“I’m having to make choices based on community and based on circulation,” Max says. And that means some really good books just aren’t a great fit.
2) Be creative — As writers, we’re immersed in the process and the work that goes in to querying agents, submitting to publishers, writing, editing, revising. And a portion of the library audience will likely be interested in those aspects of your publishing journey, too. But to draw a wider audience, think bigger.
“Don’t make it just about your book or about writing,” Max says. “What can you give to the library’s patrons that will make it worth their time to come see you?”
If your book features a master quilter who solves mysteries, use your quilting knowledge in your presentation. Your sleuth is a gardener? Bring seeds and soil and have participants plant zinnias or zucchini while you talk.
Think about your book’s unique features and use that to appeal to a broad audience.
3) Consider the unique characteristics of the library’s patrons — When you sit down to brainstorm ideas or hash out details for a program, know your target audience and let library staff guide you.
“If you can tell me who you’re trying to attract, I’ll have different answers. If your dream reader is a retiree, my answer might be different than if you’re attracting teens,” Max says. “We like to talk about books. It might not lead to a program, but we can give a sense of what works and what wouldn’t.”
Though ideally you’d like program participants to purchase copies of your books, consider, too, whether your publications are available to library patrons to borrow. For example, many short story outlets (think Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine or Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine) aren’t easy to find in libraries, and Max doesn’t have access to an ebook equivalent for patrons.
“I can’t even point to them. It’s a weird black hole,” he says.
4) Timing is everything — For libraries, the heat of summer doesn’t just refer to the temperature outside. Programming kicks into high gear, with reading programs for kids and adults, activities, and a slew of summertime patrons.
“If you’re trying to pitch me, summer’s the worst time. We’re already maxed out,” Max says.
January and February, though, are ideal. The library calendar often has openings during the coldest months, and librarians are planning for the year ahead.
5) Get the word out — Lay the groundwork for a successful program by promoting your program just as hard as, if not harder than, the library does.
“I can tell people about it,” Max says, “but a lot of the library promotion is going to hit the same audience that we always get. If you have any connections or buy in, use that.”
And as with any event, be prepared in case your audience is a no show. It happens.
“Depending on the night and the weather and a thousand other things, sometimes it will go great and sometimes not,” Max says. “You have to make peace with rejection. Sometimes rejection is in person.”
*
For more inspiration, check out the adult summer reading program Max, his staff, and their counterparts at eight small-town libraries created centered on the MWA anthology When a Stranger Comes to Town. The One Book Many Neighbors program appealed to a wide range of readers using a mix of in-person and Zoom events, a murder mystery game complete with case file, clues, and prizes, and a party for all participants at the end of summer. Max interviewed several authors whose stories were included in the anthology, including MWA Midwest members Michael Koryta, the anthology’s editor, and Bryon Quertermous. You can listen to the interviews on the One Book Many Neighbors website.