Learn The Proven Template For A Book Launch Press Release

After months (possibly years) of writing, your book is finished.

You’ve spared no expense. You used the best writing software to write it.

You found and hired the perfect editor to polish your prose.

You teased your email list and social media followers with the title and asked for their help in picking an enticing sub-title.

Your cover designer teased your followers even more by asking them to vote for the most alluring design.

Now you have a publish date. You know exactly when it will be available to the public for purchase, and you want the world to know. But, how do you do that?

You write a book press release.

Think of a press release as the official announcement about your book that goes out to the media.

A properly written press release will showcase your book in such a way that a journalist will read it and see that he or she doesn’t have to put in extra effort to make it interesting and compelling.

When you make it easy for a journalist, the odds are much higher your release (or an edited version of it) will get published.

What are the benefits of sending out a press release?

  • You gain online visibility as traffic is driven to your author website
  • You build your brand by gaining authority and credibility in your niche
  • You reach new customers as journalists use your press release for story ideas
  • SEO backlinks are created, which can help your site rankings
  • A well-written press release will be published in more than one newspaper or online media site. When multiple media outlets (newspapers, journals and blogs around the country—and even the world) publish your book press release, that’s called mass syndication.

You’ve seen press releases before, and you know they have a certain format and formula to them. However, you don’t want just any formula – you want a winning formula for your book press release.


Want a Book Launch Template? — How to Launch a #1 Best-Selling Book — The 5-Day Plan That Works


But you’ve never written a book press release before, let alone one with a winning formula.

Can you do it? Yes. Yes, you can. Here’s how…

The Winning Formula for a Book Press Release 

Remember, a press release will get more attention if there’s something newsworthy (aside from the fact you are launching your amazing book) to include in the release.

Before writing your release, ask yourself:

  • Is my book topic related to something newsworthy or trending right now?
  • Do I have a unique or compelling story to tell about myself as an author related to my book?
  • Do I have credentials or awards that make me more interesting or credible as the author?
  • Has my book been endorsed by someone famous or well-known?
  • Does my book go against conventional opinion or common beliefs? Is it controversial?
  • Try to focus on what makes your book different within your niche, and why readers would want to pick up this book.

Think like a journalist who is looking for that “something different” that might stand out in the pile of other press releases cluttering his or her inbox.

man-megaphone-press-release

Once you’ve found your “hook” for your book press release, it’s time to write it. Here’s the template you’ll need to follow:

1. “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE” These words should be placed at the top left of your page so publishers know they can use it today. Be sure to place them in all caps!

2. Contact Info. Name, email address, phone number, mailing address. How do you want people to contact you if they have questions about the press release?

3. Action-oriented Headline. You want something that will grab their attention since this will also be the subject line if you are sending the press release in the body of an email.

An example would be “## Reasons Why You Should …” or “The Fastest Way to …” or some other headline that invokes a sense of urgency. This headline is often less than twenty words.

4. Dateline. This is placed on the first line, at the start of the first paragraph. Include the city, state, and the date you are writing the press release.

For example, New York, NY, Jan. 10, 2018 – (Opening paragraph starts here).

5. Opening Paragraph. Much like the headline, the opening paragraph is designed to draw the reader in and keep them reading. It needs to cover the Who, What, When, Why and Where of the book.

Specifically, include how the book will benefit the reader and why they should read it. This section often includes a sentence or two about the author, including any pertinent credentials or awards.

6. Quotes. The second paragraph (and possibly the third) is where the book’s value is expounded upon. Quotes from the book itself, such as weighty statements made by the author, are often included.

If a key influencer in the same industry has read a draft copy of the book and offered praise for it, that would be included here as well.

7. Short Book Blurb. The next paragraph or two will continue to spell out the value of the book and will often tie it into a trending phrase or word that journalists recognize, like “mindfulness” or “self-care” or some other hot topic.

Related: How To Create A Back Cover Blurb That Sells Your Book

Remember to keep all paragraphs short. Using bullet points is also a good way to keep things brief and to-the-point, making it easy for readers to skim for info.

8. Author Bio. Once again, keep this brief and to-the-point. You may notice some press releases have the bio last, but a winning formula will have it second-to-last. Why? So you can wrap it up with a CTA.

9. Closing with a Call to Action. Be sure to let readers know where they can purchase the book, and how to find you (and the book) on social media.

Direct them to your website to get a freebie of some sort (if you have one) and to sign up for your mailing list. And let people know you are available for interviews.

10. Optional Hashtags (###). These three hash marks (centered at the bottom of the page) indicate that the press release is complete. Anything written after this will only be seen by the journalist using your press release to write an article.

Putting it all together is as simple as filling in a template. Use the numbered steps above to create your press release,
but once you’ve pulled it all together, it’s time to start submitting it.

Fortunately, you don’t have to send your release to hundreds of media outlets yourself. You can (and should) hire a press syndication service to handle this for you.

Here are a few services where you can submit your news release:

PRWeb – PRWeb sends your news to search engines, news sites, and more than 250,000 subscribers. There are four packages to choose from for one-time releases, ranging from Basic at $99 (released to search engines and news sites) to Premium at $369 (released to premier news outlets through the Associated Press, allowed to include images, videos, and other attachments).

iREACH – For $129 per release, the SearchReach package will get your message on iREACH and Yahoo. Or, you can take advantage of the WebReach Plus package which offers the unique ability to get your info showcased on the Thomson Reuters sign in Times Square for $399 per release.

PR Buzz – PR Buzz boasts a large RSS network, which gives them the ability to create a huge buzz for each release. You can see their impressive list of partners here. Two packages are offered. Unlimited press releases for one company is priced at $299 per year. Unlimited press release distribution for SEO firms or resellers is priced at $499 per year.

Be sure to check the package you are buying to see if you can include a photo of your book or a headshot of yourself. You may need to invest in a more expensive package to include these items.

Ready to write the best book press release?

Remember to include all the items outlined above, and make sure you edit it before you hit that ‘send’ button.

The less work an editor needs to do, the better your chances of having it published.

The editor will always have the final say on what gets printed in their magazine, journal, newspaper or blog.

Book Press Release Examples

New Book Offers Hands-On Advice for Physicians at Every State of Career 

New York City Interior Designer Releases Children’s Book about Special Spaces

Author Sarah Love Features New Research in Book to Attract and Keep a Partner 

Have a tip or suggestion about writing a book press release? Leave a comment to let us know.

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