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Most authors treat finishing the book as the finish line. It is not. The book is a tool, and tools do not work if nobody knows they exist. Whether your book is a memoir, a business guide, or a thought leadership piece, the work you put into publicity determines whether it sits in a warehouse or opens doors.
I tell every ghostwriting client the same thing: start posting the day we start the project. Do not wait until the book is finished. See what really sells books. Do not wait until you have a cover. Do not wait until you feel ready. The moment we begin working together, your audience should know a book is coming.
Start Before the Book Is Done
The biggest mistake authors make is treating publicity as something that happens after the book is published. By that point, you have already lost months of momentum. For more, see book marketing.
When a client signs a ghostwriting contract with me, one of our early conversations covers what they should be doing while I write. Post about the process. Share that you are writing a book. For more, see haro for authors. Talk about the subject matter. Build anticipation with your existing network. You do not need a marketing degree to do this. You need a phone and the willingness to tell people what you are working on.
This serves two purposes. First, it creates an audience that is primed to buy the book the day it launches. Second, it forces you to start thinking about who this book is for and where those people spend their time. Both of those answers shape how you promote the book later.
The Launch Is Not a Single Day
Too many authors think the launch is the day the book appears on Amazon. A launch is a campaign, not a date.
I advise clients to schedule both in-person and virtual launch parties. The in-person event gives you photos, video content, and social proof. The virtual event extends your reach to people who cannot attend in person. Both generate content you can repurpose for weeks afterward.
Beyond launch events, the book needs sustained visibility. Post about it consistently. Share excerpts. Talk about the stories behind specific chapters. Respond to readers who engage with it. The authors who treat their book as a six-month conversation rather than a single announcement are the ones who see results.
The Publicity Landscape Has Changed
Traditional book publicity, securing interviews on television shows or reviews in major publications, is not what it used to be. Digital platforms have taken over. Podcasts, YouTube interviews, Instagram, and platforms like BookTok now drive more book discovery than traditional media for most authors.
As Jane Friedman has noted, authors should not expect to see each publicity dollar come back in the form of book sales. That is especially true with traditional publicity channels, where a single television appearance might cost thousands to arrange through a publicist and move a handful of copies.
The authors who gain traction are the ones who engage directly with readers on platforms where readers already spend time. Goodreads, Substack, LinkedIn for business books, and niche Facebook groups for specific genres all offer direct access to potential readers without a publicist as middleman.
Paid Advertising Is Almost Always a Waste
Unless you have a significant budget you are prepared to lose, do not run paid ads for your book. The math does not work for most authors. A book sells for $15 to $25. The cost to acquire a single customer through paid advertising on Facebook or Amazon often exceeds the revenue from that sale. You end up spending money to lose money.
The exceptions are authors with large existing platforms, proven ad copy, and enough budget to test and optimize campaigns over months. If that describes you, paid ads can amplify what is already working. If it does not describe you, spend that money on launch events, direct outreach, and building your email list instead.
Do You Need a Publicist?
A good book publicist starts at around $10,000 per month. That is not a typo. Quality publicists have established relationships with media outlets, podcast producers, and reviewers, and those relationships take years to build. You are paying for access you cannot get on your own.
For authors whose books are central to their business strategy, executives using a book to land speaking engagements or establish thought leadership, a publicist can be worth the investment. The book itself might cost $50,000 to ghostwrite. Spending another $30,000 to $60,000 on a three-to-six-month publicity campaign is proportional to the stakes involved.
For authors working with smaller budgets, the money is better spent on direct engagement. Build your email list. Get on podcasts yourself by pitching producers directly. Host events. The work is less glamorous than having a publicist handle everything, but it is effective and sustainable.
What a Ghostwriter Does and Does Not Do
Ghostwriters are almost never involved in book publicity. That is not their job. A ghostwriter writes the book. Some, like me, also offer publishing services to get the book formatted, distributed, and listed on major platforms. But the publicity is the author’s responsibility.
What I do offer is advice. During our interviews, I make sure clients understand what is coming after the manuscript is finished. I walk them through what works, what does not, and what they should be doing right now to set themselves up for a successful launch. This is not a formal publicity service. It is part of making sure the investment in the book pays off.
The book is the foundation. Publicity is what builds on it. A great book with no publicity is a missed opportunity. A mediocre book with great publicity is a short-term win that collapses under scrutiny. The goal is a book worth promoting, promoted by an author who is willing to do the work.
Schedule a free consultation to discuss your book project and what comes after the manuscript is finished.
11 Responses
There are a lot of great tips here that I will have to keep in mind if I ever decide to publish a book. Thanks for putting this all down and sharing it!
Thanks for this guide to book publishing. Yes- most of us feel that writing is the only task!
Oohh yes, I love that you started this advise guide with the most important tip of them all; starting early. With publicity comes numerous processes that require money and time, for the best results. The sooner you start, the more chances your book will be known.
I think we focus too much on the book writing! Thank you for all the advice on publishing. There’s so much to learn, and for me it’s over whelming.
Publicity is so crucial for the success of your book but its always so overwhelming trying to decide where and how to start.
There’s a lot to think about when preparing to publicise a book. It helps to have the funds to do this.
When publishing a book, you got to prepare a lot of things and even need help from other professionals. Those are some great points and tips to keep in mind.
Your guide on how to publicize a book is incredibly comprehensive and practical! I love how you provide actionable steps for authors to effectively promote their work—thanks for sharing these valuable tips!
Excellent information for writers. I’ll keep this in mind should I ever be brave enough to publish a book.
Everyone trying to publish a book needs to read this. You HAVE to have professional help. I have a friend who tried to self-publish without any kind of guidance, and I think he sold 3 copies on Amazon.
Book publicity is so intricate! I never realized just how many aspects there were to it. This was an incredibly interesting read.