How to launch a book, and what you need to know about the future of storytelling
It is the perfect storm…
I was working on the book marketing portion of my workshop for the upcoming CEX Content Entrepreneur Expo in Cleveland happening in a couple of weeks, and as I pulled together timelines to help my audience strategize their own book launches, I realized…
Holy crap, my book is launching soon!
Okay, so it’s not exactly being released next week, but I am entering the year-long countdown to launching my book Again Only More Like You, and as I coach my audience, that’s when the work of marketing your book should begin—at the very least.
In fact, you should plan for a two-year window when it comes to promoting your book. The year leading up to your book release, and the year following it.
I won’t get into the weeds on that here, but if you want to learn more, register for my CEX workshop and keep an eye on my upcoming newsletters to hear about future workshops on this subject, as this becomes a bigger part of my offering.
In the following weeks and months, I also invite you to read between the lines in this space, and sign up for my author newsletter, to see how I go about launching my book. I’ll be coaching you on launching yours from afar.
Cat xo
1000 True Fans
Something I explore in my CEX Workshop is the 1,000 True Fans Theory from Kevin Kelly (former Wired magazine editor). It’s the idea that you don’t need a whole lot of people to buy or promote your book (or product, service or other offering). You just need 1,000 super fans who love you and will support you whatever you do.
Totally doable, right?
As you develop your book (or any other passion project, for that matter), think about what relationships you can cultivate and platforms you can nurture to grow your 1,000 true fans.
As the old adage goes (with a little twist from me, that is), think not what your fans can do for you, but what can you do for them?
Click here to learn more about Kevin Kelly’s 1,000 True Fans Theory.
The Art of Immersion
One of the biggest takeaways I got from my Power of Story interview series was the power of immersion. As Frank Rose—the author of The Sea We Swim In: How Stories Work in a Data-Driven World, and The Art of Immersion, a landmark work on technology and the evolution of narrative—articulates, audiences are evolving and what they are demanding more and more is to have a role in the stories that others write.
They want to know how the story ends, AND they want to have some say in how it ends—a fascinating, and quite existential really, paradox.
As Frank says, “The internet is making story participatory.”
“Before, immersion was reading a book and missing your stop. There’s a new kind of immersion, which is all about participating. You’re called into the story. You become part of the story.”
So how can you make your story, and book launch, more immersive? Keep an eye on this space, and sign up for my author newsletter, to see how I do it with mine.
Listen to my interview with Frank below.