The University of Arizona Press

August 8, 2024

Your publisher has years of expertise in publicizing your book to targeted audiences, whether they are scholars or general readers. But your publisher values your expertise too! Authors are their own best publicists. You know more about your book, your research, your process, and your readers than anyone else. In our second installment of the “Author Toolbox” series, we offer a behind the scenes look at how the University of Arizona Press tells the world about your book, and the author’s role in publicity.

Author Questionnaire

Preparing for publication begins long before your book even goes to the printer. The University of Arizona Press, and most other publishers, provide an Author Questionnaire for you to fill out to help provide feedback to the Press’s marketing department. At our Press, this is part of our final manuscript submission process.  We ask authors to help us identify key review outlets books for review and press releases. It is very important that authors answer these questions. If you know an editor at a specific journal or publication, let us know so we may contact that person directly. In addition, provide information so that we may notify your institution as well as your alma mater so the book can be publicized through the alumni magazine or online channels.

Author Self-Promotion

Some authors enjoy talking about themselves, their research, and writing; others do not. Maybe you fall somewhere in the middle. Fear not! There are easy ways to market your book through venues you use every day. First, include your book in your email signature, “Author of [book title here], forthcoming [publication date] from the University of Arizona Press.” As soon as your book is listed in our catalog and on our website, you can link to the book’s webpage from your email signature line. Second, update your bio online—on your personal website, on your institution’s website—to include the title of your book and publication date. Third, if you write articles for newspapers or magazines, make sure the title of your book is in your author bio and link if possible. For example, author Tom Zoellner wrote an opinion piece for the New York Times, and linked his book Rim to River in his bio at the end (see screenshot below).

Book Launch

Your colleagues, friends, and family want to celebrate with you, so plan a book launch! There are many places to hold a book launch party: your academic department, your local bookstore, your backyard, your favorite cafe or brewpub. Send invitations far and wide. If your event is open to the public, create a flyer to post around campus and around town. Post your book launch in online campus and community calendars. Choose a place that fits the tone of your book and your personality. Refreshments create a festive atmosphere, and maybe you want to add music—create your own playlist, hire musicians or a DJ. Photos below are from Alma García’s All That Rises book launch for her debut novel at Secret Garden Books in Seattle.

At the event, schedule a time to read from your book and tell people why the topic of your book is important, or what first inspired you to write it. Make sure there are books available for sale and a place for you to sign books. You may order books using your author discount, and sell directly to people at your launch. Ask your academic department for support in organizing, or ask your friends and family to help out. People want to share in your success, so bring them along for the ride.

Keep the Momentum Going

Before your book is published, ask your colleagues at other universities if they would like to host you as a campus speaker. Perhaps they can fund your travel to their university, or perhaps it is a place that is a simple train ride or car drive from where you live. The more places you speak about your book, the more it is advertised on flyers, email lists, and local newspapers. Keep your book title on the digital and traditional media airwaves by organizing events in the months after your book is published.

Social Media

Book publicity starts long before your book’s publication date. As you prepare your manuscript and as you move through the copy-editing process, you can share the process on social media. Use the social media platform where you already have a presence and where you already connect with family, friends, and colleagues. There is no need to start another social media account. Give people updates on your writing and make them feel part of your progress: “Happily writing draft of chapter 4 of my book,” “Great news! Just finished writing the conclusion of my book,” “This week, I’m excited to work with the copyeditor to fine-tune my book,” or “Summer is here and I have time to finish my book edits.” Include the title of your book, and the specific names of chapters. Be sure to include images: a view of your workspace, a view out your window, a picture of your feline or canine assistant, photos of places or people from when you researched your book, or images from your book. As soon as your cover is finalized, you can post a “cover reveal.” Check out the cover reveal example below from Diego Báez on his Instagram for his book, Yaguareté White. This format is simple and works for any other social media with image and text.

When you receive your advance copies of the book, create an “unboxing” social media post or post a picture of yourself proudly holding your book in your hands. If you want to make a video, check out tools like Canva or Adobe Express that are user friendly and have free versions. Be creative and have fun! If you remind people once a month or so that you’re writing a book, it increases the likelihood that they will purchase your book on publication day.

Links to Current Events and Special Months

The University of Arizona Press will promote your book during the special months to which it relates. For example, we will promote our new Chicano/a/x books during National Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15-October 15, 2024. We promote books during Women’s History Month, Black History Month, and other months too. Perhaps your book deals with issues along the U.S.-Mexico Border, and border issues are often in the news. You can pitch an opinion piece to your local or even a national newspaper like the New York Times or Washington Post. For example, Mehnaaz Momen, author of Listening to Laredo, wrote an opinion piece for the L.A. Times (see screenshot below). Be sure to include the title of your book in your bio.

The University of Arizona Press Website and Social Media

As you schedule events, be sure to let us know. For every event that is open to the public, we will create an event post, and share it via our social media channels. Let us know your social media handles so we can tag you in our posts. We also share some events in our monthly newsletter that reaches about 4,000 people.

We are teammates in the marathon of promoting your book. Just as you provide the names of journals or mainstream media where your book should be reviewed to the publicity team at the University of Arizona Press, we will support your promotion efforts to celebrate your book on publication day and in the months following publication.