Many authors of nonfiction books and children’s books get so wrapped up in the writing and publishing process that only after they launch their book do they begin to think about the need for marketing their book.

When you wait until after the launch to begin the book marketing process, you lose vital time to grow your audience and build your authority and credibility as a subject matter expert. That’s why it’s a good idea to start marketing your book as early as possible, ideally before it’s even published. Building buzz and anticipation around your book can help to generate interest and excitement among potential readers, which can translate into stronger sales and better reviews once the book is available.

Marketing your book is an important part of the publishing process. If you were planning a party, you wouldn’t book the caterer, the venue, and the DJ but never send out invitations to guests, publishing a book without marketing it leaves you with lots of books and no one who knows to buy them.

There are many reasons why authors may not think about marketing until after their book is finished. They may not be aware of the importance of marketing in the publishing process. They may believe that simply writing a good book is enough to guarantee its success. And since writing a book is a time-consuming and challenging process, many authors may be focused solely on completing the manuscript. They may not have the mental bandwidth to also think about marketing and promotion.

Regardless of the reason, it’s important for authors to consider marketing early on in the process to ensure their book has the best chance of success. By developing a marketing strategy in advance, authors can create buzz around their book and build a strong reader base before the book is even released.

Book Marketing involves promoting and advertising the book through various channels to generate interest and sales. This can include creating a book cover design that will catch readers’ attention, writing compelling book descriptions and back cover copy, using social media and email newsletters to reach potential readers, and collaborating with book reviewers and influencers to help spread the word about the book. In today’s competitive publishing market, effective marketing is essential for a book’s success.

The book publishing process can vary depending on the type of publication and the publishing company, but generally, the steps involved are: 

1. Manuscript submission: The author submits their completed manuscript to the publisher, either directly or through an agent.
2. Editorial process: The publisher assigns an editor to work with the author to edit the manuscript for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and overall content.
3. Copy editing: Once the manuscript has been edited, a copy editor checks the manuscript for errors and consistency.
4. Design and formatting: The publisher works with the author to design and format the book, including cover design, page layout, and typesetting.
5. Printing or digital conversion: The book is either printed or converted to a digital format, depending on the publisher’s preference and the type of publication.
6. Distribution: The publisher distributes the book to retailers, bookstores, and libraries, either in print or digital format.
7. Design and formatting: The publisher works with the author to design and format the book, 
8. Sales and royalties: The publisher handles the sales of the book and pays royalties to the author based on the agreed-upon terms.
9. Post-publication: The publisher may work with the author to make any necessary updates or revisions to the book, and may also handle issues such as rights management and piracy protection.

So when does marketing your nonfiction book or children’s book come into play? The answer is as soon as possible.

As you plan your book marketing timeline, you want to consider these three distinct phases. Pre-launch is the period leading up to the publication of your book. During this time, you can start building your author platform, reaching out to potential readers and book reviewers, and creating pre-launch marketing materials such as teasers and previews.

Launch is the period when your book is officially released. You’ll want to make a big push to promote your book during this time, leveraging your author platform and marketing channels to reach as many potential readers as possible.

Post-launch is the time after your book is released. You’ll want to keep promoting it to maintain momentum and continue building your author brand. This may involve ongoing marketing efforts such as social media campaigns, email marketing, and book signings.

By starting your book marketing early and creating a comprehensive plan that spans all these phases, you can maximize your book’s visibility and give it the best possible chance of success.

Going it alone is doable but there are definite benefits to hiring a book marketing professional or team, especially before your book is even published.

A book marketing professional can help you create a strategic plan to promote your book, including identifying your target audience, developing messaging and branding, and determining the best channels for reaching your readers. By starting early, you can ensure that you have a clear and comprehensive plan in place before your book is even released.

If you generate excitement and anticipation around your book before it’s published, you can help to build buzz and create a sense of anticipation among potential readers. This can translate into stronger sales and better reviews once the book is available.

By working with a book marketing strategist, you can ensure that your book receives the maximum exposure possible across a variety of channels, including social media, email marketing, and book review sites. This can help to increase your book’s visibility and attract more readers.

As you start building your author brand early, which can help to establish your credibility as a writer and attract more readers over the long term. Having a comprehensive and effective plan in place to promote your book and build your author brand before publishing can help to maximize your book’s success and increase your chances of achieving your goals.