People Are Just Waiting to Celebrate Your Book
Highlights and thoughts from launching my first book to encourage you to write and make a splash with your own.
Up until a month before my announced book publish date of July 27, 2023, I was not planning on a launch party. “I’ll just email my list a couple times and post on social media about it,” I thought. “Maybe I’ll even do some Amazon or Facebook advertising to increase exposure!” Yes, that there was the world’s lamest book launch plan. All those years, all that effort, and I was going to make no hoopla about it.
I had very valid reasons, though. Pulling off a launch party sounded like an awful lot of work, on top of all the work of getting Dear Fellow Spender: Enjoy Using Your Money to Get Out of Debt, Build Savings, and Create a Life You Love finalized and out into the world.
Also, who do you invite to a launch party? Would people come? Suddenly it was like I was 11 years old again, wondering if the Tengelsen twins were really going to come to my birthday party (they did). Did I really want to draw attention to this milestone or just launch it and just quietly, passively, hope it got some attention?
You see, I was experiencing an unexpected feeling of dread about releasing a book into the world, for two reasons. Reason #1: it wasn’t “perfect,” whatever that means and I was nervous about people judging my book writing. I couldn’t be sure who I was more afraid of reading it—strangers or people who know me. Reason #2: releasing a physical book via Amazon felt more permanent than anything else I’d done. You can’t take back a physical book from readers.
This was one of those times when—thank goodness—I listened to the voices of others over my own chicken voice. The coaching group of which I was part convinced me to hold a dang party, and so hold a party I did. And am I ever glad I did. The first party in Montana (where I was based for the summer) was such a hit that I held another launch party and book signing in the Utah city I launched my travels from. Grateful doesn’t begin to describe my response for the overwhelming support I received from work friends, neighbors, church friends, friends friends, and family.
For all you in-progress or aspiring authors, I hope by painting the picture of the end goal, you will commit ahead of time to launch your self-published book with the dang party. And since you’re going to hold the party, here are my experiences and thoughts framed as recommendations:
1. Hold your kind of party.
Don’t try to be a fancy author if you’re more of a friendly author. Hold the kind of party you’d like to attend, and the kind of party your attendees will feel comfortable attending whether they come with someone or solo.
Hoping to give attendees something to do other than stand around awkwardly, I had a self-service Italian soda set up where they could chat with others and create their own beverage. I was at a table selling and signing books near the entrance which meant I could greet everyone as they came and thank them for coming as they left.
I also wanted to encourage others to share their own dream, and had a “Dream On” station for them to write down one of their life dreams. Creating more financial ability to pursue your dreams is a big reason why I wrote Dear Fellow Spender, and little did I know I was foreshadowing my in-progress second book, Dear Fellow Dreamer. It’s almost like that book was brewing in me already.
2. Invite everyone you know.
Tell everyone, and also invite people you don’t know. I even invited the gal at the floral counter where I was picking up balloons for the event, and she would’ve come if you could’ve. Let them know it’d be a favor to you to attend, because it is. We all like being needed and you never know who’s looking for an excuse to get out of the house and who might mutually benefit from coming.
If you’re going to do a thing, make a splash with it.
Basically, don’t play this launch small. If you’re going to do a thing, make a splash with it. Try to pack the place even if you can’t guarantee attendance. In improv comedy, our instructor encouraged us to, “Make it a big choice.” Basically, if you’re going to portray an emotion or a scene, commit to doing it all the way. You should’ve seen my friend Chris acting out a kid who really wanted Dracula cereal for breakfast—it was an absolute riot and we all loved it in a way we could not have if she’d acted it at 50% or been quiet and meek about it. Commit to doing the thing way more visibly than you might feel comfortable doing.
3. Get creative about it.
You never know who will let you hold your event for free, and after spending several hundred dollars getting your book over the finish line (cover design, interior layout design, working with a book coach to walk you through the DO NOT TOUCH buttons in the Amazon KDP process) I was looking to hold my parties in affordable fashion.
My first launch party was held at the fabulous co-working space in Bozeman, Montana, where I’d been working out of for the previous two months. The owner even helped promote, and another member ran her vintage flower truck outside for extra party appeal.
For the second launch, I’d approached a local library, but they didn’t see the “fit” that I did. So I instead called a coffee shop + nursery (cool combination, right?) I’d bought gifts from before—run by former corporate dreamers, for your information—and it was an immediate yes. “Sure, that sounds fun,” translated to them being the easiest ever to coordinate with, and a fun and beneficial night for them as well as me.
4. Remember the purpose, and be confident.
This one was important for someone (me) who doesn’t love being the center of attention. It helped me feel less awkward to recognize that yes, all these lovely people were coming to support me, but they were also coming to support a book—my book—which had previously not existed in the world.
And even if that book is your first, and no one told you you could publish a book, be proud of it. Don’t diminish your accomplishment or show up with “baby author” energy. A published book doth an author make, and no one likes listening to an author “disclaimer” their book in conversation. This advice actually came from a Senior Editor at LinkedIn who graciously got on a call with me to offer advice for promotion.
In what I thought was new-author humility in the presence of a respected journalist, author, and editor, I said something about being a “baby author.” He didn’t tolerate such talk, and I appreciate him for nipping my authorly insecurity in the bud. Every writer needs to remember his response: “Every author was at one time a first-time author.”
Lovely surprises
If I’d known just how much support I’d receive around publishing my book, I would not have equivocated for a second on the launch of it. It’s the neatest thing. You will be dazzled at just how many people will enthusiastically help you celebrate the accomplishment of writing and publishing a book.
A book is easily understood by everyone, including my 6 year old friend, Zoe; it’s nothing you have to explain to people. I did, however, have to explain to Zoe that, unfortunately, my book is not a book about Santa Claus. But disappointed children aside, the fact that everyone knows what a book is makes it really easy for even a stranger on the street to be congratulatory and supportive.
Here are just some of the very cool things that came out of the woodwork post-launch:
» The aforementioned Zoom call with an established journalist and author. A former co-worker commented on my launch day LinkedIn post, drawing George’s attention to my accomplishment, and suggesting a conversation. George responded immediately and favorably.
» A sister (successfully exited CEO-turned-investor) of a business friend saw my LinkedIn post and reached out to congratulate me and share her cell phone to discuss ideas for getting more attention on a book whose subject and approach she’s excited about.
» Emails from readers across the country and abroad who reached out to thank me for the book. One of my favorites:
We have a mutual friend on LinkedIN which is how I found (and bought) your book. OMG - WOW. I have been struggling with budgeting for years and I have never, ever, ever, read more approachable, kind, tough loving advice for budgeting.
» The comments I continue to get from readers, including from a friend’s father who has really appreciated the book. He tells people in my hometown that it’s “changed his life.”
» Between Launch Party #1 and Launch Party #2, I spent a couple weeks in Colorado, and found myself in Trader Joe’s in Fort Collins. In chatting with the cashier (I do that), it came up that I had recently published a book. He vaguely congratulated me, and called something unrecognizable to another employee who trundled off while he seemed to stall a bit in wrapping up the transaction. My confusion turned to lump-in-throat-happy when he took the bouquet of flowers from the returning coworker, handed them to me with a sincere smile, and congratulated me again on my book. What a guy and what a store.
» I have been warmly received by financial advisor offices and therapist offices when I drop by copies of the book for them to check out for potential client referral. I was leaving a therapy office when the receptionist got back on the phone call with a friend I’d interrupted. “An author just stopped by!” she gushed, and I grinned on my way out the door. Couldn’t help myself.
» Having a published book has added credibility and clout for speaking engagements. No longer am I just a person with some thoughts on money, I’m an author who took the time to distill them into a coherent book and go through all the steps to share my message with the world.
Let’s just say, things like the above never happened when I launched any of my other things—e.g. courses, workshops, intentional living cards. Sure, I liked what I was sharing, and people purchased and/or celebrated their launch, but this book thing has been something special.
And your dream of writing a book—even if the process is a creative rollercoaster for you like it is for me, and you hit snags along the way—is worth it. It’s worth what you learn about yourself as you write it, it’s worth the unexpected surprises you find on the other side of publishing it, it’s worth helping people with what you have to say. And getting your book over the publish line? Now that is definitely worth a party. I’ll be keeping an eye on the mail for my invite and will be there to buy a copy to be signed by you—the author.
Do you have questions about writing a book or the self-publishing process or the publishing landscape in general? I’d love to add your questions to those I’ve received from other future authors for a post or ebook I’ll be writing about the process.
I’d also love to know how this article inspires you in your book journey—I’m just a comment or email away for that feedback or if you need any encouragement.
P.S. If you have a friend with a dream of writing a book, please consider sharing this article with them. I’d appreciate it, and I bet they will too. We dreamers need to support each other in keeping all of our dreams alive and happening!
For practical ways I currently help dreamers with their money or business tech, check out Helps for Dreamers. And if you’re interested in Dear Fellow Spender, you can get it on Amazon or learn more at emilyburnett.me/book.