Suzanne Roberts Book Promotion Tips
Dr. Suzanne Roberts is the author of 52 Writing Prompts: Inspiration for the Creative Writer, coming in October from the University of Nebraska Press. She sent this e-mail to those on her mailing list. It’s a great model for what you might do to promote your book.
She is also the author of Animal Bodies: On Death, Desire, and Other Difficulties (Nebraska, 2022), longlisted for the 2023 PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award; Bad Tourist: Misadventures in Love and Travel (Nebraska 2020); and Almost Somewhere: Twenty-Eight Days on the John Muir Trail (Bison Books, 2012), winner of the 2012 National Outdoor Book Award; as well as four collections of poetry. Visit her website at www.suzanneroberts.net. Or visit her on Substack at https://suzanneroberts.substack.com.
Need some prompts to pull you out of a slump or stimulate your creativity? Buy her book and use it or visit the Writing Advice page and use our prompts. Need variety? Use both.
Here’s the e-mail with our thanks to Ms. Roberts, who believes there’s no such thing as writer’s block.
Dear Friends,
I always feel sheepish writing the “book announcement” email, but at the same time, if I don’t do it, you might not know I have a new book that’s now available for preorder. 52 Writing Prompts: Inspiration for the Creative Writer is a book for anyone who wants to get words down on the page. The book is different from many other creative writing craft books in that it takes a multi-genre, themed approach with readings from contemporary writers. Most of the themed 20-minute writing prompts (there are 77 total, counting the bonus prompts) are based on poems, essays, and stories I’ve gathered from exciting contemporary writers, and all the featured writers have offered their own bit of writing advice. I created prompts that work in the three genres of fiction, essay/memoir, and poetry.
52 Writing Prompts makes a great gift for someone who would like to write a book or just needs a little creative inspiration. It’s accessible and informative, friendly and funny, smart and practical.
WAYS TO HELP
Preordering the book
One of the best things you can do to help authors succeed is to preorder their books. The number of preorders signals to the press that the book is worthy of marketing resources, which can make a huge difference in getting the word out. This is why I am writing this “Please preorder my book” email to you, even though it makes me cringe to do so.
My press is offering a special Friends & Family discount of 40% (the same as my author discount) to preorder the book. Use the discount code 6ROBERTS40, when checking out at the University of Nebraska Press website. Also, if you prefer, you can preorder from your favorite independent bookstore, or anywhere else books are sold, including that place that starts with an A, where it’s also available on Kindle. Unfortunately, the discount code won’t work anywhere but the University of Nebraska Press website.
Leaving a short review
Marking the book as “want to read” on Goodreads and leaving a review is helpful for getting the word out. And you don’t have to say much. You can just say, “Great book” or Useful for writers” or whatever. Once the book is out, you can also leave a review on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. And again, you don’t have to say much—a few words is fine. More 5-star reviews mean the book is more visible in the algorithm.
Asking your library to order it
An easy way to support me and my book is to ask your local library to order it. Many libraries have an online form for this. And also, many libraries host author events. Tell your library about me, and maybe I’ll get to come to your town and visit you!
Posting about it on social media and telling your friends
If you’re active on social media, posting a photo of the cover (I’m attaching it here, along with a info sheet the press made for me) or a photo of you with the book once it arrives, is a great way to spread the word. Please tag me, so I can share your post!
Adopting it for your courses
This book is prefect for the multi-genre undergraduate creative writing course. I have also sent it to some of my MFA students, who tell me it’s super helpful to them as well. If you adopt it for your one of your courses, I’m happy to ZOOM in for a class visit! If you’re considering it for course adoption, please let me know, and I’ll have my press send you a digital advanced reader copy. Also, please tell your friends who are writers, readers, and teachers. I’m very much hoping to get this book into college classrooms.
Questions? Please ask and I’ll forward them to Dr. Roberts. Thanks!
Leave a Reply