A Final Word - Book Information

I have eleven publications at the time of this blog post. One thing I know is that gathering the information early is the key to have a sane book release. Centralizing all the information makes things much easier. In the last week, I have gathered every scrap of information on my publications to include in the press kit and for website updates. I do not plan for this to be in vain.


Here's a few tips:

1. Use the Book Information Template with each publication. You can quickly input all the information and have it at your finger tips.
2. Create a centralized book information folder in your cloud or filing system. I use the cloud so it is accessible from any location.
3. Be prepared to use this system with each publication as it makes it easier.

I cannot count the number of times I have had to thumb through my files to locate something. This step has allowed me to rest a little easier.

Gathering Book Info - Press Kit

The longest portion of putting together your press kit will be, hands down, gathering the important information on each of your publications. It requires a lot of back and forth with the physical book, manuscripts, or websites. If you are like me and have the majority of your publications online, you can find most of the information where you published the book.

*Tip* Fill out this information when you are publishing your book. That way, you can go back to this information any time you need it.

If you would like a template, please click HERE. I created a simple document to use that has all the important information that you will need. It is the template I use to gather all the information required for this portion of the press kit.

Here's a list of what you need to gather:

• ISBN 10 and 13
• Release date
• Publisher
• Genre
• Pen Name
• Number of pages
• Publication date
• Summary

Start by opening up a document file. Name the file using the book or publication name.

If you are using the template, you will see that the template provides a simple listing of the information you have to gather as pictured below.

If you have chosen to make your own, write the name of the publication and skip a line. Copy and paste the list above or create your own. Begin filling it out.

I also chose to include the Amazon links and the format the books are available in - i.e. e-book and 5x8 print. Take the time to fill each category. Remember, you only have to do this once! You will have the information for the future in the Press Kit file.

The ISBN can be found on the copyright page of the publication. On Amazon, you can find that information by scrolling down the page until you locate the section titled Product Details. As you can see in this screenshot, it includes many of the bullet points you are trying to fill.

Once that is complete, you do that for each publication/book you have. Don't overwhelm yourself if you have multiple publications. You can do one or two a day.

Now you can include this individualized information on your web page for that exact publication. Congrats! You are one step closer to having a full press kit.

Writing a Bio - Press Kit

There are two types of biographies included in a press kit - a short biography like those found on your books and the long biography that includes everything from publications to your background and even awards. With the literary journals I have knowledge in, they allow 50-150 words for a biography. Typically, it is 50 words or less. When you think about that, it seems like a small amount of words to convey who you are as a person and a writer. That, unfortunately, is battle we have to fight each time we submit something.

Since this preparation is for your press kit, it isn't necessary to think of the long term; however, I am a practical woman. I like to prepare as much as I can in advance and help myself have a smoother time in the future. Think of it as writing a blurb about yourself. Frustrating, but necessary.

With the short biography, I suggest you write something like this:

Jane Doe lives in Appalachia with her husband, two children, and a cat. She has published many fictions including Just The Tow of Us (2017), Shame on Me (2018), and numerous poems in Notable Literary Magazine. 

This example has only 36 words. You can see how fast it adds up. I tend to want to add all my publications; however, it is unnecessary to include them all. So, I have shortened mine to include the last three publications. You can certainly include the most noteworthy of your publications.

The long biography is a catch all. This is the place to sell yourself. You can include every publication, every award, and every important aspect of your childhood you deem fit to include.

In short, these are the topics you should include:

• Where you were born
• Snippets from your childhood pertaining to writing
• Influences that led you to writing
• Your early works
• Your family life
• Information on your publications

If you need inspiration, don't be afraid to look at biographies online of writers you like to read.

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