Super book launch ideas + book launch party suggestions
What’s the next best thing after finishing your autobiography, memoir, biography or other life-story project?
Holding a book launch party to celebrate!
Certainly finishing a book is a momentous achievement and definitely deserves to be shared and enjoyed.
Coronavirus has put a dampener on parties, as I recently found out firsthand with my grandmother’s book.
But a celebration of some description (while observing health restrictions) should definitely be entertained after all the time spent sitting down to write and navigating the planning, writing, polishing and planning phases.
So let’s get this party started with eight top book launch tips …
1 Who to invite to your book launch?
Have a think about who you want to invite to your book launch party.
Is this to be a small or large gathering?
Will you invite just immediate family and friends or a wider group?
And what about a notable guest from your community?
Also, what about an MC?
My top tip is to surround yourself with people who have supported you during your writing and want to celebrate your success.
Related article – Edit: The ultimate guide to polishing your writing
2 Decide what type of book party
Next think about what type of book launch party you want to host.
This could be an afternoon tea, cocktail-style party, barbecue, dinner or something creative.
Indeed there are many options to consider!
Therefore, what type you pick will depend on the time of year, your budget and available venues.
Most importantly, take your time and get this right.
3 When to hold your party?
A key consideration is when to hold your book launch get-together.
This means picking a date and time.
Certainly, you may want to select a date to mark a special anniversary, birthday or other milestone such as the start of retirement.
Meanwhile, the time of day you choose needs to match the type of party but also your guests’ preferences.
For example, if many are senior age they may prefer a day event so they don’t need to travel at night.
Related article – Case study: Secrets to writing my 100yo grandmother’s autobiography
4 Organise a book launch venue
An important consideration is the party venue.
Indeed this will be dictated in part by the number of people you want to invite.
Options include your own home, a friend’s place, an outdoor park or garden, community hall, local restaurant or bar, function room or something unusual!
Don’t forget venues could be in your town or city or further afield.
For example, this could be a place mentioned in your book or a more central location for guests if they are coming from interstate or abroad.
5 Create book party invites
Once date and venue decisions are made you can think about how to invite everyone!
Certainly do this simply over the phone or by sending an email but I recommend making things special with a book launch invitation.
You can buy preprinted generic invitations but making a personalised invite online is super easy with Canva.
They can also print the invites or alternatively download the invite for free and email or text to your guests.
And don’t forget to use elements of your book cover in your invite design to tie everything together.
Related article – Writing tools to help you beat bad spelling and grammar woes
6 Pick a book launch theme
Moreover you might want to carry on the tone set by your book launch invite through to a party theme.
Warning: this doesn’t need to be elaborate!
For example, a theme could easily be having a dominate colour for napkins, balloons, food and flowers.
Or maybe you theme things according to a time period in your book?
Perhaps a country or culture featured in your writing?
Maybe a long-time career or hobby?
Most importantly, you and your story are unique so have fun reflecting this in your book launch theme!
7 The jewel of a book party
Of course, the most important consideration of any book launch party is your book!
Make sure you have enough copies printed for display and ready for your guests.
Certainly have some signed or set up a small display table where you can do personalised signings.
Indeed a friend or relative might come in handy here to help you keep track of books, any payments/donations and give you a break to enjoy the party!
Related article – How to get your own book printed without going crazy!
8 Add book launch magic
Finally, every book launch party needs some magical extras to mark the occasion.
Therefore, I highly recommend a loved one or notable guest making a toast to your fantastic efforts to plan, write, polish and publish a book.
Indeed many people say they want to write a book but very few actually follow through.
So you deserve to celebrate this achievement!
And why not, as part of formalities, give your guests a taste of your book with a short selected reading and a thank-you speech acknowledging their support.
This is your time to shine so enjoy it!
Related article – Ask Nicola Q&A: How to finish writing a book and know when your book is finished
Final say: Book launch
Working on a life-story project takes much time, determination and effort.
So finishing can be a wonderful feeling and is worth celebrating!
Certainly a great way to do this is to hold a book launch.
Therefore get organised by: deciding who should come, the type of party, when and where to hold it, sending out invites, choosing a theme, readying copies of your book, plus thinking about some creative extras like toasts, a reading, and speeches.
In short, a party is essential to acknowledge your writing success and share memories with others.
Plus it is a great excuse to have a fun time.
Enjoy!
Free gift!
Do you want to help a loved one write their life story but don’t know how to start? I’ve created the Your Family Stories System to show you step-by-step how to do this from interviews to writing, polishing and publication. Take a sneak peek at the first few sections for free. Sign up here or fill in the form below.
Your say
Do you have some extra book launch tips? Or how is your party planning going? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Send me an email or leave a reply in the comments section at the end of this article.
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This article first appeared on the website Forever Young Autobiographies.com.