How to Write a Press Release for a Book (With an Example)

A press release is a short news story about your book, written so an editor can use it as it is or call you for more. Done well, it can get you into a local paper, a trade newsletter or a podcast lineup. Done badly, it reads like an ad and goes nowhere. This guide shows when a release is worth writing, how to find the news in your book, each part in order, and a complete example you can learn from. If you’d rather have it written and sent for you, see our book press release service.

When a press release is worth it

A press release works when there’s something an editor’s readers would want to know. Good reasons include:

• A local author or setting. Local papers, radio and community sites look for local stories.
• An event. A launch reading, a library talk or a signing gives the outlet a date to share; see these book launch party ideas.
• Your expertise. A non-fiction book on a topic in the news can make you a source journalists call.
• A milestone. An award, a big anniversary or a charity tie-in is news in its own right.

It’s less useful for a debut with no angle beyond “my book is out”. In that case, spend your time on your newsletter, early readers and other book marketing strategies, and save the release for when you have an event or a hook.

Find your news angle

News editors don’t cover a book just because it’s out; they cover stories. Before you write a word, finish this sentence: “This is news because…”. Common angles:

• Local: a hometown author, a book set in town, or a launch at the local library.
• Timely: a link to a season, an anniversary, or something in the news this month.
• Expert: you can explain a problem readers care about, backed by your work or research.
• Human story: something unusual behind the book, such as a career change or a family history.
• Event: a reading, signing, talk or fundraiser with a date, time and place.
• Milestone: an award, an anniversary or a charity tie-in.
• New information: a survey, data or a finding from your research that no one has reported.

If you have more than one, start with an event if you have one, and adjust the lead for each outlet. A local paper wants the local angle; a trade newsletter wants the expert one.

News angle check

The parts of a book press release, in order

1. “For immediate release” at the top, or “Embargoed until” a date, time and time zone if the news can’t run before then.
2. Headline: the news in one line, in plain words. Put the angle first and the book second.
3. Subheadline (optional): one sentence that adds the next most useful detail.
4. Dateline: at the start of the first paragraph, the city in capitals, then the AP state abbreviation (such as Ore.; large cities such as Boston need none), then the date you send it (Feb. 16, 2027).
5. Lead paragraph: who, what, when, where and why, in two or three sentences. An editor should be able to stop here and still have the story.
6. Body: one or two short paragraphs with the detail: what the book is about, why it matters to this audience, and event details.
7. Quote: a sentence or two from you, or from a librarian, expert or organizer, that sounds like a person talking, not a blurb.
8. Book details: title, genre, publication date, formats, price and where to buy, as a short list.
9. About the author: two or three sentences, ending with your website.
10. Media contact: your name, email, phone and a link to a page with your photo and cover.
11. “###” centered at the end, the usual sign that the release is over.

Keep it to one page, write in the third person apart from quotes, and leave out praise you can’t attribute to a named source.

Example: a press release for a debut novel

This is a complete release for an invented author, Maya Ellison, whose first cozy mystery is set in her (also invented) hometown. Her angle is local, plus an event.

Why it works:

• The headline leads with the local story and ends with the event, not the title. A local editor sees at once why their readers would care.
• The lead paragraph answers who, what, when, where and why, so it could run on its own as a listing.
• The quote sounds like a person, and adds a reason for the book that isn’t in the facts.
• Everything an editor needs is there: dates, a free event, book details, a photo link and a direct contact.

How to send it

Send it to each person individually, not as a mass email, before you think about wide distribution.

1. Make a short list. Find 10 to 30 outlets that fit your angle: local papers, radio and community sites for a local story; trade newsletters, niche sites and podcasts for an expert one. Look for the reporter or editor who covers books, events or your topic, and skip general inboxes where you can.
2. Write a short pitch email. Put the angle in the subject line, give the story in two or three sentences, and paste the release below your signature rather than attaching it. For example: Subject: Retired local librarian reads debut mystery at library March 6. Hi Sam, I’m a retired Harbor Falls librarian, and my first novel is set in a tea shop on our Main Street. I’m reading at the library on March 6 at 2 p.m. and would be glad to talk about the book or send a copy. The release is below.
3. Time it. Send event news two to three weeks ahead, so listings and weekly papers can include it. Timely angles need sending before the date they tie into, not on the day.
4. Put it on your website. Add the release and a photo to a press page on your author website, so editors can find what they need.
5. Consider a distribution service last. Wire services post your release on their network and partner sites, which may get it onto more sites, though the search benefit is limited. They don’t make editors write about you, and “as seen on” logos from those partner sites aren’t the same as an editor choosing to cover your book.

For when this fits around your launch, use the book launch checklist.

Follow up and track results

If you hear nothing, send one short follow-up a few days to a week later, with a new detail if you have one, such as a confirmed event time. Then move on; repeated chasing can cost you the contact.

Keep a simple list of who you sent it to, who replied and what ran. Track what you can see: articles and listings published, interview requests, event turnout, and any rise in newsletter signups or sales in the days after coverage.

Common mistakes

• Writing an ad. Words like “gripping”, “must-read” or “unputdownable” in your own voice tell an editor it’s marketing, not news.
• Burying the news. If the angle is in the fourth paragraph, the editor may not get there.
• Sending to everyone. A mystery release sent to a food editor wastes both your time and theirs.
• Attaching files. Editors may not open attachments from people they don’t know; paste the text and link to images.
• Asking for a review in the release. Reviews are a separate request with their own rules; see getting book reviews.
• No contact details. An editor with a question and no way to reach you will likely drop the story.

When to get help

If you’d rather focus on writing, our press options are priced on the page. 1 press release is $199: one news announcement written in 5 business days and sent to media sites on your chosen date. The press campaign is $999: two news announcements, a media kit and a 40-outlet media list you can pitch, a professional review managed for you, and a shortlist of reputable awards to enter. Distribution, review and award fees are paid by you. Editors decide what they cover, so we never promise coverage, sales or reviews.

Book press release questions

How long should a book press release be?

One page, or about 300 to 500 words, is a common length. Editors skim, so the headline and first paragraph should carry the story on their own. If yours runs longer, cut the plot summary first and keep the news, the quote and the details.

Do press releases still work for books?

They can, when there’s news in them. A local angle, an event, expertise on a topic in the news or an award gives an editor a reason to run the story. A release that only says a book is out rarely gets covered, however it’s distributed.

Should you pay for press release distribution?

Only after you’ve pitched the outlets that matter to you directly. A wire service posts your release widely, but it doesn’t make editors cover your book. Treat it as an extra, not a replacement for a targeted pitch.

When should you send a book press release?

For an event, two to three weeks ahead, so weekly papers and listings can include it. For a timely angle, before the date it ties into. For a launch with another angle but no event, around release week, once the book can be bought; for a launch event, follow the event timing.

What’s the difference between a press release and a media kit?

A press release is one news story about a specific event or announcement. A media kit is a standing set of materials about you and your books, such as your bio, photos, cover images, a book summary and past coverage, usually on a press page of your website.

Related reading

• How to launch a book: an 8-week book launch checklist
• Book marketing strategies: 30 ideas by stage and budget
• How to get book reviews: 9 ways that follow the rules