IWSG March 2026 Elements of a successful book launch

 

Welcome readers, writers, authors, and bloggers!

We're glad you're here! It's the First Wednesday of the month, when we celebrate IWSG Day in the form of a blog hop featuring members and guests of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Founded by author Alex Cavanaugh (Thank you, Captain!) and fostered by like-minded associates, IWSG is a comfortable place to share views and literary news as we record our journeys. Check out the December newsletter here.

The awesome co-hosts for this month’s posting of the IWSG are:  PJ Colando, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, and Natalie Aguirre! 

 

 Today’s entirely optional question: What elements do you include in your book launch? Or what do you have in mind for your future book launch? Or what advice do you have to offer to others planning to launch a book?

One of the topics I hear the most laments about is getting mailing lists out early. Depending on the length of the campaign, sending out additional reminders might not be a bad idea. You know I’m hoping for feedback on my thoughts, right?

Defining target audience, timing of launch, and venue. I learned a lot my first time out, basically stumbling around 😉

Beyond the immensely helpful blog mentions by faithful friends with more time on their hands than you do (in the middle of a book launch), why not make it an event to remember? Even a small group of ten people all dressed in red T-shirts (as nondescript as possible) is bound to draw a few curious passers-by. Especially if you throw in a couple dozen cupcakes and a few rounds of Musical Chairs. By the time my meager group of mini readers sauntered away with personalized (signed) copies of Beanie’s Backyard, few would realize that it was they who had turned milling around near the Food Court outside of a bookstore at the Mall into a book event!

Such fun that was! As I watched the kids, moms, and grandparents walking away, a thought occurred to me, as it all too often does, what if they don’t like the book? What if they don’t even read it?  

Hoping to calm my worries, I decided to research how to know the things I’m so unsure of. Now I’m unsure of that as well 😉

Here’s what I found:

While many believe you have only to read the first 50 pages of a book to decide if you want to finish it, Page 69, I’m told, is where you’ll find the heart of the book. By page 69, the author has established a storyline, introduced characters you won’t mind hanging out with for a while, and basically found his/her voice as a lead narrator of their latest literary masterpiece.

See you all out there!

Happy Writing

 

IWSG February 2026

 Welcome readers, writers, authors, and bloggers!

We're glad you're here! It's the First Wednesday of the month; when we celebrate IWSG Day in the form of a blog hop featuring members and guests of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Founded by author Alex Cavanaugh (Thank you, Captain!) and fostered by like-minded associates, IWSG is a comfortable place to share views and literary news as we record our journeys. Check out our monthly newsletter here.

The awesome co-hosts for this month’s posting of the IWSG are:   J Lenni Dorner, Victoria Marie Lees, and Sandra Cox!

 Today’s entirely optional question:    Many writers have written about the experience of rereading their work years later. Have you reread any of your early works? What was that experience like for you?

Have I reread any of my early works? Absolutely! Though, not often. Until recently, I began selecting stories for a children's collection and was pleasantly reminded of how attached I ended up getting to the younger characters as they grew and flourished in the stories I wrote. In some cases, it’s been somewhat of a homecoming. Still others I’ve reviewed (admittedly) left me wondering what the heck I was thinking😉 (Not a children’s story😊)

For the most part, rereading is exhilarating. Motivational, even. Especially when I’m effortlessly transported back into a story that greets me like an old friend. Hanky’s got a few new notes in her Hatbox, indicating the story can indeed go on. It seems the Otters have learned a new routine for entertaining the encroaching Beavers at Wet Bottom Crossing down at Wiggle River, and then there was this crumpled note tossed in the idea box as if by accident:

One scorching- hot summer day when you couldn’t tell the heat waves from sweat dripping in your eyes, there came a turquoise excavator to help us build a pond in the dusty old field out back. But Cotton’s place had a reproachful past that seemed bound to affect uncertain futures like ours.

Oh, the gum-smacking lady driver with hot pink lipstick meant well. In fact, she didn’t even know what she’d dug up when my dad started frantically waving his arms to stop the digging, and my mom fainted right there in the dirt.

But I should start at the beginning.     * * *

I may revisit Cotton’s Place again real soon. As well as half a dozen other stories 😉

I look forward to reading about your experiences. I’ll have just enough time to hop around and visit before I’ll need to rest my eyes for a while. Hope to see you all in April!

Happy writing!

 

 

IWSG January 2026

 

Welcome, readers, writers, authors, and bloggers!

We're glad you're here! It's the First Wednesday of the month; when we celebrate IWSG Day in the form of a blog hop featuring members and guests of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Founded by author Alex Cavanaugh (Thank you, Captain!) and fostered by like-minded associates, IWSG is a comfortable place to share views and literary news as we record our journeys. Check out our monthly newsletter here.

The awesome co-hosts for this month’s posting of the IWSG are:  Shannon Lawrence, Olga Godim, Jean Davis, and Jacqui Murray!

 Today’s entirely optional question: Is there anything in your writing plans for 2026 that you are going to do that you couldn’t get done in 2025?  

Oh, absolutely! Don’t know that I will, but I’d like to finish two novels and compile, create, and publish a book of short stories that have been languishing in my Children’s file for far too long.  It will be fun catching up with my illustrator. I swear, she got better (as if that were possible) once she had her own children. But she got a lot busier, too 😉

First and foremost, this year, I’ve resolved to take care of my vision. It’s terribly important.

What’s on your agenda for this year? Are you starting anything new? Have you ever worked with more than one editor at the same time? 

Here's to wonderful beginnings!