So you've written and published a book*. If you have chosen to self-publish, you will need to create your own marketing campaign. Which may include approaching libraries and bookstores to carry your book. In that case, it is important to have a sell sheet to present them with in order for them to consider your book.
*if you have traditionally published, you should be able to ask your publisher for your sell sheet!
What is a sell sheet? And why do I need one?
A sell sheet is basically your elevator pitch. It’s one sheet of paper that contains all the pertinent information about your book that retailers need in order to consider it. Let's take a look at one of ours. This is for a fiction novel.
Let's break it down:
Each sell sheet should contain the following items: title, author name, blurb, author bio, book cover, metadata, and publisher information if available.
Title: Place your title in a prominent location, easy to find and clear to read.
Author Name: It may go without saying, but it can be easy to forget if you are the author and the one creating it. Don't forget to put your name (or pen name) under your title!
Book Cover: You want to include a good-quality picture of your book cover!
Blurb: Include your blurb in the largest section of the sell sheet. If you have a hook, quotation, or endorsement, emphasize that as well!
Author Photo and Bio: Include your author’s photograph (the same one in the book, preferably). And your bio, or a shortened version on it if it’s longer in the book.
Metadata: metadata can sound scary, but it just means your book’s information. Here you include all ISBNs, their correlating formats, page count, publishing date, and genre. You could also include price, or wholesale discount here as well.
Publisher's information: If you are hybrid published, or traditional published, your sell sheet will include this information. If you are self-published, or created a small press/imprint to publish under, you will want to include the logo, the name, address, and email.
How do I make a sell sheet?
Creating your own sell sheet can be simple. You can create one on any writing app such as Word, Google Docs, or Pages. If you'd like to get more creative, you could use Canva or Adobe to use more unique fonts and elements to set your page apart. Don't get bogged down worrying about the stylistic choices if creating graphics isn't your forte. So long as you get the information on the page, that is what matters!
Now what?
A sell sheet can be instrumental in getting your book into bookstores and libraries. It is worth the time it takes to create one! After you have your sell sheet created, print it out and take it with you to a local bookstore or library and introduce yourself and your book!
Looking for help designing your sell sheet? We offer affordable design services for authors to help make your journey to publication easier!
Or you can grab our FREE Sell Sheet Template here & you can create one using our templates.
Need help bringing your book to life? Meraki Press exists to serve first-time authors as they grow and launch their passion projects!
We offer complete packages or a la carte services for every step from drafting to publishing!