How to Create a Book Media Kit

Media kits are assets for both indie and traditionally published authors. They make information easy to find and help reviewers, bloggers, and street teams get marketable information they can use in their content.

My debut novel, Ember Dragon Daughter, is about one month away from publication. As an indie author (AKA in charge of all-the-things), I knew creating a book media kit (or press kit) would be necessary to share with my street team and people working on media features.

Here are the essentials you need for a book media kit, as well as an example you can base yours off of.

Bonus - It's a handy resource for you as an author too! One place with all the links and summaries you need? ✔️✔️✔️

What is a book media kit?

Most often, a book media kit is a document or PDF that holds all the basic information about your book, as well as some FAQs that can be added to articles. Some people also create websites that function as media kits mixed with press kits.

What should you have in your book's media kit?

Required:

• Book title and cover with links to learn more

• Release date

• Blurb

• Genre

• Editorial Reviews, if available

• Links to buy the book

• Link to website and socials

• Contact information

Optional:

• Clickable table of contents

• Tropes

• Author bio

• Author photo

• Sample author interview

• Sample social media captions and social images

• Links to shareable images

• Sales stats and ISBNs (more common as a sell sheet)

What format should a media kit be in?

Your media kit does not need to be a fancy booklet with a dozen pages. Think simple and easy to use when creating one.

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My media kit is a simple Google Doc that I update as needed. I use a share-link that anyone can view. This makes it easier for me to update my media kit without having to update everyone else with access to the document.

If you don't anticipate editing the document, you can also create a PDF that is more branded.

Some authors use their website to combine press kits and media kits together. Pagan Alexandria has a gorgeous example of a stylized media kit for her novels, linked within her press kit.

For a simple example of a book media kit, check out the one I created for Ember Dragon Daughter.

What is an author press kit?

There is one main difference in an author press kit vs book media kit: Author press kits predominantly cover the author and their career overall. It can include book information, especially if you have a popular series, but the focus is on YOU as the writer.

Press kits can be used when pitching the author for signing events, news articles, or speaking engagements. There is usually some tidbits included about your personal story.

For me, I'd include items like how my first book was written while in the hospital with my husband for his cancer treatments, or that I have ADHD. These bits of my story make me more human, and more likely to be booked.

Press kits should also include where else you have been featured and the contact info of your or your agent.

What is a book sell sheet?

Sell sheets are similar to media kits, and often used interchangeably. However, they can typically include items like ISBNs (for book stores to more easily find your book on their distributor platforms), sales stats, and contact information.

It's that simple.

Have any questions? Let me know.