By Leah Murphy, Emily Lavin, Chante-Marie Dante, Georgia Rees and Annamária Rátki
Lucy Jane Wood has been creating content online for a little over a decade, becoming well known for her fashion content and cosy lifestyle videos, where she often talks about the books she has been loving. It was in her final year of university that Lucy began her career as a freelance journalist for publications such as Marie Claire and Cosmopolitan whilst still making lifestyle content online.
The idea for Rewitched, her debut novel, came to fruition during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. It is a cosy witchy fantasy, following a witch bookseller who is summoned by her coven to prove her worthiness, featuring a found family and a dash of romance. An instrumental part of the marketing campaign for Rewitched has been Lucy’s large social media presence and her UK book tour. We have also seen bookshops identifying the commercial potential of this release, creating some fabulous displays.
Social Media
As a YouTube vlogger who has made content since 2013, Lucy has slowly built a loyal fanbase that has continued to grow since she released Rewitched. She has actively promoted her book through weekly vlogs, broadcasting her publication day, attending her first author event and recording an audiobook for Rewitched. She is clearly dedicated to updating her fans with what's going on in her daily life, building that relationship between author and reader.
She also connects with her readership by posting fanwork on her Instagram, increasing engagement and making herself relatable. Another example was the giveaway she held during the week of publication, gifting an ultimate autumn prize bundle to celebrate the release of Rewitched, collaborating her efforts with Pan Macmillan to make it so much more special.
In addition, she uses Halloween to her full advantage, promoting Rewitched further by showcasing her witch-inspired looks for her book. It illustrates how social-media savvy she is, and how her personality shines through when it comes to her passion for writing.
Events
The Pan Macmillan publicity team organised an amazing book tour for Lucy, visiting many Waterstones locations and independent bookshops across the country. The tour started in Liverpool and carried on around the country, going to Edinburgh, Leeds and Cardiff, along with many other cities. The team also matched Lucy with some great fellow authors who wrote in the same genre.
In Liverpool, she was in conversation with Jennifer Delaney, author of gothic romantasy Tales of a Monstrous Heart, bringing the perfect spooky energy to the table. Another instance of perfect matchmaking was putting Lucy in a trio with Nadia El-Fassi, writer of The Best Hex Ever, and Sangu Mandanna, who penned The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches. All three books are witchy rom-coms, perfect for an autumnal read. The three debut writers appeared at multiple events together, supporting each other at such an exciting time.
The publicity team also made sure to check themed locations off the list by setting one of their events at The Parish Church of St Cuthbert in Edinburgh (in collaboration with Waterstones), perfectly fitting the witchy vibes.
Other Marketing Strategies
Lucy featured in the July issue of The Bookseller, interviewed by Katie Fraser, Chair of the YA Book Prize. The interview touched on how Lucy drew inspiration from popular nineties witches in Charmed, Practical Magic and Hocus Pocus, and why she decided to write about a 30-year-old protagonist. The interview was adorably crashed by the author’s cat, Flo, who also makes an appearance on the book cover.
Lucy also used her Instagram story to showcase book influencer endorsements and reviews. Leena Norms, a fellow content creator and YouTuber, described the novel as a “hopeful take on the turning-thirty-meltdown.” Other Bookstagram reviews heaped praise on the debut novel, with many readers calling Rewitched a cosy romance perfect for reading by the fire on a cold autumn evening.
The Book Break Book Club (part of Pan Macmillan) hosted a read-along on The Storygraph from 25 to 31 October. Readers joined by logging the book as ‘currently reading’ and updating their progress throughout the event. When readers reached certain parts of the book, new forums were unlocked, inviting them to discuss the story with other readers.
As always, bookshops like to get behind debut novels, and Waterstones in Bath was no different. After visiting the bookstore after publication (photographed on her Rewitched Instagram Story Highlights), the author signed the stack of novels on the table display. The theme of the table display was ‘Out of this World,’ showcasing new romantasy, science fiction and fantasy novels.
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