An author media kit is a small collection of reliable materials for people who may feature you or the book. It helps a podcast host prepare, an event organizer write a listing, and a journalist verify names without chasing several email attachments.
The best kit is current, easy to navigate, and selective. It is not a compressed archive of every promotional file you have ever made.
Create one permanent media page
Place the core materials on a page of your author website with a simple address. A public page is easier to update than a file sent months ago. You can also provide a download folder for high-resolution assets.
Include a direct media contact. If you handle requests yourself, use a professional address you check regularly.
Provide bios in useful lengths
Prepare a 50-word bio for event listings, a 100- to 150-word bio for interviews and articles, and a longer version for situations that genuinely need it. Keep names, pronouns, locations, credentials, and book titles consistent.
Write the bios so they can be pasted without major editing. Avoid unsupported labels and a long childhood history unless it directly relates to the work.
Supply approved photographs
Offer at least one vertical and one horizontal author photo at high resolution. Include the photographer credit and usage note. Do not make a host crop a tiny social-media avatar.
Use filenames that identify the author and photographer rather than "IMG_0047-final-final.jpg."
Add a section for each current book
For every featured title, include:
- High-resolution front cover
- Title, subtitle, and series information
- One-sentence hook and short description
- Publication date, format, ISBN, and price
- Purchase and publisher links
- Relevant review excerpts with attribution
- A short excerpt, when you are authorized to provide one
Make sure the data matches the live book pages. The cover, description, and metadata should make one coherent promise.
Help the interviewer prepare
Provide five to ten suggested topics or questions. Good prompts reveal useful stories, research, decisions, or ideas; they should not script the conversation word for word.
Add pronunciation guidance for names and unusual terms. For remote appearances, include the author's time zone and any accessibility needs in private correspondence rather than on the public page.
Include event information
If you offer talks, readings, workshops, or book-club visits, describe the audience, approximate length, format, and main takeaway. Share previous event photos or clips only when they are strong and you have permission.
Do not publish fees unless that suits your business. Provide a clear inquiry path.
Keep files usable
Offer web-ready and print-ready images, but label them. Use common formats and reasonable file sizes. Check that download permissions work in a private window and that links do not expire unexpectedly.
Add a "last updated" date to the page. Review the kit whenever a new edition, award, review, headshot, or contact detail changes.
What to leave out
Remove old retailer screenshots, unverified sales claims, every social post, dozens of near-identical headshots, and endorsements you do not have permission to use. A media kit should reduce decisions for the recipient.
Professional materials communicate that the author will be prepared, accurate, and easy to work with. That impression begins before the first interview question.
If your current cover files are not ready for print and media use, ask ILMC about the formats you need.
