An author visited my site last night and was impressed by this book publicist's list of services. He just had one question before he asked me for a book promotion proposal: Do you take any responsibility for attaining any actual sales volumes for books?
No. As I told him, I'm a book publicist, not a salesperson. Book promotion is only tangentally related to book sales. Selling books is the publisher's job, not the book publicist's job.
I might have said that when book promotion campaigns are successful, and when the stars line up (that is, when you have top-notch distribution and a high-quality book), then media hits can drive traffic to book-selling venues which may result in book sales. And I might have added that, without a book promotion campaign, your book will undoubtedly languish in obscurity, unsold and -- in these days of P.O.D. -- perhaps unprinted.
But that would have served no purpose. An author who thinks that a book promotion campaign is a turnkey solution for selling books would be better off not hiring a book publicist. And an author who expects a book publicist to produce increased book sales would be difficult, if not impossible, to please...so I'll take a pass on this project. This book publicist likes to please her clients, and she can only control what she can control.
This book promotion project would be a lose/lose proposition.
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Books benefit from strange publicity opportunity
Did you read about how Angels and Demons (by Dan Brown) and White Oleander (by Janet Finch) recently scored a book promotion opportunity? Well, here's a link to the MSNBC.com story.
It seems that Heidi Dalibor borrowed the books from the Grafton Library and never returned them. She was notified, via mail, that she's have to either pay the library a $30 fine or appear in court. Sadly, Heidi was working that day in what was certainly an important job and was unable to tear herself away to make her court appearance. The next day, the police arrested her at home. (She must have a very, very important job at home, too, because she was too busy to put shoes on her feet to accompany the police to the station when they arrested her.)
Ultimately, Heidi's mother helpfully brought $201 to the police station to spring her daughter from prison. That included the $30 she owed in library fees and the $131 she owed in court costs. Heidi gleefully landed an appearance on NBC's "Today Show" to assure her adoring public that she'd learned a valuable lesson: she won't be borrowing books from the library anymore. Also, she endorsed both Angels and Demons and White Oleander as "good books."
Well, let's hope they were good books. She paid $201 for them. Plus, she lost all those precious hours of work time while she stewed in prison -- and in the green room -- thinking about where she'd gone wrong in life.
Congratulations to Dan Brown and Janet Finch. They didn't need the book promotion opportunity, or the endorsement, but they received both. Gee. Maybe Heidi Dalibor will start her own book club now.
It seems that Heidi Dalibor borrowed the books from the Grafton Library and never returned them. She was notified, via mail, that she's have to either pay the library a $30 fine or appear in court. Sadly, Heidi was working that day in what was certainly an important job and was unable to tear herself away to make her court appearance. The next day, the police arrested her at home. (She must have a very, very important job at home, too, because she was too busy to put shoes on her feet to accompany the police to the station when they arrested her.)
Ultimately, Heidi's mother helpfully brought $201 to the police station to spring her daughter from prison. That included the $30 she owed in library fees and the $131 she owed in court costs. Heidi gleefully landed an appearance on NBC's "Today Show" to assure her adoring public that she'd learned a valuable lesson: she won't be borrowing books from the library anymore. Also, she endorsed both Angels and Demons and White Oleander as "good books."
Well, let's hope they were good books. She paid $201 for them. Plus, she lost all those precious hours of work time while she stewed in prison -- and in the green room -- thinking about where she'd gone wrong in life.
Congratulations to Dan Brown and Janet Finch. They didn't need the book promotion opportunity, or the endorsement, but they received both. Gee. Maybe Heidi Dalibor will start her own book club now.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
A book promotion break for Epicenter Press
Kaylene Johnson's biography of Palin, Sarah: How a Hockey Mom Turned Alaska's Political Establishment on Its Ear (the lucky publisher is Epicenter Press, and the pub date was April 2008) broke into Amazon's Top 25 list within hours of the big announcement.
I heard a news report this morning that said the publisher is going back to press for 50,000 more copies immediately. That is probably a good idea.
One individual from the U.K. who posted a used copy of the book on Amazon is asking $105.55 for it.
Epicenter Press is an independent publisher, and they couldn't have planned on this book promotion opportunity. Good for them! I wonder what percentage of the proceeds they plan to pass along to John McCain.
I heard a news report this morning that said the publisher is going back to press for 50,000 more copies immediately. That is probably a good idea.
One individual from the U.K. who posted a used copy of the book on Amazon is asking $105.55 for it.
Epicenter Press is an independent publisher, and they couldn't have planned on this book promotion opportunity. Good for them! I wonder what percentage of the proceeds they plan to pass along to John McCain.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Guest Book Promotion Column by Sara Dobie of Sylvan Dell Publishing
Don’t Be a Couch Potato….
By Sara Dobie (see her byline at the bottom of the article)
Publicity for Your New Release
Guess what? You’re a published author. Sitting on your couch, it’s hard to believe. Publishing is what happens to other people—people who wear black, smoke cigarettes and talk about Kerouac. It doesn’t happen to people like YOU, who have day jobs, families, and car loans. Obviously, you’re excited. You can already see yourself on the cover of People magazine, Pulitzer in hand. You pat yourself on the back—job well done. You can finally relax and wait to become a millionaire. Right?
Wrong.
Your work has just begun, and it’s the work of “publicity.”
If there is no publicity, no one knows your name. If no one knows your name, no one knows your book. If no one knows your book, it doesn’t sell, and it dies on the shelves faster than you can say “backlist.” So as an author, what can you do to beat the competition? And no, you should not start harassing managers at Barnes and Noble.
1) The Review
Getting your book reviewed is mainly in the hands of your publisher. However, there are plenty of things that you, as an author, can do to assist in the process and make it more effective. Publishers know about the big dogs. They know Publishers Weekly, the New York Times, the LA Times, etc. However, they don’t know the specialists in your field. If your book is about birds, your publisher isn’t going to know the most famous ornithologist who just has to endorse your book. So think—what contacts do you have? Which of these contacts could be used to the advantage of your book? Pass this on to your publisher, and they will thank you for it! If you are willing to help your publisher, it will pay off. They will be much more willing to focus on you, because you’ve done your research. You have the names and organizations; all your publisher has to do is send the emails. Think alumni associations, your local media contacts, state reading associations and national topic-specific magazines that would want to know about your book. The opportunities are endless, and it will keep you ahead of the pack.
2) What’s your pitch?
In other words, what are you selling? Is your book about a new diet that promises Michael Phelps abs? What about a children’s book that can teach kids about ADD? Can you explain the entire theme/mission/importance of your book in five words or less? You need to, because that’s about as much time you’ll have to impress the random Oprah intern who just happens to give you a call. The real question is, can you sell yourself?
Let’s face it—in the media and in stores, no one is booking your novel. They are booking you. If you are lacking in passion for your product, they’ll know, and your book will suffer. You have to be willing to go out there and get those interviews. Get those events. I suggest selling yourself as a package. Any author can just sit there and sign a book. What about an author who can use her book to teach kids about bullies? What about a different author who can show math teachers a better way to interest students in fractions? You have to make bookstores believe you have something to offer. Make them believe you are the one doing the favor, as opposed to vice versa. You are the main attraction. People will come to see you because you are worthy of seeing. If you don’t think so, who will?
3) The Launch
I cannot emphasize how important your book launch is. I have said it over and over and over to authors all over the country. Some believe me, and some don’t. Who do you suppose has the better book sales? If you said the ones who don’t believe me, I’m glad I’m not your publicist.
Okay, in the publishing world, there is a “publication date.” This is when your book is available for purchase to the public. Your launch date should be scheduled around this time. A specific scheduled event should be referred to as your “launch date,” in fact, because a definite date makes it tangible to the media, meaning more likely to be covered. The media likes tangible events, as opposed to vague announcements, as in “People can buy my book now! Cool, huh?” No. They don’t care. They care, however, when you have a cluster of events coming up where people can actually meet you.
What does a cluster entail? I’m talking fifteen to twenty scheduled events, clustered around a two-week period, with your launch right at the beginning. I realize you probably don’t have fifteen to twenty individual bookstores in your hometown. It helps to travel, making it more of an official Author Tour. If your funds require you to stay close to home, no problem! Start with bookstores. Now, what about gift shops and specialty stores whose clientele would relate to your book? What about libraries? If your book is about astronomy, what about planetariums or museums? If it’s about salt marshes, what about national parks? The opportunities are endless. You just have to be ready to work. Events sell books. Yes, authors are artists, and your books do mean a lot to you. However, a book—no matter how good it is—dies without sales. Get out there and schedule events. It’s the way to turn your book into your career.
Don’t mean to be pushy….
The publishing industry is cutthroat. If you’re not careful, your book is old news before you’ve even unwrapped your complimentary copies. You have to retain the passion you had while writing your book through the entire process. Do not let yourself think that once your book is on the shelf, you’re done. You cannot sit back and collect royalty checks. Work with your publisher. Give your input, and use your contacts to encourage word of mouth. Believe in yourself, and bookstores will believe in you, too. Finally, always keep those events coming. Stay in the public eye, and your book will, as well. It feels good to be recognized for your work, but it won’t happen until you get off the couch and show ‘em what you got.
Sara Dobie is the Public Relations Coordinator for Sylvan Dell Publishing in South Carolina. Learn more about Sara and Sylvan Dell Publishing at www.SylvanDellPublishing.com.
By Sara Dobie (see her byline at the bottom of the article)
Publicity for Your New Release
Guess what? You’re a published author. Sitting on your couch, it’s hard to believe. Publishing is what happens to other people—people who wear black, smoke cigarettes and talk about Kerouac. It doesn’t happen to people like YOU, who have day jobs, families, and car loans. Obviously, you’re excited. You can already see yourself on the cover of People magazine, Pulitzer in hand. You pat yourself on the back—job well done. You can finally relax and wait to become a millionaire. Right?
Wrong.
Your work has just begun, and it’s the work of “publicity.”
If there is no publicity, no one knows your name. If no one knows your name, no one knows your book. If no one knows your book, it doesn’t sell, and it dies on the shelves faster than you can say “backlist.” So as an author, what can you do to beat the competition? And no, you should not start harassing managers at Barnes and Noble.
1) The Review
Getting your book reviewed is mainly in the hands of your publisher. However, there are plenty of things that you, as an author, can do to assist in the process and make it more effective. Publishers know about the big dogs. They know Publishers Weekly, the New York Times, the LA Times, etc. However, they don’t know the specialists in your field. If your book is about birds, your publisher isn’t going to know the most famous ornithologist who just has to endorse your book. So think—what contacts do you have? Which of these contacts could be used to the advantage of your book? Pass this on to your publisher, and they will thank you for it! If you are willing to help your publisher, it will pay off. They will be much more willing to focus on you, because you’ve done your research. You have the names and organizations; all your publisher has to do is send the emails. Think alumni associations, your local media contacts, state reading associations and national topic-specific magazines that would want to know about your book. The opportunities are endless, and it will keep you ahead of the pack.
2) What’s your pitch?
In other words, what are you selling? Is your book about a new diet that promises Michael Phelps abs? What about a children’s book that can teach kids about ADD? Can you explain the entire theme/mission/importance of your book in five words or less? You need to, because that’s about as much time you’ll have to impress the random Oprah intern who just happens to give you a call. The real question is, can you sell yourself?
Let’s face it—in the media and in stores, no one is booking your novel. They are booking you. If you are lacking in passion for your product, they’ll know, and your book will suffer. You have to be willing to go out there and get those interviews. Get those events. I suggest selling yourself as a package. Any author can just sit there and sign a book. What about an author who can use her book to teach kids about bullies? What about a different author who can show math teachers a better way to interest students in fractions? You have to make bookstores believe you have something to offer. Make them believe you are the one doing the favor, as opposed to vice versa. You are the main attraction. People will come to see you because you are worthy of seeing. If you don’t think so, who will?
3) The Launch
I cannot emphasize how important your book launch is. I have said it over and over and over to authors all over the country. Some believe me, and some don’t. Who do you suppose has the better book sales? If you said the ones who don’t believe me, I’m glad I’m not your publicist.
Okay, in the publishing world, there is a “publication date.” This is when your book is available for purchase to the public. Your launch date should be scheduled around this time. A specific scheduled event should be referred to as your “launch date,” in fact, because a definite date makes it tangible to the media, meaning more likely to be covered. The media likes tangible events, as opposed to vague announcements, as in “People can buy my book now! Cool, huh?” No. They don’t care. They care, however, when you have a cluster of events coming up where people can actually meet you.
What does a cluster entail? I’m talking fifteen to twenty scheduled events, clustered around a two-week period, with your launch right at the beginning. I realize you probably don’t have fifteen to twenty individual bookstores in your hometown. It helps to travel, making it more of an official Author Tour. If your funds require you to stay close to home, no problem! Start with bookstores. Now, what about gift shops and specialty stores whose clientele would relate to your book? What about libraries? If your book is about astronomy, what about planetariums or museums? If it’s about salt marshes, what about national parks? The opportunities are endless. You just have to be ready to work. Events sell books. Yes, authors are artists, and your books do mean a lot to you. However, a book—no matter how good it is—dies without sales. Get out there and schedule events. It’s the way to turn your book into your career.
Don’t mean to be pushy….
The publishing industry is cutthroat. If you’re not careful, your book is old news before you’ve even unwrapped your complimentary copies. You have to retain the passion you had while writing your book through the entire process. Do not let yourself think that once your book is on the shelf, you’re done. You cannot sit back and collect royalty checks. Work with your publisher. Give your input, and use your contacts to encourage word of mouth. Believe in yourself, and bookstores will believe in you, too. Finally, always keep those events coming. Stay in the public eye, and your book will, as well. It feels good to be recognized for your work, but it won’t happen until you get off the couch and show ‘em what you got.
Sara Dobie is the Public Relations Coordinator for Sylvan Dell Publishing in South Carolina. Learn more about Sara and Sylvan Dell Publishing at www.SylvanDellPublishing.com.
Book Promotion the Hard Way
When I heard about Dave Freeman's untimely death, I hadn't heard of Freeman -- and I barely had heard of his book, 100 Things To Do Before You Die. My second thought, after I slogged through the horror I felt at the way the 47-year-old author died -- he fell at home and hit his head and just, somehow, didn't make it -- was that this incident was going to sell a lot of books. What better book promotion opportunity could there be than the author's death? Book promotion opportunities, finally, are news items, and this was a big one. It was ironic, heart-wrenching, and unacceptable -- and, of course, every media outlet in the world gobbled it up. Here's an example of just one article about the Freeman's death that opens with the title of his book.
What I didn't realize, until later, was that Freeman's death wasn't only a horror show combined with a book promotion opportunity. It was also a chance to promote a movie -- in this case, "The Bucket List," that was apparently inspired by Freeman's work. This Reuter's article, published by MSNBC.com, talks about how Freeman's death has inspired people to create their own "bucket lists" -- just like in the movie. Had I heard of the movie before Freeman's death? Vaguely -- but only in the sense that I hear about other movies with strong lead actors that I probably wouldn't schlep to a theater to see but would probably, eventually, put into my Netflix queue.
Book promotion and movie promotion -- Freeman's freak accident (at least, I hope it was a freak accident -- I think it was a freak accident, because people in their forties typically don't die in their homes because they slip and fall, do they?) was a two-fer. Book sales and movie ticket sales (or DVD sales, if the movie has moved on from theaters, at this point) are positioned to soar.
Book promotion and movie promotion opportunities aren't worth dying for, but this one is worth learning from. What makes a promotion opportunity? A news event. An attention-getting action. An unexpected happening.
Create one, if you can. But don't do it by dying.
What I didn't realize, until later, was that Freeman's death wasn't only a horror show combined with a book promotion opportunity. It was also a chance to promote a movie -- in this case, "The Bucket List," that was apparently inspired by Freeman's work. This Reuter's article, published by MSNBC.com, talks about how Freeman's death has inspired people to create their own "bucket lists" -- just like in the movie. Had I heard of the movie before Freeman's death? Vaguely -- but only in the sense that I hear about other movies with strong lead actors that I probably wouldn't schlep to a theater to see but would probably, eventually, put into my Netflix queue.
Book promotion and movie promotion -- Freeman's freak accident (at least, I hope it was a freak accident -- I think it was a freak accident, because people in their forties typically don't die in their homes because they slip and fall, do they?) was a two-fer. Book sales and movie ticket sales (or DVD sales, if the movie has moved on from theaters, at this point) are positioned to soar.
Book promotion and movie promotion opportunities aren't worth dying for, but this one is worth learning from. What makes a promotion opportunity? A news event. An attention-getting action. An unexpected happening.
Create one, if you can. But don't do it by dying.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Book Promotion Tool
The following is not only a book promotion tool (although you can use it to snag some book reviews), but it's also a valuable information source for publishers and authors: Publishing Poynters Marketplace by Dan Poynter. It's a free newsletter, and you can see the September issue online here.
For publishers and authors who are interested in finding readers to review their books on either Amazon or Barnes and Noble's site, Poynter provides a free classifieds section where industry professionals can list their titles. Free book promotion? Sounds like a deal to this book publicist!
Thank you to Dan Poynter!
For publishers and authors who are interested in finding readers to review their books on either Amazon or Barnes and Noble's site, Poynter provides a free classifieds section where industry professionals can list their titles. Free book promotion? Sounds like a deal to this book publicist!
Thank you to Dan Poynter!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Three book promotion successes in one day!
Yesterday was an exciting day for this book publicist. I received three emails from an editor at a major magazine acknowledging the upcoming publication of three articles -- written by three of my authors -- each of which will carry my authors' bylines and refer readers back to their book Web sites. Good for the editor who received content for her magazine. Good for my clients, each of whom received visibility in a national magazine. And good for this book publicist -- that's three more book promotion opportunities to show off about, and all in one day!
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
A media marriage made in heaven -- for promoters.
The two satellite radio networks, XM Satellite and Sirius, have finally merged. The name of the new network will be Sirius XM Radio Inc., and the total number of subscribers will 18.5 million. Here's the story.
For this book publicist, that's a media marriage made in heaven. XM Satellite and Sirius radio shows were always relatively easy bookings. Of course, there are no easy bookings, but some media outlets are more approachable than others, and both XM Satellite and Sirius have both been notably open to guest suggestions and even, perhaps, "hungry" for experts to fill their airtime. So how cool is it that the listening audiences of XM Satellite and Sirius will double (I presume, based on my assumption that subscribers of either former network will now be able to hear shows on both networks -- which, naturally, is the new network).
See? This is what happens when book publicists have a cup of coffee in the morning and then blog. Okay. Time to book some interviews....
For this book publicist, that's a media marriage made in heaven. XM Satellite and Sirius radio shows were always relatively easy bookings. Of course, there are no easy bookings, but some media outlets are more approachable than others, and both XM Satellite and Sirius have both been notably open to guest suggestions and even, perhaps, "hungry" for experts to fill their airtime. So how cool is it that the listening audiences of XM Satellite and Sirius will double (I presume, based on my assumption that subscribers of either former network will now be able to hear shows on both networks -- which, naturally, is the new network).
See? This is what happens when book publicists have a cup of coffee in the morning and then blog. Okay. Time to book some interviews....
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Steve Wasserman isn't happy, and neither am I.
Steve Wasserman, a former editor of the Los Angeles Times Book Review, isn't happy. According to a July 21 article in Publisher Weekly's online edition, the Los Angeles Times is cutting out its standalone book review section. Two book review editors will lose their jobs, and countless of publishers and authors will lose yet another opportunity to have their books reviewed by a credible daily newspaper.
As a book publicist whose clients' works range from mainstream to self-published, I've never relied solely on book reviews. I've always sought book promotion opportunities from a wide range of broadcast, print, and online media outlets. And, these days, the reviewers with whom I've having the most success connecting are Amazon's top reviewers -- lay people, if you will, who have become top authorities on "what's hot and what's not" in the literary world.
Okay. Times change, and the media must change, too.
Top daily newspapers have their business considerations, just as authors and publishers must watch their own bottom lines. If standalone book review sections aren't producing profits, then they must be sacrificed, along with the editors who were the lifeblood of those standalone book review sections and the authors and publishers who relied upon those standalone book review sections for book publicity.
I understand that this is all about money and not a statement about the worthiness of book reviews or a statement that literature doesn't matter anymore. I understand that.
But that doesn't make me any happier about the whole thing.
As a book publicist whose clients' works range from mainstream to self-published, I've never relied solely on book reviews. I've always sought book promotion opportunities from a wide range of broadcast, print, and online media outlets. And, these days, the reviewers with whom I've having the most success connecting are Amazon's top reviewers -- lay people, if you will, who have become top authorities on "what's hot and what's not" in the literary world.
Okay. Times change, and the media must change, too.
Top daily newspapers have their business considerations, just as authors and publishers must watch their own bottom lines. If standalone book review sections aren't producing profits, then they must be sacrificed, along with the editors who were the lifeblood of those standalone book review sections and the authors and publishers who relied upon those standalone book review sections for book publicity.
I understand that this is all about money and not a statement about the worthiness of book reviews or a statement that literature doesn't matter anymore. I understand that.
But that doesn't make me any happier about the whole thing.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Choose book promotion opportunities with caution.
Choose book promotion opportunities with caution. This is new advice and, coming from a book publicist, it's counter-intuitive advice. You'd think that a book publicist would want authors and publishers to take advantage of every book promotion opportunity that comes their way, and to err on the side of doing any interview that might win some exposure for the book, wouldn't you?
Well, this just in. Some media personalities have such objectionable messages to disseminate that you don't want to accept their interview invitations. In short, you don't have to deal with jerks.
Case in point: Radio show host Michael Savage said, on the air, that 99% of children who are labeled "autistic" are actually undisciplined brats. Read the Associated Press's story about it here, via MSNBC.com. If a more ignorant statement than that has been uttered about any child, I don't want to know about it. Does Savage believe the nonsense he spouted, or did he just say those things to get attention? In either case, no author, no matter how worthy the book he or she is promoting, should feel the need to appear as a guest that's hosted by people who say objectionable things on the air for any reason.
Don't feel guilty for turning down a book promotion opportunity if you feel that accepting that opportunity would force you to compromise yourself. Most book promotion opportunities are worthwhile, and they can even be wonderful. But if it doesn't feel good to you, then don't do it. That is this book publicist's advice of the day.
Well, this just in. Some media personalities have such objectionable messages to disseminate that you don't want to accept their interview invitations. In short, you don't have to deal with jerks.
Case in point: Radio show host Michael Savage said, on the air, that 99% of children who are labeled "autistic" are actually undisciplined brats. Read the Associated Press's story about it here, via MSNBC.com. If a more ignorant statement than that has been uttered about any child, I don't want to know about it. Does Savage believe the nonsense he spouted, or did he just say those things to get attention? In either case, no author, no matter how worthy the book he or she is promoting, should feel the need to appear as a guest that's hosted by people who say objectionable things on the air for any reason.
Don't feel guilty for turning down a book promotion opportunity if you feel that accepting that opportunity would force you to compromise yourself. Most book promotion opportunities are worthwhile, and they can even be wonderful. But if it doesn't feel good to you, then don't do it. That is this book publicist's advice of the day.
Monday, July 21, 2008
When Hannah Montana is old news.
When was the first time you heard the phrase "Miley Ray Cyrus?" For those of us who don't have kids who are glued to the Disney Channel, and who begged for Hannah Montana merchandise or concert tickets, the answer might well be "within the year" (or, specifically, when a magazine published some "artistic" photos of her with her father that some people found troubling).
Anyway, Miley Ray Cyrus was going to be the next...well, whomever teenage singers and actors are hoping to grow up to be these days.
And now, according to a Baltimore Sun article, Miley is, like, so over. Her popularity is dwindling as other tween crowd pleasers, such as the Jonas Brothers, push her right out of the media and out of our collective consciousness.
Miley, of course, enjoyed her 15 minutes of fame. She sold lots of merchandise and concert tickets, (hopefully) saved at least some of the salary that Disney paid her, and (again, hopefully) will be enjoying royalty checks from her CDs and acting career for many years to come.
Some authors believe that if they enjoy even 5 minutes of airtime on a national television show, their lives will be changed forever. Their books will become bestsellers, and when their stay on the bestseller lists is over, they will continue to be strong sellers forever. Their careers will be made, and their futures will be assured.
That's the fantasy, but just one look at Miley Ray Cyrus and other "It" celebrities of short duration can tell you that it isn't enough. Success isn't a one-time event that happens when the producers of a national media outlet pluck you out of the crowd and ask you to appear as a guest, or as an expert, on a show or in a publication. Success is what happens when you work on achieving it, and then maintaining it, throughout your career.
Success is what happens when you get lucky and stay lucky...and, to stay lucky, you have to work at staying lucky.
Anyway, Miley Ray Cyrus was going to be the next...well, whomever teenage singers and actors are hoping to grow up to be these days.
And now, according to a Baltimore Sun article, Miley is, like, so over. Her popularity is dwindling as other tween crowd pleasers, such as the Jonas Brothers, push her right out of the media and out of our collective consciousness.
Miley, of course, enjoyed her 15 minutes of fame. She sold lots of merchandise and concert tickets, (hopefully) saved at least some of the salary that Disney paid her, and (again, hopefully) will be enjoying royalty checks from her CDs and acting career for many years to come.
Some authors believe that if they enjoy even 5 minutes of airtime on a national television show, their lives will be changed forever. Their books will become bestsellers, and when their stay on the bestseller lists is over, they will continue to be strong sellers forever. Their careers will be made, and their futures will be assured.
That's the fantasy, but just one look at Miley Ray Cyrus and other "It" celebrities of short duration can tell you that it isn't enough. Success isn't a one-time event that happens when the producers of a national media outlet pluck you out of the crowd and ask you to appear as a guest, or as an expert, on a show or in a publication. Success is what happens when you work on achieving it, and then maintaining it, throughout your career.
Success is what happens when you get lucky and stay lucky...and, to stay lucky, you have to work at staying lucky.
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Good news for me, and bad news for some cable TV subscibers
This is a day when, for one reason or another, I am finding answers to my burning questions -- well, two of them, anyway. I thought I'd share them with you.
First, I've been adding a lot of links to my Firefox toolbar. Finally, I out-linked myself. Most of the links that I wanted to show up on my Firefox toolbar, so that I could have that one-click convenience, were truncated -- and I learned, to my chagrin, that unless you're a programmer, you can't add a second toolbar to Firefox that will let you incorporate your own links (turns out, the type of toolbar that accepts links in Firefox is called a book marks toolbar, and you only get one of those unless you've taken serious geek lessons).
But there's a fix. You can expand the bookmarks toolbar in Firefox so that all of your links show simultaneously. The answer? An add-on, available from Mozilla, called Multi Row Bookmarks Toolbar. It's free, it works, and you can download it here (you just have to sign up as a user, but I can deal with that).
The second burning question to which I received an answer this morning -- and it was not the answer I wanted -- was: Will I really need to rent a box from my cable TV company once the switchover from analog to digital takes place? The bad news is that I probably will, and so will everyone (supposedly) who connects their coaxial cable directly from the wall to their television set. Seems that there are two conversions taking place simultaneously: the conversion of all television signals from analog to digital, and the separate (and highly annoying) conversion of only cable television signals to digital cable television signals.
In a nutshell, everyone who wasn't impressed when the local cable company offered an upgrade to digital service will now have to get impressed -- or live without television-watching capabilities. The latter could be a tough road for a book publicist to traverse. Can you imagine booking an author on "Oprah," and then not being able to watch it? Or imagine not being able to keep up with the new shows on TV?
Or, from the author's perspective -- imagine getting on "Oprah" and not being able to view it? That won't work!
So all cable TV viewers will soon become digital cable TV watchers (read about it here). That will mean renting a digital converter box from the local cable TV company. And that will also mean hooking up the digital converter box to the TV set and the DVD player and the VCR, and figuring out how to use a new remote control, and probably putting up with several additional indignities and inconveniences that I haven't even thought of yet.
So it's off to get a digital converter box from the cable company. And I thought I could avold that hassle.
Oh, well.
First, I've been adding a lot of links to my Firefox toolbar. Finally, I out-linked myself. Most of the links that I wanted to show up on my Firefox toolbar, so that I could have that one-click convenience, were truncated -- and I learned, to my chagrin, that unless you're a programmer, you can't add a second toolbar to Firefox that will let you incorporate your own links (turns out, the type of toolbar that accepts links in Firefox is called a book marks toolbar, and you only get one of those unless you've taken serious geek lessons).
But there's a fix. You can expand the bookmarks toolbar in Firefox so that all of your links show simultaneously. The answer? An add-on, available from Mozilla, called Multi Row Bookmarks Toolbar. It's free, it works, and you can download it here (you just have to sign up as a user, but I can deal with that).
The second burning question to which I received an answer this morning -- and it was not the answer I wanted -- was: Will I really need to rent a box from my cable TV company once the switchover from analog to digital takes place? The bad news is that I probably will, and so will everyone (supposedly) who connects their coaxial cable directly from the wall to their television set. Seems that there are two conversions taking place simultaneously: the conversion of all television signals from analog to digital, and the separate (and highly annoying) conversion of only cable television signals to digital cable television signals.
In a nutshell, everyone who wasn't impressed when the local cable company offered an upgrade to digital service will now have to get impressed -- or live without television-watching capabilities. The latter could be a tough road for a book publicist to traverse. Can you imagine booking an author on "Oprah," and then not being able to watch it? Or imagine not being able to keep up with the new shows on TV?
Or, from the author's perspective -- imagine getting on "Oprah" and not being able to view it? That won't work!
So all cable TV viewers will soon become digital cable TV watchers (read about it here). That will mean renting a digital converter box from the local cable TV company. And that will also mean hooking up the digital converter box to the TV set and the DVD player and the VCR, and figuring out how to use a new remote control, and probably putting up with several additional indignities and inconveniences that I haven't even thought of yet.
So it's off to get a digital converter box from the cable company. And I thought I could avold that hassle.
Oh, well.
Monday, June 30, 2008
What to do with video trailers for books
You've created a video trailer for your book. What should you do with it once you've uploaded it onto your site?
The first order of business would be to make it available via YouTube and Google Video. According to a WebProNews article dated June 26, 2008, YouTube and Google Video, combined, account for 80% of all the online video streaming. Most of those video streaming sessions, as you might guess, take place through YouTube.
So if you have just a few minutes to spend on video trailer distribution, by all means, take the time to upload it to YouTube and Google Video. If you want to maximize the book promotion potential of your video trailer, you'll have to carry your efforts into the arena of the lesser-known sites with a lighter viewership (because they'll still provide backlinks to your video trailer); onto social bookmarketing sites; and in the news.
But, if you have just 30 minutes and a video trailer for your book, and you want to do just two simple things that can instantly increase the book promotion potential of your trailer, then log into YouTube and Google Video. Getting your video trailer for your book onto the right sites isn't difficult, but it does take a bit of focus. So turn off your phone for a few minutes, and get to work. Then treat yourself to a cup of hazelnut coffee. It's Monday...you deserve a second cup.
The first order of business would be to make it available via YouTube and Google Video. According to a WebProNews article dated June 26, 2008, YouTube and Google Video, combined, account for 80% of all the online video streaming. Most of those video streaming sessions, as you might guess, take place through YouTube.
So if you have just a few minutes to spend on video trailer distribution, by all means, take the time to upload it to YouTube and Google Video. If you want to maximize the book promotion potential of your video trailer, you'll have to carry your efforts into the arena of the lesser-known sites with a lighter viewership (because they'll still provide backlinks to your video trailer); onto social bookmarketing sites; and in the news.
But, if you have just 30 minutes and a video trailer for your book, and you want to do just two simple things that can instantly increase the book promotion potential of your trailer, then log into YouTube and Google Video. Getting your video trailer for your book onto the right sites isn't difficult, but it does take a bit of focus. So turn off your phone for a few minutes, and get to work. Then treat yourself to a cup of hazelnut coffee. It's Monday...you deserve a second cup.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Don Imus
Maybe it's just me, but if I were a national radio talk show host, I don't think I'd ever be moved to ask the question, "What color is he." In fact, I'm not a national talk show host -- I'm a book publicist -- and I can't imagine ever finding a reason, or a context, to ask that question.
Don Imus has done it again. You'd think that an employee who, once fired, would feel grateful to be given a second chance -- and you'd think he'd watch the words that spewed forth from his mouth a bit more carefully than most people. Alas; Don Imus is one employee who doesn't seem to learn. If you haven't heard the story by now, then click here.
Yes, I know that being on Don Imus's radio show represents a better-than-average book promotion opportunity. Yes, I know that an appearance on Don Imus's radio show can help sell books. Similarly, robbing a bank can net a person more money than working for a living. But I don't endorse bank robbery as an acceptable career choice, and I don't condone helping Don Imus stay on the air to insult, outrage, and antagonize his listeners. There are too many venues in this world to sell out to someone like Don Imus, no matter how many books an appearance on his show might sell.
This is one book publicist who won't be pitching the Don Imus Show any longer.
Don Imus has done it again. You'd think that an employee who, once fired, would feel grateful to be given a second chance -- and you'd think he'd watch the words that spewed forth from his mouth a bit more carefully than most people. Alas; Don Imus is one employee who doesn't seem to learn. If you haven't heard the story by now, then click here.
Yes, I know that being on Don Imus's radio show represents a better-than-average book promotion opportunity. Yes, I know that an appearance on Don Imus's radio show can help sell books. Similarly, robbing a bank can net a person more money than working for a living. But I don't endorse bank robbery as an acceptable career choice, and I don't condone helping Don Imus stay on the air to insult, outrage, and antagonize his listeners. There are too many venues in this world to sell out to someone like Don Imus, no matter how many books an appearance on his show might sell.
This is one book publicist who won't be pitching the Don Imus Show any longer.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Book Publishing for Children
Why should you be the only author in your family? If you have creative children, they can write and print their own books via a P.O.D. company that was created just for kids: Tikatok. Although the site seems to be in the testing phase now (the site, which launched in March, has "beta" as part of its URL, so I'm assuming it's still in the beta stage), it's already receiving visibility. In fact, the Boston Herald had an article about it this morning that talked about an event, taking place at the Boston Public Library (one of my favorite places on the planet) on July 8, for kids who want to learn how to use Tikatok.
How many of us fantasized about having our own books published when we were kids? And how many of us actually could fulfill that dream back then?
Thanks to Tikatok, kids can put "publishing a book" into the same category as "getting an ipod." In other words, not every young person will find a parent who's willing to invest in the dream.
On the other hand, what a small investment it is, relatively speaking. And how rich the rewards!
How many of us fantasized about having our own books published when we were kids? And how many of us actually could fulfill that dream back then?
Thanks to Tikatok, kids can put "publishing a book" into the same category as "getting an ipod." In other words, not every young person will find a parent who's willing to invest in the dream.
On the other hand, what a small investment it is, relatively speaking. And how rich the rewards!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Email addresses can offer book promotion opportunities, too.
Free email addresses provide yet another book promotion opportunity. If you can grab another mainstream email address that features your name (or your book title) without a lot of superfluous numbers, wouldn't you do so?
Well, at -- supposedly -- 3:00PM EST today, you'll get that chance.
Yahoo is unveiling two new email domains: Ymail and Rocketmail. So get there early (I'm assuming that "there" means Yahoo.com, but I wouldn't swear to it), and sign up for the user name of your choice.
At least, getting one or two new email addresses that feature your name, or your book's name, is another low-pain, potentially high-gain, book promotion opportunity. And at best, you'll be preventing a competitor from "stealing" the name that could benefit you and your book promotion campaign.
So go for it. Check out this article, and then get ready to sign up for a new email account!
Well, at -- supposedly -- 3:00PM EST today, you'll get that chance.
Yahoo is unveiling two new email domains: Ymail and Rocketmail. So get there early (I'm assuming that "there" means Yahoo.com, but I wouldn't swear to it), and sign up for the user name of your choice.
At least, getting one or two new email addresses that feature your name, or your book's name, is another low-pain, potentially high-gain, book promotion opportunity. And at best, you'll be preventing a competitor from "stealing" the name that could benefit you and your book promotion campaign.
So go for it. Check out this article, and then get ready to sign up for a new email account!
Friday, June 13, 2008
A seemingly odd, but nonetheless worthwhile, book promotion idea.
By now, you've discovered Wikipedia. Whatever you think of Wikipedia -- whether you love it or hate it -- you've surely noticed that, regardless of what you're "googling," a Wikipedia entry almost always seems to turn up first in the search results.
We all know that (to be polite about it) Wikipedia's information is only as good as those who have contributed to its entries. That, of course, can be anyone, which is why "Wikipedia" is called a "wiki." It's produced by anyone with something to add, which means that Wikipedia shouldn't be your primary source of information. It's just not as reliable as it would be if, say, it couldn't be updated instantly, by anyone, at any time (although, in fairness, the site's editorial board to try to keep an eye on those updates and have even challenged some of my entries when I've inadvertently "under"-footnoted).
Anyway, what brought Wikipedia to mind is that, unfortunately, Tim Russert has just passed away. I wanted to see Russert's bio, so I googled him and -- predictably -- his Wikipedia entry came up first. What really made my eyes pop was that Russert's entry notes his death. I checked the entry a few minutes ago, and the entry already had been updated to include an unexpected death that had occurred less than three hours before.
People are using Wikipedia, and you should be using it, too, whatever your feelings about a democratic encyclopedia that allows anyone, regardless of credentials, to offer suggestions. It's easy to enter your own bio in Wikipedia and, hopefully, score a backlink to your Web site and your fair share of Google's attention. Yes, it's an offbeat book promotion idea, but it's one that authors and publishers should be using, anyway. Try it, and don't be shy -- it's impossible to "break" Wikipedia or your own entry. I promise. You can always edit your offering once you've uploaded it to Wikipedia to test it out "live."
We all know that (to be polite about it) Wikipedia's information is only as good as those who have contributed to its entries. That, of course, can be anyone, which is why "Wikipedia" is called a "wiki." It's produced by anyone with something to add, which means that Wikipedia shouldn't be your primary source of information. It's just not as reliable as it would be if, say, it couldn't be updated instantly, by anyone, at any time (although, in fairness, the site's editorial board to try to keep an eye on those updates and have even challenged some of my entries when I've inadvertently "under"-footnoted).
Anyway, what brought Wikipedia to mind is that, unfortunately, Tim Russert has just passed away. I wanted to see Russert's bio, so I googled him and -- predictably -- his Wikipedia entry came up first. What really made my eyes pop was that Russert's entry notes his death. I checked the entry a few minutes ago, and the entry already had been updated to include an unexpected death that had occurred less than three hours before.
People are using Wikipedia, and you should be using it, too, whatever your feelings about a democratic encyclopedia that allows anyone, regardless of credentials, to offer suggestions. It's easy to enter your own bio in Wikipedia and, hopefully, score a backlink to your Web site and your fair share of Google's attention. Yes, it's an offbeat book promotion idea, but it's one that authors and publishers should be using, anyway. Try it, and don't be shy -- it's impossible to "break" Wikipedia or your own entry. I promise. You can always edit your offering once you've uploaded it to Wikipedia to test it out "live."
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Book promotion requires...
Book publicists get to do a lot of exciting things, and this book publicist isn't complaining about them. However, book promotion also requires computer and telephone time -- that's butt-in-the-chair time -- and, therefore, book promotion requires a good, comfortable chair.
In all the time that I've been a book promotion specialist, I've been using an armless, nearly backless, drafting chair to sit at my computer desk. Guess what? Those days are about to come to an end. Tomorrow, a high-backed, ergonomically-correct manager's chair should arrive from Staples.
I seldom treat myself to the luxuries of office life (I'd still be using my monochrome CRT monitor, if it were up to me), but just this once, I thought I'd grab what my back and legs needed. Book promotion requires creativity and hard work, and both creativity and hard work require a chair that one can actually sit in without adding chair cushions for height, padding, or better positioning.
My book promotion clients will thank me. I just wish one of them would offer to swing by tomorrow and assemble my chair for me.
In all the time that I've been a book promotion specialist, I've been using an armless, nearly backless, drafting chair to sit at my computer desk. Guess what? Those days are about to come to an end. Tomorrow, a high-backed, ergonomically-correct manager's chair should arrive from Staples.
I seldom treat myself to the luxuries of office life (I'd still be using my monochrome CRT monitor, if it were up to me), but just this once, I thought I'd grab what my back and legs needed. Book promotion requires creativity and hard work, and both creativity and hard work require a chair that one can actually sit in without adding chair cushions for height, padding, or better positioning.
My book promotion clients will thank me. I just wish one of them would offer to swing by tomorrow and assemble my chair for me.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Book Promotion: What's New?
What's new in book promotion? According to a June 10, 2008 Boston Herald article by Lauren Beckham Falcone, everything about book promotion -- for novelists, anyway -- is new. Publishers expect their novelists to spend as much time building their brand as they do writing their novels.
That's fine, but what are publishers expecting their novelists to do by way of book promotion? Appear on the Oprah Show? ? Do an inteview with the New Yorker? Get a guest gig on "Fresh Air"?
Nope, that's too simple. According to Falcone, publishers today expect their novelists to appear in retail stores, on MySpace, and even -- at least in the case of Emily Giffin, the author of a St. Martin's bestseller called Love the One You’re With -- to appear on a televised soap opera!
If you're still thinking that traditional book reviews will appease your publisher and fulfill your book promotion duties, think again. A new age of book promotion is dawning, and book publicists are rolling up their sleeves and getting to work on creative ways to help you build your brand. Get ready to meet your readers -- under conditions you never would have dreamt of just a few years ago!
That's fine, but what are publishers expecting their novelists to do by way of book promotion? Appear on the Oprah Show? ? Do an inteview with the New Yorker? Get a guest gig on "Fresh Air"?
Nope, that's too simple. According to Falcone, publishers today expect their novelists to appear in retail stores, on MySpace, and even -- at least in the case of Emily Giffin, the author of a St. Martin's bestseller called Love the One You’re With -- to appear on a televised soap opera!
If you're still thinking that traditional book reviews will appease your publisher and fulfill your book promotion duties, think again. A new age of book promotion is dawning, and book publicists are rolling up their sleeves and getting to work on creative ways to help you build your brand. Get ready to meet your readers -- under conditions you never would have dreamt of just a few years ago!
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Change, Change, Change
Well, literary boys and girls, I'm sorry to be the book publicist to break it to you, but...well, there's just not easy way to say this. Amazon and Borders are getting a divorce.
It wasn't anything that you did. In fact, it wasn't about you at all. It was just that Borders needed its own Web site. Sometimes, that happens, even when two companies loved each other once upon a time and cohabitated (or, at least, shared a Web site) for years and years (in this case, seven years).
Borders new Web site, you may not be surprised to learn, is Borders.com/. And Publishers Weekly's story about the Amazon / Borders breakup is right here.
Note that Baker and Taylor is handling fulfillment for Borders.com. Also, whereas Amazon offers free shipping for book orders that total more than $25, Borders lets you pick up orders at your local bricks-and-mortar bookstore for just the price of the gas you'll need to get there. Hmmm....
It wasn't anything that you did. In fact, it wasn't about you at all. It was just that Borders needed its own Web site. Sometimes, that happens, even when two companies loved each other once upon a time and cohabitated (or, at least, shared a Web site) for years and years (in this case, seven years).
Borders new Web site, you may not be surprised to learn, is Borders.com/. And Publishers Weekly's story about the Amazon / Borders breakup is right here.
Note that Baker and Taylor is handling fulfillment for Borders.com. Also, whereas Amazon offers free shipping for book orders that total more than $25, Borders lets you pick up orders at your local bricks-and-mortar bookstore for just the price of the gas you'll need to get there. Hmmm....
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