A 19-year-old youg man, formerly called Chris Garnett, had his name legally changed to KentuckyFriedCrueltyDotCom. As a member of PETA, he wanted to get some attention for what he believes to be the plight of chickens who encounter the Colonel's organization and wind up on a plate with a side of mashed potatoes, gravy, and probably some cole slaw. You can read about it here.
So how does Ken's bid (yes, some people really do call him Ken) for media attention relate to your book promotion campaign? Granted, Ken isn't promoting a book, but he does know an awful lot about promotion, and the strategies he's used to get the media's attention are certainly worthy of your consideration:
* Get passionate about something.
* Act on your conviction -- in other words, "walk the walk" -- in an unconventional way.
* Let the media know.
* Be prepared to defend your position intelligently when the media calls.
You don't have to be a PETA member, or a KFC detractor, to appreciate the fact that KentuckyFriedCrueltyDotCom is smart about self-promotion. His PR campaign probably hasn't cost him more than the price of legally changing his name and a few postage stamps (unless he's conducting strictly an email media campaign). But look at the results of his promotion campaign, and think about why he's achieving those results. If you were the producer of a national TV show, would you be able to resist the story of 19-year-old Chris Garnett who changed his name to KentuckyFriedCrueltyDotCom?
Technorati Tags: book promotion, book publicity
Monday, January 23, 2006
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Off-the-Wall, Fun Books Promote Themselves
If your book is silly, off-beat, or just plain goofy, it may very well attract all the media coverage you can handle. In my experience, media hooks that can serve as foils for tragic, fightening news stories always seem to have a place in newspapers and magazines, and on radio and TV, and online.
For example, check out this Mississippi Press article about a neat book called "How to Meditate with your Dog" by James Jacobson.
I don't live with a dog, and I'm not sure I'd invite one to meditate with me if I did, but still -- I wouldn't mind reading a copy of that book. (And, no, I'm not in the market to meditate with my cats, either.) The book looks clever, and it looks light-hearted, and that's often enough for me, as a book buyer. Apparently, editors and producers feel the same attraction to "cute" topics as the rest of us do enough of the time so that you'll nearly always spot a "fluffy" (no pun intended) news feature or two somewhere on a broadcast or in a publication.
With that in mind, I often try to find an offbeat news angle for a serious (and sometimes even an academic) book that seems to be underwhelming media decisionmakers. If you can figure out how to pitch your book in a just-for-fun or even outrageous way, you might find some media takers who resisted your more straight-on story ideas.
It's worth a try, anyway, if you have a sense of humor and are willing to laugh at yourself. You might find media decisionmakers -- and book buyers -- are willing to laugh with you, too.
Technorati Tags: book promotion, book publicity
For example, check out this Mississippi Press article about a neat book called "How to Meditate with your Dog" by James Jacobson.
I don't live with a dog, and I'm not sure I'd invite one to meditate with me if I did, but still -- I wouldn't mind reading a copy of that book. (And, no, I'm not in the market to meditate with my cats, either.) The book looks clever, and it looks light-hearted, and that's often enough for me, as a book buyer. Apparently, editors and producers feel the same attraction to "cute" topics as the rest of us do enough of the time so that you'll nearly always spot a "fluffy" (no pun intended) news feature or two somewhere on a broadcast or in a publication.
With that in mind, I often try to find an offbeat news angle for a serious (and sometimes even an academic) book that seems to be underwhelming media decisionmakers. If you can figure out how to pitch your book in a just-for-fun or even outrageous way, you might find some media takers who resisted your more straight-on story ideas.
It's worth a try, anyway, if you have a sense of humor and are willing to laugh at yourself. You might find media decisionmakers -- and book buyers -- are willing to laugh with you, too.
Technorati Tags: book promotion, book publicity
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Riddle: What's the Worst Way to Promote Your Book?
Answer: The worst way to promote your book is to have Osama bin Laden endorse it.
This story from Salon.com nearly made me lose my Saturday morning breakfast. It seems that, in his latest tape, Osama bin Laden plugged William Blum's book, "Rogue State: A Guide to the World's Only Superpower."
Now, I have to tell you, Osama bin Laden's book recommendations wouldn't send me scurrying to my favorite bookseller. But apparently, his reading list does hold weight with a whole host of other people, because Blum's book, which ranked No. 205,763 B.O. (Before Osama), stands at #20 as I blog.
Who's buying this book, is what I'd like to know? Second of all, if you can think of a dirtier, more offensive way to promote your book and increase your visibility than to get a terrorist's endorsement, let me know.
On second thought...yuck.
Technorati Tags: book promotion, book publicity
This story from Salon.com nearly made me lose my Saturday morning breakfast. It seems that, in his latest tape, Osama bin Laden plugged William Blum's book, "Rogue State: A Guide to the World's Only Superpower."
Now, I have to tell you, Osama bin Laden's book recommendations wouldn't send me scurrying to my favorite bookseller. But apparently, his reading list does hold weight with a whole host of other people, because Blum's book, which ranked No. 205,763 B.O. (Before Osama), stands at #20 as I blog.
Who's buying this book, is what I'd like to know? Second of all, if you can think of a dirtier, more offensive way to promote your book and increase your visibility than to get a terrorist's endorsement, let me know.
On second thought...yuck.
Technorati Tags: book promotion, book publicity
Friday, January 20, 2006
An Unlikely Response to a Story Pitch
I never know what to expect when I pitch a book to the media, so I'm seldom shocked by any individual's responses. But yesterday I received some static for a story pitch that did, indeed, surprise me.
I'd asked the author of a novel that was published by a mainstream New York house for her reaction to the James Frey controversy. Her book, after all, is semi-autobiographical, and she might have chosen to call it a memoir, too -- but she didn't. The author said that she supported Frey and, indeed, if she'd been braver, she might have chosen to call her novel a memoir as well. I included her quotation in a pitch that went out via email to a couple of thousand major book review editors, feature editors, producers, and so forth.
Well, that will teach me.
Almost as soon as I began the email campaign, I received an email from the book editor at one of the top daily U.S. newspapers. The email reads something like this:
"I think you and [the novelist] should pitch this trash to those people Frey has hurt for his own mercenary reasons. Shame on you."
Which leads me to the conclusion that the book editor at this top daily U.S. newspaper disagreed with my client's position. (By the way, I'm paraphrasing the email. When I emailed the reporter this morning to ask for her permission to quote her in this space, she declined to respond. Oh, well.)
Anyway, the reporter's email also has me pondering two questions.
When did it became a shame for one writer to support the right of another writer? And when did I, as a book publicist, become an advocate for my client's position? Last time I checked, I promoted books and disseminated press materials. I did not necessarily endorse the ideas expressed in those books or press materials.
As it happens, I would choose to not represent a book or an author whose work violated my moral code, but that's just my personal style, and I would never inflict that choice on a fellow book promotion specialist. If a liberally-oriented colleague chose to promote a book written by a conservative author, for example, that wouldn't trouble me.
I get troubled when promoting somebody's work or disseminating somebody's message can cause harm to authors. Otherwise, I'm fine about putting ideas out there, for the media's consideration, because that's what my clients engage me to do. I'm not a partner in any of my clients' business ventures or their legal representative. I'm their liason to the media, and with that, I agree with some of their opinions, and I disagree with others -- but I put them all out there for others to judge which, I think, is what a book publicist is supposed to do.
To that anonymous book review editor, I'd like to say this. Thank you for a thought-provoking email. I'm continually amazed by how comfortable media decisionmakers feel clicking the "reply" button on their email software to provide instant feedback -- both positive and negative.
Technorati Tags: book promotion, book publicity
I'd asked the author of a novel that was published by a mainstream New York house for her reaction to the James Frey controversy. Her book, after all, is semi-autobiographical, and she might have chosen to call it a memoir, too -- but she didn't. The author said that she supported Frey and, indeed, if she'd been braver, she might have chosen to call her novel a memoir as well. I included her quotation in a pitch that went out via email to a couple of thousand major book review editors, feature editors, producers, and so forth.
Well, that will teach me.
Almost as soon as I began the email campaign, I received an email from the book editor at one of the top daily U.S. newspapers. The email reads something like this:
"I think you and [the novelist] should pitch this trash to those people Frey has hurt for his own mercenary reasons. Shame on you."
Which leads me to the conclusion that the book editor at this top daily U.S. newspaper disagreed with my client's position. (By the way, I'm paraphrasing the email. When I emailed the reporter this morning to ask for her permission to quote her in this space, she declined to respond. Oh, well.)
Anyway, the reporter's email also has me pondering two questions.
When did it became a shame for one writer to support the right of another writer? And when did I, as a book publicist, become an advocate for my client's position? Last time I checked, I promoted books and disseminated press materials. I did not necessarily endorse the ideas expressed in those books or press materials.
As it happens, I would choose to not represent a book or an author whose work violated my moral code, but that's just my personal style, and I would never inflict that choice on a fellow book promotion specialist. If a liberally-oriented colleague chose to promote a book written by a conservative author, for example, that wouldn't trouble me.
I get troubled when promoting somebody's work or disseminating somebody's message can cause harm to authors. Otherwise, I'm fine about putting ideas out there, for the media's consideration, because that's what my clients engage me to do. I'm not a partner in any of my clients' business ventures or their legal representative. I'm their liason to the media, and with that, I agree with some of their opinions, and I disagree with others -- but I put them all out there for others to judge which, I think, is what a book publicist is supposed to do.
To that anonymous book review editor, I'd like to say this. Thank you for a thought-provoking email. I'm continually amazed by how comfortable media decisionmakers feel clicking the "reply" button on their email software to provide instant feedback -- both positive and negative.
Technorati Tags: book promotion, book publicity
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Go, Amazon!
How will Stephen King promote his latest novel (the first in way too long, according to this long-time rabid fan)? On Amazon.com's new TV show!
According to the Los Angeles Times, Bill Maher host a new online TV show (yes, I'm still trying to figure out what that means, too) called -- what else? -- "Amazon Fishbowl With Bill Maher."
King will be among the guests of the first episode of "Fishbowl," and twelve more shows (so far) will follow. He will appear on no other TV shows to promote his book. And UPS will sponser the commercial-free show.
As far as I'm concerned, this is awesome. Amazon's new online TV show may change book promotion forever. I'm so excited that we're along for the ride!
Technorati tags: amazon, amazon.com, stephen king, book promotion, book publicity, online television show, online tv show
According to the Los Angeles Times, Bill Maher host a new online TV show (yes, I'm still trying to figure out what that means, too) called -- what else? -- "Amazon Fishbowl With Bill Maher."
King will be among the guests of the first episode of "Fishbowl," and twelve more shows (so far) will follow. He will appear on no other TV shows to promote his book. And UPS will sponser the commercial-free show.
As far as I'm concerned, this is awesome. Amazon's new online TV show may change book promotion forever. I'm so excited that we're along for the ride!
Technorati tags: amazon, amazon.com, stephen king, book promotion, book publicity, online television show, online tv show
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Elie Wiesel Needs Oprah's Book Club Like...
Elie Wiesel needs Oprah's book club as much as Leo Tolstoy needs it. Maybe less. I strongly suspect that Mr. Wiesel's memoir about his experiences during World War II would have garnered worldwide interest without Oprah's endorsement, just as Anna Karenina would have maintained its healthy book sales without Oprah's help.
At this point, I'm wondering whether Oprah's book club logo might actually hurt Mr. Wiesel's book, Night, which has supplanted James Frey's A Million Little Pieces as Amazon's number one bestseller.
We all know that the veracity of Frey's book has been called into question. Will Mr. Wiesel's book, which is also a memoir, be similarly scrutinized? Reuters suggests that Oprah has already offered a disclaimer on her Web site that says, essentially, the book might not accurately represent every small detail of Mr. Wiesel's family history, but that it's true enough to be called an autobiography.
Well, then, the book has Oprah's endorsement. Sort of.
But will that endorsement, and the associated disclaimer, just fuel the nonsense of those who demand proof of that which is true? Will Oprah's endorsement of Night delight Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and people of his ilk?
Is this one time when it really would have made sense for an author to turn down Oprah's invitation to join her book club? Perhaps.
At this point, I'm wondering whether Oprah's book club logo might actually hurt Mr. Wiesel's book, Night, which has supplanted James Frey's A Million Little Pieces as Amazon's number one bestseller.
We all know that the veracity of Frey's book has been called into question. Will Mr. Wiesel's book, which is also a memoir, be similarly scrutinized? Reuters suggests that Oprah has already offered a disclaimer on her Web site that says, essentially, the book might not accurately represent every small detail of Mr. Wiesel's family history, but that it's true enough to be called an autobiography.
Well, then, the book has Oprah's endorsement. Sort of.
But will that endorsement, and the associated disclaimer, just fuel the nonsense of those who demand proof of that which is true? Will Oprah's endorsement of Night delight Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and people of his ilk?
Is this one time when it really would have made sense for an author to turn down Oprah's invitation to join her book club? Perhaps.
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Novelists: Beware
If you're a novelist, perhaps this isn't the blog to read today. This is not the good news or encouragement you're probably hoping to find.
Nonetheless, it still may be worth knowing.
According to Fairfax Digital's The Age, novelists might want to focus more on achieving fame than on the quality of their work. According to that publication, The British Sunday Times recently tried an experiment in which they sent off the first chapter of a prize-winning novel penned by the 2001 Nobel prize winner for literature -- changing only the author's name and the names of the characters -- to 20 literary agents and publishing companies. All of them passed on the opportunity to publish the novel.
If the work of a Nobel prize winner isn't good enough to make the cut, then what chance does your novel have of taking New York publishing companies by storm?
Still, novelists write, and still, they submit their manuscripts to major publishing houses, and it's a good thing they do. We need to read great novels the way we need to see great paintings.
And, by great novels, I'm afraid I don't mean the work of a few famous romance or crime authors whose names are far larger than their gifts for creating prose. I mean novels that are created by fresh voices and talented people whose perceptions, ideas, and life experiences beg to be shared with the rest of us.
So novelists: keep writing, and keep submitting, and keep hoping. But please don't take rejection personally, and don't ever succumb to the temptation to believe you're unworthy just because the movers and shakers in the publishing community told you so. Their feedback is unhelpful because their credibility is suspect, as the British Sunday Times has proved.
Technorati Tags: book promotion, book publicity, fiction, novels, novelists
Nonetheless, it still may be worth knowing.
According to Fairfax Digital's The Age, novelists might want to focus more on achieving fame than on the quality of their work. According to that publication, The British Sunday Times recently tried an experiment in which they sent off the first chapter of a prize-winning novel penned by the 2001 Nobel prize winner for literature -- changing only the author's name and the names of the characters -- to 20 literary agents and publishing companies. All of them passed on the opportunity to publish the novel.
If the work of a Nobel prize winner isn't good enough to make the cut, then what chance does your novel have of taking New York publishing companies by storm?
Still, novelists write, and still, they submit their manuscripts to major publishing houses, and it's a good thing they do. We need to read great novels the way we need to see great paintings.
And, by great novels, I'm afraid I don't mean the work of a few famous romance or crime authors whose names are far larger than their gifts for creating prose. I mean novels that are created by fresh voices and talented people whose perceptions, ideas, and life experiences beg to be shared with the rest of us.
So novelists: keep writing, and keep submitting, and keep hoping. But please don't take rejection personally, and don't ever succumb to the temptation to believe you're unworthy just because the movers and shakers in the publishing community told you so. Their feedback is unhelpful because their credibility is suspect, as the British Sunday Times has proved.
Technorati Tags: book promotion, book publicity, fiction, novels, novelists
Monday, January 16, 2006
For Some, Words Don't Count
I was born in 1963. Everything I know about World War II, and about the Holocaust, I learned from other people's words.
Now Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad requires more than people's words to prove that the Holocaust happened. (In case you've missed the story, you can read it here.)
One has to assume that, if books aren't sufficient proof of the horror that occurred, and if the testimony of survivors is untrustworthy, and if films and photos are inadmissible, then nothing short of a lightning bolt -- or perhaps a trip via a time machine back to 1930's Europe -- will constitute evidence of the holocaust for Mr. Ahmadinejad.
For some people, words just don't count.
Besides words, though, what do we have?
Now Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad requires more than people's words to prove that the Holocaust happened. (In case you've missed the story, you can read it here.)
One has to assume that, if books aren't sufficient proof of the horror that occurred, and if the testimony of survivors is untrustworthy, and if films and photos are inadmissible, then nothing short of a lightning bolt -- or perhaps a trip via a time machine back to 1930's Europe -- will constitute evidence of the holocaust for Mr. Ahmadinejad.
For some people, words just don't count.
Besides words, though, what do we have?
For Some, Words Don't Count
I was born in 1963. Everything I know about World War II, and about the Holocaust, I learned from other people's words.
Now Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad requires more than people's words to prove that the Holocaust happened. (In case you've missed the story, you can read it here.)
One has to assume that, if books aren't sufficient proof of the horror that occurred, and if the testimony of survivors is untrustworthy, and if films and photos are inadmissible, then nothing short of a lightning bolt -- or perhaps a trip via a time machine back to 1930's Europe -- will constitute evidence of the holocaust for Mr. Ahmadinejad.
For some people, words just don't count.
Besides words, though, what do we have?
Now Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad requires more than people's words to prove that the Holocaust happened. (In case you've missed the story, you can read it here.)
One has to assume that, if books aren't sufficient proof of the horror that occurred, and if the testimony of survivors is untrustworthy, and if films and photos are inadmissible, then nothing short of a lightning bolt -- or perhaps a trip via a time machine back to 1930's Europe -- will constitute evidence of the holocaust for Mr. Ahmadinejad.
For some people, words just don't count.
Besides words, though, what do we have?
For Some, Words Don't Count
I was born in 1963. Everything I know about World War II, and about the Holocaust, I learned from other people's words.
Now Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad requires more than people's words to prove that the Holocaust happened. (In case you've missed the story, you can read it here.)
One has to assume that, if books aren't sufficient proof of the horror that occurred, and if the testimony of survivors is untrustworthy, and if films and photos are inadmissible, then nothing short of a lightning bolt -- or perhaps a trip via a time machine back to 1930's Europe -- will constitute evidence of the holocaust for Mr. Ahmadinejad.
For some people, words just don't count.
Besides words, though, what do we have?
Now Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad requires more than people's words to prove that the Holocaust happened. (In case you've missed the story, you can read it here.)
One has to assume that, if books aren't sufficient proof of the horror that occurred, and if the testimony of survivors is untrustworthy, and if films and photos are inadmissible, then nothing short of a lightning bolt -- or perhaps a trip via a time machine back to 1930's Europe -- will constitute evidence of the holocaust for Mr. Ahmadinejad.
For some people, words just don't count.
Besides words, though, what do we have?
For Some, Words Don't Count
I was born in 1963. Everything I know about World War II, and about the Holocaust, I learned from other people's words.
Now Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad requires more than people's words to prove that the Holocaust happened. (In case you've missed the story, you can read it here.)
One has to assume that, if books aren't sufficient proof of the horror that occurred, and if the testimony of survivors is untrustworthy, and if films and photos are inadmissible, then nothing short of a lightning bolt -- or perhaps a trip via a time machine back to 1930's Europe -- will constitute evidence of the holocaust for Mr. Ahmadinejad.
For some people, words just don't count.
Besides words, though, what do we have?
Now Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad requires more than people's words to prove that the Holocaust happened. (In case you've missed the story, you can read it here.)
One has to assume that, if books aren't sufficient proof of the horror that occurred, and if the testimony of survivors is untrustworthy, and if films and photos are inadmissible, then nothing short of a lightning bolt -- or perhaps a trip via a time machine back to 1930's Europe -- will constitute evidence of the holocaust for Mr. Ahmadinejad.
For some people, words just don't count.
Besides words, though, what do we have?
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Online Newspapers vs. Real Newspapers
Some would say that a newspaper story isn't an actual newspaper story unless it appears in the "real" version of the newspaper. I disagree.
So would Adam Palmer, author of a 2001 book called Something About Nothing. You can read the story here.
A Wisconsin-based newspaper ran a story about Palmer. Someone posted a link to the story on fark.com, a Web site with a cult following. That link stayed active for two days, and 12,000 visitors clicked on it which was a book promotion coup for Palmer and his five-year-old book.
Now Something About Nothing is poised to receive even more publicity from other media outlets, and Palmer is hoping to see some good news on his next royalty statement -- and all because of some online book promotion that has no real-world counterpart.
I'm sold on the value of online-only newspaper articles. Are you?
Technorati tags: online publicity, online promotion, book promotion, book publicity
So would Adam Palmer, author of a 2001 book called Something About Nothing. You can read the story here.
A Wisconsin-based newspaper ran a story about Palmer. Someone posted a link to the story on fark.com, a Web site with a cult following. That link stayed active for two days, and 12,000 visitors clicked on it which was a book promotion coup for Palmer and his five-year-old book.
Now Something About Nothing is poised to receive even more publicity from other media outlets, and Palmer is hoping to see some good news on his next royalty statement -- and all because of some online book promotion that has no real-world counterpart.
I'm sold on the value of online-only newspaper articles. Are you?
Technorati tags: online publicity, online promotion, book promotion, book publicity
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Coffee, Tea, or Books?
There are three kinds of people in this world: those who love Starbucks, those who do not love Starbucks, and those who may or may not love Starbucks . . . but still hope to sell their books there. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, Starbucks is moving beyond musical CDs (Dylan, anyone?) to promote books and movies.
Is anyone buying books these days?
Yes, it would seem so. According to the same article, Borders' book sales rose by 6 percent in the fourth quarter.
Did someone postulate that ebooks would one day render "real" books -- the kind you had to kill some trees to produce -- obsolete? Or that most Americans are just too busy, or too stupid, to open up a book these days? Not so fast. Apparently, some people are still looking for a good read in a clean, well-lighted place. And soon, I'm glad to report, they'll be able to find some possibilities at their local coffee shop.
Technorati Tags: book promotion, book publicity
Is anyone buying books these days?
Yes, it would seem so. According to the same article, Borders' book sales rose by 6 percent in the fourth quarter.
Did someone postulate that ebooks would one day render "real" books -- the kind you had to kill some trees to produce -- obsolete? Or that most Americans are just too busy, or too stupid, to open up a book these days? Not so fast. Apparently, some people are still looking for a good read in a clean, well-lighted place. And soon, I'm glad to report, they'll be able to find some possibilities at their local coffee shop.
Technorati Tags: book promotion, book publicity
Thursday, January 12, 2006
To Refund or Not to Refund. That Is the Question.
Okay, I'll admit it. I'm becoming gleeful over the "A Million Little Pieces" saga. Update: contrary to recent reports, Random House will not offer refunds to customers who have bought copies of James Frey’s memoir directly from the publisher. Plus, if they were offering refunds (which, once again, they are not), those refunds would be given only to nonexistent customers -- or at least, I have to assume the customers are nonexistent since I've never met an actual person who bought a book directly from Random House or any other major publishing house.
For anyone who's similarly enjoying the story of the memoir that isn't, do check out Jackie Michard's blog entry, called "MISS WINFREY REGRETS" where the "MISS WINFREY" in queston is the Oprah Winfrey who phoned into the Larry King Live television show on CNN last night to defend her book club pick. Here's the story on that.
I strongly suspect someone will get another book out of this whole thing before the "A Million Little Pieces" concludes.
Technorati Tags: book promotion, book publicity
For anyone who's similarly enjoying the story of the memoir that isn't, do check out Jackie Michard's blog entry, called "MISS WINFREY REGRETS" where the "MISS WINFREY" in queston is the Oprah Winfrey who phoned into the Larry King Live television show on CNN last night to defend her book club pick. Here's the story on that.
I strongly suspect someone will get another book out of this whole thing before the "A Million Little Pieces" concludes.
Technorati Tags: book promotion, book publicity
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Bad Book Reviews -- Bad PR
In keeping with yesterday's theme (about whether any book promotion is bad book promotion), I'd offer up two bad book reviews from today's Boston Herald. If you'd rather not read the entire article, I'll offer up the title, anyway: These words of wisdom are more likely to make you laugh. I think you get the point. In the event you want to see the reviews for yourself, click here.
Talk about a roller coaster for authors. First you get the good news from the Boston Herald's book review editor ("your book is slated for review on Wednesday"), and then you click on the review and -- wham! The reality may be that not many readers will rush out to buy a self-help book at which everyone is snickering. Or, if they do, they won't be excited about reading it in public for awhile.
Which brings us back to the question of whether any PR is bad PR. In the case of book reviews, I'd have to believe the answer is: yes. A book review can go a long way toward convincing readers that someone, somewhere, is taking your book seriously. That's a good thing.
On the other hand, a scathing book review can have the same effect on book sales that you'd expect an awful movie review would have on ticket sales. Have you run into anyone, besides a long-suffering movie reviewer who had no choice in the matter, who actually caught Ben Affleck's flick, "Gigli?" Me either.
Technorati Tags: book promotion, book publicity
Talk about a roller coaster for authors. First you get the good news from the Boston Herald's book review editor ("your book is slated for review on Wednesday"), and then you click on the review and -- wham! The reality may be that not many readers will rush out to buy a self-help book at which everyone is snickering. Or, if they do, they won't be excited about reading it in public for awhile.
Which brings us back to the question of whether any PR is bad PR. In the case of book reviews, I'd have to believe the answer is: yes. A book review can go a long way toward convincing readers that someone, somewhere, is taking your book seriously. That's a good thing.
On the other hand, a scathing book review can have the same effect on book sales that you'd expect an awful movie review would have on ticket sales. Have you run into anyone, besides a long-suffering movie reviewer who had no choice in the matter, who actually caught Ben Affleck's flick, "Gigli?" Me either.
Technorati Tags: book promotion, book publicity
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Is Any PR Bad PR?
I've been pondering the question since I read the New York Times article about how "A Million Little Pieces" by James Frey -- yes, the Oprah Winfrey-endorsed James Frey -- may not be as factual as we were led to believe it was.
Now, I don't have to believe every word of a memoir in order to enjoy it. The jury is still out on whether Augusten Burrough's depiction of his childhood in "Running With Scissors" was one hundred percent accurate, and I wasn't too disturbed by the pending lawsuit against Burrough (by some of the people depicted in his book) as I chomped my way through his tantalizing narrative.
But I do wonder whether Frey's publisher, Doubleday, feels as good about their investment in Frey as they did before the New York Times article. And I have to wonder whether Doubleday feels good enough about Frey to treat his next two books as royally as they did "A Million Little Pieces."
Book promotion is what all authors hope for. But sometimes, authors should be careful what they wish for, because they might get it -- and who knows what will happen then?
Technorati Tags: book promotion, book publicity
Now, I don't have to believe every word of a memoir in order to enjoy it. The jury is still out on whether Augusten Burrough's depiction of his childhood in "Running With Scissors" was one hundred percent accurate, and I wasn't too disturbed by the pending lawsuit against Burrough (by some of the people depicted in his book) as I chomped my way through his tantalizing narrative.
But I do wonder whether Frey's publisher, Doubleday, feels as good about their investment in Frey as they did before the New York Times article. And I have to wonder whether Doubleday feels good enough about Frey to treat his next two books as royally as they did "A Million Little Pieces."
Book promotion is what all authors hope for. But sometimes, authors should be careful what they wish for, because they might get it -- and who knows what will happen then?
Technorati Tags: book promotion, book publicity
Monday, January 09, 2006
Promoting Children's Books
If you want some visibility for your children's book, here's my suggestion: be a celebrity. Otherwise, you'll have to compete with celebrities.
Here's the bad news: Senator Edward Kennedy's new children's book, "My Senator and Me," will be published by Scholastic Inc. in May of 2006. (And you were wondering why Scholastic Inc. didn't offer to publish your book?) Now, don't get me wrong. I'm from Massachusetts, and I worship the Kennedy family despite everything, and so on and so forth (it's a regional issue I can't seem to do a whole lot about, similar to saying "pizzer" when I mean "pizza"). But it does strike me as unfortunate that Kennedy's book will receive instant publicity because, well, it's Kennedy's book, whereas you'll have to work hard at it to get attention for your children's book.
You can read all about Kennedy's book on MSNBC.com, by the way. Your challenge: to get MSNBC.com to feature your children's book. You can do it, potentially, by attaching your book to a news hook or trend. It just pains me to think that it would be so much easier to do if your name were, say, Kennedy.
Technorati tags: promoting books, children's books, book promotion, book publicity, Ted Kennedy, Edward Kennedy, Scholastic Inc., MSNBC
Here's the bad news: Senator Edward Kennedy's new children's book, "My Senator and Me," will be published by Scholastic Inc. in May of 2006. (And you were wondering why Scholastic Inc. didn't offer to publish your book?) Now, don't get me wrong. I'm from Massachusetts, and I worship the Kennedy family despite everything, and so on and so forth (it's a regional issue I can't seem to do a whole lot about, similar to saying "pizzer" when I mean "pizza"). But it does strike me as unfortunate that Kennedy's book will receive instant publicity because, well, it's Kennedy's book, whereas you'll have to work hard at it to get attention for your children's book.
You can read all about Kennedy's book on MSNBC.com, by the way. Your challenge: to get MSNBC.com to feature your children's book. You can do it, potentially, by attaching your book to a news hook or trend. It just pains me to think that it would be so much easier to do if your name were, say, Kennedy.
Technorati tags: promoting books, children's books, book promotion, book publicity, Ted Kennedy, Edward Kennedy, Scholastic Inc., MSNBC
Saturday, January 07, 2006
A Book Promotion Riddle
Here's a book promotion riddle. You're Andy Rooney of "Sixty Minutes" fame. You're on the Larry King Show to promote your latest book. The interview begins, and a few minutes into the interview, Larry notes, for the benefit of his viewers, "You can get his book, "Years of Minutes."
Okay, now remember. You're Andy Rooney, and this is your book that Larry King has just plugged to his international audience of thousands upon thousands of potential book buyers -- all of whom have tuned in to see this interview. Do you:
A. Thank Larry for mentioning your book and graciously continue the interview.
B. Chastise Larry for wearing suspenders instead of a suit jacket and diss his mother.
C. Scowl and diss your own book by saying: "You can't get it anymore. That book sold about nine copies."
The answer to the riddle, naturally, is C. No, seriously. Talk the viewers out of buying your book. That's the actual answer to the book promotion riddle.
If you don't believe that Andy Rooney would do such a thing (and I'm convinced his publisher doesn't believe it yet, either), then do click on the transcript for the Friday, January 6 Larry King Live television interview.
Authors often ask me how they should handle themselves during interviews. I provide some tips for successfully negotiating an interview, to which I would now add the following.
Note the mistake that Andy Rooney made last night and never, ever make it. Never, ever do what Andy Rooney did on the Larry King Live show last night. Just never, ever do it.
Technorati Tags: book promotion, book publicity
Okay, now remember. You're Andy Rooney, and this is your book that Larry King has just plugged to his international audience of thousands upon thousands of potential book buyers -- all of whom have tuned in to see this interview. Do you:
A. Thank Larry for mentioning your book and graciously continue the interview.
B. Chastise Larry for wearing suspenders instead of a suit jacket and diss his mother.
C. Scowl and diss your own book by saying: "You can't get it anymore. That book sold about nine copies."
The answer to the riddle, naturally, is C. No, seriously. Talk the viewers out of buying your book. That's the actual answer to the book promotion riddle.
If you don't believe that Andy Rooney would do such a thing (and I'm convinced his publisher doesn't believe it yet, either), then do click on the transcript for the Friday, January 6 Larry King Live television interview.
Authors often ask me how they should handle themselves during interviews. I provide some tips for successfully negotiating an interview, to which I would now add the following.
Note the mistake that Andy Rooney made last night and never, ever make it. Never, ever do what Andy Rooney did on the Larry King Live show last night. Just never, ever do it.
Technorati Tags: book promotion, book publicity
Friday, December 30, 2005
Authors: Are You Blogging Yet?
You should be blogging, if you're not already. So says the recently converted book promotion specialist -- yours truly. I've been preaching my "blogging for book promotion" mantra for weeks, but now I can cite a couple of influential blogging supporters: The New York Times and Amazon.com. When the New York Times and Amazon.com tout blogging for authors, you know it's something you should look into.
A client of mine, Joe Vitale ("Mr. Fire"), just launched a blog for his latest book, Life’s Missing Instruction Manual. You can view his blog by clicking here.
As the New York Times points out, all authors' blogs are not alike. Authors have a variety of reasons for creating and maintaining blogs. Some authors want to disseminate information beyond what's in their books. Others want to drive traffic to their Web sites or create a dialogue with readers.
Some authors, of course, don't know yet why they're creating blogs for their books. They just have the gut feeling they "should" do it. That's the feeling of this book publicist, as well. You "should" be blogging, if you're an author, and you "should" encourage blogging, if you're a publisher.
I think Joe Vitale's blog serves as a good example of what an author's blog should look like. He's on the cutting edge of author blogging. Will you be the next author to create a blog? It's not rocket science, as they say. Visit any of the blogging sites, including the one I used -- Blogger.com -- to get started quickly and painlessly.
Technorati Tags: book promotion, book publicity
A client of mine, Joe Vitale ("Mr. Fire"), just launched a blog for his latest book, Life’s Missing Instruction Manual. You can view his blog by clicking here.
As the New York Times points out, all authors' blogs are not alike. Authors have a variety of reasons for creating and maintaining blogs. Some authors want to disseminate information beyond what's in their books. Others want to drive traffic to their Web sites or create a dialogue with readers.
Some authors, of course, don't know yet why they're creating blogs for their books. They just have the gut feeling they "should" do it. That's the feeling of this book publicist, as well. You "should" be blogging, if you're an author, and you "should" encourage blogging, if you're a publisher.
I think Joe Vitale's blog serves as a good example of what an author's blog should look like. He's on the cutting edge of author blogging. Will you be the next author to create a blog? It's not rocket science, as they say. Visit any of the blogging sites, including the one I used -- Blogger.com -- to get started quickly and painlessly.
Technorati Tags: book promotion, book publicity
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Book Promotion Advice from the Trenches
What can a business consultant teach us about book promotion? Quite a bit, if the business consultant in question is Barry Maher, author of the science fiction novel, “Legend.”
In an Apex Digest article written by Jason Sizemore, Maher suggests treating your book as though it were a small business. Focus on your customer' needs, and promote what you have to offer them.
To paraphrase Maher, the best book promotion is a satisfied reader. If it works for Maher and his book, "Legend," it will probably work for yours.
Technorati Tags: book promotion, book publicity
In an Apex Digest article written by Jason Sizemore, Maher suggests treating your book as though it were a small business. Focus on your customer' needs, and promote what you have to offer them.
To paraphrase Maher, the best book promotion is a satisfied reader. If it works for Maher and his book, "Legend," it will probably work for yours.
Technorati Tags: book promotion, book publicity
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