When your in-house book publicist tells you that she's finished with your book promotion campaign, is that the end of the book publicity for your book?
No, that's the end of your in-house book publicist's book promotion campaign. But, then again, it's your book, not hers, and you have more invested in book promoting your book than your publisher does.
So what do you do when your publisher's book promotion campaign ends? Roll up your sleeves and get to work. Here's what you do.
Ask your book publicist for as many specifics as she can offer about the book promotion campaign she conducted. If she'll give you her media contact list, ask whether you can continue following up on any pitches that might still represent book promotion opportunities. If Oprah's producer hasn't said "yes" or "no," can you go back to that person and try to get closure? What about the book review editor at the New York Times?
If your in-house book promotion specialist won't provide a media contact list, then ask for as much specificity as possible about the media overtures that she made. What types of media outlets did she contact, and what types of people (book review editor, lifestyle editors, hosts, producers, etc.) did she contact? Did she send them all copies of the book and media kit?
Once you know what your in-house book publicist has already done, then you can fill in any gaps in the campaign. For example, if the in-house publicist contacted book review editors at the top 25 daily newspapers, she may not have contacted business editors at those newspapers -- and that might be just the place in the newspapers to pitch a story about your business book. And maybe your in-house publicist didn't contact any weekly newspapers at all, or any radio shows, or any television shows...you get the picture. Find out everything you can about what hte in-house book publicist did so you can pick up the campaign where it left off, and build on the book promotion specialist's efforts.
Also, you can do something that your in-house book publicist can't do. You can check out the daily news for any hooks that might tie into your book. You can then approach the media about why you'd be the perfect, timely expert to speak about that current event or breaking news story. That's the way to extend a book promotion campaign for as long as it makes sense to you: keep finding ways to make your expertise (and, thus, your book) relevant to current events and breaking news stories. Then make contact with the media, and let the producers and editors know you're out there...on a regular basis.
Your in-house book publicist would probably love to do that for you, but she can't. Her publishing house has other books that have to be promoted, and she has to move onto the next catalogue, and the next book, and the next project.
You're far less likely to abandon your book and stop promoting it just because the "official" book promotion campaign is over. In fact, the book promotion campaign can go on as long as you have the time and energy and resources to put into it.
And, when you run out of steam, you can always contact an independent book promotion firm to pick up where you left off. Just keep yourself available for media interviews!
Monday, July 24, 2006
Friday, July 21, 2006
The Next Summer Blockbuster
If you're out there promoting your book this summer, it must be frustrating to read USA Today's article of July 19, "It's July, and there's still no hot beach book."
The article claims that, although some books are exciting readers (and booksellers and publishers) this summer, there isn't a specific breakaway book that everyone is buying.
That doesn't mean that authors aren't engaged in book promotion campaigns this summer. They are. And it doesn't mean they're receiving fewer book promotion opportunities than usual, because that isn't the case. Talk shows are featuring novelists and nonfiction authors, and newspapers and magazines are printing interviews with them.
There just isn't one particular author whose book everyone is bringing to the beach.
The article claims that there's no "Harry Potter" book to read this summer, and Oprah hasn't waved her magic wand on a favorite novel to turn it into an instant besteller.
But I wonder whether would-be book buyers are less eager than usual to go to the beach and relax when there's catastrophic fighting in the Middle East; political battles over funding for stem cell research; a 3-ton chunk of cement falling from a brand-new tunnel and effectively closing down a major metropolitan area; and other news items that are keeping people tuned to CNN rather than seagulls.
The good news is that, if you're in the midst of your own book promotion campaign, you have as much of a chance as any other author of creating a blockbuster this summer.
The bad news is that, if you're focused on your book and your book promotion successes this summer, your readers may not be.
Next summer, maybe the news will be better, and readers will get back to thinking about paperbacks and lemonade. But this year, apparently, readers have other things on their minds.
The article claims that, although some books are exciting readers (and booksellers and publishers) this summer, there isn't a specific breakaway book that everyone is buying.
That doesn't mean that authors aren't engaged in book promotion campaigns this summer. They are. And it doesn't mean they're receiving fewer book promotion opportunities than usual, because that isn't the case. Talk shows are featuring novelists and nonfiction authors, and newspapers and magazines are printing interviews with them.
There just isn't one particular author whose book everyone is bringing to the beach.
The article claims that there's no "Harry Potter" book to read this summer, and Oprah hasn't waved her magic wand on a favorite novel to turn it into an instant besteller.
But I wonder whether would-be book buyers are less eager than usual to go to the beach and relax when there's catastrophic fighting in the Middle East; political battles over funding for stem cell research; a 3-ton chunk of cement falling from a brand-new tunnel and effectively closing down a major metropolitan area; and other news items that are keeping people tuned to CNN rather than seagulls.
The good news is that, if you're in the midst of your own book promotion campaign, you have as much of a chance as any other author of creating a blockbuster this summer.
The bad news is that, if you're focused on your book and your book promotion successes this summer, your readers may not be.
Next summer, maybe the news will be better, and readers will get back to thinking about paperbacks and lemonade. But this year, apparently, readers have other things on their minds.
Friday, June 23, 2006
Your Publisher's Book Promotion Funds
Your publisher may not have hundreds of thousands of dollars earmarked for your book promotion campaign. But your publisher likely some money set aside for it, modest though that budget may be.
Unless you speak up and ask your publisher some targeted questions, the publisher (specifically, the publisher's publicity department) is likely to go spend its entire budget without your ever knowing where the money went -- and without your ever seeing any results.
Assume that the publicity department will put together a press release for you, and always ask to see it before anyone sends it out. Your name is on it, so it makes sense for you to provide your input (or at least correct any typos on it!).
Ask what the publicity department is planning to do with the press release. Are they launching a mass mailing? If so, are they sending review copies of the book (or galleys) along with the release? Are there other components to the media kit? Who will receive a copy of the media kit and book?
The publicity department may be reluctant to part with its proprietary list of contacts, but at least they should tell you, in general terms, who will be receiving materials about your book. The national broadcast media? Daily newspapers around the country (if so, which editors -- book review or feature or another beat)? National magazines?
Will the publicity department be running any ads for your book? If so, where? How much will these ads cost?
If you'd prefer that the publicity department not run those ads in favor of approaching more members of the media about the book, say so. If you have a "wish list" of media outlets that should receive copies of the book and media kits, offer to pass that list along.
Find out what you can do to help the publicity department. If you offer to buy media lists that are appropriate for your book, will they stuff the envelopes and pay the postage for the mailing? Will they provide a report of when materials were sent to the media, who responded to the mailing, and what those responses were? Will they allow you to get that mailing list to pass along to an independent publicist whom you might hire to pick up the book promotion campaign where your publisher's publicity department leaves off? Or will they allow you to have that mailing list to work from if you want to continue following up once the publicity department has exhausted its resources for the book prmomotion campaign?
If you ask the right questions of your publisher, you might well be able to maximize the effectiveness of its book promotion spending for your book. Also, click here to read about how J. A. Konrath, a Hyperion author, decided to spend the money that his publisher had set aside for his book promotion campaign. It wasn't a king's ransom, but you can rest assured that he's making the most of every one of those "free" dollars. It might inspire you to begin a grassroots book promotion effort of your own -- on your publisher's dime!
Unless you speak up and ask your publisher some targeted questions, the publisher (specifically, the publisher's publicity department) is likely to go spend its entire budget without your ever knowing where the money went -- and without your ever seeing any results.
Assume that the publicity department will put together a press release for you, and always ask to see it before anyone sends it out. Your name is on it, so it makes sense for you to provide your input (or at least correct any typos on it!).
Ask what the publicity department is planning to do with the press release. Are they launching a mass mailing? If so, are they sending review copies of the book (or galleys) along with the release? Are there other components to the media kit? Who will receive a copy of the media kit and book?
The publicity department may be reluctant to part with its proprietary list of contacts, but at least they should tell you, in general terms, who will be receiving materials about your book. The national broadcast media? Daily newspapers around the country (if so, which editors -- book review or feature or another beat)? National magazines?
Will the publicity department be running any ads for your book? If so, where? How much will these ads cost?
If you'd prefer that the publicity department not run those ads in favor of approaching more members of the media about the book, say so. If you have a "wish list" of media outlets that should receive copies of the book and media kits, offer to pass that list along.
Find out what you can do to help the publicity department. If you offer to buy media lists that are appropriate for your book, will they stuff the envelopes and pay the postage for the mailing? Will they provide a report of when materials were sent to the media, who responded to the mailing, and what those responses were? Will they allow you to get that mailing list to pass along to an independent publicist whom you might hire to pick up the book promotion campaign where your publisher's publicity department leaves off? Or will they allow you to have that mailing list to work from if you want to continue following up once the publicity department has exhausted its resources for the book prmomotion campaign?
If you ask the right questions of your publisher, you might well be able to maximize the effectiveness of its book promotion spending for your book. Also, click here to read about how J. A. Konrath, a Hyperion author, decided to spend the money that his publisher had set aside for his book promotion campaign. It wasn't a king's ransom, but you can rest assured that he's making the most of every one of those "free" dollars. It might inspire you to begin a grassroots book promotion effort of your own -- on your publisher's dime!
Your Publisher's Book Promotion Funds
Your publisher may not have hundreds of thousands of dollars earmarked for your book promotion campaign. But your publisher likely some money set aside for it, modest though that budget may be.
Unless you speak up and ask your publisher some targeted questions, the publisher (specifically, the publisher's publicity department) is likely to go spend its entire budget without your ever knowing where the money went -- and without your ever seeing any results.
Assume that the publicity department will put together a press release for you, and always ask to see it before anyone sends it out. Your name is on it, so it makes sense for you to provide your input (or at least correct any typos on it!).
Ask what the publicity department is planning to do with the press release. Are they launching a mass mailing? If so, are they sending review copies of the book (or galleys) along with the release? Are there other components to the media kit? Who will receive a copy of the media kit and book?
The publicity department may be reluctant to part with its proprietary list of contacts, but at least they should tell you, in general terms, who will be receiving materials about your book. The national broadcast media? Daily newspapers around the country (if so, which editors -- book review or feature or another beat)? National magazines?
Will the publicity department be running any ads for your book? If so, where? How much will these ads cost?
If you'd prefer that the publicity department not run those ads in favor of approaching more members of the media about the book, say so. If you have a "wish list" of media outlets that should receive copies of the book and media kits, offer to pass that list along.
Find out what you can do to help the publicity department. If you offer to buy media lists that are appropriate for your book, will they stuff the envelopes and pay the postage for the mailing? Will they provide a report of when materials were sent to the media, who responded to the mailing, and what those responses were? Will they allow you to get that mailing list to pass along to an independent publicist whom you might hire to pick up the book promotion campaign where your publisher's publicity department leaves off? Or will they allow you to have that mailing list to work from if you want to continue following up once the publicity department has exhausted its resources for the book prmomotion campaign?
If you ask the right questions of your publisher, you might well be able to maximize the effectiveness of its book promotion spending for your book. Also, click here to read about how J. A. Konrath, a Hyperion author, decided to spend the money that his publisher had set aside for his book promotion campaign. It wasn't a king's ransom, but you can rest assured that he's making the most of every one of those "free" dollars. It might inspire you to begin a grassroots book promotion effort of your own -- on your publisher's dime!
Unless you speak up and ask your publisher some targeted questions, the publisher (specifically, the publisher's publicity department) is likely to go spend its entire budget without your ever knowing where the money went -- and without your ever seeing any results.
Assume that the publicity department will put together a press release for you, and always ask to see it before anyone sends it out. Your name is on it, so it makes sense for you to provide your input (or at least correct any typos on it!).
Ask what the publicity department is planning to do with the press release. Are they launching a mass mailing? If so, are they sending review copies of the book (or galleys) along with the release? Are there other components to the media kit? Who will receive a copy of the media kit and book?
The publicity department may be reluctant to part with its proprietary list of contacts, but at least they should tell you, in general terms, who will be receiving materials about your book. The national broadcast media? Daily newspapers around the country (if so, which editors -- book review or feature or another beat)? National magazines?
Will the publicity department be running any ads for your book? If so, where? How much will these ads cost?
If you'd prefer that the publicity department not run those ads in favor of approaching more members of the media about the book, say so. If you have a "wish list" of media outlets that should receive copies of the book and media kits, offer to pass that list along.
Find out what you can do to help the publicity department. If you offer to buy media lists that are appropriate for your book, will they stuff the envelopes and pay the postage for the mailing? Will they provide a report of when materials were sent to the media, who responded to the mailing, and what those responses were? Will they allow you to get that mailing list to pass along to an independent publicist whom you might hire to pick up the book promotion campaign where your publisher's publicity department leaves off? Or will they allow you to have that mailing list to work from if you want to continue following up once the publicity department has exhausted its resources for the book prmomotion campaign?
If you ask the right questions of your publisher, you might well be able to maximize the effectiveness of its book promotion spending for your book. Also, click here to read about how J. A. Konrath, a Hyperion author, decided to spend the money that his publisher had set aside for his book promotion campaign. It wasn't a king's ransom, but you can rest assured that he's making the most of every one of those "free" dollars. It might inspire you to begin a grassroots book promotion effort of your own -- on your publisher's dime!
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Get Ready for Competition.
Do you feel as though there are already too many authors, and too many books, vying for the media's attention? Well, get ready for even more competition as time goes on.
According to a June 21, 2006 press release, Colin Knecht of the BookMark Self Publishing (which calls itself a "full-service publishing business") predicts that, in 20 years, 50% of the population will be published authors.
The press release doesn't define "population," so we don't know whether Knecht is referring to the population of a particular country (BookMark is based in Canada) or whether he's referring to the North American -- or perhaps the worldwide -- population.
Whatever "population" in this context means, Knecht is predicting that your future book promotion campaigns might be a lot trickier than your current one. So now's the time to learn the book promotion ropes, build media contacts, acquire interviewing skills, and learn how to maintain relationiships with producers and editors -- all so that, when other authors are scrambling to promote their books, you'll have the inside track to a successful book promotion campaign.
Lay the groundwork now to promote your books successfully, and you'll certainly reap the rewards later.
According to a June 21, 2006 press release, Colin Knecht of the BookMark Self Publishing (which calls itself a "full-service publishing business") predicts that, in 20 years, 50% of the population will be published authors.
The press release doesn't define "population," so we don't know whether Knecht is referring to the population of a particular country (BookMark is based in Canada) or whether he's referring to the North American -- or perhaps the worldwide -- population.
Whatever "population" in this context means, Knecht is predicting that your future book promotion campaigns might be a lot trickier than your current one. So now's the time to learn the book promotion ropes, build media contacts, acquire interviewing skills, and learn how to maintain relationiships with producers and editors -- all so that, when other authors are scrambling to promote their books, you'll have the inside track to a successful book promotion campaign.
Lay the groundwork now to promote your books successfully, and you'll certainly reap the rewards later.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Why Wait for a Publisher?
If you have a great book idea, why wait until you find a publisher? Publish it yourself. That's what Elizabeth Skinner Grumbach decided to do when she created travel journals for children. Check out her story.
Of course, self-publishing means learning a whole range of new skills, and it means connecting with a variety of professionals who can handle the tasks you're unable to, or have no interest in. And it means making an investment in terms of your time and money, and it means taking risks.
But, in the end, you might have a book that's highly promotable. Grumbach seems to be getting the hang of book promotion. In fact, Parents magazine ran a story about her three books, and I'm sure Grumbach could gain all the media attention she wanted if she approached parenting editors and producers from coast to coast.
Would the occasional editor or producer tell Grumbach that he/she doesn't cover self-published books? Probably, but the number of media decisionmakers who would turn down a self-published book because it's a self-published books was small to begin with, and it's diminishing all the time.
A book promotion campaign can be highly successful regardless of the publisher. In my experience, a book that's published by one of the well-known print-on-demand publishers has a special challenge when it comes to book promotion, but self-published books don't suffer from the same stigma. There's no history attached to an imprint that you create, which is a challenge -- but it can be a positive challenge if you remember that book promotion is a numbers game, and the more media decisionmakers you contact, the more positive responses you'll receive.
I'm glad that Grumbach, and people like Grumbach, don't feel the need to put their book ideas on hold while they wait for a publisher to show some interest. Publishers are great -- and they can be very helpful with production, marketing, and distribution -- but they don't make or break a book promotion campaign. And they certainly don't make or break a book, either.
Of course, self-publishing means learning a whole range of new skills, and it means connecting with a variety of professionals who can handle the tasks you're unable to, or have no interest in. And it means making an investment in terms of your time and money, and it means taking risks.
But, in the end, you might have a book that's highly promotable. Grumbach seems to be getting the hang of book promotion. In fact, Parents magazine ran a story about her three books, and I'm sure Grumbach could gain all the media attention she wanted if she approached parenting editors and producers from coast to coast.
Would the occasional editor or producer tell Grumbach that he/she doesn't cover self-published books? Probably, but the number of media decisionmakers who would turn down a self-published book because it's a self-published books was small to begin with, and it's diminishing all the time.
A book promotion campaign can be highly successful regardless of the publisher. In my experience, a book that's published by one of the well-known print-on-demand publishers has a special challenge when it comes to book promotion, but self-published books don't suffer from the same stigma. There's no history attached to an imprint that you create, which is a challenge -- but it can be a positive challenge if you remember that book promotion is a numbers game, and the more media decisionmakers you contact, the more positive responses you'll receive.
I'm glad that Grumbach, and people like Grumbach, don't feel the need to put their book ideas on hold while they wait for a publisher to show some interest. Publishers are great -- and they can be very helpful with production, marketing, and distribution -- but they don't make or break a book promotion campaign. And they certainly don't make or break a book, either.
Sunday, June 18, 2006
News Tie-Ins for Book Promotion
I often talk about how tying into news stories increases your chances of scoring interviews. That sounds good to most people. The New York Times runs a story, and that story ties into their book. So now it's time to move your book promotion campaign forward another notch.
But how?
I've recently learned that the link between news stories and book promotin isn't clear to every author, so it's worth commenting here about what you can do with a news story -- say, in the New York Times -- and what you can't do with it to enhance your book promotion campaign.
First, here's what you can't do with the story. You can't get publicity for the news story. The story is already in print (or on the air or on the Internet). It has publicity.
So what can you do with the news story? You can react to it. In a few sentences, you can: agree with the news story, disagree with the news story, offer a different perspective about the news story, or add something to the news story. Then you can go out to all the media outlets you know about (including the one that originally turned you onto the news story) and provide them with your comment. Writing a letter to the editor is a great way to some book publicity, but what I had in mind is pitching the beat editor related to the news item.
When you approach your book publicist with a news story that relates to your book, be sure to offer your view of the news story in one of the ways that I've described. A book publicist can use your statement as a building block of your book promotion campaign. She can't turn the news story itself into news -- that's already been done -- but, with your help, she can help you become a part of the news story.
One final tip: when you see a news story that you can build on, act quickly. A story that was in the New York Times on Thursday will be a powerful news hook for your book publicist to use on Thursday, and maybe even Friday . . . but, by Monday, it may be too late.
Keep watching the news, and keep deciding how your point of view and your expertise fits into it. Then let your book publicist know in a timely fashion, and you'll see results in your book promotion campaign.
But how?
I've recently learned that the link between news stories and book promotin isn't clear to every author, so it's worth commenting here about what you can do with a news story -- say, in the New York Times -- and what you can't do with it to enhance your book promotion campaign.
First, here's what you can't do with the story. You can't get publicity for the news story. The story is already in print (or on the air or on the Internet). It has publicity.
So what can you do with the news story? You can react to it. In a few sentences, you can: agree with the news story, disagree with the news story, offer a different perspective about the news story, or add something to the news story. Then you can go out to all the media outlets you know about (including the one that originally turned you onto the news story) and provide them with your comment. Writing a letter to the editor is a great way to some book publicity, but what I had in mind is pitching the beat editor related to the news item.
When you approach your book publicist with a news story that relates to your book, be sure to offer your view of the news story in one of the ways that I've described. A book publicist can use your statement as a building block of your book promotion campaign. She can't turn the news story itself into news -- that's already been done -- but, with your help, she can help you become a part of the news story.
One final tip: when you see a news story that you can build on, act quickly. A story that was in the New York Times on Thursday will be a powerful news hook for your book publicist to use on Thursday, and maybe even Friday . . . but, by Monday, it may be too late.
Keep watching the news, and keep deciding how your point of view and your expertise fits into it. Then let your book publicist know in a timely fashion, and you'll see results in your book promotion campaign.
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Book Promotion Times Three
This idea was new to me. Instead of trying to arrange a book signing at a local bookstore, why not ask a couple of other authors to share a book signing with you? Annie's Book Stop of Sharon, Massachusetts is hosting a triple autograph party today for three novelists: Becky Motew, Marianne Mancusi, and Hannah Howell. You can read about it here.
That's smart.
If an unknown novelist, tries to set up a book signing, the events manager at the bookstore will ask her to quantify the number of people she'll bring into the store. If she can't guarantee a crowd, she won't be invited to have a book signing at that store.
But if an unknown novelist finds a couple of other unknown novelists in the area, and they set up a joint signing, that's a different matter. Together, they'll (theoretically, anyway) bring in three times the number of shoppers and make it worth the bookstore's while to host the event.
If you've been trying to set up a local bookstore signing and have been frustrated by the event nanager's lack of enthusiasm, consider ramping up your book promotion efforts by finding another author or two to join you. Together, you can pitch the bookstore on a book signing (or "autograph party," and together, you might get the results you're seeking.
That's smart.
If an unknown novelist, tries to set up a book signing, the events manager at the bookstore will ask her to quantify the number of people she'll bring into the store. If she can't guarantee a crowd, she won't be invited to have a book signing at that store.
But if an unknown novelist finds a couple of other unknown novelists in the area, and they set up a joint signing, that's a different matter. Together, they'll (theoretically, anyway) bring in three times the number of shoppers and make it worth the bookstore's while to host the event.
If you've been trying to set up a local bookstore signing and have been frustrated by the event nanager's lack of enthusiasm, consider ramping up your book promotion efforts by finding another author or two to join you. Together, you can pitch the bookstore on a book signing (or "autograph party," and together, you might get the results you're seeking.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Book Promotion: An Odd Tactic
We try all sorts of techniques in book promotion, but here is an idea for getting some book publicity that you probably would never think of: avoid the limelight, become a semi-recluse, and refuse to do interviews.
Sounds like a formula for killing a book rather than promoting it, right? And yet that is the book promotion tactic employed by Harper Lee, the genius behind "To Kill a Mockingbird." Read about her, and about a new biography about her, at the Christian Science Monitor Web site.
As a book publicist, I'm not sure I can endorse the avoidance of media attention as the best possible way of promotion your book. But if all else fails -- maybe Harper Lee is onto something after all. Perhaps the best book promotion campaign is to actively avoid a book promotion campaign, and to let the media and fans and biographers swarm around you and beg you to give them some time and attention.
Hmmm. Maybe that's not crazy at all.
Sounds like a formula for killing a book rather than promoting it, right? And yet that is the book promotion tactic employed by Harper Lee, the genius behind "To Kill a Mockingbird." Read about her, and about a new biography about her, at the Christian Science Monitor Web site.
As a book publicist, I'm not sure I can endorse the avoidance of media attention as the best possible way of promotion your book. But if all else fails -- maybe Harper Lee is onto something after all. Perhaps the best book promotion campaign is to actively avoid a book promotion campaign, and to let the media and fans and biographers swarm around you and beg you to give them some time and attention.
Hmmm. Maybe that's not crazy at all.
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Hate Hampers Book Promotion Campaigns
Have you ever wondered why a radio producer would turn down the opportunity to have you as a guest -- especially when you know that the information you want to impart would benefit that radio show's target audience? Well, let's figure it out.
Last night, I was listening to the "Paul Sullivan Show" on WBZ-AM, which is a Boston-based radio station that boasts a 50K-watts signal, and a listening area that includes most of the U.S. and parts of Canada. And who was the guest but the founder of an organization whose apparent mission is to ruin the lives of homosexuals and put an end to anything that might be even vaguely connected to homosexuality.
The founder and his organization has been given so much air time and print space that I don't want to give them even one more pixel here, so I will mention neither the organization nor its founder. But the jerk and his followers were all hot and bothered about some homosexual mannequins that were in a department store window yesterday, and they took to the media for help in bashing those mannequins and the store that displayed them, and expressing empathy for all of the victimized people who had to be subjected to them.
Yes. I listened to this idiot ramble on for about two hours on this theme, and I realized once again that talk radio loves hate, and it would invite this hater on the airwaves faster than it would welcome the doctor or medical team that finally invents a vaccine that can prevent AIDS.
While we're trying to arrange media interviews, and getting our share of rejections from producers, we have to realize that the people who are getting air time are not necessarily those who are the worthiest of media attention; the brightest people; or those with the most important media messages. Sometimes, the people who are getting interviews requests from the media are simply those who are doing their best to resemble one-celled, brainless lifeforms whose hateful messages are so simple and mindless that producers just can't resist.
Thanks, Paul Sullivan, for finding one of these cretins and having him on your show last night. I know you weren't the only talk show host who made this choice, but you know what? You were the one whose station I was listening to during prime time yesterday, and yours was the show from which I had expected better. Boston's top news station? Great. The person you interviewed last night is a newsmaker, of course. But then again, all hatemongers tend to be newsmakers.
Those homosexual mannnequins are no longer in that department store window, but their memory lingers on. Every time I encounter a producer who declines to interview one of my clients, the memory will flare up again.
Hate hampers everything and, yes, it does mess up book promotion campaigns -- mostly, because media consumers let it.
Last night, I was listening to the "Paul Sullivan Show" on WBZ-AM, which is a Boston-based radio station that boasts a 50K-watts signal, and a listening area that includes most of the U.S. and parts of Canada. And who was the guest but the founder of an organization whose apparent mission is to ruin the lives of homosexuals and put an end to anything that might be even vaguely connected to homosexuality.
The founder and his organization has been given so much air time and print space that I don't want to give them even one more pixel here, so I will mention neither the organization nor its founder. But the jerk and his followers were all hot and bothered about some homosexual mannequins that were in a department store window yesterday, and they took to the media for help in bashing those mannequins and the store that displayed them, and expressing empathy for all of the victimized people who had to be subjected to them.
Yes. I listened to this idiot ramble on for about two hours on this theme, and I realized once again that talk radio loves hate, and it would invite this hater on the airwaves faster than it would welcome the doctor or medical team that finally invents a vaccine that can prevent AIDS.
While we're trying to arrange media interviews, and getting our share of rejections from producers, we have to realize that the people who are getting air time are not necessarily those who are the worthiest of media attention; the brightest people; or those with the most important media messages. Sometimes, the people who are getting interviews requests from the media are simply those who are doing their best to resemble one-celled, brainless lifeforms whose hateful messages are so simple and mindless that producers just can't resist.
Thanks, Paul Sullivan, for finding one of these cretins and having him on your show last night. I know you weren't the only talk show host who made this choice, but you know what? You were the one whose station I was listening to during prime time yesterday, and yours was the show from which I had expected better. Boston's top news station? Great. The person you interviewed last night is a newsmaker, of course. But then again, all hatemongers tend to be newsmakers.
Those homosexual mannnequins are no longer in that department store window, but their memory lingers on. Every time I encounter a producer who declines to interview one of my clients, the memory will flare up again.
Hate hampers everything and, yes, it does mess up book promotion campaigns -- mostly, because media consumers let it.
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
The Devil Ignores Book Promotion Campaigns
Today is 06/06/06. So what has this book publicist laerned about the importance of that date? In a nutshell, it's this: if the devil is at work, he's found something to do other than to get involved in book promotion campaigns. I've been booking shows and placing articles, as usual. And, no, the devil didn't make me do it. At least, I don't think he did. Hmmmmm.
Sunday, June 04, 2006
After Book Promotion: Sales
After a book promotion hit, authors always want to see how many books they've sold. This information is not easily come by. Editors keep mum, and Amazon provides only a fraction of the information that authors need.
You know what I always say: there usually is only an indirect relationship between book promotion and book sales. Still, authors are always curious to know what that relationship is, and now I've caught onto a resource that might help them find out: Nielsen BookScan U.S.
You can read about Nielsen BookScan -- who uses it and why -- online at Slate or at Nielsen BookScan U.S.'s Web site.
In a nutshell, publishers and authors can subscribe to BookScan to get the closest thing to actual sales figures that are available. According to Slate's article, there's even a verb to go along with Nielsen BookScan U.S. It's called "BookScanning" as in: "You ought to try BookScanning Stephen King's latest novel." (Sure, you could try Googling Stephen King's latest novel, but somehow, that just wouldn't be as informational.)
The good news is that BookScanning is available, and it's democratic, and it's honest. It can provide information about how much, or how little, your book promotion campaign is affecting book sales, and how wise you'd be to invest additional funds in your book promotion campaign.
So now you can stop relying on Amazon for book sales information. BookScanning is here!
You know what I always say: there usually is only an indirect relationship between book promotion and book sales. Still, authors are always curious to know what that relationship is, and now I've caught onto a resource that might help them find out: Nielsen BookScan U.S.
You can read about Nielsen BookScan -- who uses it and why -- online at Slate or at Nielsen BookScan U.S.'s Web site.
In a nutshell, publishers and authors can subscribe to BookScan to get the closest thing to actual sales figures that are available. According to Slate's article, there's even a verb to go along with Nielsen BookScan U.S. It's called "BookScanning" as in: "You ought to try BookScanning Stephen King's latest novel." (Sure, you could try Googling Stephen King's latest novel, but somehow, that just wouldn't be as informational.)
The good news is that BookScanning is available, and it's democratic, and it's honest. It can provide information about how much, or how little, your book promotion campaign is affecting book sales, and how wise you'd be to invest additional funds in your book promotion campaign.
So now you can stop relying on Amazon for book sales information. BookScanning is here!
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Literacy: The Big Read
The National Endowment for the Art is has a new program called “The Big Read.” According to this article in the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, the program encourages people around the country to read a single book. These readers might participate in book clubs and events, and the idea is to get everyone to form one literary community that's talking about one title.
This year, a literary center in Minneapolis chose Zora Neale Hurston's novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, as it's Big Read. Hurston's niece, Lucy Ann Hurston, appeared at that literary center to promote her own book, Speak, So You Can Speak Again, The Life of Zora Neale Hurston (published by Doubleday).
So which is it? Is The Big Read a book promotion opportunity, or does it promote literacy? It sounds to me as though The Big Read is both of those things . . . and also, it provides an opportunity to build community and cultural awareness through books. It's a win/win for everybody.
This year, a literary center in Minneapolis chose Zora Neale Hurston's novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, as it's Big Read. Hurston's niece, Lucy Ann Hurston, appeared at that literary center to promote her own book, Speak, So You Can Speak Again, The Life of Zora Neale Hurston (published by Doubleday).
So which is it? Is The Big Read a book promotion opportunity, or does it promote literacy? It sounds to me as though The Big Read is both of those things . . . and also, it provides an opportunity to build community and cultural awareness through books. It's a win/win for everybody.
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
What Makes a British Bestseller?
What makes a British book a bestseller? According to this Times Online article, a British book becomes a bestseller the same way that a U.S. book gets there: publishers make deals with bookstores to push certain books, and the chosen books climb the bestseller lists.
Most of us want to believe that books on the bestseller lists are the books that enjoy the most successful book promotion campaigns; the most adulation from readers; and the best word-of-mouth from everyone. Alas, that's no truer in Britain than it is in the States.
Readers beware: the featured novel in the bookstore probably is not the novel that book club members are falling over each other to read. Rather, it's the book with a supportive publisher who is wealthy enough to cut a deal with the bookseller. Merit and money may sometimes go hand-in-hand, and bestsellers may sometimes deserve to be bestsellers. But the odds of that happening seem depressingly meager.
Most of us want to believe that books on the bestseller lists are the books that enjoy the most successful book promotion campaigns; the most adulation from readers; and the best word-of-mouth from everyone. Alas, that's no truer in Britain than it is in the States.
Readers beware: the featured novel in the bookstore probably is not the novel that book club members are falling over each other to read. Rather, it's the book with a supportive publisher who is wealthy enough to cut a deal with the bookseller. Merit and money may sometimes go hand-in-hand, and bestsellers may sometimes deserve to be bestsellers. But the odds of that happening seem depressingly meager.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Defining an Effective Press Kit
As we were electronically tossing around a press kit draft yesterday, a client and I were working to come up with something we could rush out with the galleys in the next week or so. Under that deadline pressure, the client admitted that she still wasn't sure what the point of a press kit was.
My first reaction was to be a bit frustrated. After all, we'd talked about the purpose of a press kit extensively. However, now she wanted more...and it challenged me to really think about it. What are book publicists trying to achieve when we craft press kits? What do effective press kits add to book promotion campaigns? What's an ineffective press kit, and how can you avoid writing one, and what happens if you do?
My quick response to the question, what's the purpose of a press kit, is this. It's to capture the interest of a journalist and provide enough information about the author, and the potential story, so that the journalist can take the next step -- whether that means calling a book publicist to arrange an interview with the author, or simply writing a book review.
An effective press kit stands out in a positive way from the rest of the day's mail. It addds credibility to the author. It informs, it entices, and it leaves the journalist wanting more . . . and, one hopes, going to the source (whether it's the book, or the book's Web site, or the book publicist, or the author) to get more. It provides enough detail so that, if a journalist wanted to do a quick-and-easy story with little effort, he or she would be able to borrow enough copy from the press release to do that -- or, if the journalist wanted to do an intelligent interview with the author, the interview questions that would launch such an interview would be right there and ready to go. An effective press kit is tight, stays on topic, and is simple to read. It provides the key book information (title, author's name, publisher, ISBN, price, and so forth) in a discreet place.
In ineffective press kit sounds like a commercial for the book and/or the author. It hypes. It exaggerates. It throws too much information out at once, or it's disorganized or contains jargon, and is difficult to wade through. It lacks the key book information. It calls into question the credibility of the author and/or the book. An ineffective press kit will all but guarantee that the journalist will not interview the author, and it's probably a good bet that an ineffective press kit would also make a book review less likely to happen.
So what's the point of a press kit? I think the point of a press kit is to pitch a story to the media; to sell yourself as a credible resource; and to interest the media in finding out more. A press kit should be subtle and powerful. A press kit should launch a media story.
How can you blow a press kit? By turning the press kit into a overt advertisement, and by giving journalists an excuse to question your integrity and motives.
In other words, a press kit has to sell you as an expert, and it has to persuade the media to cover a story . . . but it has to do so without appearing to sell anything at all.
That's the challenge of creating an effective press kit.
Do it right, and you'll build a solid foundation for the book promotion campaign of your dreams. Do it wrong, and you'll hamper all of your other book promotion efforts.
There's a balance you have to strike, and it's up to your book promotion specialist, and/or your publisher, and/or you, to determine what that balance is.
My first reaction was to be a bit frustrated. After all, we'd talked about the purpose of a press kit extensively. However, now she wanted more...and it challenged me to really think about it. What are book publicists trying to achieve when we craft press kits? What do effective press kits add to book promotion campaigns? What's an ineffective press kit, and how can you avoid writing one, and what happens if you do?
My quick response to the question, what's the purpose of a press kit, is this. It's to capture the interest of a journalist and provide enough information about the author, and the potential story, so that the journalist can take the next step -- whether that means calling a book publicist to arrange an interview with the author, or simply writing a book review.
An effective press kit stands out in a positive way from the rest of the day's mail. It addds credibility to the author. It informs, it entices, and it leaves the journalist wanting more . . . and, one hopes, going to the source (whether it's the book, or the book's Web site, or the book publicist, or the author) to get more. It provides enough detail so that, if a journalist wanted to do a quick-and-easy story with little effort, he or she would be able to borrow enough copy from the press release to do that -- or, if the journalist wanted to do an intelligent interview with the author, the interview questions that would launch such an interview would be right there and ready to go. An effective press kit is tight, stays on topic, and is simple to read. It provides the key book information (title, author's name, publisher, ISBN, price, and so forth) in a discreet place.
In ineffective press kit sounds like a commercial for the book and/or the author. It hypes. It exaggerates. It throws too much information out at once, or it's disorganized or contains jargon, and is difficult to wade through. It lacks the key book information. It calls into question the credibility of the author and/or the book. An ineffective press kit will all but guarantee that the journalist will not interview the author, and it's probably a good bet that an ineffective press kit would also make a book review less likely to happen.
So what's the point of a press kit? I think the point of a press kit is to pitch a story to the media; to sell yourself as a credible resource; and to interest the media in finding out more. A press kit should be subtle and powerful. A press kit should launch a media story.
How can you blow a press kit? By turning the press kit into a overt advertisement, and by giving journalists an excuse to question your integrity and motives.
In other words, a press kit has to sell you as an expert, and it has to persuade the media to cover a story . . . but it has to do so without appearing to sell anything at all.
That's the challenge of creating an effective press kit.
Do it right, and you'll build a solid foundation for the book promotion campaign of your dreams. Do it wrong, and you'll hamper all of your other book promotion efforts.
There's a balance you have to strike, and it's up to your book promotion specialist, and/or your publisher, and/or you, to determine what that balance is.
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
The Future of Book Publishing -- Maybe
BEA attendees have seen the possible future of book publishing -- maybe -- they're not all enthusiastic about it. You guessed it. Books will go electronic, and an unscanned book will be an irrelevant book.
Among those who were not happy about the digital revolution, John Updike looms large. To me, John Updike always looms large because he's one of my favorite novelists, but his quote about the possible transformation of the publishing industry is classic. in A Seattle Times article includes this observation. I'm quoting:
"As I read it," Updike said, "this is a pretty grisly scenario." He counted himself as one of the "surly hermits refusing to come out and play in the digital sunshine."
Well, I wonder how many book publicists are excited about the prospect of "playing in the digital sunshine." I have some ideas about how to construct a book promotion campaign so that you don't have to send physical copies of books to the media. For example, the production wizards behind the concept of "book trailers" and "bookpresenters" certainly have my attention, and I look forward to working closely with some of those production houses in the future on digital book promotion campaigns.
Sure, there's another part of me who would love to be a "surly hermit refusing to come out and play in the digital sunshine." But there can only be one John Updike, so for now, I'll cast about the digital sunshine for future book promotion opportunities -- even if they do bring me farther into the uncharted territories of the digital book world.
Among those who were not happy about the digital revolution, John Updike looms large. To me, John Updike always looms large because he's one of my favorite novelists, but his quote about the possible transformation of the publishing industry is classic. in A Seattle Times article includes this observation. I'm quoting:
"As I read it," Updike said, "this is a pretty grisly scenario." He counted himself as one of the "surly hermits refusing to come out and play in the digital sunshine."
Well, I wonder how many book publicists are excited about the prospect of "playing in the digital sunshine." I have some ideas about how to construct a book promotion campaign so that you don't have to send physical copies of books to the media. For example, the production wizards behind the concept of "book trailers" and "bookpresenters" certainly have my attention, and I look forward to working closely with some of those production houses in the future on digital book promotion campaigns.
Sure, there's another part of me who would love to be a "surly hermit refusing to come out and play in the digital sunshine." But there can only be one John Updike, so for now, I'll cast about the digital sunshine for future book promotion opportunities -- even if they do bring me farther into the uncharted territories of the digital book world.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Diet Book Publishers: Beware
There's a new diet book in town, and it will not lack for book promotion opportunities. See, the author is Oprah Winfrey, and it's landed its author the best nonfiction book deal ever. You can read about it here.
So what would it be like to find yourself in the middle of a book promotion campaign for your diet or fitness book, at the same time as Oprah's book publicity machine gears up? I'll be honest. I'm one book publicist who would rather not find out.
Oprah's book promotion opportunities include appearances on any national television show she chooses, and in virtually any other media outlet that she'll grace with her presence. Moreover, Oprah's book promotion campaign will encompass visibility on her own TV show and in her own magazine. With book promotion opportunities like that, Oprah could turn her own version of the Yellow Pages into a bestseller.
What's the left for competing books, when Oprah gets done with her book promotion campaign? We shall see...but if I were in the market to promote a diet and fitness book, I'd begin immediately -- before the hoopla surrounding Oprah's diet and fitness book begins. Either that, or I'd wait until Oprah's book promotion campaign wrapped. Timing, in this case, will be everything.
So what would it be like to find yourself in the middle of a book promotion campaign for your diet or fitness book, at the same time as Oprah's book publicity machine gears up? I'll be honest. I'm one book publicist who would rather not find out.
Oprah's book promotion opportunities include appearances on any national television show she chooses, and in virtually any other media outlet that she'll grace with her presence. Moreover, Oprah's book promotion campaign will encompass visibility on her own TV show and in her own magazine. With book promotion opportunities like that, Oprah could turn her own version of the Yellow Pages into a bestseller.
What's the left for competing books, when Oprah gets done with her book promotion campaign? We shall see...but if I were in the market to promote a diet and fitness book, I'd begin immediately -- before the hoopla surrounding Oprah's diet and fitness book begins. Either that, or I'd wait until Oprah's book promotion campaign wrapped. Timing, in this case, will be everything.
Monday, May 22, 2006
Promoting Literary Fiction
The Sunday New York Times had a story about promoting literary fiction that drives home several few points.
1. Book promotion -- at least, of literary fiction -- depends on the support of a major publisher.
2. Even with the support of a major publisher, book promotion doesn't guarantee books sales.
3. Publishers can promote only a finite number of books per season, and that means some novelists -- even those with an excellent track record -- won't make the cut.
4. Even when a novel belongs to such a luminary as Philip Roth, it helps to have a nonfiction news hook (as did "The Plot Against America," which received all kinds of media attention because it was perceived to have political overtones).
Major houses lay plans for their A-list literary novels, and editors compete with one another within their own publishing companies to push their book ahead of all of the other competing books in the catalogue. If it's this difficult for a mainstream literary novel to succeed, can you imagine what it takes for a self-published book in the same genre to have a chance? This is why so many book publicists are reluctant to promote novels.
1. Book promotion -- at least, of literary fiction -- depends on the support of a major publisher.
2. Even with the support of a major publisher, book promotion doesn't guarantee books sales.
3. Publishers can promote only a finite number of books per season, and that means some novelists -- even those with an excellent track record -- won't make the cut.
4. Even when a novel belongs to such a luminary as Philip Roth, it helps to have a nonfiction news hook (as did "The Plot Against America," which received all kinds of media attention because it was perceived to have political overtones).
Major houses lay plans for their A-list literary novels, and editors compete with one another within their own publishing companies to push their book ahead of all of the other competing books in the catalogue. If it's this difficult for a mainstream literary novel to succeed, can you imagine what it takes for a self-published book in the same genre to have a chance? This is why so many book publicists are reluctant to promote novels.
Friday, May 19, 2006
The Biggest Book Promotion Party of the Year.
The annual bookselling convention, BEA, is the largest book promotion party of the year. It's a chance for publishers and authors to get their wares before booksellers and rights buyers from all around the world. And it all begins this afternoon at 4:00PM in Washington, DC. If you're not one of the lucky people who gets to attend BEA this year -- and, as the owner and operator of a one-person book promotion firm, I'm not one of the lucky people who gets to attend BEA this year -- you can read about the event all over the news, including at the Washington Post's Web site.
It's never too early to start planning to attend next year's BEA, if you're so inclined. Who knows? Maybe I'll see you there.
It's never too early to start planning to attend next year's BEA, if you're so inclined. Who knows? Maybe I'll see you there.
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Would Desperate Housewives want to read your book?
Here's a book promotion scenario to make television show addicts squirm. Your publisher realizes that buying a commercial for your book during Desperate Housewives (or another TV show) will be ineffective because so many viewers use the latest technology to skip commercials. Therefore, your publisher instead pays the producer of the TV show to incorporate your book into the plot. Your book then becomes the reason Gabrielle is so unhappy, or Susan chases the wrong man. Your book wins, but the show suffers, and let's face it. Which do you care more about: book promotion or your favorite television show?
Okay, never mind that question. Still, you might want to check out MSNBC.com's article about product placement on television shows. The practice has been going on nearly as long as television has existed. I can still hear Lawrence Welk interrupting his show to explain why the benefits that viewers would derive from taking Geritol, or the goofiness of watching members of the original Star Trek crew acting oddly excited about some of their props that were being marketed as toys that season.
But that was before TiVo and other technologies have made commercials a difficult way to sell things, and have inadvertently encouraged soda companies and other vendors to get creative in their promotion efforts. Could the next product sold on a network television program be your book? Stay tuned.
Okay, never mind that question. Still, you might want to check out MSNBC.com's article about product placement on television shows. The practice has been going on nearly as long as television has existed. I can still hear Lawrence Welk interrupting his show to explain why the benefits that viewers would derive from taking Geritol, or the goofiness of watching members of the original Star Trek crew acting oddly excited about some of their props that were being marketed as toys that season.
But that was before TiVo and other technologies have made commercials a difficult way to sell things, and have inadvertently encouraged soda companies and other vendors to get creative in their promotion efforts. Could the next product sold on a network television program be your book? Stay tuned.
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