One of the responsibilities of a book publicist -- or of anyone who's organizing a book promotion campaign -- is to keep abreast of changes in the media. Producers, editors, and hosts come and go, and keeping up with those changes can be disheartening (as when Don Imus lands another on-air gig) or puzzling (as when Kathie Lee Gifford is hired to be part of the "Today Show" team).
Kathie Lee Gifford? The fluffy co-host of "Live with Regis and Kathie Lee?" The perky half of morning television's fluffiest, perkiest show ever? On the "Today Show?"
I'm puzzled. What could Kathie Lee Gifford bring to a news program that includes -- but doesn't focus on -- lighter features?
Well, like everyone else who promotes books, I'll find out soon, I suppose. Stay tuned....
Monday, March 31, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
Could blogs ever replace books?
Could blogs ever replace books in the hearts and souls of book lovers? Of course not. But will there ever be a generation that grows up without books -- favoring, instead, the chunks of information they can get by logging onto the Internet and reading Web sites, ezines, and blogs? Maybe. Check out this article on Icwales.com/.
Another survey -- this one, done in Great Britain, I'm pleased to say -- finds that young people are reading fewer books than their parents did. And how many books will their children read? That's the really disturbing question.
If young people today prefer reading blogs to curling up with a good book, then what will become of the generation that follows them? And the generation after that? And the generation after that?
Book promotion is difficult enough with all the competition for readers' attention. What will happen when the definition of "reader" changes to mean "someone who frequently logs onto the Internet and scans information that might be of interest?"
To whom will we promote our books then?
Another survey -- this one, done in Great Britain, I'm pleased to say -- finds that young people are reading fewer books than their parents did. And how many books will their children read? That's the really disturbing question.
If young people today prefer reading blogs to curling up with a good book, then what will become of the generation that follows them? And the generation after that? And the generation after that?
Book promotion is difficult enough with all the competition for readers' attention. What will happen when the definition of "reader" changes to mean "someone who frequently logs onto the Internet and scans information that might be of interest?"
To whom will we promote our books then?
Friday, March 07, 2008
Thinking Outside the Blog: An Update
Since I last posted about Gary David Goldberg's blog entry, "WWAKD: What Would Alex Keaton Do," there have been two major developments.
To backtrack a bit, Gary David Goldberg (creator of "Family Ties" and author of the new book, Sit, Ubu, Sit) posted a blog entry on his Web site. I'm fortunate enough to be handling the online portion of Gary's comprehensive book promotion campaign.
The article moved me, and I asked for (and received) permission to "think outside the blog" and pitch the article to other media outlets. Within 24 hours, the New York Times blog, Campaign Stop, posted Gary's article. That was on March 3.
A couple of days later, on a hunch, I checked Google and discovered that the blog entry had spread virally. Blogs ranging from Politico to the Atlantic had linked back to Gary's article (as published by the New York Times blog). I published, in my previous blog entry (Thinking Outside the Blog) a partial list of the links back to the article I'd found as of a couple of days ago.
I'm excited to report that the article is still spreading around the Internet in the best example of viral marketing that I've ever been involved with. New York Magazine's Web site has linked back to the article, and the Los Angeles Times' LA Funny Pages 2.0 blog has also featured part of the article and a link back to the complete text on the New York Times blog.
And if that weren't enough, the real-world version of the Chicago Tribune ran the article yesterday, and its Web site featured the article, as well. The (Allentown, PA) Morning Call also ran the article yesterday and featured it on its Web site. And the LA Daily News is running the article this Sunday (and I feel confident that it will show up on their Web site, too).
Gary David Goldberg is a fantastic writer with an unmatched instinct for choosing topics that are current, poignant, and controversial. His work has inspired "water cooler chats" for decades. So it's not surprising that his thoughts about how an iconic character whom he created, Alex P. Keaton of "Family Ties," would vote in the upcoming presidential election has garnered a tremendous amount of interest and discussion (as of now, there are 215 readers' comments posted on the New York Times blog).
Good for him. Gary David Goldberg is a man who's earned success and found it many times over, and it's unsurprising that he's found more of it with this article. But there's a lesson for all of us to be drawn here, and that is simply this: blog! And when you think you don't have time to blog, blog anyway! And then extend your blog entries beyond the blog. See how far you can take them. You might be able to launch a viral marketing campaign of your own just because of one great piece of writing. It's hard to overlook the success this particular blog entry, "What Would Alex Keaton Do," has enjoyed.
To backtrack a bit, Gary David Goldberg (creator of "Family Ties" and author of the new book, Sit, Ubu, Sit) posted a blog entry on his Web site. I'm fortunate enough to be handling the online portion of Gary's comprehensive book promotion campaign.
The article moved me, and I asked for (and received) permission to "think outside the blog" and pitch the article to other media outlets. Within 24 hours, the New York Times blog, Campaign Stop, posted Gary's article. That was on March 3.
A couple of days later, on a hunch, I checked Google and discovered that the blog entry had spread virally. Blogs ranging from Politico to the Atlantic had linked back to Gary's article (as published by the New York Times blog). I published, in my previous blog entry (Thinking Outside the Blog) a partial list of the links back to the article I'd found as of a couple of days ago.
I'm excited to report that the article is still spreading around the Internet in the best example of viral marketing that I've ever been involved with. New York Magazine's Web site has linked back to the article, and the Los Angeles Times' LA Funny Pages 2.0 blog has also featured part of the article and a link back to the complete text on the New York Times blog.
And if that weren't enough, the real-world version of the Chicago Tribune ran the article yesterday, and its Web site featured the article, as well. The (Allentown, PA) Morning Call also ran the article yesterday and featured it on its Web site. And the LA Daily News is running the article this Sunday (and I feel confident that it will show up on their Web site, too).
Gary David Goldberg is a fantastic writer with an unmatched instinct for choosing topics that are current, poignant, and controversial. His work has inspired "water cooler chats" for decades. So it's not surprising that his thoughts about how an iconic character whom he created, Alex P. Keaton of "Family Ties," would vote in the upcoming presidential election has garnered a tremendous amount of interest and discussion (as of now, there are 215 readers' comments posted on the New York Times blog).
Good for him. Gary David Goldberg is a man who's earned success and found it many times over, and it's unsurprising that he's found more of it with this article. But there's a lesson for all of us to be drawn here, and that is simply this: blog! And when you think you don't have time to blog, blog anyway! And then extend your blog entries beyond the blog. See how far you can take them. You might be able to launch a viral marketing campaign of your own just because of one great piece of writing. It's hard to overlook the success this particular blog entry, "What Would Alex Keaton Do," has enjoyed.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Open letter to the National Enquirer editors
Dear National Enquirer editors:
You could publish that story, NATIONAL ENQUIRER WORLD EXCLUSIVE: PATRICK SWAYZE HAS 5 WEEKS TO LIVE, so you did. You get the glory of scoring an exclusive on a "breaking news story."
And what do members of Mr. Swayze's inner circle get?
Pain.
And what do his fans get?
Sadness. And anger.
This fan didn't want to find out about Mr. Swayze's health condition from you, dear editors. She wanted to find out -- when and if appropriate -- from Mr. Swayze himself or those who are authorized to speak on his behalf.
Shame on you for depriving the Swazye family, and those who care about them, of that opportunity. Shame on you for deciding to publish what best served your purposes just because you could -- regardless of the consequences.
You could publish that story, NATIONAL ENQUIRER WORLD EXCLUSIVE: PATRICK SWAYZE HAS 5 WEEKS TO LIVE, so you did. You get the glory of scoring an exclusive on a "breaking news story."
And what do members of Mr. Swayze's inner circle get?
Pain.
And what do his fans get?
Sadness. And anger.
This fan didn't want to find out about Mr. Swayze's health condition from you, dear editors. She wanted to find out -- when and if appropriate -- from Mr. Swayze himself or those who are authorized to speak on his behalf.
Shame on you for depriving the Swazye family, and those who care about them, of that opportunity. Shame on you for deciding to publish what best served your purposes just because you could -- regardless of the consequences.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Thinking Outside the Blog
Why blog? It's a lot of work, and it's time-consuming, even for professional writers and those who just love to write. So why do it?
Because one blog entry -- if you think outside the blog -- can get your message all over cyberspace (and, by extension, all over the globe) just about instantly. Could that benefit your book promotion campaign?
Are you serious?
Here's an example of how it can work.
A client, Gary David Goldberg, recently wrote a blog entry called "WWAKD (What Would Alex Keaton Do)" He posted it on his personal blog on his Web site. His site, which is new, is already building a very respectable following and helping to promote his new book, Sit, Ubu, Sit: How I went from Brooklyn to Hollywood with the Same Woman, the Same Dog, and a Lot Less Hair .
The article is about how the fictional character, Alex P. Keaton of "Family Ties," might vote in the upcoming presidential election, and I think it's insightful and witty and compassionate and touching (and I'd expect no less from its author).
Because I believe in the power of "thinking outside the blog," I pitched the article as an op-ed piece to various media contacts at the same time as Goldberg uploaded it to his Web site.
The New York Times asked for (and received) permission to publish the article in their own political blog called Campaign Stops. The Times posted the article on the evening of March 3, and the next morning, there was a hyperlink to the story on the NYT.com home page (with a vintage file photograph of Michael J. Fox dressed to play the role of Alex P. Keaton). As of this writing, the story has elicted 196 readers' comments on the New York Times' blog (which run the gamut, by the way, from "Who is Alex Keaton? I’ve never heard of him before" to "To see a picture of Alex P. Keaton on the New York Times is worth this article alone").
On an inspired hunch, I Googled the phrase "What Would Alex Keaton Do" this morning and found that the following Web sites -- many of which you'll recognize -- have linked to the NYT blog:
Atlantic.com
Politico.com
NowPublic.com
Topix.com
KWOFF.com.au
Wilshire and Washington
NewsVine.com
North American Patriot
Suburban Correspondent
Yedda.com
Memeorandum.com
Electionbid2008
Twitter.com
Intermedia Outdoors Forums
BlogoWogo.com
Abram’s Nickels
Democratic Underground
Red Blue America blog
And I've begun the process of submitting a press release I drafted about how Alex Keaton might vote, and the fact that the New York Times cares about the topic, all over the Web. The release has already appeared in Google News along with a photo of the Sit, Ubu, Sit book cover.
Also, about a dozen newspapers (including one of the major dailies) from coast to coast have asked for an author's photo in anticipation of publishing the article -- both on their Web sites and in their real-world newspapers.
All that media coverage has come from one really great, well-conceived, and well-written blog entry. Granted, the blog entry was written by Gary David Goldberg, who has been a household name in many TV-watching households for more than two decades, so you might ask what Gary's success in promoting his article has to do with the exposure your blog entry is likely to receive.
Well, okay. You can say, "Forget it. No one cares about my blog entry. I'll upload it to my Web site and move on. Let's think of some more realistic book promotion strategies, please."
Or you can think outside the blog.
And who knows what might happen?
It's your choice.
Because one blog entry -- if you think outside the blog -- can get your message all over cyberspace (and, by extension, all over the globe) just about instantly. Could that benefit your book promotion campaign?
Are you serious?
Here's an example of how it can work.
A client, Gary David Goldberg, recently wrote a blog entry called "WWAKD (What Would Alex Keaton Do)" He posted it on his personal blog on his Web site. His site, which is new, is already building a very respectable following and helping to promote his new book, Sit, Ubu, Sit: How I went from Brooklyn to Hollywood with the Same Woman, the Same Dog, and a Lot Less Hair .
The article is about how the fictional character, Alex P. Keaton of "Family Ties," might vote in the upcoming presidential election, and I think it's insightful and witty and compassionate and touching (and I'd expect no less from its author).
Because I believe in the power of "thinking outside the blog," I pitched the article as an op-ed piece to various media contacts at the same time as Goldberg uploaded it to his Web site.
The New York Times asked for (and received) permission to publish the article in their own political blog called Campaign Stops. The Times posted the article on the evening of March 3, and the next morning, there was a hyperlink to the story on the NYT.com home page (with a vintage file photograph of Michael J. Fox dressed to play the role of Alex P. Keaton). As of this writing, the story has elicted 196 readers' comments on the New York Times' blog (which run the gamut, by the way, from "Who is Alex Keaton? I’ve never heard of him before" to "To see a picture of Alex P. Keaton on the New York Times is worth this article alone").
On an inspired hunch, I Googled the phrase "What Would Alex Keaton Do" this morning and found that the following Web sites -- many of which you'll recognize -- have linked to the NYT blog:
Atlantic.com
Politico.com
NowPublic.com
Topix.com
KWOFF.com.au
Wilshire and Washington
NewsVine.com
North American Patriot
Suburban Correspondent
Yedda.com
Memeorandum.com
Electionbid2008
Twitter.com
Intermedia Outdoors Forums
BlogoWogo.com
Abram’s Nickels
Democratic Underground
Red Blue America blog
And I've begun the process of submitting a press release I drafted about how Alex Keaton might vote, and the fact that the New York Times cares about the topic, all over the Web. The release has already appeared in Google News along with a photo of the Sit, Ubu, Sit book cover.
Also, about a dozen newspapers (including one of the major dailies) from coast to coast have asked for an author's photo in anticipation of publishing the article -- both on their Web sites and in their real-world newspapers.
All that media coverage has come from one really great, well-conceived, and well-written blog entry. Granted, the blog entry was written by Gary David Goldberg, who has been a household name in many TV-watching households for more than two decades, so you might ask what Gary's success in promoting his article has to do with the exposure your blog entry is likely to receive.
Well, okay. You can say, "Forget it. No one cares about my blog entry. I'll upload it to my Web site and move on. Let's think of some more realistic book promotion strategies, please."
Or you can think outside the blog.
And who knows what might happen?
It's your choice.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
"If it ain't broke, break it."
This is only tangentally related to book promotion, but since it affects those of us who want to continue to watch television with our lower-tech TV sets after the Digital TV Revolution overthrows the Analog TV Regime (or something like that -- sadly, the details escape this book promotion specialist), I'll share what I just learned.
The NTIA (The Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration) is offering up to two discount coupons for each TV-watching household for digital converter boxes for its much-hyped Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Coupon Program. So, if you still want to watch television on your less than state-of-the-art TV set after the Revolution -- and you'd like a discount coupon from the government to help you pay for this privilege -- then you can call the FCC's Digital Converter Box Hotline at 1-888-388-2009. Alternatively, you can click here.
If you're far braver than this book publicist and want to try to figure out what in the world the Digital TV Revolution is all about, and how it will/won't/may affect your television-watching life, then click here.
If anyone can wade through all that information and make sense of it, I invite him or her to pass along the geek-free details here.
The NTIA (The Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration) is offering up to two discount coupons for each TV-watching household for digital converter boxes for its much-hyped Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Coupon Program. So, if you still want to watch television on your less than state-of-the-art TV set after the Revolution -- and you'd like a discount coupon from the government to help you pay for this privilege -- then you can call the FCC's Digital Converter Box Hotline at 1-888-388-2009. Alternatively, you can click here.
If you're far braver than this book publicist and want to try to figure out what in the world the Digital TV Revolution is all about, and how it will/won't/may affect your television-watching life, then click here.
If anyone can wade through all that information and make sense of it, I invite him or her to pass along the geek-free details here.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Are book tours part of your book promotion strategy?
If conventional book tours (as opposed to online book tours) are a part of your book promotion campaign, then you might want to consider memorializing your book tour stops on BookTour.com. The site allows fans who are in the market to go to book signings to connect with authors who will be in the neighborhood as part of a book tour.
You can read more about the BookTour.com site and its benefits here, at author Connie Briscoe's site. As Connie implies, one of the site's fringe benefits is that it lets search engines know about your book tour by getting your book's title "out there" on the Net. So not only do authors get to connect with their fans through BookTour.com, but they also get to connect with search engines. And BookTour.com is free (at least, it's free for now).
So, if you are using book tours as part of your book promotion strategy, why not take a look at BookTour.com? You have nothing to lose, and who knows? You might even bring a few extra people into your book signings.
You can read more about the BookTour.com site and its benefits here, at author Connie Briscoe's site. As Connie implies, one of the site's fringe benefits is that it lets search engines know about your book tour by getting your book's title "out there" on the Net. So not only do authors get to connect with their fans through BookTour.com, but they also get to connect with search engines. And BookTour.com is free (at least, it's free for now).
So, if you are using book tours as part of your book promotion strategy, why not take a look at BookTour.com? You have nothing to lose, and who knows? You might even bring a few extra people into your book signings.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Book promotion ups and downs.
Book promotion ups and downs: every author who has ever engaged in a book publicity campaign can tell the same story. This particular tale belongs to a blogger whose blog is called Shoshanahala's Weblog. Check out the experiences of a first-time nonfiction author here.
To veteran book promoters out there, does any of this sound familiar? Any thoughts about which is less stressful: television or radio interviews?
To veteran book promoters out there, does any of this sound familiar? Any thoughts about which is less stressful: television or radio interviews?
Friday, February 15, 2008
As Judge Judy says....
Say what you will about Judge Judy Sheindlin's shortcomings as a gracious and kind adjudicator, but she's inarguably right about at least one thing: when you tell the truth, you don't ever have to worry about getting your story straight.
I was reminded of that as I read the news reports of Roger Clemens' and Brian McNamee's recent testimony at the Congressional hearings. Both of them, according to all the sources I checked, looked and sounded suspiciously as though they were, at best, covering up something and not telling the whole truth.
There's a lesson in here for authors who are promoting their books and granting media interviews as part of their book promotion campaigns. If you want to look and sound credible, keep your answers simple and above board. Be sure your pitch is honest, too. Using a headline such as "Local author has just discovered a cure for AIDS" may get you the interview, but it will also earn you instant animosity when the reporter or host finds out it just isn't true.
Be honest. Always. Tell the truth, and present yourself as you are -- nothing more, and nothing less.
Hyperbole isn't your friend. Stammering, pausing, and twitching nervously while you try to figure out which version of the story you're supposed to be sharing with the media is the enemy of a successful book promotion campaign. And it wouldn't score any points with Judge Judy Sheindlin, either.
I was reminded of that as I read the news reports of Roger Clemens' and Brian McNamee's recent testimony at the Congressional hearings. Both of them, according to all the sources I checked, looked and sounded suspiciously as though they were, at best, covering up something and not telling the whole truth.
There's a lesson in here for authors who are promoting their books and granting media interviews as part of their book promotion campaigns. If you want to look and sound credible, keep your answers simple and above board. Be sure your pitch is honest, too. Using a headline such as "Local author has just discovered a cure for AIDS" may get you the interview, but it will also earn you instant animosity when the reporter or host finds out it just isn't true.
Be honest. Always. Tell the truth, and present yourself as you are -- nothing more, and nothing less.
Hyperbole isn't your friend. Stammering, pausing, and twitching nervously while you try to figure out which version of the story you're supposed to be sharing with the media is the enemy of a successful book promotion campaign. And it wouldn't score any points with Judge Judy Sheindlin, either.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Do you want to know how important radio is? Think: Jess Cain.
Do you want to know how important radio is to listeners? Here's how important it is.
A friend left a voice mail message for me this morning at work. It said, "Jess Cain died." And I started to sob.
So who was Jess Cain? If you have to ask, then you probably didn't live within range of the old WHDH-AM Boston-area radio signal anytime between 1958 and 1991 or, if you did, then you probably weren't an early riser.
Jess sent me off to school each morning. He was the first person to talk to me when I awoke, he was the first person to make me smile each day, and he was usually the first person to break the really, really bad news to me each morning, too (my mom actually woke me in the wee hours of a particular morning in December of 1981 expressly so that I wouldn't hear about John Lennon's murder from Jess) -- and to share the really, really good news (snow day! yay!) with me.
I still remember his last day on the air as clearly as I remember other huge losses in my life. I'm sure I have plenty of company in feeling that Jess Cain, and all those larger-than-life, local radio personalities of the time -- smart and talented, respectful and kind -- were never replaced, and never will be.
The intimacy of radio persists, though, and if authors and publishers ever question whether it's worth it to do an interview on a small radio station, this blog entry is my response. Yes. Do it. It's worth it. There's nothing as intimate and satisfying as connecting with a radio audience.
Jess was almost a member of my family. His successors (at other area radio stations -- WHDH radio doesn't even exist any longer, alas) aren't in his league, but I still feel a strong bond with some of the on-air personalities who populate the airwaves these days. They're an important part of my life, and my newsgathering, and my entertainment, and my waking up in the morning -- and they're an integral part of the lives of other members of their listeners, too. Who wouldn't want to tap into that powerful relationship as part of a book promotion campaign?
If you love Jess Cain, the way that I do, you might want to read about him. Click here to do so at the Boston Globe's Web site.
A friend left a voice mail message for me this morning at work. It said, "Jess Cain died." And I started to sob.
So who was Jess Cain? If you have to ask, then you probably didn't live within range of the old WHDH-AM Boston-area radio signal anytime between 1958 and 1991 or, if you did, then you probably weren't an early riser.
Jess sent me off to school each morning. He was the first person to talk to me when I awoke, he was the first person to make me smile each day, and he was usually the first person to break the really, really bad news to me each morning, too (my mom actually woke me in the wee hours of a particular morning in December of 1981 expressly so that I wouldn't hear about John Lennon's murder from Jess) -- and to share the really, really good news (snow day! yay!) with me.
I still remember his last day on the air as clearly as I remember other huge losses in my life. I'm sure I have plenty of company in feeling that Jess Cain, and all those larger-than-life, local radio personalities of the time -- smart and talented, respectful and kind -- were never replaced, and never will be.
The intimacy of radio persists, though, and if authors and publishers ever question whether it's worth it to do an interview on a small radio station, this blog entry is my response. Yes. Do it. It's worth it. There's nothing as intimate and satisfying as connecting with a radio audience.
Jess was almost a member of my family. His successors (at other area radio stations -- WHDH radio doesn't even exist any longer, alas) aren't in his league, but I still feel a strong bond with some of the on-air personalities who populate the airwaves these days. They're an important part of my life, and my newsgathering, and my entertainment, and my waking up in the morning -- and they're an integral part of the lives of other members of their listeners, too. Who wouldn't want to tap into that powerful relationship as part of a book promotion campaign?
If you love Jess Cain, the way that I do, you might want to read about him. Click here to do so at the Boston Globe's Web site.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Free eBook, anyone? An experiment in book publishing.
Free eBook download, anyone? Or would you just like to read part of a book online at a really great discount (it would have to be at a really great discount if you only get to read part of the book, obviously)?
Well, they're doing it again. Yes. Two major publishing houses, HarperCollins and Random House, are making some of their novels available online either for free, or nearly for free, to entice people to read for recreation. Here's an article from Guardian Unlimited Books that will tell you all about the experiment.
Is it naive of this book publicist to believe that HarperCollins and Random House are trying a little bit too hard to entice people to read their books? I mean, how many of us who work in, and around, the publishing industry balk at the idea of reading books?
Okay, okay, I know. I've read the statistics, too. People aren't reading now as much as they used to. But do we change people's reading habits -- and, not so coincidentally, do we increase book sales -- by giving away free books?
I'd hate to think we have to resort to giving away the store to entice people to read good books. And what if people just don't want to read novels online? Is that supposed to tell HarperCollins and Random House that novels are dead?
I don't even want to think about what will happen if this book publishing experiment fails.
Well, they're doing it again. Yes. Two major publishing houses, HarperCollins and Random House, are making some of their novels available online either for free, or nearly for free, to entice people to read for recreation. Here's an article from Guardian Unlimited Books that will tell you all about the experiment.
Is it naive of this book publicist to believe that HarperCollins and Random House are trying a little bit too hard to entice people to read their books? I mean, how many of us who work in, and around, the publishing industry balk at the idea of reading books?
Okay, okay, I know. I've read the statistics, too. People aren't reading now as much as they used to. But do we change people's reading habits -- and, not so coincidentally, do we increase book sales -- by giving away free books?
I'd hate to think we have to resort to giving away the store to entice people to read good books. And what if people just don't want to read novels online? Is that supposed to tell HarperCollins and Random House that novels are dead?
I don't even want to think about what will happen if this book publishing experiment fails.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Going first class?
Is anyone going first class? If you're mailing your book promotion materials via first class mail these days, then it's time to stock up on the United States Postal Service's Forever Stamps. The USPS has just announced that, beginning in May, the price of a first class postage stamp will increase by a penny.
Now, I'm not petty. I won't argue a one-cent increase on an annual basis is going to break the bank for authors, publishers, and book publicists.
But I will say this. The USPS has announced that the price of a first class postage stamp will increase by a penny. No word from their spokeperson yet on what will happen to the price of flat-rate Priority mail (which I use all the time) or the rates for mailing books via media mail (which I rarely use, but still...).
Just thought I'd mention the price increases to come in May so that you can plan your book promotion mailings accordingly. If you can finish the bulk of them before the postal rate increases, so much the better for you.
Now, I'm not petty. I won't argue a one-cent increase on an annual basis is going to break the bank for authors, publishers, and book publicists.
But I will say this. The USPS has announced that the price of a first class postage stamp will increase by a penny. No word from their spokeperson yet on what will happen to the price of flat-rate Priority mail (which I use all the time) or the rates for mailing books via media mail (which I rarely use, but still...).
Just thought I'd mention the price increases to come in May so that you can plan your book promotion mailings accordingly. If you can finish the bulk of them before the postal rate increases, so much the better for you.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Are printed galleys a thing of the past?
Well, no. You still have to print galleys if you want such industry publications as "Publishers Weekly" and "Library Journal" to consider reviewing your book. But will that always be the case?
Maybe not.
According to an article in PW Daily, Rosetta Solutions is now providing a service called netGalley that might one day render printed ARCs and galleys obselete. For now, "Publishers Weekly" is using netGalley to capture such information as press materials and promotional plans, when publishers and authors submit their books for review.
But it sounds as though stage two of netGalley -- eliminating that short print run of galleys and sending the advance review media a digital copy of galleys -- is just around the corner. That's good news for those of us who love the thought of saving trees and postage even as we increase our efficiency. But it's bad news for those publishers and authors (and book publicists) who have been slow to adapt to the online world, or who just don't want to see how the Internet relates to book promotion.
Bob Dylan was right. The times, they are a'changing. And now would be a really good time to commit to moving forward with those changes so that, at the very least, you're still in the publishing game five years down the road.
Maybe not.
According to an article in PW Daily, Rosetta Solutions is now providing a service called netGalley that might one day render printed ARCs and galleys obselete. For now, "Publishers Weekly" is using netGalley to capture such information as press materials and promotional plans, when publishers and authors submit their books for review.
But it sounds as though stage two of netGalley -- eliminating that short print run of galleys and sending the advance review media a digital copy of galleys -- is just around the corner. That's good news for those of us who love the thought of saving trees and postage even as we increase our efficiency. But it's bad news for those publishers and authors (and book publicists) who have been slow to adapt to the online world, or who just don't want to see how the Internet relates to book promotion.
Bob Dylan was right. The times, they are a'changing. And now would be a really good time to commit to moving forward with those changes so that, at the very least, you're still in the publishing game five years down the road.
Who decides what Google sees?
What Google finds when someone searches for your name, or for your book, is key to your reputation and credibility. So who decides what Google sees? There's an article in the Technology section of Newsweek.com called "Google Yourself—And Enjoy It" that talks about how such companies as ReputationHawk, ReputationDefender, and International Reputation Management provide damage control when your online image is compromised.
But those companies don't do anything we can't do ourselves. The most important point the Newsweek.com article makes is that, to control what Google sees, just keep creating content. The more positive the content you create, the more positive your online reputation will be -- and the more positive an impression you'll make when others Google you. Keep writing articles and press releases, and keep creating blog entries. The positive will soon outweigh the negative -- or, at least -- the negative will be pushed off the front page of Google's results.
Online book promotion is a lot like online personal promotion. Sure, everything that's posted on the Net about your book won't read just the way it would if you'd written it yourself. But there's one way to cure that problem: get your keyboard going, and start typing. Google sees what you tell it to see. That's the good news. Take advantage of it!
But those companies don't do anything we can't do ourselves. The most important point the Newsweek.com article makes is that, to control what Google sees, just keep creating content. The more positive the content you create, the more positive your online reputation will be -- and the more positive an impression you'll make when others Google you. Keep writing articles and press releases, and keep creating blog entries. The positive will soon outweigh the negative -- or, at least -- the negative will be pushed off the front page of Google's results.
Online book promotion is a lot like online personal promotion. Sure, everything that's posted on the Net about your book won't read just the way it would if you'd written it yourself. But there's one way to cure that problem: get your keyboard going, and start typing. Google sees what you tell it to see. That's the good news. Take advantage of it!
Friday, February 01, 2008
A book promotion newsletter.
Here's a book promotion newsletter that I'd recommmend: Build Book Buzz. It's a free e-newsletter published monthly by Beckwith Communications. To subscribe, visit
www.buildbookbuzz.com. Its editor and publisher, Sandra Beckwith, can be reached through the Web site or you can write to her at sb at buildbookbuzz.com.
Scanning an archived newsletter -- the October edition, I believe it was -- I learned a different perspective on submitting op ed pieces to newspapers, and that's a good thing. Meditating on your own strategy doesn't help you grow as a book publicist (or as an author or publisher who's promoting books); finding out how your associates have created their successes, on the other hand, opens up the possibility of doing things more effectively all the time. So thank you, Sandra, and I hope everyone who wants proven advice from a book promotion professional with a great track record considers giving your Build Book Buzz newsletter a try!
www.buildbookbuzz.com. Its editor and publisher, Sandra Beckwith, can be reached through the Web site or you can write to her at sb at buildbookbuzz.com.
Scanning an archived newsletter -- the October edition, I believe it was -- I learned a different perspective on submitting op ed pieces to newspapers, and that's a good thing. Meditating on your own strategy doesn't help you grow as a book publicist (or as an author or publisher who's promoting books); finding out how your associates have created their successes, on the other hand, opens up the possibility of doing things more effectively all the time. So thank you, Sandra, and I hope everyone who wants proven advice from a book promotion professional with a great track record considers giving your Build Book Buzz newsletter a try!
Friday, January 25, 2008
Guest Blogger Kyra Hicks
A few days ago, I received an email from author/scholar/lecturer Kyra Hicks that, with her permission, I will reprint here in its entirety. Kyra is both a friend and client. I've had the privilege of promoting her breathtaking book, Black Threads: An African American Quilting Sourcebook and her stunning children's book, Martha Ann's Quilt for Queen Victoria. You can visit Kyra online by clicking here.
Here's the email Kyra sent to me:
Hello! Happy New Year! Hope you are doing well! I'm good. Martha Ann's Quilt for Queen Victoria continues to sell well. I thought about you and your Book PR blog. Here's a potential post for you!
Are you familiar with the Brown Bookshelf blog? It's a new effort by five African American children's book authors and illustrators to promote the category. One of the bloggers first national efforts is to promote African American children's book during the upcoming Black History Month.
The Brown Bookshelf is promoting a program called "28 Days Later" - featuring an African American children's book author or illustrator each day in February. Have a look at: http://thebrownbookshelf.com/28-days-later/.
Not only that - did you know the CCBC estimated that there were only 87 African American authors of children's books in 2006??
http://www.blackthreadsinkidslit.blogspot.com/2007/07/quick-how-many-childrens-books-were.html.
I'm thrilled about the Brown Bookshelf effort. In the more than 100 books they reviewed, my own Martha Ann's Quilt for Queen Victoria was selected for one of the days!!!
All the best, Kyra
www.BlackThreadsinKidsLit.blogspot.com
Here's the email Kyra sent to me:
Hello! Happy New Year! Hope you are doing well! I'm good. Martha Ann's Quilt for Queen Victoria continues to sell well. I thought about you and your Book PR blog. Here's a potential post for you!
Are you familiar with the Brown Bookshelf blog? It's a new effort by five African American children's book authors and illustrators to promote the category. One of the bloggers first national efforts is to promote African American children's book during the upcoming Black History Month.
The Brown Bookshelf is promoting a program called "28 Days Later" - featuring an African American children's book author or illustrator each day in February. Have a look at: http://thebrownbookshelf.com/28-days-later/.
Not only that - did you know the CCBC estimated that there were only 87 African American authors of children's books in 2006??
http://www.blackthreadsinkidslit.blogspot.com/2007/07/quick-how-many-childrens-books-were.html.
I'm thrilled about the Brown Bookshelf effort. In the more than 100 books they reviewed, my own Martha Ann's Quilt for Queen Victoria was selected for one of the days!!!
All the best, Kyra
www.BlackThreadsinKidsLit.blogspot.com
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Ringo's loss is...someone's gain.
Don't you love it when a media interview goes so well that you're rewarded with extra air time? Or when there's a last-minute cancellation so you get the chance to go on the air or, again, to have your interview time extended?
Well, here's an interesting scenario. Imagine if an ex-Beatle is scheduled to sing a song on "Live With Regis and Kelly," and -- due to a misunderstanding (Ringo says he needs more time to perform the song, while the producer says there's no flexibility and the song has to be shortened). And, to make what sounds like a sad story even sadder, Ringo walks, leaving more airtime available for the remaining guests. That's what happened to a couple of lucky "Live with Regis and Kelly" guests today, according to this Associated Press news story.
I'll have to take the reporter's word for it since I didn't have the opportunity to watch the show myself. Of course, if I had known Ringo was scheduled to appear, I might have found a way to tune in....
Well, here's an interesting scenario. Imagine if an ex-Beatle is scheduled to sing a song on "Live With Regis and Kelly," and -- due to a misunderstanding (Ringo says he needs more time to perform the song, while the producer says there's no flexibility and the song has to be shortened). And, to make what sounds like a sad story even sadder, Ringo walks, leaving more airtime available for the remaining guests. That's what happened to a couple of lucky "Live with Regis and Kelly" guests today, according to this Associated Press news story.
I'll have to take the reporter's word for it since I didn't have the opportunity to watch the show myself. Of course, if I had known Ringo was scheduled to appear, I might have found a way to tune in....
Monday, January 07, 2008
Mixed news for Morton.
The buzz about Andrew Morton's new book, Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biograph, is both good news and bad news for Andrew Morton (not to mention for Tom Cruise and his family members). The good news for Morton is that, yes, the public is interested in Tom Cruise. He'll probably sell a lot of books, too, given all the book promotion opportunities Morton has received. Here's an example of one less-than-enthusiastic article about the book.
Now for the bad news: the amount of book publicity that Morton's book has garnered far outweighs the enthusiasm, and the respect, that the media is showing for the book and its author. How many authors would trade their media attention (or even their lack of media attention) for comments such as "the author knows he can’t back up many of the book’s claims," "a variety of other issues in the book involve clear inconsistencies or falsehoods," and "at best, Morton’s book is a best-of collection of Cruise rumors?" Not I, says this book publicist...and I'll bet my book promotion clients feel the same way.
Now for the bad news: the amount of book publicity that Morton's book has garnered far outweighs the enthusiasm, and the respect, that the media is showing for the book and its author. How many authors would trade their media attention (or even their lack of media attention) for comments such as "the author knows he can’t back up many of the book’s claims," "a variety of other issues in the book involve clear inconsistencies or falsehoods," and "at best, Morton’s book is a best-of collection of Cruise rumors?" Not I, says this book publicist...and I'll bet my book promotion clients feel the same way.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Book Promotion in 2008
This book publicist hopes that all authors and publishers can garner the book promotion opportunities they're seeking in 2008. That includes authors and publishers who can afford to hire a book publicist, and those who cannot.
For those who can afford to outsource their book promotion campaigns, I'm glad to consider taking on your project. Take a look at my client list to see the types of projects I've represented recently and, if your book fits into those genres, let me know. I've written about how to find a book promotion firm that's best-suited for your book project, but the concise advice on hiring a book publicist is this. Check out book publicity-related Web sites; contact book publicists; describe your project; narrow down the prospects based on book publicists' interest in your project; do a "chemistry check" with prospective book publicists; request book promotion proposals (these book publicity plans and associated costs should be free); and then make your choice.
But, each day, book publicists receive far more queries from prosective clients than we can handle. Sometimes, we even receive more queries than we can respond to. Don't get me wrong. I appreciate every inquiry I receive from an author or publisher, and I get in touch with each as quickly as possible -- whenever possible. But paying clients' needs and projects must take precedence over incoming emails and phone calls from authors and publishers, and sometimes my good intentions exceed my ability to help out all the book projects that deserve media attention.
There just aren't enough hours in the day to offer book promotion advice to every author and publisher whom I cannot represent, but as a next-best offering, I've put together some book promotion offerings -- some low-cost, and some free -- that all authors and publishers can use.
First, we've relaunched BookPromotionTools.com, a site where you can find more than 200 book promotion tips that have been tested in the field by book publicists and their clients. These tips are free. You'll also find The Online Pitch Kit, a book promotion tool that lets you contact national media online to pitch your story idea -- instantly and effectively.
And, for those who are interested in book promotion, publicity, and marketing, but who cannot afford to hire a book publicist and have the time to invest in a do-it-yourself compaign, I offer an affordable eBook called How to Market, Sell, Distribute, and Promote Your Book: Critical, Hard-to-Find Information for Authors and Publishers. It's available only online at my Web site -- click here for more information.
So, whether you can afford to hire a book publicist in 2008, or whether you're interested in garnering as much book promotion information as possible, there are book promotion tools available for you to start the new year off right. Happy 2008, and I wish you every book promotion success in the months to come.
For those who can afford to outsource their book promotion campaigns, I'm glad to consider taking on your project. Take a look at my client list to see the types of projects I've represented recently and, if your book fits into those genres, let me know. I've written about how to find a book promotion firm that's best-suited for your book project, but the concise advice on hiring a book publicist is this. Check out book publicity-related Web sites; contact book publicists; describe your project; narrow down the prospects based on book publicists' interest in your project; do a "chemistry check" with prospective book publicists; request book promotion proposals (these book publicity plans and associated costs should be free); and then make your choice.
But, each day, book publicists receive far more queries from prosective clients than we can handle. Sometimes, we even receive more queries than we can respond to. Don't get me wrong. I appreciate every inquiry I receive from an author or publisher, and I get in touch with each as quickly as possible -- whenever possible. But paying clients' needs and projects must take precedence over incoming emails and phone calls from authors and publishers, and sometimes my good intentions exceed my ability to help out all the book projects that deserve media attention.
There just aren't enough hours in the day to offer book promotion advice to every author and publisher whom I cannot represent, but as a next-best offering, I've put together some book promotion offerings -- some low-cost, and some free -- that all authors and publishers can use.
First, we've relaunched BookPromotionTools.com, a site where you can find more than 200 book promotion tips that have been tested in the field by book publicists and their clients. These tips are free. You'll also find The Online Pitch Kit, a book promotion tool that lets you contact national media online to pitch your story idea -- instantly and effectively.
And, for those who are interested in book promotion, publicity, and marketing, but who cannot afford to hire a book publicist and have the time to invest in a do-it-yourself compaign, I offer an affordable eBook called How to Market, Sell, Distribute, and Promote Your Book: Critical, Hard-to-Find Information for Authors and Publishers. It's available only online at my Web site -- click here for more information.
So, whether you can afford to hire a book publicist in 2008, or whether you're interested in garnering as much book promotion information as possible, there are book promotion tools available for you to start the new year off right. Happy 2008, and I wish you every book promotion success in the months to come.
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