Book Publicity--What's That?

Your book is finished. You have adoring fans among family and friends. And the grassroots support is growing. Now it’s time to get your book “out there.” But how?

Publicity is a difficult business, period. With 400,000 books being published each year, it is difficult to get your book noticed. But working with a book publicist can help.

A book publicist works to get your book placed in “free” media outlets, such as newspapers, magazines, radio, and television. These outlets are looking for current, interesting content—and if your book fits the bill, then you can generate some good buzz.

Most publishing companies (even the large ones) ask authors to hire publicists on their own dime. But hiring a book publicist means shelling out several thousand dollars per month. Unless you have a bestseller on your hands, you’re most likely going to put everything you make on royalties back into publicity for your book. In fact, book consultants often advise authors to do that very thing. They sometimes argue that the first book is a wash, and the money will come in the second or third book—once you’ve made a name for yourself. (Sourced Media Books is an exception and runs a publicity campaign for authors free of charge.)

While book publicists can be expensive, they do offer valuable services. A book publicist will usually help you (1) design a publicity plan; (2) create a press kit (a pitch letter, press release, sell sheet, and sometimes a video trailer); and (3) pitch your book to targeted media outlets. Some book publicists also manage the social media side of the book publicity, although there will usually be a separate fee for this work. Most publicity plans run about 90-120 days.

When looking for a good publicist, you may want to ask them the following questions:

1. How do you target which media to pitch to?
2. To how many outlets will you pitch?
2. Will you be pitching to national, regional, or local outlets?
3. Will you manage my Facebook and Twitter accounts? If so, will you charge an additional fee?
4. Will you create Internet links to my website? If so, how?
5. How broad will the press release be distributed? Will it be through the Associated Press or through regional channels? Will it reach traditional media or through the Internet only?
6. Will you offer review copies in the pitch?

Book publicity is certainly not easy, but it can be well worth it. Whether you hire a publicist or venture out on your own, make sure to generate buzz in the media--and watch your sales grow!