I am a publicist. When I tell people this, about 90 percent of the time their eyes light up and I’m sure they are thinking, “Glamorous!” Oh, yes—author dinners, book tours, and attending BookExpo America in New York City. These events certainly can be glamorous . . . but for the rest of the year, it’s mostly time spent on the phone and writing e-mails. It’s not as glamorous as you might think.
And that’s why some people describe publicists as “glorified telemarketers,” which may be closer to the truth. But that’s okay. That’s what it takes. It’s all in the follow-up, baby! A publicist’s job is to secure media attention for his or her client. This involves pitching the book as a subject for reviews, features, or other coverage, or pitching the author as the subject. It might mean an author profile in a magazine, a book review in a newspaper, or a radio interview with the author focusing more on the writing life than on the story in the book. These poor media folks are generally inundated with interview pitches. If a publicist can hit on a very timely or newsworthy angle, the author will more likely get some attention. But the publicist has to check back continually with her media contacts, because things do tend to get lost in the shuffle. Thus the telemarketer label.
Still, the business of promotion is extremely rewarding. I have worked with marvelous people—authors, producers, and hosts. I rarely get to meet the media folks, but I have been lucky enough to meet most of the authors I have worked with, either at trade shows or because they came to the Twin Cities to visit, or because they are local. And when I am promoting an excellent writer with a great topic, it is a joy to put that in front of people.
I ask my authors to do a lot, and I tell them this up front. I tell them I will ask them to get up early, do events in offbeat places, and be kind to everyone. No prima donnas. If you are an author, your job is just taking off when the book is published. It’s in your best interest to become friendly with local booksellers and librarians, be on the lookout for opportunities, and attend events.
I’ve worked with a few authors who have refused to do any interviews or attend events. That always amazes media people and other authors—because truthfully, most authors are more than willing to get out there in front of folks, especially if it is a radio interview from the comfort of their own homes.
I love my authors. I have dragged authors across Canada, sat with them in lonely malls, and visited stores in neighborhoods where there were bars on the windows. I am willing to be there to offer moral support if at all possible. Or open the books and hand them to you. Or get a supply of your favorite pen. Or a nice bottle of water. Whatever it takes. I may ask you to do a lot, but I’m at your beck and call when needed.
One author I worked with was willing to go whole hog. He lived on the West Coast, which is very difficult for radio interviews because a lot of the shows he would be on were East Coast morning drive time shows, which translates to 6 a.m. And with him on the West Coast, I was asking him to do interviews at 3 a.m.—and be wise and witty while doing them! Well, he came through like a trouper. The interviews paid off for him in more sales and more appearances.
I worked with a New York Times bestselling author who did a regional tour twice a year. We discovered early in the tours that the signings went better in small towns. There is just too much competition for entertainment time in the city. She had a large following—but still, we sat there lonely and quiet in a bookstore in a first-ring suburb here in the Twin Cities. But when we went out to small towns, the places were packed. At one stop the mayor even showed up. And this pattern played out across the country. We traveled to the little mom-and-pop stores in the middle of nowhere and had over 100 people at many of the signings. Our busiest day was four signings—and the busiest signing was at a nursing home! The whole town was there. The author was willing to go just about anywhere, and when she was on tour, she regularly did two or three signings a day, in different towns. Lots of hours in the car and sometimes not even time for lunch. Not all glamour, huh?
Very few authors will get to be hermits now, à la J. D. Salinger or Anne Tyler. If I have one piece of advice for you, authors, it is this: Put on your best marketing hat. Know that you will have to come up with a detailed marketing plan for prospective publishers. Publishers want to know that you know your audience, whether you are writing fiction or nonfiction. And especially for nonfiction, they will want to know how your topic will play on the air. (I have done broadcast media potential analyses for this.) And they love to see an author who already has an audience, whether it’s through speaking, a blog, or another activity. Publishers want to have some way to judge their risk.
As an author, you need to know you’re going to have to hoof it to get your books into the hands of readers. This is your baby. Don’t let it languish. It can be the most rewarding thing in the world when you meet those true fans. And I’m hopeful that when that happens you’ll have a publicist at your side.
Linda White has 15 years of experience in the field of publishing, having had her hand in the areas of marketing, editorial, and, most recently, publicity. She has worked with many bestselling and award-winning authors, managed book tours, and placed authors on numerous national radio and television programs. She currently runs BookMania, at www.bookmaniaonline.com, which offers book services to publishers and authors. Linda offers talks to groups and classes on publicity for authors, with the next session taking place at the Loft on August 7. She especially enjoys talking with authors about the publishing world and helping them find their way through it. She hopes to see you on August 7!
