Working with your Publicist

Since Chip is still sunning himself in Hawaii, he asked me to drop by for a guest blog. I'm a longtime publicist in New York. Unlike your agent and your editor, you often can’t choose your publicist. You end up crossing your fingers like a blind date, eHarmony-kind-of-way, hoping that the first date isn’t awkward and the relationship can last…at least until your book pubs. But it doesn’t have to be that way! After having worked inside three different NYC publishing departments, here are my tips for working best with your publisher’s publicist.

Know Your Publicist

This is a bit of a ‘duh’ point, but—know your publicist. Know how they work. Know how they structure a campaign. Know their goals. Know their game plan. Know what they want from you, and know when they want it.

As a writer, you are looking at the culmination of years of writing, editing, revising and cover meetings, and seeing as how the final realization is just months away, emotions are running high and it’s SO EASY for miscommunication to happen. Every publicist runs their campaign differently, so it’s important to know how your publicist works.  Good publicists will lay this all out for you in the first meeting. But if they don’t…or you’re still unclear on certain points, ask them. Here is what’s important:

-Timeline: It’s helpful to know the structure of your publicity campaign. I think it helps manage expectations and nerves.

• 4 to 6 months before publication: This is when the press release and other written material for a press kit are created. This is also when long lead media (ie. magazines, national TV, national radio, some major newspapers) will be sent a mailing and pitched for coverage.

•4 to 2 months before publication: Don’t get nervous if things quiet down, as this tends to be a lull in most campaigns. 

•4 to 8 weeks before publication: This is when things start to rev up, and outreach to short lead media (newspapers, radio, blogs, websites, local TV) begins. Again, this is a general timeline and can change from book to book.

-Contacts: Any personal contact that you have with media is very important. Ask your publicist when (and how) they’d like your media contacts for their outreach.

-Communication: You and your publicist should establish a preferred method to stay in contact. Phone calls or emails? Spontaneous emails or weekly updates? Establishing this right away can greatly decrease the potential for miscommunication and/or annoyance on both you and your publicist’s behalf.

Know Your Niche

A little over a year ago I worked on a cookbook about the “slow food” movement.  Having worked on cookbooks before, I knew which producers at the Today Show would be interested, and I knew which food editors at the New York Times and USA Today covered food and cookbooks. I knew food media. But what I didn’t have was a niche list of media… the specific blogs, websites and publications solely devoted to covering the topic of slow food.  

While my author had been ensconced in this very specific world for years, I had been assigned the book 2 months ago. There’s no way I could know what she knew, and it was honestly a waste of everyone’s time for me to try.  Your publicist can (and should) become an expert on you and your book, what they don’t always have the time for is to become an expert on your niche.

Fortunately for me, I had a fantastic author who understood this and gave me a list of the top blogs and websites that were most influential in the slow food world.  She didn’t have contacts for these blogs, but it didn’t matter because finding the right contact is what I do best. I find the contacts.  I craft the pitch. I know how to get people talking about your book. I just need to know where.

Stay Media-Savvy

Finally, when as an author you suggest,  “I think my book would be perfect for Oprah,” don’t be offended if the publicist seems to swiftly move on to the next topic.

I promise, the next time I hear Oprah’s producers asking for experts on Medieval religious philosophy, I’ll let you know. In the mean time, we’re more effective by focusing our efforts on media that already have an open ear to your message. 

Most publicists will welcome the media pitches you have for your book—just as long as they’re researched. Instead of telling your publicist who you think should cover topics relating to you book, tell them who actually is.  You might think that Vogue should cover your book about the best hiking trails in America, but if NPR just ran a story on the benefits of outdoor exercise as compared to gym workouts, chances are NPR would be much more receptive—and likely—to run a story on hiking.  

The best kind of help is to find actual articles and real interviews (current ones, mind you) to send your publicist. These are the kind of tips that your publicist can use to craft their kick-butt pitches about you and your book.

Your publicist’s job is to stay savvy on the current conversations of various media outlets. And if they have you as an extra set of eyes and ears, you’re going to greatly increase your chances of landing relevant, timely coverage.

Laura Adams has worked on a number of bestselling books during stints at three New York publishing houses in including Grand Central Publishing, Abrams, and Penguin Books. She recently launched Storyteller Public Relations (www.storytellerPR.com) in Arizona, where she currently resides.  

 

Comments

[yarnbuck]

Thanks, Laura - Good expectation outline!

[patriciazell]

Thanks, Laura! Through the years, I've heard a lot about agents and publishers, but never anything about publicists (other than a writer needs one). I appreciate the information--maybe someday I'll put it into motion if and when my book is published.

[_*rachel*_]

Many thanks for posting, Laura! This style of do's/don't's is one of the best ways to help us writers.

Wow, Chip. Here in the Midwest we've got a heat wave of 38 Fahrenheit.

[Sharon A Lavy]

Thank you, Laura, for an educational post on an emotional issue.

[Robert Parrish]

Really helpful info, Laura. Thank you very much! This one is for my "educational" files.

[Diane Craver]

Hi Laura,
Great article! I went to your site. We have something in common. I make my own granola and I love Mexican food. :)

If I ever get a big publisher (published now by Samhain and Desert Breeze) and a bigger advance, I will definitely contact you about a marketing plan for my releases.

Have a great day!

[Laura Adams]

Thanks for the comments everyone! I hope the article proved to be helpful.

Since many of you are in the 'getting-an-agent' phase and not yet in the publicist-phase, take particular note of the tips in the Media-Savvy section. There's nothing like a little press to help build your platform, and these are PR tips that can work at any stage in the game. Particularly for you non-fiction writers...

Cheers!

[Dee Stewart]

Thank you, Lara, especially on the section "Know Your Niche." Although there are less national print publications that house book reviews columns and departments, there are plenty blogs, emags, internet tv shows that are seeking great authors to feature. It saves us time, if authors can provide a list of a few that they know have interest.

I've also worked with Grand Central with some of their authors. Maybe we can compare stories some day. ;)