Write Your Next Book With The Media In Mind
Here
is what I know and think about making your book more promotable.
The
world of book publishing has changed immensely over the past decade --and certainly over the past three years,
thanks to Amazon, Apple, tablets, e-books, Borders, and social media.
The
role of book publicity has not changed, though the methods have been altered.
PR
is needed to give a book a chance at succeeding in an overcrowded marketplace
and a noisy media landscape. With more books being published than ever before,
and more media outlets around than ever before, there is a lot of competition
to get a diluted piece of the pie.
Technology
has no doubt impacted many industries, including: publishing, retail, the news
media, and even the way books are written. As a result, readers and consumers
have been changed as well.
It
may seem like everyone:
·
Has
plastic surgery
·
Eats
organic food
·
Watches
TV on a smartphone
·
Spends
more time tweeting than talking to others
….
but such phenomena show we are a changing and diverse nation.
Not
everyone is doing these things I just mentioned but the world certainly is in
transition. Writers are changing, too. They are morphing into hybrids - - they are
writers and they are promoters.
I
understand what it is like for today’s author to be confronted with the new
publishing landscape.
I
have been in publishing and PR since 1989, back when we used to fax media
pitches. I have worked for publishers as
an editor and a publicist and for the past 14 years have served as the
marketing director for the nation’s largest book promoter, Media Connect,
formerly known as Planned Television Arts. I have also had a book published and
learned how challenging it was to promote it.
And
for the last two years I have posted at least 800 times on my blog, writing the
equivalent of three full-length books, about all aspects of book publishing,
publicity, marketing, advertising, writing, and the fate of the industry.
See,
a promoter never stops promoting!
It
used to be that the publisher would take care of the publicity for a book,
though it didn’t always do a great job. Then authors started to supplement the
publisher’s efforts. Now authors are the publishers.
Today,
authors team up with publicists that they hire and maybe also get help from
their publisher, if they have a publisher, if they offer to help. It takes a
village to promote a book.
Many
refer to their book as their baby. Well
consider the PR campaign the way you would when paying for your kid’s college.
You hope there is a payoff to it, but you wouldn’t dare choose to not send your
kids to college.
There
is no way of getting around it. To embrace PR as an author is to embrace your
future. The good news is there is plenty
that you can and should do, to promote your book.
You Need To:
·
Think
like the media and about their needs
·
Create
a book with promotable content
·
Change
your attitude about your PR role
·
Realize
it is up to you and in your hands to grow as a writer
So How Do You Write A Book That Will Be Promotable?
·
Do
you have to kill someone – or write about a murderer?
·
Do
you have to confess to a sexual addiction to a celebrity?
·
Do
you need to have the name on the book cover say JK Rowling or EL James?
·
Does
your book need to be published by a big New York house?
Sure,
these things would help, but I have promoted books by unknown, first-time,
self-published authors and have seen them succeed.
They Have:
·
Something
that is promotable
·
An
interesting background
·
Confidence,
conviction, and personality
·
A
willingness to do whatever it takes to get attention
·
Put
in the time and effort that is necessary
·
Taken
a creative approach to the media
·
Been
lucky
Of Course, Authors Can Be Promotable But
It Doesn’t Always Yield Sales
What
makes a book sell is not necessarily the same thing that makes it news worthy
or promotable. Today we are talking purely about publicity and the news media –
not marketing, not sales, not advertising -- though they are all closely linked
to one another.
I See So Many Mistakes Made By Authors.
They:
·
Wait
too long to start thinking about publicity
·
Mistakenly
think they can do it all
·
Mistakenly
think they will succeed without PR
·
Falsely
believe the media will cover them with little effort
·
Think
PR is a one-time thing but really it’s an ongoing, perpetual thing
Too Many Authors Have Hang-Ups About PR
-
They
don’t believe they are promotable
-
They
aren’t comfortable promoting their book
-
They
don’t want to spend money on a publicist
-
They
think their publisher takes care of everything – or they fear stepping on the
publisher’s toes
-
They
don’t want to sound like they are begging or bragging
-
They
lack the time or resources to execute a PR campaign
-
They
don’t know how to talk about themselves
-
They
are shy or fear rejection
-
They
feel uneasy talking to the media
-
They
lack confidence in their appearance or voice
-
The
PR process seems murky or unfamiliar to them
All
legitimate things, but all are excuses. You need to take ownership of your book
and that means quarterbacking your PR campaign.
Give Yourself A PR Audit
·
Examine
your past and see what the media might find noteworthy
·
Look
at the experiences you have had and see if any are worth discussing
·
Think
of the connections you have and the people you know – can you drop names to the
media?
·
What
is in your book that the media will find of interest?
Think About What It Is That You May Want
to Accomplish With Your PR
·
Branding
your name to help your career
·
Building
a media resume
·
Establishing
your voice
·
Selling
a current or upcoming book
·
Influencing
others
·
Conveying
a strong message
·
Selling
backlist or non-book products/services
·
To
stroke your ego
·
Helping
you get a book deal or better terms – or to get the eyes of Hollywood on you
·
Leading
you to being hired as a consultant or employee
·
To
land paid speaking gigs
What Are You Willing To Do?
·
Pour
your time into it
·
Devote
the necessary money and resources
·
Get
help
·
Willing
to experiment and diversify your approach to PR
·
Going
out of your comfort zone to do what is needed
The Books That Are Most Promotable, Whether Fiction
or Non-Fiction, Are Those That:
·
Are first to raise an
issue or aspect of life.
·
Are unique in how you
tackle a well-known subject.
·
Reveal news or raise
great questions on a newsy topic.
·
Lend personal insight
on an industry, person, or organization that we are curious about.
·
Are great at the
extremes – using humor, sex, violence, love, politics, money, fame or other
push-button emotions on sensitive issues to get a point across.
·
Are controversial,
outrageous, trendy, offensive, and shocking.
Creating A Media-Friendly Book
What if publicists
could influence the editorial content of a book before it’s published and
promoted? What if the book could be
enhanced or altered so that its integrity remains intact, but its ability to
attract media attention is increased?
So few authors—and
even publishers—consult a publicist far in advance of publication for the sole
purpose of doing a PR audit of the manuscript.
To do so, requires great
forethought and planning, something most authors aren’t aware of and something
most publishers are too rushed to consider.
Still, I ponder the
idea. Can you imagine how much better a
book would sell if it was packaged for the media?
There may not be an
exact formula for making a book promotable.
Some things can’t be
altered such as the author’s credentials, who the publisher is, or the overall
theme of the book. But anything from a
book’s title, length, use of photos, language, revelations, etc are up for
grabs.
Consider creating a PR
laboratory, where you can genetically alter a book’s DNA, where you can cut
here, add there, or change this—and you suddenly have a media-friendly book.
There are challenges
to this, for sure. Let’s see:
1.
You need enough time
to give it a cosmetic makeover.
2.
There needs to still
be something of quality as a base to work with.
3.
You need a smart
editor to team with a savvy publicist to make sure the book is still a quality
read while addressing the media’s needs.
4.
You have to know what
the media wants and how to feed it to them.
There’s also a dilemma
attached to such a process. An author is
very proud and protective of his or her work.
She wouldn’t want some stranger suddenly rewriting her creation. It seems less genuine, less authentic, less
creative to suddenly throw in things to a book just to placate the media or
commercial demand.
But if you can live
with the changes you’ll have a much more marketable book.
So if one were to
engage the services of a PR consultant, what would he or she be told?
1st, it depends if
it’s a novel or non-fiction. There’s a
huge difference in what can be done to each type of book. 2nd, it also depends on the genre you write
in and the existing competition out there. 3rd, it depends on how much media
coverage has already taken place on your subject matter. 4th, it depends on the
type of media you plan to approach. The
needs and nuances vary greatly amongst television, newspapers, magazines,
blogs, and radio shows. 5th, it depends on the amount of money and time you can
dedicate to promoting your book.
If
you want to write a book that has a chance of getting publicity, sales, and
critical acclaim, you first need to write what you want, what you know, what
you feel. But then go back and edit and
revise in a way that makes it more promotable or commercially viable. This
doesn’t mean you are selling out. It means you are making additions or changes
that don’t substantively alter the integrity of the work but by making such
changes, you now connect with potentially a larger or more rabid fan base.
Look
at trends, demographic changes, and emerging industries or lifestyles.
See
if you can change names, places, professions, and cultural references in your
book to match the look and tastes of the newly emerging America,
-
Instead
of the family pet being a gerbil, make it a three-legged dog
-
Instead
of a relationship book being about a power couple, make it about a waitress and
a fireman
-
Instead
of setting your book in the present, make it about the 1980’s
-
Instead
of being vague about a college or street or company, reference specific ones
that are sure to have many followers
-
Rather
than saying something happened, show it, and be descriptive
-
Throw
in people the media can relate to or like
-
Instead
of writing about worlds, people, or times that you didn’t come close to
experiencing in your life, write about something that connects to your past,
family, city, job, relationship or childhood
-
Be
willing to make despicable characters strong and almost likeable. Turn our
perceptions upside down – make us think about those we normally don’t like or
shine a spotlight on
What’s Today’s Media Landscape?
·
More
media outlets and opportunities exist than ever before
·
And
their value, individually, is more diluted than ever before
·
You
will need a certain quantity of quality media placements
·
You
need to secure publicity by the pound
·
Most
media coverage can take place by phone and email -- it’s becoming rarer that an
author needs to travel or take to a road tour.
·
Print
You
have book reviewers, news and feature editors, columnists, beat writers, op-eds
and by-line article opportunities at
-
Newspapers
-
Magazines
-
Newswires
-
Newsletters
-
Trade
journals
-
Industry
publications
-
Airline
magazines
·
TV
-
Interviews
or feature stories on national and local news programs, morning shows like GMA
or Today Show, late shows like Daily Show with Jon Stewart , weekend shows,
talk shows, and magazine format shows such as 60 Minutes
·
Radio
-
Interviews
or feature stories on national and local talk shows or news segments
-
Different
station formats target certain demographics
·
Online
-
Blog
interviews, stories, reviews
-
Online
reviews posted on various sites
-
Guest
blog posts
·
Social Media
-
Facebook
-
Twitter
-
LinkedIn
-
YouTube
-
Pinterest
-
Instagran
-
Your
blog
PR
is not just about giving away free downloads of chapters and books, or of
tweeting and making videos, or of eblasting a press release. It is about making
a sustained, strategic effort to influence the influencers and get media
coverage that will help you in the short and long-term.
Your Writing Can Help You Get Media
Coverage
-
Great
writing can get people’s attention
-
Identify
a particular chapter to make available for your site
-
Find
a few high-quality passages to excerpt
-
Coin
a phrase or highlight something odd or unique
-
Invent
your own word to explain or express something
-
The
specific word choices you make and the level of vocabulary matter
-
The
overall writing style and pace of the book are important
How You Talk About What You Wrote Matters
-
Are
you the most qualified to write your book? Sound like it
-
Find
a way to summarize without the details
-
Get
to the heart of why one would read your book
-
Can
you compare your work with other known writers?
-
Sell
the action, the dilemma, the characters,, the words
-
How
do you describe your book in the context of your life?
-
How
does it fit into the body of your other writings?
-
Can
you genuinely speak with passion, confidence, conviction?
-
You
should visualize your press release headline as you write your book
-
You
should formulate your 15-second elevator speech about your book before it is
written
-
Find
a way to succinctly put your book or story into perspective and relevance
-
Express
it in a way that serves a need, fulfills a desire, or feeds a want – and sounds
interesting in the process.
Think Like The News Media
They
look for books not only that are well-written, interesting, and new, but where:
-
There
is a direct tie-in to their readers or audiences, such as by location, content,
theme, or industry
-
There
is news to report or you can tie into things in the news
-
The
author is famous or has great credentials
-
The
book ties into a movie
-
The
book is a best-seller
-
The
book is getting buzz through Twitter or YouTube
-
The
book is controversial
-
The
book has something the journalist, blogger or talk show host can personally
relate to
-
The
demographics of the media outlet tend to match those of the book’s intended
readership
Find
a way to reduce your book of 200+ pages into a handful of bullet points and
sound bites.
The Media Is
-
Overworked
-
Understaffed
-
Jaded
-
Exposed
to too many options to cover
-
Human
and has physical, psychological and financial needs
-
Smarter
than the average person
-
Drawn
to big issues, dynamic personalities, shock, drama, power and fame
-
It
is expanding and shrinking, diversifying and fragmenting
Scrutinize Every Aspect and Component of
Your Book:
·
How
visually appealing is your book?
·
Look
at the front and back cover colors, images, design, texture
·
Book
title and subtitle
·
Testimonials/Endorsements
·
Foreword,
Intro, Preface
·
Price,
paper quality, type face, interior design, add-ons/resources like a CD or DVD
·
The
book’s timing
·
Who
the publisher is
·
Chapter
headings and the table of contents
Does Your Book Cover
Topics That Have Popular Followings?
What Is Evergreen? What Is Needed vs.
What Is Desired?
·
Sex
/ Romance
·
Relationships:
Parents, Lovers, Siblings, Friends, Enemies
·
Politics
(Issues, Policy, Government)
·
Religion
(Spirituality)
·
Dogs/Cats
(Pets/Animals)
·
Wealth
(Money, Retirement, Career, Homes)
·
Gadgets
and Technology
·
Kids/Parenting
(Education, Family Dynamics)
·
Entertainment/Travel
·
Health
(Diet, Disease, Beauty, Youth, Sports)
·
Life/Death
·
War/Peace
·
Natural
Disaster
·
Celebrity
·
Ethical
Questions
Does Your Book Cover Themes Such As:
·
Loss
and grief
·
Romance
·
Second
chances
·
Hero/villain
·
Fame
·
Greed
·
The
underdog
·
Ability to
grow/improve
·
Offering
advice: legal, financial, parental, career
·
People
need guidance on life and through each phase/stage
Think In Terms of Headlines and Bullet Points
·
What
makes your book new, unique, different or funny and entertaining
·
What
ties your credentials into what is in the news?
·
Write
a book that’s promotable by thinking like a promoter; write for the media – not
just the consumer
·
Can
you convert a chapter heading into a media story?
What’s The Media Looking For?
·
Drop
names, events, places in the book
·
Cover
a newsy topic
·
Reveal
a thinly veiled truth about someone
·
Make
an allegation or accusation
·
Raise
a theory and question the status quo
·
Dispute
perceived truths
·
Attack
or promote certain values
·
Be
mysterious
What
Helps You Get Media?
·
Socalize
or regionalize the book
·
First,
media begets media
·
Get
buy-ins early to create traction
·
Build
buzz by getting early reviews
·
Have
the backing of a group
·
Try
to ride the coattails of others or be linked by association to big things,
people or events
·
Tie
into something that is on the calendar – a relevant holiday, an anniversary, an
honorary day
·
Think
of your life – create a matrix of people, events and experiences and think of
how to call upon your past – ask for specific favors
·
Exploit
personal experience: overcoming addiction, abuse, poverty, loss, disability,
arrest
·
Create
a resume: don’t lie, but shape it to tell a story = develop your media persona
·
Channel
your energy, resources and creativity not just towards your writing, but to
your PR efforts.
·
Use
your gift – your ability to communicate with words and images – to promote your
work
·
See
PR as a means to an end, just like passing tests leads to a school degree or
creating a resume leads to a job
·
Shape
your image – think of yourself as a business and develop a tagline
·
Set
the tone and image of who you are or want to be seen as – by what you say, do,
and look like
·
Create
your Web site at least 5-6 months prior to your book launch date
·
See
your launch date as a coronation – not Day 1. From your launch date, you have
30-90 days to make an impression.
Explore Writing About Powerful
Minorities or Niche Groups
·
Hispanics
·
Gays
and lesbians
·
Jews
·
Entrepreneurs
·
Intellects
·
Parents
of young children
·
Fans
of: football, baseball, movies, etc.
·
Ebay
users
·
Divorced
women
·
Animal
Rights advocates/opponents
·
Gun
advocates/opponents
You get the idea – there are hundreds of
such classes, groups and connections out there that you can tap into.
For Novelists, See:
·
What
ideas have not yet been explored
·
What
character traits would be unique
·
Think
of locations, time periods, historical events to connect to
·
Look
for the extreme, the unknown, the emotional triggers, the fantasy
·
Monitor
the news
·
Look
at an Almanac or Census Data
·
Anticipate
trends from your observations, experiences, or conversations
·
Be
aware of what the competition writes about
Your Approach Towards
The Media Should Be As Follows:
·
Create
a press release based on your core message and then expand outward into other
areas
·
The
opposite of your core message can be commented on as well
·
Forget
any sense of fairness: often, the dumbest things get attention.
·
You
may need to think on a simpler level in order to generate story ideas that will
interest others
·
PR
is the opposite of substantive writing – but it is important – it’s the doorway
you must enter to get to your reader
Explore The Extremes and Weave Them Into
Your Book Or Media Pitches
·
Make
outrageous statements
·
Unleash
wild predictions
·
Raise
questions
·
Insert
gut-punching humor
·
Express
or appeal to emotions: Fear, Anger, Love, Hate
·
Offer
a confessional
·
Reveal
a truth
·
Offer
ways to help people – inspire, inform, enlighten them
·
Play
Paul Revere and issue a warning or offer prevention or a solution to some
dilemma
As An Author You Are Also A Publicist
-
Determine
what you can give away to get what you want
-
Brand
beyond the book – brand yourself
-
Promote to perceptions – appeal to what people
believe
-
Promote
to assumptions – appeal to how they think
-
Promote
to appearances—appeal to what they see
-
Befriend
people with big mouths to get early buzz
-
Viral
videos – try to do a few but don’t expect a lot
-
Networking
– always
-
Issue
teasers with blog posts, a short story, or even a prior book
-
Partner
with other authors – other writers can help you greatly
Look At How You Are Packaged
Honestly
Assess The Following About Yourself
·
Physical
Looks
·
Clothes
·
The
Persona You Project
·
Sound
Of Your Voice
·
Vocabulary
Choice
·
Energy
Level
Other Factors To Ponder
·
How
would your book or life translate into press release speak?
·
Do
you have a sponsor – such as an organization or non-profit that is endorsing
you?
·
Do
you have a co-author or collaborator that brings media savvy and mojo to the
book?
·
Do
you have someone who can champion you?
What Else Can You Do?
·
Promote
your book way before it’s out
·
Do
something daily for your book publicity
·
Meet
deadlines and work in advance to handle potential setbacks
·
Poll
others to test out ideas
·
Anticipate
– don’t follow – trends
·
Get
used to talking about things in a way that is more hype than substance, more
extreme than modest, more sensational and not so ordinary
·
Copy
what works for others – but only the important traits
·
Get
out of your head and step back so you get an honest perspective of your book
·
Don’t
let your ego get in the way
·
Coincide
your media pitches and efforts with upcoming events, holidays, anniversaries,
honorary days, and timely news hooks
I Conclude With This:
I
know you see yourself as a writer, first and foremost. And you should. But it
is not a distinction exclusive of being other things. You are also a promoter.
Try
the hat on, and get comfortable with it.
There
is nothing more rewarding than writing a great book than to have a lot of
readers and media attention. By actively promoting your work, you position
yourself to break through the clutter and to be heard.
I
wish you well in your journey.
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Brian
Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and
not that of his employer, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow
him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when
discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©
2013
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