The
past two weeks of nationwide protests on behalf of Black Lives Matter and justice for the
killing of George Floyd are forcing unprecedented dialogues on race and police reforms
to take place. In my lifetime of 53 years I have not seen this level of
activism – on any issue. I believe not
only will this movement create lasting change, it will re-write the books on
how to advocate publicly to address any issue. I also think that, despite being plagued by some
violent confrontations and early looting, it will serve as a model for authors
to follow when it comes to finding a way to get one’s voice heard.
Sure
there is a difference between marching for justice and hawking a book, but the
concept is the same. Whereas protesters seek justice and change, authors seek
notoriety and book sales – and to impact people with their message. So what tactics
do protesters employ that authors can apply?
·
Speak
out – loudly and clearly. These protests were very visible. To get attention
for anything, you must stand up, stand out, speak up, and say something of
importance.
·
Repeat
and rinse. The key here is there was no single protest that sticks out. Rather,
multiple daily protests in scores of cities across the United States over many
days and weeks is what is getting the message through. So, persistence,
consistency, and effort is what is needed to be heard.
·
Images
and slogans will get the point across. We all remember “No justice, no peace”
and “Black Lives Matter” and chants of “What’s his Name? George Floyd.” Can you come up with a catchphrase or short
and direct way to summarize what you have to say?
·
Think
nationally, but act locally. Make your message local in practice but national
in scope. Create customized or individually packaged stories that have bigger
and broader implications.
·
Tap
into fear, anger, and other emotions. Controversy sells – but it also gives
attention to something. Authors need to speak in a way that cuts to the heart
of a matter and makes people fill up with emotions.
·
Challenge
people to think or act differently. Protesters made us think and evaluate deeply
how we do or don’t do things that contribute to our state of affairs. Authors
can help us confront our lives.
·
Humanize
the message. Make it about life and death, about the quality of life, about values
and ideals, about real-world stuff, and people are bound to feel your pain and connect better with you.
Protesters also acted courageously. They took a chance, marching when it was dangerous to congregate due to corona, illegally violating curfews, and walking despite knowing there could be some bad actors that could turn peaceful protests into violence. Authors need to also have the courage of their convictions, to be driven to do what is right by speaking up not just for a book, but a book that represents something.
Now, this
does not mean there is a formula for protesting or for getting media attention
for your book, but there are patterns for each, and in many cases, they can
have a similar flow. Authors, watch how and why these protests are getting our
attention, whether your support or oppose them, and extract some of their
peaceful, strategic techniques to craft a more successful marketing campaign
for your message.
PLEASE CONSULT THESE TIMELY RESOURCES
10 Tips
For Pitching Books To The Media Now
The Right Social Media Strategy For Authorshttps://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-right-social-media-strategy-for.html
Here’s My Graduation Address to the
Class of 2020 on A Writing Career
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Brian
Feinblum’s insightful views, provocative opinions, and interesting ideas
expressed in this terrific blog are his alone and not that of his employer or
anyone else. You can – and should -- follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and
email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels much more important when
discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog
©2020. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester. His
writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s Independent.
This was named one of the best book marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and
recognized by Feedspot in 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. Also
named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” He recently hosted
a panel on book publicity for Bo
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