This
past year was probably the most challenging one since 2001, when 9/11 rocked
the economy, military, travel industry, and news media. It’s been very tough to get one’s message out
about their book when the news cycle is constantly dominated by multiple major
stories.
Just
look at the last few months. Serial
Hollywood-Capitol Hill sexual predators
is now a regular beat for the media, as if covering weather, sports, and dog videos. Trump is like a continuous movie premiere,
where every single hour he is making headlines for his tweets, outrageous lies,
and political shenanigans. The Russia
probe is non-stop as well. Throw in some
horrible hurricanes and alternating terrorist attacks with mass casualty gun
attacks that spur debates on security, guns, and mental illness, mixed in with
health care bills that feature Draconian cuts to healthcare and a tax bill that
potentially hurts millions and bankrupts the country, and you can see why
authors and publishers struggle to break through the clutter.
Compounding
things is a shrinking media with less coverage given to books. It’s a real mess.
On
the other hand, we can’t whine and make excuses. Books are still covered by the media and
social media explodes with opportunities to promote books. If you have a great book it should still find
its readership, though it is harder than before to soar.
There
are simply too many books – one released every 25 seconds – coupled with
oversaturation of non-book entertainment and news. Still, books must and will
persevere.
So
how does one battle a tough news cycle?
You have three options:
Sit
it out. Simply take a break from
pitching the media when it’s singularly zoned on a big story.
Join in. Find a way to turn your pitch into something relevant to the stories they are covering. If you have a book about something like violent domestic relationships, make a leap and tie into sexual harassment. If you write about overcoming a tragedy, tie into the loss and destruction of the hurricanes. If you wrote a book on personal finances, talk about tax cuts.
Stick to your strengths. If your book really can’t be twisted to be relevant to the headlines of the day, seek to make your own headlines by lobbying for your book and its unique subject matter.
Though
I remain optimistic that authors and publicists will find a way, as they always
have, to break through the clutter and news of the moment to get coverage for
their books, I must acknowledge that 2017 was just brutal and I predict a
tougher 2018. Here’s why:
·
Trump
has a strong chance of facing impeachment hearings as the Russian probe builds
in Year 2.
·
This
will be a highly contentious election year where the Democrats are expected to
win back the Senate and challenge to narrow the gap in the House.
·
Tax
reform and healthcare will be talked about heavily.
·
More
mass shootings, natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other predictable
things are imminent.
·
We
are due for a celebrity overdose death.
·
Continued
fallout from the sexual harassment storm will make its way from Hollywood
through Capitol Hill to eventually other institutions -- music, sports, Wall Street,.Madison Avenue.
·
The
stock market is vulnerable to a major correction and could bleed red all over
the place – a ticking time bomb.
Now,
don’t get me wrong. I’m an optimist steeped
in realism, meaning, I hope for the best but prepare for the worst. We can overcome any news cycle or wall of
media coverage, but we need to work harder, smarter, more creatively, and to be
ever vigilant and persistent.
But
as major media shrinks in coverage and influence, social media will pick up the
slack and likely be a growing playground for authors to find voice and
attention for their books.
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