Tonight, I am very busy (it's almost tomorrow and I'm still working), so this is going to be a short Novel Journey post, but hopefully you'll still walk away with something.
I'm going to share a story about how one of my authors recently used a media opportunity to garner yet more coverage, effectively using both of our time.
It started when our firm arranged for her to make an out-of-state appearance on an international television show. She immediately agreed to the interview and contacted her publishing company about arranging book signings. Thereafter, she began working with a local book distributor in that area.
Four book signings were arranged, and because the local book distributor knew an editor at a nearby magazine, an interview was arranged. Once my author sent me the information about her book signings, I alerted local media. Within an hour, the local Public Broadcasting Station called me to arrange another television interview, and a morning radio talk show also booked her as a guest—before her signings so she could promote them on air.
The active participation of this author to promote her own books set in motion a series of events that helped her: sell books at her signings, be featured in a magazine, be on a radio talk show, to appear on PBS, not to mention the book reviews that were in the paper prior to her visiting the state. The author worked closely with her publisher, book distributor, and publicist to accomplish as much as she did.
While on her tour, this same author had a reporter from her home state call me because he wanted to write a feature about her, and ending up interviewing her via cell-phone to make his deadline. He knew about her was because she had arranged book signings in her area and he had my press release—a great example of what an active author can accomplish.
A hard-working author can accomplish a lot. A hard-working publicist can accomplish a lot. A hard-working author working with a hard-working publicist can accomplish wonders.
Great post, Jess. This has been a real eye opener. It's tempting to just hand everything off to a publicist and just write but I'm realizing that it's much more effective and beneficial to the writer when treated as a partnership.
ReplyDeletePS. I'm so proud to have a friend that works as hard as you do and cares so much for her clients. I mean that, Jess. You're incredible!