Fiction Publicist, Elizabeth Johnson ~ Interviewed

Liz Johnson works in the publicity department of Multnomah Books. She is a graduate of Northern Arizona University, where she earned a degree in public relations. Her favorite people in the world are her nieces Julia, Emily, and Rachel…and their families too. In what spare time she can manage to find, she enjoys reading and writing fiction, ice skating, and going to the movies. And reading blogs, of course.

Of all the creative author marketing and publicity you've encountered what effort has provided the most effective results for both the publisher and the author?

One of the best publicity pitches for a novelist is to somehow make a connection between their novel and other parts of their life. Take for example Sharon Dunn’s newest cozy mystery series about the Bargain Hunter Network. Sharon loves to save money and clip coupons. She’s an experienced thrifty shopper, and her publicist knows this. So her publicist can craft a pitch about being contentious about money and having a godly perspective on shopping that opens her up to a much broader audience than what she might get with a simple cozy mystery pitch. So if you have an interest, expertise, or experience that is related to your book, make sure that your publicist is aware of it.

Of all the marketing and publicity angles you've seen – what would you suggest that an author not do or not invest in?

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Do you see a difference in book success between an author who lets the publicity department run with the book, vs. an author who works to make their book known?

At the risk of sounding cliché, it depends a great deal on the book. The most successful novel campaigns I’ve seen involve both the author and publicity departments working hard together. For the author, this means understanding and respecting your publicists experience and time. If you feel overlooked, don’t be afraid to pipe up. But also remember that your publicist is likely working on at least five other titles, and her time is very precious. It also means being available for every interview that your publicist can set up, even when it means a 4:00a.m. wake-up call. You should always be prepared to share any personal or professional media connections you may have with your publicist, but let your publicist pitch your book. This takes advantage of your publicists experience and connections, while making use of the time you’ve invested in getting to know the media.

Are there any personal touches that you can recommend to authors who might be very introverted and begin palpitating at the thought of crowds?

Most writers write because they feel called to share a message. When your palms start sweating and your head spins at the size of the crowd eagerly anticipating your wisdom or waiting for you to sign a book, focus on why you wrote the book in the first place. Focus on the story you’ve been given to share. They’re there to see you because they loved the book too. And if you have to share a few words verbally … well, practicing really does go a long way.

What kind of results are you seeing from your blog tours?

Blog campaigns are really the best form of grass-roots publicity I’ve seen. It’s word-of-mouth available to hundreds and thousands of people at the same time. The exact results are hard to measure, but the buzz created about a book is definitely substantial. The New York Times, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly have all run articles about the explosive power of blogging. While it may not be possible to state quantifiable results right now, we know that they are effective in spreading the word about great books.

What have you learned since you started blog tours?

Blog tours are useful not only to promote books among fans, but also to educate those who may not be aware of what's really available. In fact, Kelly Blewett and I are writing an article for an upcoming issue of CBA Retailers + Resources (a national trade magazine) informing booksellers about the information that blog tours provide. The tours provide opportunity for sellers to be informed without having to crack every cover, especially of a book in a genre they might not enjoy. Avid fiction bloggers are often some of the the most informed people on the web.

Describe today's fiction reader based on your observations.

Today’s fiction reader is more diverse than ever. Traditionally fiction readers were mostly women in their 30s and 40s, but that’s definitely changing. With the upsurge of chick lit, thrillers, and YA novels, the CBA fiction market is reaching a much broader, more edgy audience. High school students are reading about other teens while their moms and dads enjoy novels targeted specifically at them as well. As the market offers more diverse titles, the readers will continue to grow and change.

What changes have you noticed in fiction recently? Do you find these changes good or not so good, explain your answer.

Specifically within the Christian fiction market, I see a movement toward books that are edgy, away from the traditionally “safe” books of twenty years ago. While I grew up reading Gilbert Morris and Bodie Thoene, there are fewer and fewer books that fall into categories with those authors now.

New authors like Eric Wilson, Melanie Wells, and Jill Elizabeth Nelson are pushing the envelope, including characters that experience doubts, that struggle with daily dilemmas, like their readers do. There has also been an upsurge in the quality of writing in Christian fiction over the last five years. These are great changes for our market.

What one or two things could you share with Novel Journey readers that might surprise them regarding bookselling?

Booksignings are not always the key to bestseller status. In fact they are more often a miss rather than a hit. As someone who spends a solid chunk of my day organizing and publicizing booksignings, I wish that I could guarantee that every one will be a dream come true for the author and the bookstore. Unfortunately this isn’t the case. While they provide an excellent opportunity to meet fans, unless you’re Liz Curtis Higgs or Francine Rivers, you may not have enough fans in any given city to fill the store. Consider wisely if doing a booksigning is really going to be the best use of your time. If you do commit to one, then go for it. Enjoy every minute of chatting with your new friends, who likely will look forward to buying your next book too.

Personally -- what are your favorite genres?

I’m a complete YA fanatic! I think I just like reliving my high school years vicariously through these books. I love chick lit and Christian romances too, but will generally read about anything that I can get my hands on including historical nonfiction.

Favorite books or authors?

Some of my favorite novelists are Tamara Leigh, Francine Rivers, Jill Elizabeth Nelson, Meg Cabot, and too many more to name. My favorite book of all time is The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare. My mom had me read it for a homeschooling assignment when I was in third or fourth grade, and to this day, I have the same dog-eared, spine-falling-apart copy. My mom tried to replace it with a new copy a few years ago, but I refused to part with my classic copy. Too many good memories are unwrapped when I reread those pages.

If you could say one thing to aspiring novelists what would it be?

I’m going to completely demolish a line from Facing the Giants: Writing only for publication is too small a thing to live for. If God has given you as story, write it, even if no one else will ever read it. Practice your craft, take courses, get friends to read/edit your stuff. Work hard, always keeping I mind your goal, whatever that may be. And if you get published, give God the glory. If you never get published, give God the glory.