Inhouse or Independent PR~Kathy Carlton Willis

What Is a Publicist?

A publicist is a professional who has both the know-how and the network in place to help bring your name to the public. In the literary world, a publicist is key to the marketing plan, to help create a consumer craving for a book title, or any book written by a specific author.

A literary publicist will promote the book title directly to consumers by identifying and making book information available to the niche-markets with an interest in the storyline or subject matter of the book. The publicist will also network with media by pitching specific interview angles the author can provide—setting up the writer as an expert on certain subjects.

In-House Publicist

Every publishing house has a publicist or publicity team under the umbrella of their marketing department. Their biggest goal is to make sure the book sells well, so they will invest their biggest promotional dollars and time on the book titles they predict will be big sellers. This means either the subject matter is unique and marketable or the author has some sort of celebrity status. But even first-time unknown writers will garner some sort of attention from their publishing house’s publicity staff. It’s up to the author to find out what the plan and timeline is for their title.

Some publishing houses will print ARCS (Advance Review Copies or Advance Reader Copies) as part of their publicity strategy. Marketing and PR staff will send the ARCS to reviewers who require advance review time (normally 4-5 months prior to release date). These reviewers are heavy-hitters. Garnering the attention of Publisher’s Weekly, Library Journal or Romantic Times is a big bolster in the launch of any book.

Independent Publicist:

Sometimes publishing houses hire outside PR firms to manage specific book campaigns, or entire lines of books. Other times, they pay half toward an outside campaign, and the author matches that. The third option is for the author to pay all of the expense from their advance, believing that publicity and marketing is what will make or break the overall sales for the book. Independent publicists also assist with author branding for the career of the author, not just this one book campaign.

Most PR and communications firms offer a wide array of services for authors (and other public figures). They will come alongside of you at any stage in the writing game. They can help expand your platform, branding and name recognition. Need some help making sure your website is selling you in the best possible light? Ask your publicist. Some will even edit your manuscripts and write your book proposals, query letters and marketing plans.

After the book contract, your publicist will customize a plan for promoting you and your titles to create buzz in a way that makes the campaign go viral. This can be through traditional publicity campaigns through media, internet and social networking campaigns, and more.

If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it a dozen times, “I’m so glad I didn’t have to navigate this book promotion jungle on my own. Thanks for holding my hand through the process.”

Why Hire a Publicist?

--A publicist has the media contacts and relationships needed to secure interviews/ reviews.

--A publicist knows how to pitch your book to the media and how each journalist prefers to be contacted.

--Most writers do not have the time to devote to a publicity campaign. It is a full-time job.

--When an author is pitching his own book, it is sometimes viewed as being too self-promotional. A publicist is seen as a third party and most journalists are more receptive to discussing a book with a publicist rather than the author.

-When media, retailers and consumers hear an author has a publicist, they seem to see the author as having more “clout.” It legitimizes the expert-status of the author and elevates them to a higher professional standing. An author with a publicity team has “peeps.” It’s that whole “I’ll have my people contact your people” approach.

So, whether you are blessed with a Johnny-on-the-spot in-house publicity team or an independent publicist or publicity firm, rest assured—they’ve got you covered!

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Kathy Carlton Willis~The Difference between an Agent and a Literary Publicist

Today’s Novel Journey article is by Kathy Carlton Willis, wife to Russ, pastor’s wife to many, author, editor, publicist and a certified CLASSeminars speaker. Kathy Carlton Willis Communications encompasses her many passions. Learn more about how she reflects Christ as she shines the spotlight on others at: http://kcwccomm.blogspot.com/ or http://www.kathycarltonwillis.com.

Often in my travels, I’m confused for an agent or I’m asked what’s the difference between what I do and what an agent does. Maybe you’re curious, too.

First, let’s look at the similarities.

Literary Agents and Literary Publicists:

1. Are cheerleaders for you and your projects—they want to see you succeed.

2. Tell others about your work in hopes of connecting you to the ones who will help you get to the next level.

3. Sometimes provide career-counseling advice, to coach you as you strategize steps to attaining your goals.

4. Often help you doctor your book proposals to make them sing before submitting them to acquisitions editors and others.

Literary Agents are unique in that:

1. They are focused on presenting your book proposals to acquisitions editors and publishers with the hope of attaining a book contract for you.

2. They are paid a commission-style fee, often 15-20%, for arranging these deals, and for mediating any future communication between the authors and publishing houses.

3. They often carry a heavier client load than publicists, due to the nature of their role. Publishing houses can take a while to decide on proposals, so the agent moves on to pitching other clients while waiting for responses.

4. They often know more legalese regarding contract law than what is required of publicists to know.

5. Their databases are filled with contacts in the publishing world, including what each editor is looking for at any given time.

Literary Publicists are unique in that:

1. They are focused on selling YOU rather than your projects. This involves pre-book contract branding and post-book contract media publicity.

2. They are paid by the hour or by the campaign, by the author or by the publishing house, depending on the agreement.

3. Independent publicists carry a limited client load so they can handle the hectic demands of networking with media during all those newsworthy moments.

4. They know the ins and outs of book promotion and marketing.

5. Their databases are filled with contacts in the media world, including how each media rep prefers to be pitched (e-mail, fax, phone call or mail).

I’m in the position of assisting clients with writing their book proposals and their books, so I have a little more invested than some publicists who focus more on the post-release publicity. Because of that, I can often act as a liaison to connect authors with publishing houses prior to them attaining an agent. We’ve found that agents are more likely to pick up an author once they know the proposal is being considered at the publishing board committee meeting, or perhaps even being extended a contract offer. My clients ask me why they even need to “throw away 15 percent” to an agent if I’ve already helped them get a deal—why not just get an attorney to consult on the contract? I recently e-mailed this reply to a client asking this very question:

“Most say it’s worth the 15% you pay to an agent in exchange for what you get in return. Not just their legal knowledge of reading the contract, but having enough industry knowledge to know what SHOULD be in that contract, what CAN be negotiated (not just your pay, but different rights that need protected or discussed, like international rights, e-book rights, your percentage of discount on purchasing the book for your book table, etc.). Even great attorneys don’t know industry standards for the publishing world unless they deal with it every week.

It’s not that you can’t trust this publishing house to offer you a respectable deal—it’s just that this is a BUSINESS and they are in the business of trying to save as much money as they can by offering low—especially to a first time writer. An agent can negotiate a better deal for you. An attorney won’t do that. They will just tell you if it’s okay to sign the dotted line.

The truth is, many writers end up finding their own book deals, rather than their agents, but they still are willing to have the agent do the negotiating and all the follow up that happens AFTER the contract is signed. An agent’s work isn’t over when the contract is signed—there’s so much to do that slips through the crack if you don’t have an agent to have your back every time you have a dispute over things like edits, cover design, production deadlines, etc.

So, while it’s not essential—and you certainly CAN hire an attorney familiar with literary contracts, I would recommend acquiring an agent to represent your best interests.”

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Tips for Live Interviews (pt 2) ~ Kathy Willis, Publicist

To continue our discussion about being an effective interview guest, here are more helpful tips for you whether you’re on television, radio, or being interviewed for print and Internet publications.

DO:
· Use humor (but only sparingly). Improvisational humor is better than canned jokes.

· Smile—Have Fun. Being prepared, relaxed, and confident helps a lot.

· Focus on the host and not the camera (or crew).

· Tell brief stories to make your points instead of rattling of statistics.

· Know what you want to say, practice it, and then say it when the camera's rolling.

· Think in terms of 8-second sound bites. Have about 5 points to make and learn how to integrate them into the interview no matter the questions.

· Forget that youʼre talking to millions of people. Just speak to the interviewer naturally—in your normal tone and volume—as if he is a good friend.

· Stay calm. A TV studio is a hectic place, whether itʼs a local news station or The Today Show. Donʼt panic if the staff seems stressed and disorganized; thatʼs just life in television. Ignore the hubbub and take control.

· Stay on track.

· Be yourself. Try to relax and speak to the reporter in conversational language. Avoid using "buzzwords" specific to your industry or organization that the reporter or the audience will be unfamiliar with; they will likely not make it into the story.

DONʼT:
· Over-think your responses or they will sound canned.

· Repeat the question, because it comes across as giving yourself time to fabricate the answer. So, reword the question only as a last resort to buy time to think of the right answer.

· Take notes with you except to review briefly before the show.

· Answer questions that are either irrelevant to you or for which you do not know the answer.

· Argue with a reporter, especially when you are on-camera.

· Feel that you should fill empty space after you've given a response. If you are not prepared to elaborate—donʼt. Sometimes interviewers use the pregnant pause, hoping you will panic and blurt out something to fill the quiet space. Just sit there and smile and wait for the next question after you believe youʼve sufficiently answered the question. If the pause is awkward, then if all else fails, offer to fill it with an anecdote rather than a fact you arenʼt sure of.

BONUS TIPS:
· Whether youʼre on TV to promote yourself or something else, youʼre there to convey a specific message. When itʼs your turn to speak, make sure you get your point across.

· Avoid being sidetracked into a subject not directly related to the subject of the interview. Also avoid rabbit tracking.

· Watch the pace of your reply. Talk too fast and it will appear you think you have more material than time and youʼre trying to cram it all in. Too laid back and you donʼt appear passionate about the subject.

· Beware of being monotone. Allow your voice to naturally rise and fall in pitch, volume and tone.

· Enunciate. Thereʼs nothing worse than an audience misunderstanding because you didnʼt properly enunciate a word or phrase.

· Beware of the “s” and “p” sounds because they tend to hiss and pop with certain mics.

· Make sure you know which time zone you are scheduled for any phone call interviews.

· Be clear in advance if they are to call you or if you are to call them, and have phone numbers for both parties (the guest and the host), just in case.

· Set up your phone so you don't get call waiting, which can interrupt the interview and create a silent pause each time it rings.

· Use a landline if at all possible for phone interviews, to cut down on risk for cell phone static interference and disconnects.

· Send an interview sheet in advance, but be prepared for other questions aswell.

· On the interview sheet, also put your bio, and your photo. Even if theyreceived your press release, it might not be in front of them. This will help the host know not only know what questions to ask, but also feel like they are connecting with you since they see your face on the sheet.

· Don't forget to ask permission to get an mp3, CD or DVD of the interview, to use for promotional purposes after the show. See if you are allowed to post it to your site. Some prefer you to link to their online archives and others will give you full permission to use as you wish.

· Have talking points, but don't be obvious about your talking points--youwant to come across as an expert on the topic or someone passionate about the topic, rather than a politician.

· The same goes for mentioning your book--you want to mention it, but limityour phrases of, "Well, in the book..." "When you read the book, you'llfind..." And the worst is, "I'm not going to answer that question. You'll haveto get the book to find out!"


The final word on interview guesting is this: if your main goal is to sell books, you will come off sounding like an infomercial. But if your main goal is to connect your message to the audience, then God is going to use you in a might way. He’s all about making sure your motives are pure. And the great thing is, when your motive is to shine HIS Light, He takes care of those other loaves-and-fishes sorts of needs in your life, such as selling books and getting exposure.


Kathy Carlton Willis own her own communications firm and enjoys shining the light on others as they shine THE Light. She’s also wife to Russ, mom to fur babies, family and friend to many, and pastor’s wife to her church family. Find her on all the social networking sites, as well as her professional blog: http://kcwcomm.blogspot.com/

Write Kathy at WillisWay@aol.com with your questions on how to promote your books and your branding.

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Tips for Live Interviews ~ Kathy Willis, Publicist

Authors look for interview opportunities to help brand them, build name recognition, and promote any current book releases. My firm is often asked to coach authors as they prepare for their upcoming interviews with media. This media might be: radio (either in-studio or by phone), television (live or taped), print publications, or Internet. Today and during our next guest post, we will coach you to be a gracious interview guest. By following these tips, you will engage with your host and audience, and will accomplish the goals set in place when scheduling this exposure.

AT THE INTERVIEW:
· Watch casual remarks. Keep in mind that nothing is really off the record, and anything you say may end up in print.

· Answer every question. “No comment” is never an acceptable answer. You will find a way to avoid certain issues by transitioning to other topics. Use “bridges” to steer the conversation to a new topic, in order to avoid sticky questions, or to get to the meat of your message. One example of bridging is, “That's a good question, but the more important issue here, which is...”

· Flag key points. When you're speaking, use “flags” to signal key points. Let the reporter know youʼre about to make a main point by using an indicator phrase such as, “the key point is ...” or “the important thing to remember is ...”

· Be interesting. If you are passionate about your subject, it will help make a better story.


APEARANCE:
· Women, bring your own makeup in case no makeup artist is available at the studio. If no artist is available, touch up your eyes and give yourself more color. Wear lip color!

· Even when they say a makeup artist is available, be prepared to do your own makeup if the hosts are late and the artist is tied up doing their makeup until airtime.

· Be rested and avoid puffy eyes by using a cool compress across your eyes before applying makeup to have a more refreshed look for those early morning interviews. Or, if you know your skin is agreeable to the product, try Preparation H for puffy eyes.

· Get someone with fashion sense to advise you. The visuals are all-important on TV. Dress like you mean it, at the level to which you're aspiring. Consider your branding to select the appropriate image. Keep in mind that the person interviewing you will most likely be wearing a smart suit, and have had a haircut recently.

BODY LANGUAGE AND POSITIONING:
· During a television interview, when you are not actually speaking, always keep a pleasant look on your face. You never know when the producers will switch to a shot of you.

· There will often be a "monitor" (a television screen placed somewhere off-camera that faces you and shows the on-air "talent" what's being broadcast). Don't look at it! If you are looking at it and the producers switch to a shot of you at that moment, you will appear to be looking down and away from your host, as though you are distracted or not paying attention. Also, anyone watching the program that is familiar with television production will know that you are looking at yourself.

· Donʼt stiffen up. Lean forward now and then while talking to the host. The audience is quickly bored by mere conversation (“talking heads”).

· Speaking of “heads,” avoid the bobble-head look of vigorously shaking your head yes. It really accentuates double chins and stretched or wrinkled skin around the neck, and also looks unprofessional.

· Watch newscasters with the sound off to see how they talk. What you'll see may surprise you. They use a lot of body movements. Since many camera angles are from the shoulders up, that means that all the interest normally provided by human motion has to be compressed into the head, shoulders, and perhaps hands. Don't go crazy; don't make yourself look foolish. But put a little more energy into your conversation than you normally might. As Marshall McLuhan famously observed, television is a cool medium. It craves heat—and it's up to you to provide it.

· Think about a host you like and emulate his/her style. Heʼs probably at ease, direct and affable. You too can pull of this winning combination.

AWKWARD MOMENTS:
· If you are debating someone, keep a pleasant look on your face. Even viewers who agree with your opponent will like you and take you seriously if you appear calm, reasonable, and pleasant.

· This isnʼt a game show requiring you to beat the others to the buzzer, so you have a moment to collect your thoughts before answering a question. Take it.

· If you donʼt understand a question, ask the interviewer to repeat it.

· If you stumble or make a mistake, correct yourself immediately. You want to make the most of this opportunity. If the interview is being taped and you donʼt like an answer you gave, ask to start over.


REMEMBER:
· The importance of story—personal examples trump statistics.

· The host is human too—donʼt be intimidated.

· Be relevant.

· Raise your eyebrows or stand on your tippee toes (if a radio interview) to project positive energy (but avoid being hyper like a Chihuahua).

· Your talking points.

· Breathe in, breathe out—relax and enjoy the process.

· Be flexible to adapt to whatever they throw your way.

· Be available.

· Have your book (or your project) fresh in mind—re-read it if necessary.

Kathy Carlton Willis own her own communications firm and enjoys shining the light on others as they shine THE Light. She’s also wife to Russ, mom to fur babies, family and friend to many, and pastor’s wife to her church family. Find her on all the social networking sites, as well as her professional blog: http://kcwcomm.blogspot.com/

Write Kathy at WillisWay@aol.com with your questions on how to promote your books and your branding.

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Guest blogger Kathy Willis, Publicist

Kathy Carlton Willis, owner of the same named communications firm, will be one of our guest bloggers over the next six months. We’ve asked her to share a little about herself for this first installment, and in future visits she will share some tutorials with our readers, to coach authors in skills that will advance their writing careers.

Kathy, what is a publicist and what does your job involve?

A publicist helps create buzz about a person or project by utilizing press releases, arranging interviews with media, article placement, branding, blog tours, social networking, and more. My communications firm is involved in all of this, plus marketing books to stores and consumers, coaching authors, editing, book proposals, marketing plans and so much more. Our firm consists of my publicist assistant, and my clerical assistant and me. You could say it takes a village to get the word out!

The industry seems to increasingly want writers to have a developed platform before they will consider their projects for publication. How do you help writers build a platform from scratch, or expand an existing platform?

I love it when writers contact me before their books release to help them build a foundation for their work. The sooner we are brought into the picture, the better we can plan and brainstorm on more than just promoting a book—we promote the PERSON behind the book. Before writers can develop their platform they have to know who their audience (their target market) is. Then they can find ways to communicate with that audience through article placement, column writing, speaking, radio shows, social networking, and more. We consult with authors to help them find the best places to network with their audience and build a fan base. Platform building and branding are very strategic and must be customized to fit the giftedness of each writer.

I know that each publishing house has a marketing and PR person or team who promote their new book releases. Why should a writer hire an independent publicist? What would be the benefit in doing so?

Most publishing houses have a marketing team that often includes a publicity department or in-house publicist. Sometimes publishing houses hire us (independent publicity firms) to supplement what they do in-house, or to be the point person as primary publicist for the project. Other times authors choose to hire us because they want to maximize their opportunities to help get the word out about their books. We work in tandem with the publishing houses so we don’t duplicate efforts. The benefits are: increased exposure, reduced load on the in-house PR team, utilization of the relationships we have built with media and online personalities, and customized databases to fit the message of each book project. Also, since we are more of a boutique PR firm, we can help the authors create buzz in more unique approaches with innovative strategy to tailor-fit their promotional plan.

How should a writer go about selecting the right publicity firm?

Ask a lot of questions in person or by phone if possible, so you can get a sense of how your personalities gel. Find out what sort of databases they can use for your project, to make sure they have the connections you need. Ask them to brainstorm with you about how they might customize your campaign. Ask if they do phone call or e-mail follow-up on any e-blast or print promotional pitches. Request a written proposal to spell out what services are offered. Check out their references and ask your writing mentors if they would recommend this publicist or publicity firm. Communicate your desires for the campaign in advance so there are no misunderstandings or unmet expectations.

Kathy will be sharing her insights on promoting yourself as an author, book campaigns, marketing, and publicity. Feel free to contact her with your questions for this column at WillisWay@aol.com. Here is her formal biographical sketch:

Kathy Carlton Willis shines the light on God and others through her communications firm as: writer, publicist, writer's coach, book doctor, speaker, and more. She gets jazzed when she’s fiddling with words! Kathy’s team builds relationships with a large industry network, so they can help writers connect to media, ministries and readers. She is affiliated with Advanced Writers and Speakers Association and American Christian Fiction Writers. Her columns and book reviews have appeared online and in print, and she served as grammar guru for three publications. She ghostwrites books and e-books for clients, collaborating with writers to help them find their voices. Kathy is a contributing author for The Reason We Speak, It Happened By Design: A Series of God-Incidence Stories and Groovy Chicks’ Road Trip to Peace. She has a background in newspaper journalism as copyeditor and feature writer. Kathy is a contributor and editor of daily devotions for The Christian Pulse and started a new column “For Readers” at Christian Fiction Online Magazine this month.

Kathy loves pouring herself into the lives of other writers and speakers, and can be heard leading workshops and keynoting at several writers conferences and retreats each year. In the first half of 2010 she will be the career track faculty member for Write To Publish, the retreat speaker for Word Weavers, and workshop facilitator at Quad Cities Christian Writers Conference. She’s also co-launching a new CLASSeminar in the near future. She’s known for her integrity and generosity, giving away several grants for customized services each year. Kathy and her pastor/husband minister together in Raymondville, Texas.

Kathy is always looking for blog tour hosts and book reviewers, so contact her at WillisWay@aol.com if you are interested in learning more. The KCWC Verse for 2010 is Proverbs 4:18: “The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day,” (NIV).

Learn more about Kathy at her professional blog:
http://kcwcomm.blogspot.com/

Her website:
http://www.kathycarltonwillis.com

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