Book publicity is using the media to spread the word about a book and/or author hoping for a story, article, or interview. This gives you visibility and hopefully boosts your book sales.

There are a few things to think about when pitching the media on behalf of your book. For both fiction and non-fiction, the below rules apply, however, there are some additional notes about fiction at the end that are worthy of being considered. Don’t underestimate the time required to promote your book. Hitting an outlet at the perfect time takes research and a good bit of luck. That being said, following these general rules when reaching out to the media may set you up for some success along the way.

1. It’s about YOU

Book publicity is much more about the author than the book. Remember you are the expert. Let alone the fact that no one can interview a book. If needed, educate yourself and practice how to give a good interview. Start with being confident when you speak! In the blog post, Turning Pro, we wrote that it’s those who are confident who are successful, not the other way around. That is as much true in publicity pitching as anywhere. Remember editors and producers are always in search of new material. They have to fill their pages and airwaves with stories, it might as well be yours. Don’t approach them with your hat in your hand, pleading for a little love. You’re an expert, you know your stuff. You have a great story and you can talk about it. That is exactly what they need and want. It should be a win-win exchange. 

Even if you don’t get an immediate yes, don’t take it personally. Chances are, it was a scheduling conflict. Keep at it and be patient. That ‘no’ could turn into a ‘yes’ at any time. 

2. Know Your Audience

Who are your ideal readers?

You should have this answer down. If you don’t, please don’t start pitching to the media. Stop. Go back and figure it out. (Finding your Fans – They Do Exist!) If you know for sure who your ideal readers are, then you can research the publications and broadcast media they frequent. This is extremely important. 

3. Don’t make broad strokes with your pitching brush.

Get out the fine-point pen and focus only on those media outlets that cater to your ideal readers. Do the research. When you reach out, address a specific editor or producer by name and it doesn’t hurt to read their past stories. This shows you took the time to investigate their work and can speak to how it matches with your story. For Nonfiction, Sunbury Press and Cision can help with this step. 

The media pitch is communication via letter, or more often an email, that states how you and your book would be a perfect fit for their show or publication. It should be short and direct but also persuasive. That means you have to put those writing chops to work and deliver the best pitch you can tailor to their media outlet or schedule. Put your best foot forward. Some authors don’t like to blow their own horn, but this is not the place to be shy. If you can’t bring yourself to write good copy for a media pitch, get someone to help you. 

Remember:

Another book published is not news. Another self-help, another novel, another memoir isn’t news. In a world of the thirty-second news-cycle, the competition can be brutal. You have to find an angle that is unique and, in-fact, newsworthy. What is your angle, what is your niche, what is your differentiator, what makes you and your book stand out? If there isn’t something newsworthy in your book, then hold off on pitching the media until an opportunity presents itself. Sometimes a current event or story will pop up in the news that directly relates to your book. That is the moment to pitch. Watch for keywords and phrases that link to your work. For more on fiction’s newsworthiness, see below. Be patient and persistent and don’t give up. When you do land a spot, you’ll be glad you stuck with it.

Fiction:

Since fiction is made up, (fake news aside) it’s inherently not newsworthy. That makes pitching fiction much more difficult unless, of course, you are JK Rowling. But since you’re not, you’ll have to be more creative. 

What is your book based on?

If it’s historical fiction, then to the right media outlet, there is probably a pitch in there. If your murder-mystery is based on an Indian reservation and you did a ton of research about the lack of fair representation for native American’s, then you have a pitch in there. Or, if you read The Hobbit twenty times in a year studying Tolkien’s secrets to writing high fantasy, you might have a pitch there. Or, if your YA story is about teen bullying, a pitch is likely in there. Make a list of every possible angle you can think of:

Why and how did you come up with the story?

What was your motivation?

Who or what did you research to create the backstory?

What part of your own experiences did you draw from?

What people, places or things stand out as key elements?

Now think about the media outlets on your list of potentials. How do they match up? Look for correlations and crossovers. Sometimes small-town press gets picked up in larger media outlets. You never know. Don’t expect overnight success or a spot on the nightly news, but don’t give up. Pace yourself, have fun and be creative. You never know what might turn up. 

Publicist:

Hiring a publicist to assist with your publicity can be very expensive. For Nonfiction, Sunbury Press has an in-house publicist service in the Cision platform that can reach persons in the media. We are working to roll out Cision in a meaningful way. But, don't wait on us, you can always pitch the media on your own!