With shrinking publicity departments and funds being funneled away from mid-list authors and on to guaranteed hit-makers such as the Stephen Kings of the world, authors often find the job of publicizing their book is falling mainly in their hands. They say “knowledge is power” and instead of becoming upset, authors can funnel this energy into sure-fire ways to promote their novel.
To find out what some of the things an author can do to take the publicity reigns in their own hands, we asked veteran independent book publicist Susan Schwartzman to give us some tips. And this week she will share with us one tip of the day.
Q: So many authors are finding that they have to take publicity in their own hands even with an in-house publicist heading the campaign. What are some of your tips for authors.
SUSAN: I was at a book party at Otto Penzler’s Mysterious Bookshop after ThrillerFest last year when an author asked New York Times bestselling author Lee Child what publicity works the best. He replied, “Everything works.”
And he’s right. Everything you do to promote your book gets the word out there, whether you are creating a buzz by blogging about your book, doing a media tour or radio interview, signing books at your local bookstore, getting profile coverage in your hometown newspaper or alumni newsletter, or getting your readers to blog about your book by sponsoring a contest as Kyra Davis did for her novel, LUST, LOATHING AND A LITTLE LIP GLOSS (Mira). (You can read more about what she did on www.confessionsofabookpublicist.blogspot.com or on www.KyraDavis.com).
Very few authors get on Oprah or the national morning shows, but there is a lot you can do to generate a buzz and build momentum. Word-of-mouth spreads quickly in the book world and has created bestsellers whose authors never saw the light of a national TV studio camera.
Here are tips to keep in mind that have worked wonders for my clients:
TIP #1: Be proactive:
Design a website, create an online presence through Facebook and other social media, let your friends know about your book, and if you hire a publicist, give her every contact you have. It is especially important to target market your book as Craig Reed did. Craig is a former U.S. Navy diver and author of RED NOVEMBER: Inside the Secret U.S. Soviet-Submarine War (William Morrow). Craig set up booksigning events at Navy bases throughout the country, and I complemented his efforts with a media campaign in those cities.
For more publicity tips visit Susan Schwartzman’s website.