ABCThe Guide to Publicity Promotionand he essential guide from the authoritative source on everything you need to know about promot- ing your work, including a guide to the publicity business, how to capture the attention of literary Tjournalists, a look at websites and social media for authors, video and audio marketing, how to give readings that work, and more. The Only Low-Residency MFA IN FLORIDA Fiction | Nonfiction | Poetry A low-residency program designed to deepen your understanding of writing as an ongoing engagement with discovery and transformation. Request more information at www.ut.edu/mfa or call (813) 258-7409. PAST AND PRESENT GUEST WRITERS AND EDITORS INCLUDE: Richard Bausch, Michael Connelly, Arthur Flowers, Nick Flynn, Roxane Gay, Hal Hartley, Amy Hill Hearth, Eli Horowitz, Denis Johnson, Miranda July, Ben Lerner, Susan Minot, Rick Moody, Francine Prose, Karen Russell, George Saunders, Heather Sellers, Wesley Stace, Deborah Treisman TEACHING FACULTY INCLUDE: Jessica Anthony, Sandra Beasley, John Capouya, Brock Clarke, Erica Dawson, Tony D’Souza, Mikhail Iossel, Stefan Kiesbye, Kevin Moffett, Donald Morrill, Josip Novakovich, Jason Ockert, Alan Michael Parker, Jeff Parker, Corinna Vallianatos, Jennifer Vanderbes The Only Low-Residency MFA IN FLORIDA Fiction | Nonfiction | Poetry ABC HANK YOU FOR YOUR ORDER. We hope you enjoy The Poets & Writers Guide to Publicity and Promotion, which includes ten articles packed with insider tips and informa- tion to help you effectively gain attention for Tyour work. 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PAST AND PRESENT GUEST WRITERS AND EDITORS INCLUDE: The Staff of Poets & Writers, Inc. Richard Bausch, Michael Connelly, Arthur Flowers, Nick Flynn, Roxane Gay, Hal Hartley, Amy Hill Hearth, Eli Horowitz, Denis Johnson, Miranda July, Ben Lerner, Susan Minot, Rick Moody, Francine Prose, Karen Russell, George Saunders, Heather Sellers, Wesley Stace, Deborah Treisman TEACHING FACULTY INCLUDE: Jessica Anthony, Sandra Beasley, John Capouya, Brock Clarke, Erica Dawson, Tony D’Souza, Mikhail Iossel, Stefan Kiesbye, Kevin Moffett, Donald Morrill, Josip Novakovich, Jason Ockert, Alan Michael Parker, Jeff Parker, Corinna Vallianatos, Jennifer Vanderbes ABC GUIDE to PUBLICITY and PROMOTION 6 12 16 INSIDE PUBLISHING LITERARY LAUNCHING A BEST- A Guide to the Publicity JOURNALISTS SELLER WITHOUT Business How to Get on SELLING YOUR SOUL By Jessica Firger Their Radar The Rewards of by Jen A. Miller 9 How Authors Self-Promotion Can Help by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore Themselves & Dan Blank 11 Publicistspeak 19 Tips for Soul-Sustaining Self-Promotion 28 20 THE AUDIO SOCIAL MEDIA REVOLUTION FOR AUTHORS How to Amplify 44 Your Poems Forever in Search of Buzz by Todd Boss by Lauren Cerand THE DIY 21 What Kind of BOOK TOUR Social-Media User How to Sell a Book Are You? 32 in America by Ron Tanner 23 How to Use Twitter MAKE THEM GLAD to Connect With Readers THEY CAME How to Give an Inspired Reading 48 by Kevin Sampsell MY BOOK IS A 24 YEAR OLD, NOW WHAT? BOOK TRAILERS 38 How to Keep the The Key to Successful Buzz Alive Video Marketing THE BEST REVIEWS by Midge Raymond by Sarah Weinman MONEY CAN BUY Critical Care for Self- Published Authors by Melissa Faliveno POETS & WRITERS GUIDE TO PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION all of the major houses are publish- ing at an incredibly high volume. INSIDE PUBLISHING Depending on how a house or im- print (and their sales force) breaks up its seasons—some have two a A Guide to the Publicity Business year, some three—a publicist can work on as few as four and as many BY JESSICA FIRGER as twenty books on any given list. “I somehow thought everybody in the office would, for six months, hile the job of a would cost a small fortune—so it drop everything but my book, and book publicist often would have to be an awfully good would spend eight hours a day, appears to be an ef- epigraph), it’s time for the book to plus evenings, researching me and fortless ushering of be sent out to the media, which is thinking about my book to the ex- Wnew books into the marketplace, be- not always as enthusiastic, or, some- clusion of all else,” recalls George hind the scenes it’s much more of a times, even remotely interested. Saunders about the publication forceful push. Up until the point of Yet, when it comes to publicity, of his first short story collection, publication, an editor, the publisher, everyone involved—author, agent, CivilWarLand in Bad Decline (Ran- and the head of marketing and sales, editor, publisher—has expectations, dom House, 1996). His most re- for example, will make nearly all of and they are usually fairly high. The cent collection, Tenth of December, the decisions about a book. These de- list includes a slew of reviews, spots was published by Random House cisions will be checked and balanced on a morning television show and in 2013. “Maybe that’s a slight by the author and agent, yet the con- nationally broadcasted radio, a front- exaggeration—but I was surprised trol remains within the house. And page feature in the New York Times to find out how many other books even though it may already be clear Arts section, and an author profile in were going out at the same time as that a given book is not the work of USA Today. In a perfect world, every mine, and how many my publicist the next Zadie Smith or Jonathan deserving author would get a breath was handling.” Franzen or David Sedaris—or some of Fresh Air, but the mass quantity While the picture may seem other literary-yet-semi-commercial- of books being published annually bleak, the good news is that most author-in-the-making—everyone is combined with the dwindling num- publicists view this rigmarole as enthusiastic about the book. But ber of review outlets makes for some an often rewarding challenge. Not after the dust jacket is changed three pretty tough competition. only that, but there’s another thing times, the introduction revamped To give an example, an editor (who to keep in mind: Book publicists in first pass, the acknowledgments wishes to remain nameless) at the New are passionate about books. They corrected for a tenth time, an epi- York Times Book Review, one of the have to be in order to do the job, graph added in proofs (this is some- most sought-after outlets for print as they’re writing, reading, think- thing of an exaggeration because it review attention, says that on aver- ing, and talking about books all age they receive about two hundred day long. books for consideration weekly. He There are essentially two types Jessica Firger is a writer and journalist estimates that the average number of of publicity. The first is proactive: who has worked on both the publicity books covered in each issue is approxi- a publicist has something and/or and editorial sides of the book mately twenty-five (and “covered” can someone brand-new to tell (and publishing industry. Her work has be just a mention, not a full review). sell) to the media and general been featured in publications such as This means that, each week, they are public. Press materials are writ- the Wall Street Journal, the New York theoretically leaving one hundred ten, phone calls are made, e-mails Times, Daily News, City Limits, and seventy-five books out in the cold. are sent, scheduled events and BUST. She is a staff writer at Newsweek. Even though there is limited book and author information are space in traditional review outlets, tweeted—all to alert as many rel- PW.ORG 6 evant people in the media as possi- phone is ringing off the hook, but pursue coverage in the long-lead ble about this brand-new, relevant it is unrealistic to assume this will publications. It is rule of thumb thing. Proactive publicity is about happen. Proactive book publicity is that all monthly magazines (such creating a buzz. a methodic process, and it revolves as Vogue, GQ, Vanity Fair, Men’s The second is reactive. Some- around a strict timetable. It is the Journal, the Atlantic, and so on) thing happens in the news (an best way to ensure that a book has have a lead time of three to four election, a war, a hurricane, a re- a fair shot at coverage. months, and magazines that pub- markably idiotic comment by a Book publishers work on a lish bimonthly or quarterly some- public figure), providing the per- monthly schedule with the public- times have longer. Many of the top fect hook to make a particular ity, marketing, and advertising de- metro daily and weekly newspapers product or person suddenly timely. partments implementing the bulk with book review sections (such as Either the publicist sees this con- of their campaigns for the books USA Today, the Wall Street Jour- nection or the media does—and they are issuing in a given month.