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

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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

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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

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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 9 How Authors by Jen A. Miller 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 BY JESSICA FIRGER work on as few as four and as many 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. nal, New York Times, Los Angeles one (or both) of them responds. “The first month is essential,” says Times, and Village Voice), weekly Phones start ringing and e-mails Erin Sinesky Lovett, assistant di- magazines (such as Entertainment flood in. Ideally, a publicist builds rector of publicity at W. W. Nor- Weekly, People, and the New Yorker), on the reactive buzz by doing more ton, “because the media and readers and national broadcast media (Na- proactive publicity and approach- have a rather short attention span.” tional Public Radio shows such as ing other outlets that have not yet But publicists begin their work well Morning Edition, All Things Consid- been reached. Publicists rely on before a book’s publication date be- ered, and Talk of the Nation, as well authors to take advantage of such cause they must align with the lead as television programs on networks opportunities as well, especially time of print as well as broadcast such as CNN, ABC, and NBC) also when it comes to social media. As media and venues (both traditional like to look at a book well before the ultimate expert on her book, bookstores and hosts of “off-sites,” it’s published. often the author is the only one events that happen outside of a Additionally, galleys are sent to who can recognize the connection bookstore). Therefore, depend- the trade (or pre-pub) publications— between her book’s subject matter ing on whether an author will tour Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Li- and a news event and act quickly (which is something usually deter- brary Journal, and Booklist—which enough to take advantage of it. “We mined by the heads of marketing, ideally provide early accolades try to encourage all of our authors sales, and publicity, as well as by in the form of a two-hundred- to to have some sort of presence on the editor and the publisher), a pub- three-hundred-word review (and Facebook and Twitter,” says Sarah licist will be in touch with an au- can be quoted on press materials for Reidy, the former publicity direc- thor somewhere between four and the finished-book mailing). “Pre- tor of Other Press who is now the six months before her book is slated pub reviews are important because senior publicity manager at Simon for publication. booksellers and reviewers look & Schuster. “If authors can get out The first time a book is seen [to them] to find books to buy or there right away when something by the media is usually as bound cover,” explains Louisa Ermelino, happens, commenting on or link- proofs, often called a galley or ARC reviews director and vice president ing to pertinent information, that (Advance Reader’s Copy or jack- at Publishers Weekly and a novelist certainly helps us.” Reactive pub- eted galley, which is essentially the herself. “A good review, a starred licity is essentially about striking bound proofs with an image of the review, any extra attention early on when the iron is hot. dust jacket on the cover). Galleys is great, but also, if you don’t get Proactive publicity is the vital are generally sent out to the media any of these, it’s not the end of life building block of any book’s cam- accompanied by a letter from the as you know it, although it feels like paign, especially for debuts, and publicist who is handling the book. it because it’s the very first step your therefore makes up the bulk of The main purpose for sending book takes into the world.” what a book publicist does. All au- out an advanced (and, yes, un- With the galley mailing— thors hope for the day when their corrected) version of a book is to prior to finished books going out

7 POETS & WRITERS POETS & WRITERS GUIDE TO PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION

approximately a month before how everything commonly plays related to science, a publicist may publication—a publicist tries to get out, there are always exceptions. send the book to science editors of a handle on where a book stands in For example, at small, private, or the top metro dailies, and to Sci- terms of long-lead magazine cov- university presses, it is possible ence Friday, in addition to the usual erage, for features and reviews, that galleys will not be printed.) roster of NPR shows. If the book is since monthly magazines—for A finished-book mailing tends to related to a current event—perhaps the most part—will either opt to be sent to a group that is broader involving U.S. policy in Iraq— cover a book during the month of than the one that galleys are sent a publicist will send the book to publication, or not at all. Publicists to. In addition to the usual book editors and reporters whose beat also ideally look to have a sense of review editors from A- and B-list is Middle East politics and policy. interest from the top metro daily (and sometimes C-list) newspapers, A book of literary travel writing newspapers’ book review sections weekly magazines, and a wider may end up on the desks of editors (the New York Times, Los Angeles range of broadcast media, a publi- of newspaper travel sections. If a Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Chi- cist first looks to the author for any novel is set somewhere in Texas, cago Tribune, and Washington Post, media contacts (some of whom may a publicist might decide to send among others), and they try to have already been incorporated a little more widely to that state. gauge the commitment level from into the galley mailing). Then the This attempt at securing nontra- major national broadcast media publicist will look at the genre or ditional exposure is often referred (both radio and TV). Ideally the subject matter of the book and to as “off-the-book-page cover- author’s events have also been set come up with another list of con- age”—with the hope of the book up and confirmed by this time too. tacts who may be interested in it. being picked up for features and (While this is a general outline of For example, if the book’s topic is interviews.

A new novel by X. J. Kennedy A Hoarse Half-human Cheer an entertainment A medieval schoolmaster whose students stabbed him to death with their pens---his name lives on in the College of Saint Cassian of Imola, a school with spectacular troubles. World War II has ended, and overnight Saint Cash’s has recklessly expanded from a dozen students to 4,500. Unknown to the honest clerics who run the place, the Newark Mafia finds the college a useful front for a racket in war surplus materials. It’s a tough scene for a green kid like apprentice mortician Moon Gogarty, even tougher for coach Douglas Knox, a priest with a drinking problem who receives mysterious threats on his life. And both Knox and Moon face a powerful temptation: mobster mistress Aisling Vastasi (“Nymphomania,” she says, “is a heavy cross to bear”). CURTIS BROWN UNLIMITED, Publishers Paperback and Kindle editions Opening chapters on Amazon.com

PW.ORG 8 HOW AUTHORS CAN HELP THEMSELVES

eyond the basic question of How does Work with your publicist. “A good work- lishing course at Columbia University. Bthis work? are the issues—both big and ing relationship with your publicist is “We’ve had success with setting up small—that arise with each book and au- essential,” says novelist Meg Wolitzer, meet-and-greets with bookstore staff thor. Here are some suggestions and things whose most recent book is The at chains and independents in any to bear in mind, from those in the trenches: Interestings (Riverhead Books, 2013). given tri-state area, within driving dis- Take a good look through your own Rolo- “Writer and publicist can get together tance of the author’s home. The stores dex. It’s crucial that an author think and brainstorm about who the book love putting a personality with a book. about the people she knows who are should be sent to, which might lead to The business-savvy authors then send connected to the media. Even if your some creative ideas for reaching a lot thank-you notes and keep an e-mail list book is a novel, that food-editor friend of readers.” so they can send out infrequent e-mails of yours at the Chicago Tribune might of exciting things that have happened When doing any interview, keep it sim- for their book or their writing careers.” know a slew of people to pass your book ple. “Mention the book. Bring it back along to. Often with author contacts, to the book. Have stock responses Hold on to that “you never know”—just the author may compose handwritten prepared. If a question throws you off, don’t count on it. “Way back in the gal- notes, which the publicist will send out try to bring it back with one of the ley stage, we sent Stiff [ W. W. Norton, with the galley or finished book. responses rehearsed,” suggests W. W. 2003] to Alan Ball at Six Feet Under, hoping for a blurb,” says author Mary Build a platform. David Yaffe, who Norton’s Erin Sinesky Lovett. “Even Roach. “We heard nothing. I thought, has written for the Nation and Slate, with bright interviewers, for literary ‘Waste o’ time and postage—the guy’s among other publications, uses his publications, questions call for basic too busy to look at a book from a byline to promote his books, Bob answers,” says Joshua Wolf Shenk. stranger.’ But a year later, lo and behold, Dylan: Like a Complete Unknown Remember: Any ink is better than no ink. he featured the book in a series of epi- (Yale University Press, 2011) and “My first book got nailed in its first re- sodes. It was actually a plot point (there Fascinating Rhythm: Reading Jazz in view,” says George Saunders, “which was a photo stuck in the book that held a American Writing (Princeton Uni- was in one of the New York dailies— clue to [Lisa Fisher’s] murder). You just versity Press, 2005). but nailed at a high level, which I think never know.” Before your book is published (and made people take a little notice, more even after), an editor and a publicist than if it wouldn’t have been reviewed Learn to be your own publicist. Han- will usually be thrilled to help you at all—of course—but also more than nah Tinti, author of The Good Thief develop your pitch and recommend a neutral review or a tepid good review (Dial Press, 2008), offers these tips for publications that are most suitable for would have done. It sucked at the time, shameless self-promotion: “Build an your work—and helpful to your book’s but in the long view, not so bad. So interesting website and keep it regu- publicity. The op-ed page is always a when you get nailed, be glad you didn’t larly updated; get in touch with liter- popular place for new authors to write get ignored. Any ink is better than no ary bloggers who can help spread the on a multitude of topics. word and add links to your site; have ink. Being ignored is what kills a first It’s also valuable for an author to postcards printed and always keep some book, and plenty of them are ignored— maintain a consistent presence on with you, to hand out at readings, book to the heartbreak of their authors.” whichever social media platform he is signings, talks, etcetera; use friends and using, “not just popping up whenever Think locally and regionally. “We are family—especially when trying to set a big story breaks to comment,” says finding more and more that we need to up events near your hometown; buy Simon & Schuster’s Sarah Reidy. “If begin our publicity push regionally— extra copies of your book with your he’s already established himself as an in the author’s hometown or in the re- author’s discount to send out.” Most expert, or at least an intelligent voice gion where the book is set—and then of all, Tinti says, “promote your book on a certain subject, that only helps me grow it from there,” says Shaye Are- using the same hardheadedness that got to position him that way to the media.” heart, director of the Columbia Pub- you published.”

9 POETS & WRITERS POETS & WRITERS GUIDE TO PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION

Press materials often serve the for a campaign heavy on broad- tional Book Award, or an author purpose of enticing editors who cast media; a timeline can be help- who is a prominent speaker and can are not receiving a high volume of ful for a work of history; a cast of tie her book into a lecture sched- books (and some who are, like those characters can make a sprawling ule, for example, can make the me- in broadcast media). Opinion is split novel more accessible. Brevity, dia’s ears suddenly prick up, as can as to whether anyone even gives so however, is always key: All of these current events when they relate to much as a glance at press materials. examples would traditionally fall the subject matter of a book. Still, every publicist can recall a time into the category of what many Social media also offers opportu- when, had there not been the press publicists refer to as a “one-sheet,” nities for publicists to garner new release, there would not have been which should, for the most part, attention for older titles. “It might that very-last-minute interview or be just that—a single page with not be appropriate to send out a radio segment. Essentially, press information that will both entice follow-up e-mail to reviewers for materials should be thought of as the media and make the percep- a book that came out in 2005 just keys—Cliff’s Notes, crib sheets—to tion of the book clearer. because Margaret Atwood tweeted break into a book, and an author can Press materials are also essen- about it or because it showed up in an be helpful in assisting the publicist tial for authors who will tour, but episode of Portlandia—both of these produce such materials. A short au- whether or not an author, espe- have happened to us!” says Reidy. thor Q&A is one of the most useful cially a debut author, will tour is “But it’s totally appropriate to brag tools an author can provide for the always a difficult decision for pub- about that on social media. And who publicist and the media. Publicists lishers. “My first tour was…lonely. knows who’s going to grab on to that frequently quote from them in pitch At my largest event, I read to information?” With editors, blog- letters, while feature editors and three people,” remembers Chuck gers, and readers following authors producers for broadcast media can Palahniuk of his campaign in 1996 and other industry professionals on look them over to get a sense of what for the hardcover of Fight Club Twitter and Facebook, it’s possible an interview with that particular au- (W. W. Norton)—before it was that such mentions lead to an order thor might cover. a film starring Brad Pitt and Ed- from a bookstore’s website or an edi- Not surprisingly, nonfiction ward Norton. “With no track re- tor’s recognizing the book as fitting books are easier to promote in the cord, it can be a real challenge to perfectly in a roundup he’s working media, particularly when they are get readers to attend an event,” one on for a major newspaper. “That’s on a timely subject and can be tied publicist from Random House told kind of the magical thing about so- into current events. “A lot of the me in great frustration. The solu- cial media,” says Reidy. “You really time what works for fiction is the tion for many publishers is to stick just never know.” author’s personal story. It’s always with the home base, where an au- Publicists follow up on both helpful to have background infor- thor can assuredly garner a crowd. their galley and finished-book mation or a particularly interesting “Otherwise, it can be unprofitable mailings via phone calls and bio,” says Sinesky Lovett. “Perhaps for the house and demoralizing for e-mails. While they send books the author plays guitar; perhaps the author—and if no one is happy, to a wide variety of people in the she’s friends with Sting; maybe her then there’s little point.” media, many of whom they have father was a spy.” A one-page anec- There is, on average, a period long-standing relationships with, it dotal bio can tell the media some- of about one to three months that is never an easy task to get a direct thing about an author that wouldn’t a book and author can maintain a yes—or even a no!—from an editor necessarily be found in the pages of presence in the media, after which or a producer. They have the savvy the book or on the dust jacket. it is common for that visibility to and often the connections, but they Publicists are almost always dissipate. Still, the media is both can’t strong-arm, say, the Wash- open to other creative materials decisive and finicky—there can al- ington Post into reviewing a book, that might complement a book. ways be an opportunity for a bout though that call or e-mail is hope- For works of nonfiction, talking of reactive publicity. A book that fully bringing your book closer to points can be useful, especially wins the Pulitzer Prize or the Na- the top of that editor’s pile.

PW.ORG 10 PUBLICISTSPEAK very job has its own unique vocabulary, Morning America, Larry King Live, and Off-the-book-page coverage: Print cover- Ewhich can be bewildering to outsiders. The Daily Show. age that is not a book review or in the Publicity is no different. The following is a “publicistspeak” primer, a list of unfamiliar Galley: The bound, uncorrected proofs book review section of a magazine or words you might hear your publicist use. When of a book, sent to publications and media newspaper. This can include features, in doubt, ask her to explain—and be sure to in- outlets with a longer lead time—such as interviews, a book mention in a regu- quire how your radio phoner campaign is going. monthly magazines and the national larly appearing column, or an author’s ARC: An acronym for Advanced Reader’s broadcast media—as well as the trade quote in a larger piece about a specific Copy. An ARC is the same as a galley publications (Publishers Weekly, Kirkus topic related to the book. with a reproduction of the dust jacket on Reviews, Library Journal, and Booklist). Phoner: Any author interview, live or its cover, and is sent out approximately Long lead: Usually refers to a magazine taped, that is conducted by phone. four months prior to a book’s publication that has a longer production schedule to pursue long-lead coverage (see below). and therefore requires information Platform building: An author’s efforts, about a book—in the form of a galley Backstory: The story of how an au- before and after publication, to put her or ARC—three to four months ahead of thor came to write about a particular name in the public eye by writing op-eds its publication. Examples include Elle, O: subject—background that cannot be and other pieces pertinent to her book’s , , , found between a book’s covers. The The Oprah Magazine Vogue Vanity Fair Men’s Journal, Men’s Health, Esquire, Pop- subject, and to promote the book by in- backstory can be an excellent “hook” for ular Science, Smithsonian, Outside, Travel cluding its title in each byline. feature-type coverage in the media if it + Leisure, the New York Review of Books, is particularly interesting or inspiring. Radio phoner campaign: When informa- Bookforum, Harper’s Magazine, and Poets tion about a particular author and book is BLAD: An acronym for Book Layout and & Writers Magazine, among others. Design. A BLAD is a small pamphlet of sent via e-mail to a long list of regional and Mediagenic or telegenic: Used to describe a few pages that includes samples of a national radio producers—as many as one an author who is either attractive or at book’s visual elements and either an ex- thousand or more—suggesting the author ease in front of the camera—or both. cerpt or marketing copy. They’re used as someone who can speak on a particu- instead of galleys for publicity mailings Media training: Professional coaching to lar topic. This is often very effective for of books (such as graphic novels) whose prepare an author for any and all types books related to current events. Author in- essential visual components make them of media opportunities. Usually done terviews are usually conducted by phone, too costly to print in their entirety. through mock interviews, such training and may be taped or broadcast live. helps the author develop more accessible “Book a national”: To secure coverage sound bites for her book’s message. on a nationally broadcast program, ei- Satellite tour: A series of broadcast media ther television or radio, that is widely Off-site: A book event—a signing and a interviews given by an author, via satellite viewed or listened to. Examples include talk or reading—that does not take place feed from a single location, that are taped All Things Considered and Fresh Air, Good in a bookstore. and normally aired all in one day.

While, at times, a publicist is 2005) and Powers of Two: Finding hush of a sound studio; the agony powerless in terms of the fate of a the Essence of Innovation in Creative (and occasional relief) of reviews.” book, a little passion can go a long Pairs (Houghton Mifflin, 2014), Publicists understand what you’re way. Joshua Wolf Shenk, author of described his first-time experience getting yourself into—the process Lincoln’s Melancholy: How Depression of it all to me: “The intensity of is at once thrilling and terrify- Challenged a President and Fueled forty faces staring at you under a ing—and they feel all of that with His Greatness (Houghton Mifflin, bookstore’s fluorescent lights; the you.

11 POETS & WRITERS POETS & WRITERS GUIDE TO PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION LITERARY JOURNALISTS How to Get on Their Radar BY JEN A. MILLER

s a freelance writer, I If this was frustrating for me, write about books and imagine how the author of the book authors for newspapers must have felt. and magazines. This Fortunately, this author had Ameans I depend upon the expertise boned up on her publicity skills. Be- of publicists. I live by their tips. I cause I had written about her first need their prompt assistance when it book, she stayed in touch with me comes to getting news about forth- and let me know when her publisher coming books, review copies, and had set the publication date for her contact information for authors. follow-up work. This gave me plenty But one e-mail I received from of time to pitch a story to another a book publicist made me want to magazine—an even better one than bang my head against my desk. the publicist had suggested. I’ve now Employed by one of the top pub- written about this author and her lishing houses, she suggested that two books four times. I review a book by one of her au- Let me say that I work with many thors for the May issue of a certain terrific publicists who bend over magazine. But the May issue was backward to send me galleys I re- already on newsstands. And while quest and to send unsolicited titles she admitted being unfamiliar with they think I might like. But even the the magazine, she said she thought best publicists are often overworked, that the publication would review some of them promoting thirty or the book because it had covered forty authors a season, which is why the author’s first work. In fact, this many authors know they are their magazine won’t run a story about own best advocates. Whereas a pub- the same author twice. licist may be in charge of a few dozen titles at a time, an author represents just one. Jen A. Miller is author of The Jersey Those authors savvy about acting Shore: Atlantic City to Cape May as their own publicists also probably (Countryman Press, 2008) and know, as any good (and not-so-good) the memoir Running: A Love Story, publicist does, that freelance writ- forthcoming from Seal Press in ers are invaluable contacts. Of the 2016. She writes about books and roughly 150,000 writers working authors for American Way, US Airways in the United States, the U.S. De- Magazine, New Jersey Monthly, and the partment of Labor estimates that Philadelphia Inquirer. 68 percent are independently em- ployed. That’s nearly 100,000 of us

PW.ORG 12 freelancers out there, searching for stories: a review, an author profile, sites to consider are Bookslut.com, the next great story. or a trend piece. While most liter- which publishes exclusively book- Many of us freelance full-time. ary writers long to have their books related stories and reviews, and the We have established contacts at nu- reviewed in a top-tier newspaper, a online magazine Salon, which pub- merous media outlets. We special- profile can be an excellent way to lishes a handful of book stories ize in ideas—and in understanding promote a new title. Profiles tend every week. One interesting note: publication cycles, news pegs, and to be less risky for the subject than Most blog writers pull double duty BY JEN A. MILLER other aspects of timing. We know reviews and, therefore, better at as print writers. When trying to about a range of publications; we garnering positive publicity. find contact information about can see angles that literary writers Know Where to Find Us. The freelance writers on websites, go to may not have considered. And we first step is to read bylines. Skim the About Us or Contact Us page, often write about an author more back issues of magazines (a local or which often lists writer bios and than once. For example, a freelancer university library with a good pe- e-mail addresses. could write an author profile for a riodicals section should have back Even if a freelancer writes mostly large newspaper, a trend piece about issues of each magazine they carry, for print, we are creatures of the web, the book for a regional magazine, and many magazines post back is- relying on e-mail for communication, and a Q&A with the writer for a life- sues online). Note the names of and usually we have our own web- style website—all during the week those who cover books, and check sites with writing clips and contact of the book’s publication. I, for one, those names against the masthead in information. Enter a name into your tend to include books of authors I’ve the front of the magazine. If the per- favorite search engine and see what profiled before in holiday gift guides son is listed as a contributing writer, comes up. You may also send a note or other roundups, such as Summer or not listed on the masthead at all, to an editor asking for a freelancer’s Reading or Fall Favorites. you’ve more than likely got yourself contact information. Keep in mind, The author-freelancer connection a freelancer. You can also identify though, that editors are bombarded can be fruitful for both parties. So staff writers from freelancers by the by e-mails from publicists and writers how can literary writers align them- short biography that usually accom- all the time and might not always get selves with freelancers? Not all free- panies reviews and articles. back to you. lancers are the same, of course, but In addition to visiting your local Know How to Approach Us. knowing who we are, what we do, library, read blogs and websites for Once you have a writer’s contact what we’re looking for, and when, names of freelancers. Two popular information, send a pitch and make can help you on your way to forging that connection. Understand What We Do. Free- lancers inhabit an interesting niche in the publishing world. We work ei- BUT EVEN THE BEST PUBLICISTS ther full- or part-time and can write for a dozen different venues. How ‘ARE OFTEN OVERWORKED, SOME we land assignments varies. Some- times a story arises from an idea OF THEM PROMOTING THIRTY OR we’ve pitched to editors; sometimes FORTY AUTHORS A SEASON, WHICH it’s an editor who has contacted us. We’re always on the lookout for new IS WHY MANY AUTHORS KNOW ideas, and we’ll enthusiastically pitch stories about a book or an author we THEY ARE THEIR OWN BEST believe in. When writing about books, espe- ADVOCATES. cially literary prose and poetry, we’re usually doing one of three types of ‘ 13 POETS & WRITERS POETS & WRITERS GUIDE TO PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION

it personal. Take the same approach tions. “I’ve found it very difficult to “Don’t send me a book on dog with contacting freelancers as you get information from such publish- grooming, because I write about did when you were pitching your ers,” he says. “They don’t have a lot of crime fiction,” says Sarah Wein- book to agents and publishers. time, or the necessary infrastructure, man, who contributes to the Los “If you’re writing fiction, try to to respond to reviewer requests.” Angeles Times, the National Post, and come up with a way to summarize So authors need to follow up the Wall Street Journal. “Having said the plot in a couple of sentences,” themselves. Make sure that we get that, there is some give, because I says Robert Bittner, who is a full- the book, and if we don’t, ask your have eclectic tastes and I can be sur- time freelance journalist. “Yes, this publicist to send it again. If all else prised.” information is on the back cover and fails, you can also offer to photocopy Know Our Calendars. Timing in your PR materials. But I’d per- a sample from your advance copy and is everything, so know our publish- sonally rather have authors describe mail it to us. ing schedules. Giving us time to read their own work in their own words.” Know What We Write. Like tar- and think about your book is key. Make it simple, too. Most free- geting the right agent, it’s essential “Be early,” says Bittner. “I can’t lancers have no need for a glossy, to target the right freelancer. Blan- tell you how many letters I get from high-quality press kit when a concise keting the freelancing world with PR folks inviting me to publicize a e-mail can give us enough informa- press releases and review copies will ‘new’ book that came out last week. tion to know if we’re interested in waste your time and money. Contact For me, that’s an ‘old’ book by about writing about a subject. If we’d like writers who specialize in the kind four months.” more, we’ll ask. Remember that of book you’ve written. If you write Writers for monthly magazines we’re professionals and expect to poetry, look for a freelancer who are typically pitching stories to edi- be treated as such. Correspondence writes about poets. If your debut is tors six to nine months in advance of should be addressed using our full a historical novel, and the freelancer a book’s publication date. Obviously, names, spelled correctly; letters (or you found writes only about health we need to know about your book e-mails) should be well written. books, move on. that early. And we’re not picky about Always include your contact infor- This requires mation on each piece of correspon- that you do your dence. homework. You’ll SEND A PITCH AND MAKE Once you snag the attention of a find much of this freelancer, make yourself available information the IT PERSONAL. TAKE THE to answer questions in a timely same way you ‘ fashion. “Sometimes review op- found us, through SAME APPROACH WITH portunities arise quickly and un- our websites and predictably,” says Bittner. “There’s by reading our CONTACTING FREELANCERS no point in sending out a press re- regular publica- AS YOU DID WHEN YOU lease about your book if you’re not tions. Electronic prepared to be interviewed about it databases, such as WERE PITCHING YOUR that day.” LexisNexis, can Don’t Always Rely on Your be most helpful. BOOK TO AGENTS AND Publicist. Even with the best pub- (While a subscrip- licist, requests can fall through the tion to LexisNexis PUBLISHERS. cracks. Too many times, an author is expensive, some will ask her publicist to send me a libraries allow you book, and it never materializes. to access it free of charge; you can the format: galley, bound copy, or Bittner loves to introduce new au- also search its database and buy photocopied pages‘ of the layout thors from small, independent pub- articles à la carte.) That way, you will all work. If you don’t have any lishers, for example, but those houses can see everything we’ve written of those yet, we can still pitch an au- are often one- or two-person opera- about—books and beyond. thor profile—as long as you send the

PW.ORG 14 basic information about yourself and Know We’re Not Perfect. Sure, easier, we’ll want to stay in touch. your forthcoming book to us early. I’d love to write about your book for Even if I didn’t write about your first Newspapers, weekly magazines, the New Yorker, Harper’s Magazine, book, I know that somewhere down websites, and blogs require less and O: The Oprah Magazine. But given the line you will likely write another. lead time. Willa Rohrer, former the competitive nature of publishing, And I’ll also share information about freelance reviewer for Philadelphia it’s not necessarily going to happen. you and your work with other free- Weekly, would turn in a review to At times, editors I work with regu- lancers if I think they’ll be interested her editors about a week before it larly reject ideas I love, which isn’t a or have a better angle on a story. was published. “It’s nice to have judgment of me, you, or your book. Having a professional connection more than a week before that to There are many good stories, and with freelancers also makes it easier read, digest, and write,” she says, many good writers and books, jock- for you to contact them in the future. “So, ideally, I would have the book eying for the same few positions. If you have a second book coming out, at least three weeks before its re- Freelancers often repitch re- let me know, and give me time. lease date.” jected ideas to other outlets. So the Sound like a lot of work? That’s be- And the lead time for a blog, says last thing you want to do is fire off cause it is. But after pouring time and Weinman, who wrote for GalleyCat an angry e-mail to me because I energy into writing a book, pitching on Mediabistro.com until 2007, is couldn’t land that feature profile in an agent, and finding a publisher to “whenever I want. That’s the nature the Atlantic. We work with you, not bring the idea to life, the last thing you of blogging.” for you, and you should always keep want is for no one to read your book. No matter what, err on the side of that in mind when dealing with us. Freelance writers can be key players in early. We can always save informa- Build a Relationship. If an au- helping you find what you need most tion about an upcoming release. thor is collegial and makes our jobs of all: an audience.

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15 POETS & WRITERS POETS & WRITERS GUIDE TO PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION

A year before the release of Bit- tersweet, we strolled the show floor LAUNCHING A of BookExpo America (BEA), the annual trade fair in New York City. Bubbling over with dreams for Bitter- BEST-SELLER sweet’s success, we clung to each other like nerds who’d snuck into the cool kids’ party. We agreed to have weekly WITHOUT SELLING meetings and sealed our partnership with a handshake under the Javits Center’s soaring glass ceiling. The year that followed was a rev- YOUR SOUL elation. Miranda learned that self- promotion does not require flinging The Rewards of Self-Promotion herself into the promotional chasm, and that online marketing is only BY MIRANDA BEVERLY-WHITTEMORE AND DAN BLANK sustainable (and enjoyable) if you’re exposing your deepest, truest self. Together, we embraced the idea of iteration—revising, reworking, and iranda Beverly- findBittersweet ’s readership. learning from our missteps. Because Whittemore was a Miranda’s previous experience in we could always change what we had failure, or at least self-promotion felt a lot like stand- made, we were emboldened to ex- she felt that way. Her ing at the edge of a chasm, strain- plore a variety of new initiatives. Mfirst two novels—acquired together ing to hear her publisher whisper its From our initial list of possible in a six-figure deal in the mid-2000s— expectations from the other side. As projects, here are five we undertook had suffered disappointing sales, and founder of WeGrowMedia—a com- that proved successful: two subsequent manuscripts were met pany that offers consulting, courses, with zero interest from publishers. So and training for authors to find and Blogging the Book Launch when an editor at Crown Publishing connect with their readers—Dan Looking back, with more than 130 fell in love with her next book, Bit- Blank helps the parties standing on posts under our belts, a blog about tersweet, Miranda’s excitement was either side of that promotional chasm our work together seems obvious. superseded by her pragmatism. Sure, build a bridge over it. Before work- But we had concerns. Were we in- Crown’s publicity and marketing de- ing together, Miranda thought of the terested enough in the process of partments seemed deeply engaged, Internet as a mask to hide behind, but promotion to blog about it? Should and her editor was passionate. But for Dan, social media, websites, blogs, we expend energy dissecting our ap- Miranda knew this could be her last and newsletters are simply extensions proach rather than finding readers? chance to prove her work had sales of the physical places where authors Did we really want to expose mar- potential; for that reason, she wanted can engage genuinely, and gener- keting attempts that might fail? to do everything in her power to help ously, with others. In fact, what he But when we looked for case stud- believes is not unlike what Miranda ies of what other literary novelists was teaching her four-year-old: Be had done to promote their work, we Miranda Beverly-Whittemore is the kind to others and they will recipro- came up empty-handed. By offer- author of three novels, most recently cate. True connection requires more ing the blueprints to the bridge we the New York Times best-seller than simply slapping up a website; were building, we hoped to encour- Bittersweet (Crown, 2014). She lives you must understand who you are age other writers to think practically in Brooklyn, New York. in order to know what you can—and about this necessary aspect of their want to—offer your readers. working lives.

PW.ORG 16 We aimed to demystify every as- way only the lifelong hyphenated ing as she would at a party—warming pect of the prepublication process. can. Dan nodded patiently and ex- up to the room, asking questions— Miranda’s “Anatomy of a Book Blurb” plained that the simpler her web- and began to gain followers. This series outlined how she was reaching site name, the more readers would new skill set became useful around out for quotes from writers she’d much be able to find her. And wouldn’t it publication, as bloggers and librar- admired but never met, including be great if her website matched her ians tweeted about Bittersweet, and Kate Christensen, Maggie Shipstead, Twitter account (her name has too Miranda found herself able to re- and Lauren Groff. We blogged about many characters for Twitter), which, spond in real time. She’s met and our weekly meetings as well as those in turn, matched her other social befriended Twitter followers at with Crown’s publicity and market- media accounts? We bought Mi- BEA—people with whom she’d never ing team, detailing in-depth conver- randaBW.com and didn’t look back. otherwise have a personal connec- sations about blog strategy, website Dan taught Miranda how to use tion. And she recently hosted a few design, and outreach to book “influ- Wordpress by making PDFs with Twitter chats—on one occasion tak- encers.” Miranda also wrote about the screen grabs so she could under- ing over the Crown handle to reach shame she’d felt about her previous stand each step. He urged her to out to its nearly forty-four thousand commercial failure, receiving hun- think of the website as a place to followers—and finds the platform to dreds of responses from writers who reveal her true self; she uploaded be one of her favorite ways to interact identified with the headline “I’m a Big pictures from the span of her life, with readers. Failure and I’m Proud.” and penned a first-person bio with Although many authors don’t dis- Bittersweet’s publication was much more than just a list of her ac- cuss book promotion on their per- the blog’s organic expiration date. complishments. The site, now easy sonal Facebook page, Miranda keeps Overwhelmed by jitters and tasks, to navigate and revise, has changed her friends in the loop as good news Miranda stopped contributing reg- according to our needs, incorpo- develops, setting it alongside more ularly, but Dan picked up the slack. rating them for the ten Bittersweet personal daily updates. On her au- Over the course of the year we’d book trailers made by Miranda’s thor page—which Crown requested gained a loyal following, with many filmmaker sister, as well as hosting she start—she’s had a harder time writers thanking us for revealing the a twenty-fourbook giveaway (see finding her voice. During a research behind-the-scenes details of a book below). But there is still tweaking to trip for her upcoming novel, she ex- launch. Rather than distracting us do: A formal bio and downloadable perimented by posting photographs from finding our readership, the author photo need to be added, and exclusively on this more official project ultimately extended our net- information about Miranda’s next page. Facebook analytics helped her work beyond Bittersweet, which will novel, June, recently acquired by understand exactly how these posts prove valuable for future projects. Crown, must be incorporated into were boosting engagement, and she the website’s design. Still, Miranda is looking for other opportunities to Redesigning the Author Website knows she can do it, and on her own. make the page feel personal on her Static since 2007, Miranda’s website The site’s flexibility—which once own terms. consisted of an author photo she would have been overwhelming—is It’s the personal angle that led hated; a formal, impersonal bio that now one of its biggest charms. her to join Instagram—and kept read like something out of corporate her there. The desire to share visual America; and no mention of Bit- Crafting a Thoughtful snippets from her life is organic, tersweet. And since the site was de- Social Media Presence reinforcing that what feels most signed in HTML, she had no ability Aside from having a personal Face- natural is what is most easily incor- to revise it on her own. book account, Miranda wasn’t well porated into daily life. And being on When Dan suggested she versed in social media. At Dan’s en- Pinterest has proved valuable; among change her website name from couragement, she joined Twitter, at other things, the visual inspiration MirandaBeverly-Whittemore.com first simply following those she ad- that inspired Bittersweet was used by to something shorter and easier to mired. As she got more comfortable, Miranda’s editor to build enthusiasm spell, she scoffed defensively in the she joined the conversation, interact- for the book in-house.

17 POETS & WRITERS POETS & WRITERS GUIDE TO PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION

Launching an at least not exclusively. Rather, it’s port writers, reward readers, and E-Mail Newsletter about creating long-term connec- create community. For the past nine years, Dan has tions with people who will remain We decided to give away one book been sending out a weekly newsletter invested in her work ten years from per day, building to the grand prize on Friday mornings. He writes long now. Realizing that folks can unsub- (which we found ourselves drool- pieces to help writers and creative scribe if they don’t like how often ing over): One lucky reader would professionals develop an audience she pops up in their inbox has been win every single one of the books. without feeling overwhelmed. Dan liberating. Twenty-four authors agreed to par- always includes a personal touch: a Since then she’s written about her ticipate, including Emma Straub, picture of his son and a picture of his son’s preschool graduation and the Roxane Gay, and Megan Abbott, favorite meal of the week. loss of her grandmother, along with each pledging to send two signed Unsure of what she’d say in her more professionally related topics first editions to the winners of their own newsletter, Miranda got an ac- such as upcoming readings and hit- books. We built a daily webpage for count with the e-mail marketing site ting the best-seller list. Every week each individual giveaway, using a AWeber. She wanted to use her con- she receives warm responses from Proust-like questionnaire to create tact list from 2007, when she’d sent a few subscribers, reinforcing the in-depth profiles of each featured out blasts from her personal e-mail, choice she’s made to remain a con- author and book. We came up with but Dan reminded her it was better stant in their lives. She passes out a name (“OMG! All the Books!”) to have ten loyal subscribers than a a sign-up sheet during readings, and an image, settled on a Twitter hundred who don’t feel invested. So netting subscribers with every ap- hashtag (#OMGbooks), and shared she started over, asking friends and pearance she makes. Writing the these materials with our partici- supporters—on Facebook, Twitter, newsletter is now a reflexive part pants so they, and their publicity and via e-mail—if they’d like to sign of her weekly ritual; its recipients departments, could help us spread up for her revamped newsletter. She have become a community. She has the word. is now in the weekly habit of sharing recently started giving away her fa- Since Miranda was doing the her creative process and the daily ins vorite books each month as a thank- bulk of the organizational work, she and outs of her life. you for their support. hosted the giveaway on her website. After the first few blasts went The result: Twenty-four writers out, Miranda got a concerned e- Creating a Compelling Giveaway spent five weeks boosting one an- mail from her editor, wondering if Seven weeks before publication day, other and mentioning Miranda’s this new project was too frequent we were antsy. We’d accomplished website and the giveaway on social and in-depth. Would casual readers most of our long-term goals but media. It was rewarding to build of Bittersweet really want to receive wanted to do more. Then Julia Fi- genuine, lasting connections with so this much content every week? This erro—whose debut novel, Cutting many other writers—a good bunch feedback helped galvanize Miranda’s Teeth, was published by St. Martin’s of whom had probably never heard definition of this project: The news- Press the same day as Bittersweet— of Miranda. And remaining a steady, letter isn’t for book promotion—or mentioned that she had dozens of positive online presence exemplified friends with books being published the community-building we’d been in the summer of 2014, and an idea aiming for all year. It was so much Dan Blank is the founder of for a big, bold giveaway was born. unexpected fun that we’re consider- WeGrowMedia, through which he Miranda would take on the bulk ing making it a tradition. helps writers share their stories and of the administrative work; Fierro connect with readers. He has worked would cohost by inviting her friends ou never know what will with hundreds of writers, and with to participate; and Dan would man- work before you try it, organizations such as Random House, age the technical side—from the and this was true with Workman Publishing, Abrams Books, legal language, to building web one of our projects, a and many others. pages, to managing the software. Ystand-alone blog called FriendSto- We hoped this giveaway would sup- ries.com. At the heart of Bittersweet

PW.ORG 18 lies a complicated friendship between to see the network we’d created— ing the unsustainability of FriendSto- two young women; when Miranda Twitter followers, Facebook friends, ries.com to cracking the Facebook talked about the book, many of her and newsletter subscribers—so eager author page—we have been glad to friends responded with their own to spread the good news. learn from our mistakes, and grate- tales of girlhood connection. The Our efforts were greatly amplified ful that the Internet easily embraces author envisioned a website where by the hard work done by the rest of change. Dan has deepened his under- women could share these tales. Miranda’s team—her agent, editor, standing of how best to energize the We hoped spreading the word publicist, marketing crew, and all the full year prior to publication, and con- about Bittersweet within a commu- people at Crown. This is a point often tinues honing this work with other au- nity engaged around the topic of lost in the thousands of articles on- thors. And Miranda is relieved that our friendship would prove valuable. line about “what makes a best-seller.” efforts created something sustainable, After all, Miranda was starting June, Building an invested team that com- connecting her audience from Bitter- also centered on a set of childhood municates well may not be glamor- sweet to June, which will be published best friends; building a project that ous, but it is an essential foundation in 2016. Now that she’s established linked her books was exciting. Dan for self-promotion. her community, she can pull back and designed a website, and Miranda so- While we might have done a few focus on the part of her job she truly licited stories from her inner circle. things differently—from anticipat- loves: writing. Once she’d gathered two months’ worth of content, she began post- TIPS FOR SOUL-SUSTAINING SELF-PROMOTION ing pieces twice a week. The submissions to FriendStories Be Generous: Instead of trying to amass thoughtful and realistic about the work re- .com were hysterical, heartrending, followers, aim for lasting connections with quired in joining. and honest. But as Miranda ran out of readers and online friends. They’ll treat you Be a Rule Breaker: Marketing best prac- personal contacts, it became harder generously if you do the same with them. tices tend to state that newsletters should be to get potential contributors to take Be Part of a Team: Though Miranda was sent out early in the week. But Dan has been the leap. So many hours had to go promoting her own book, her efforts were sending his out on Fridays since he started into soliciting, nudging, honing, and amplified by collaboration. We write alone, it nine years ago, and Miranda has found it posting each piece that sustaining the but we can’t publish without pooling exper- rewarding to do the same. Remember, you blog became unrealistic. It had failed tise and connections. get to engage your community in the way to gain its own momentum, and she Be Brave: Miranda was terrified to ask you see fit. decided to put it on hold. for blurbs from well-established authors. Be Yourself: Readers want to love you From the standpoint of supporting But she thought carefully about who might for the same reason they love your work— Bittersweet, FriendStories.com was a really connect with the novel (for example, you’re unique. When on social media, flop. Yet with such a compelling topic Jodi Picoult) then took the plunge by reach- speak as you would to someone at a party: at its heart, perhaps the project will ing out via e-mail, Facebook, and other social respectfully, warmly, and in your own voice. re-emerge in a new form. Looking at connections. The subject line of one of Miranda’s recent it as an iteration of something larger, Be Persistent: Picoult responded warmly newsletters was, “I’ve Got Baby Feet to we don’t yet know what its value will to a blurb request, and Miranda nudged her Eat”—she was off to meet a friend’s new- be, and every misstep offers its own gently every few months. Although Picoult born. That newsletter had the most opens lesson. wasn’t ultimately able to blurb the book, she of any she’s sent out. offered to Tweet about Bittersweet during Be Kind: There will always be someone ublished on May 13, publication week. Come May, Miranda sent who gets more press or sells more books a friendly reminder, and Picoult tweeted than you. Bite your tongue despite your own 2014, Bittersweet spent about the novel to her 85,000 followers. envy; it’s a small (writing) world. One of the three weeks on the New Be Picky: Platforms for self-promotion best ways to increase your reach is to rejoice hardcover York Times are numerous; eavesdropping on Twitter, in the good fortune of other writers; when best-seller list. Although there’s no P Instagram, or Facebook will give you a sense good news comes your way, they’ll do the way to know which of our efforts of a platform’s culture and allow you to be same for you. helped place it there, it was thrilling

19 POETS & WRITERS POETS & WRITERS GUIDE TO PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION

each project had a clearly identifiable SOCIAL MEDIA endpoint, which was arrived at when a feature article was published or a segment aired on a national news FOR AUTHORS program. Five years later I switched my Forever in Search focus to cultural projects, primar- ily literary publicity, and assidu- BY LAUREN CERAND of Buzz ously and methodically read four hundred blogs via an RSS reader, which collected new and updated writer I know recently der into a reading or other event? items and displayed them continu- asked me what I’d been Or, as is usually the case now, see ously. Partly, it was personal interest working on lately. “Pub- a mention on some form of social that led me to focus my attention on licity, as always,” I re- media? When I work on a public- online media. It was also a matter Aplied, “although more consulting ity campaign, I view my objective of necessity. Publishing is a rela- than campaigns these days.” as twofold: to persuade someone to tively small industry, and working “Oh right, authors and our ‘per- buy the author’s book—as opposed outside traditional houses, I lacked sonas,’” he scoffed. to all the other books competing for the carefully cultivated relationships Having spoken to students in attention—and, more essentially, to that in-house publicists maintained. graduate creative writing and jour- speed up that sale and persuade her I also saw no need to duplicate their nalism programs at two different to do it now. In order to achieve this, efforts. universities that week, I took it in an author needs that ever-elusive I speak regularly to audiences— stride. I always do. I have to. Rarely buzz. But what exactly is buzz, where from academic groups to editorial does a writer come along who is does it come from, and how do you and publicity staffers at publishing thrilled by the prospect of market- get it? houses—but I don’t spend much ing himself. But after we chatted for When I began my career in public time sketching out the particulars of a while my friend conceded that, relations a decade ago, doing media any one type of social media. They yes, there is only so much room in outreach for campaigns and hot- change too quickly, and I eschew each issue of the New York Times button social issues, my mornings the idea that anyone should be ev- Book Review, which I admitted I were devoted to reading the Wall erywhere all the time. I encourage seldom read, and that, ideally, his Street Journal, the New York Times, writers to consider what they are would be among the books chosen and the Financial Times, as well as already doing, and to focus their for review. a few other newspapers. I’d clip out efforts there. Is YouTube useful for I always ask authors who request relevant articles, paste them onto writers? Sure, if you like making vid- my services to begin by consider- single sheets, and distribute cop- eos. I wouldn’t encourage anyone to ing how it is that their readers know ies to executives. What is striking spend money on a book trailer un- what they know. Did they discover to me now is not how much paper less they have a concept that already your latest title in a review? Wan- was involved—and it was a lot—but sounds viral in the telling. Facebook how finite the world of information and Twitter are useful because that’s seemed. The work was systematic where so many of the bits of infor- Lauren Cerand is an independent and technical: Faxed press releases mation that color our lives can be public relations representative were followed up with calls to re- found, and that’s where everyone is specializing in strategic consultation, porters and editors in the hope that looking at the moment. Twitter is whose clients include authors Diana they might attend the scheduled where I find what editors and book- Balmori, Meg Cabot, Tayari Jones, press conference, and press kits sellers are talking about when they and Terese Svoboda. were assembled to distribute there. talk about books. I log in to Face- The thing I remember most is that book to keep in touch with authors

PW.ORG 20 and see who’s hot right now. A few with the clamor of a good party. The make your career. If anything, that years ago it was MySpace, a few years task of finding readers and an audi- exposure could be a breakthrough hence it will be something else. The ence is made much easier by joining that heralds success because it leads specific platforms are always evolv- the conversation that you feel you to the next shot at the limelight. ing, but the overall trends are fairly belong to, whether it’s via media that Rather than angling for a specific consistent. you maintain (your blog, your Face- kind of coverage in a specific kind There’s a video of me speaking book page, your Twitter handle), of outlet, I encourage authors to see at Penguin Books in London a few community sites you check daily, or things from the perspective of sus- years ago, and it always makes me blogs that you read and comment on tained momentum, and to do things wistful to get a note about it from when you have something important that will continually advance their someone who’s just come across to add. interests, and, ultimately, their ca- it, because there’s a perfectly out- I recently had a conversation with reers. For this particular writer, dated Myspace anecdote in the an author who is, in the best sense that means focusing on the niche clip that makes no sense now. It of the word, emerging. His third audiences that fall outside his pub- lacks context, and is thus wholly novel will be published in the fall, lisher’s view. I suggested he pose a irrelevant. At the time, the anec- and he’s gotten the coveted reviews. particular question—concerning dote was highly instructive, and Still, his frustration was evident as reading series that take place in the author I was talking about he asked me, quite frankly, how he’s art galleries—on Facebook. This has gone on to be something of a supposed to know what’s working is how buzz starts. It is a matter of social-media sensation in other if he doesn’t see the results in his starting to speak, igniting that de- realms. This experience reminds sales. I explained my theory of posi- sire for interaction, commentary, me of the fluidity of change, and tive momentum. It’s no longer the and conveyance of ideas that pow- the necessity of not getting too case that one thing will necessarily ers social media. caught up in the imagined struc- tures of permanence. The microb- logging platform Tumblr is gaining in popularity among my friends and WHAT KIND OF SOCIAL-MEDIA USER ARE YOU? colleagues (I have a well-tended personal blog on another platform I’m a talker. Sign up for Facebook work, upload it, and share with other and have not opened a Tumblr ac- and Twitter (see page 23). If you al- users. Search using keywords like count, having reached my limit; a ready use these platforms socially, "poetry" or "story," listen to literary sort of fascination fatigue sets in begin to share news about your podcasts, leave comments, and share due to long-term exposure to new writing life. Figure out how best to with your writer friends. I want to hone my craft. Try Fic- ways of learning everyone’s opin- tell your story in an engaging but professional way. (And unless you tionaut. You can post your own writ- ions on, well, everything) and the have 5,001 friend requests, don’t set ing, invite critiques, join and start location-based social-networking up a fan page for yourself. Yet.) communities, and follow writers and site Foursquare gets a lot of traffic I like visuals. Tumblr is for you. readers whose tastes you share. (but I don’t use it, because I find the Most posts are simply images. I’m focused on career. She Writes idea of self-reported surveillance a Tumblr is so easy to use that many has webinars on every aspect of the little too Orwellian for my taste). “blog-to-book” deals begin here. In- publishing business (that anyone Technology is a set of habits, and stagram is another great option for can download) and a stable of real- they can be good or bad for you. photo-lovers. life experts on tap. The world of social media deeply Just books, please. J o i n Always looking for a party. The resembles the world it mirrors—and Goodreads, Shelfari, and Library­ Rumpus, the Nervous Breakdown, in some ways has supplanted: Fear, Thing. and Electric Literature feature rowdy fame, anxiety, connectivity, conver- I like to listen. Soundcloud makes conversations and ample opportunity sation, blossoming friendships, con- it possible for users to record their to be entertained, and to join the fun. nections being made, they all unfold

21 POETS & WRITERS POETS & WRITERS GUIDE TO PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION

f you’re unsure where to begin, much on authors as the industry. my perspective, or my having re- start by doing one thing really For the truly hard core, Mash- ceived one too many e-mails on the well. We’ve transformed our able.com offers the latest social- day of the reading or book launch. culture from the model of pas- media news and trends. One day, The correct timeline for promoting Isively receiving information, with a some corporations will have figured an event, by the way, is to send out few voices speaking authoritatively out how to effectively monetize details one month in advance, with to everybody else, into a multitude the digital economy, and we’ll talk a reminder two weeks later, then a of diverse perspectives and com- about all the things that used to be few days prior to the event. Linking mentaries on a much wider and free, scarcely believing it ourselves. to a Facebook invitation in subse- richer spectrum of topics. If there Take advantage of this moment. quent status updates does the trick. are qualms, they are usually about These are your resources, and yours Consistency is key. quality or quantity. Most of the alone to invest in and manage. Often the word brand is seen (by time, though, it seems people give Many authors wonder about the literary authors, anyway) as a tre- up too quickly because they don’t best way to represent themselves mendous turnoff. I would argue that know what to do or where to look. online. Should you have a clear in our capitalist culture we’re all Specific online communities are an distinction between your private raised on brands. If a certain soda excellent starting point, allowing self and your public identity? Ide- maker halted production today, and you to gingerly experiment with the ally, you will one day have many you came across a red billboard with level of interaction and exposure more fans than you can maintain a white wave fifty years from now, you feel comfortable with before a one-to-one relationship with, so you’d know what it used to be sell- venturing into what may feel like I encourage authors to develop a ing. A brand is a clear, consistent the more public sphere. Figment channel of communication that message, streamlined and with a .com is for teen fiction; Shewrites serves and grows their existing minimum of clutter. To achieve this .com connects women writers (and audience with a mix of relevant on a website, your information needs the OpEd Project offers real-world news and just enough personal to remain current and laid out in a workshops to give them access to disclosures to keep it human and way that allows people to find the in- a larger stage); Fictionaut.com, a enjoyable as a medium for social ex- formation they’re looking for imme- site for which I serve on the board change. You choose where to draw diately, without any distracting bells of advisers, aims to recreate the the line. While I often post where and whistles. As far as social media MFA-style peer-driven work- I’m having lunch and with whom as goes—whether it’s on Facebook, shop critique. Certain multivoice a way of giving attention to places Twitter, Tumblr, Foursquare, or blogs also function as communi- and people who are deserving of it, I other platforms—you need to share ties, giving readers opportuni- would rarely offer more than a vague information of merit efficiently and ties to contribute. The Rumpus, sketch of someone with a role in my in an open manner. For instance, Electric Literature, and the Ner- personal life. The content that you consider the time of your post. Week- vous Breakdown are a few examples. choose to post via whatever social- day mornings have the most eyes. Mass customization and an ex- media platform you choose should A few years ago I decided print pectation of personalization at comprise whatever you are com- was dead and the future was alive every level are the hallmarks of fortable with, and the disclosures and well in cell phone novels. So I the information age, and there’s that feel natural and pleasurable to went to Japan. It was true; everyone no reason why your publicity you. was reading them on the subway, and strategy shouldn’t be tailored pre- A consistent theme I hear from there was plenty of flashy technol- cisely to your needs as well. You authors grappling with this new ogy to occupy my mind while I was don’t need to have a presence on landscape is their fear of overpro- there. But what resonated most was all platforms, but you should be moting their work. But very few that I was in the midst of a culture aware of them. Mediabistro’s blog people, in my opinion, correctly far older than my own. And the mes- GalleyCat is a hip, tech-savvy promote themselves enough. Per- sage was simple: Books change. Sto- eye on publishing, with a focus as haps it’s my profession that colors ries are forever.

PW.ORG 22 How to Use Twitter to Connect With Readers

hile it’s one of the most increas- book recommendations; others tweet Mind your manners and make new Wingly popular social-media plat- about the progress of their own work friends. Etiquette is a key aspect of forms, Twitter is also derided by some (crowdsourcing can be an invaluable social media, and adhering to a few as the place where people with too much way to get feedback). And reply to conventions is crucial for success. time on their hands announce in one hundred forty characters (or, hopefully, others’ tweets when you have some- When replying, keep your comments fewer) what they’ve had for lunch. It’s thing to say (click Reply under their pertinent; randomly promoting your true, Twitter holds within it a staggering tweet). That person may then respond latest link to people who have not pro- repository of mundane and meaningless by retweeting your comment, which fessed an interest is likely to fall flat. information from across the globe. How- would then post your message to her Much better to post your message to ever, if you manage it correctly, you can stream or feed (both terms that de- your stream, and if people take notice, use Twitter to promote yourself and your scribe the aggregate of posts). writing, to engage with your readers, or retweet one, two, or three mentions in to stay current on the publishing and a day. More than that is aggravating literary scenes. Here are a few simple Categorize your tweets using hashtags, and impolite. If you have something rules to get started. which organize topics of interest. clever to say, you may add it when For example, attendees at a one-day posting something someone has said Establish a handle. When signing up book-camp gathering might include about you. Otherwise, a simple and for a Twitter account, your username #bookcamp in their tweets about the straightforward retweet will suffice. will become your handle, the name event. This allows other users to easily It’s also good manners to share good to which your tweets (or posts) will find and peruse all the posts with that news about your fellow writers. Any- be attributed. Keep in mind that mark system-wide, and is especially one you mention is likely to return tweets are limited to one hundred useful for both attendees at the con- the favor. forty characters, so brevity is in your ference and those keeping up from afar best interest, especially as a short and in real time. Be mindful of your presence online. As concise handle increases your chances people take notice of your activity on of being mentioned by someone else. Follow the leading lights in your field. Twitter, they may begin to follow you. Also make sure it’s easy to spell and Compile a list of critics, editors, pub- Use this influence wisely and keep remember. lishing professionals, and publica- your posts topical and on message. tions; then follow them. The search Nurture the same positive, encourag- Tweet twice a day. Much more than box on the Twitter homepage can ing environment that makes literary that—unless you have something es- help you find people by name. Hav- connections thrive and flourish in the pecially compelling to convey—can ing them follow you back is not as “real world,” and you will soon hear keep you at the screen to the detri- important as being in a position to the power of your tweets amplified ment of the page. respond to a question or opportu- many times over. nity they might offer their followers. Join the literary conversation by Reading Twitter daily can be as useful Visit www.pw.org/content/thirtythree_ tweeting about subjects that relate as reading every industry publication twitter_feeds_to_follow to see our list to your interests, achievements, and in the morning and going to a party of informative and inspiring writing- habits as a writer. Some authors tweet every night. related Twitter feeds to follow.

23 POETS & WRITERS POETS & WRITERS GUIDE TO PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION

behavior. What’s easier to quantify BOOK TRAILERS is what happens when a book video is not good. And because of the The Key to Successful form’s growing popularity, there are many more bad book videos BY SARAH WEINMAN Video Marketing than there are good ones. The first thing a fledgling author can do to produce a book trailer t used to be a big deal when latest literary releases. If it’s interest- that readers will pay attention to the author bio on the back of ing enough to watch, the thinking is to remember the obvious: The a book included contact in- goes, surely it’s interesting enough video must make reference to the formation such as an e-mail to read. What was considered a nov- book and its author in some way. Iaddress or a website. Now hardly elty back in 2002, when the term book But how can writers avoid less anyone bats an eye when a writer— trailer was coined and trademarked obvious traps and sidestep the in- new, emerging, midcareer, or by Circle of Seven Productions, is dignity of their book video’s being veteran—blogs alone or with oth- now not only commonplace, it’s de deemed “too cheesy”? Kassia Kro- ers, sends out missives via Face- rigueur. zser, who hosts the publishing in- book, and checks in on occasion As with any other marketing ini- dustry blog Booksquare, believes with Twitter, Goodreads, Tumblr, tiative, however, there is no hard data the key to a successful book trailer or the latest social-networking site. to track whether watching a trailer “is to offer up some lagniappe— But none of these Internet market- translates into book sales. An article something that can’t be found on ing approaches reflects the publish- published in the Wall Street Journal Amazon, something that isn’t a ing industry’s struggle to convert in 2008 found that a series of trailers repeat of the cover copy. Authors the latest technology into increased for Chad Kultgen’s debut novel, The are really well positioned for this, book sales as forcefully as video Average American Male (Harper Pe- especially if fiction is their forte, content—specifically the book rennial, 2007), racked up millions of because catching the attention trailer, an idea that’s turned into views on YouTube—and that more of people today requires creative explosive reality thanks to broad- than twenty-five thousand copies thinking.” band Internet connections, the as- of the book were sold, according to If you’re lucky enough to have a tounding success of YouTube as a Nielsen BookScan, which is said to publisher willing to produce a trailer distribution channel, and the almost account for 70 percent of a book’s for your forthcoming book—or if, desperate need to capture the atten- sales—while a trailer for Jami At- like the majority of authors, you tion of a younger generation that is tenberg’s The Kept Man (Riverhead need to create your own trailer— allegedly reading far less than the Books, 2007) was viewed only a few the following points should be kept previous one. thousand times and did not boost in mind before embarking on this In an attempt to tap into this po- copies sold beyond the three thou- difficult and time-consuming yet tential market, a growing number of sand mark, a typical figure for a work potentially rewarding and creative authors and publishing professionals of literary fiction. process. are producing videos promoting the Both Attenberg and Kultgen cre- 1. Watch other book videos. ated attention-grabbing videos that Just as it’s important for aspiring reflect the tone and voice of their writers to read widely and closely Sarah Weinman is the news editor books—brash and comic in Kult- in the genre of their choice, it’s for Publishers Marketplace. Her gen’s case, dreamlike and lyrical in equally important to watch videos writing has appeared in the Wall Attenberg’s. The gulf between their and trailers for books in that genre. Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, sales figures likely reflects the spec- Explore YouTube—a simple search the National Post, and many other ulative nature of such publishing for book trailer yields more than 1.74 print and online publications. ventures, not a causal relationship million results—and take note of between book trailer and consumer what works and what doesn’t, what

PW.ORG 24 grabs your attention and holds on to it. If you’re noticing something special, and if you’re left with the POOR PRODUCTION VALUES WILL feeling of wanting to find out more, TURN A PROSPECTIVE BUYER OFF, AS it’s likely other viewers will feel the ‘ same way. WILL INAPPROPRIATE MUSIC. 2. Know your goals. “A book trailer is a tool,” says Circle of Sev- en’s CEO Sheila Clover English, all about.’” The trailer for Rivka images to finesse edits, and time and understanding that will allow Galchen’s debut novel, Atmospheric cuts to music. ‘ you to better understand the video’s Disturbances (Farrar, Straus and 4. Boredom is your enemy. “So scope, reach, audience, and niche. Giroux, 2008), conveys the post- many book videos are created with Book trailers currently fall into modern mysteries at the heart of the author in mind,” Circle of Sev- two categories: the viral video, de- the plot with haunting music and en’s English stresses. “You need to signed to entertain the viewer, who a style very much in keeping with create the video with the audience will then e-mail it to a friend, and Galchen’s writing, giving viewers in mind.” Poor production values the commercial video, designed to the information they need to de- will turn a prospective buyer off, simply inform viewers that a cer- cide if the book is for them—or for as will inappropriate music, too tain book is coming out. Kultgen’s someone else. many still images, and a pace slower videos for The Average American 3. Stick to a budget. The aver- than molasses. One key to keeping Male are classic examples of viral age book trailer now costs about two viewers engaged is to strike the ap- videos, shoehorning the basic con- thousand dollars to create, but that propriate balance between text and cept of the book into short bursts figure varies depending on whether visuals. Too much narration at the of cringe comedy that demand to you decide on a do-it-yourself ap- expense of still and moving images be passed along. Another well-traf- proach, pay an independent com- is a great way to get people to move ficked viral video is Dennis Cass’s pany like Circle of Seven, Expanded on to the next link, as is text that “Book Launch 2.0,” which depicts Books, or VidLit to do the job, or repeats what the viewer already sees a one-sided telephone conversation have the good fortune of working on screen. The dusty axiom “Show, where Cass describes all the ways with a publishing house that will foot don’t tell,” when applied to this not to go about promoting his book the bill. twenty-first-century medium, still (the paperback edition of Head Case: If you have a publisher who will stands. Austin Grossman does just How I Almost Lost My Mind Trying not or simply cannot make a trailer that in the trailer for the paperback to Understand My Brain, published on your behalf—and, despite the edition of his debut novel, Soon I by Harper Perennial in 2007, even popularity of trailers, most authors Will Be Invincible (Pantheon, 2007). though the title was not mentioned are in the same boat—or you can’t He approached the task somewhat in the video—a sly move on Cass’s afford to pay several thousand dol- counterintuitively, but the overall part). lars to have it done independently, effect—stick figures drawn in pen- Straightforward commercial- the budgeting issue is critical, but cil showing his superheroes and like videos have the potential to go hardly insurmountable. Thanks to villains in action—is hilarious and viral as well, but they are crafted software programs such as Win- memorable. almost as a moving-image pitch dows Movie Maker, Adobe Pre- Keeping readers in mind means for a book. “The medium of the miere, and Apple Final Cut Pro, recognizing that they are smart book trailer shares the same mo- editing high-quality video is no consumers and will ignore anything tivations, and strengths, as the longer the domain of experienced that smacks of overt marketing. They coveted art of the ‘elevator pitch,’” professionals, and is far easier and want to be informed and enter- says Anderson. “It is an opportu- cheaper than even a few years ago. tained but not preached to. “I think nity for the writer to grab a reader These programs will teach you one of the least compelling videos and say, ‘This is what my book is how to fade in, fade out, insert still an author can do is a straight inter-

25 POETS & WRITERS POETS & WRITERS GUIDE TO PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION

view. They feel staged and phony,” novelty,” English says. “The video reviewers should be high on your says Krozser. “The audience des- is the hook that you fish the so- list. If you want to cast a wider net perately wants to make a connec- cial networks with. If people like and venture into brand-name rec- tion with both the author and the your bait, they will come to your ognition, that’s where a more ex- book, and anything inauthentic is site, where you really want to daz- tended campaign for many more passed over.” zle people.” Neither is it enough thousands (if not millions) of online It can also be helpful to show to rely on social networks such page views counts. the video to a test audience. Just as as YouTube, Facebook, MySpace, 6. Look ahead. Right now there many authors rely on first readers and Twitter; you should also in- are thousands of book trailers, and to review a completed manuscript, teract with and make your trailer even though only a minority hold a group of objective viewers can available to the communities that the viewer’s attention and pro- point out flaws in your trailer. As spring up around those social net- voke conversation (and possibly part of a 2007 blog post on how to works. You should promote your even some extra book sales), that create book trailers, Brenda Coul- trailer through the tastemaking number will increase as authors ter described such a test screening. blogs, message boards, and mail- and readers become even more “After nearly every one of my ten ing lists for any and all niches your sophisticated. Krozser believes testers said black screens with noth- book falls into, so that it’s available the book-video universe will also ing but text on them were boring, to more sets of eyes and more po- evolve in response to the same I figured out how to superimpose tential book buyers. Every possible massive shifts that are being seen my text on the photographs,” she avenue for promotion that relates in the publishing industry, as read- wrote. “Thanks to that and other in some tangential way to the book ing with electronic devices such as input from my testers, the video was can be used to distribute the book Amazon’s Kindle and the iPad be- greatly improved.” video. comes standard. 5. Distribute widely. It’s not This is where knowing your au- “I think video will become a huge enough to stick your new book dience comes into play. If you treat part of storytelling...in a way that trailer on your website and hope your book trailer exactly like your motion pictures aren’t,” she says. people come like the proverbial book in the hopes of increasing “Where movies tend to compress horse to water. “If you’re only sales, then reaching out to booksell- a lot of story into a single raised putting it on your website, it is a ers, industry types, book clubs, and eyebrow, novelists can use a variety of media to expand their stories. Our relationship with stories has been multimedia since cave draw- SIX SUCCESSFUL BOOK TRAILERS ings expanded the oral tradition. Vanilla video—book trailers and Professional DIY Bill Garten has published five books of poetry, Black Snow, Red Rain, Eventually, interviews—will plod along with a Atmospheric Disturbances (Farrar, Soon I Will Be Invincible (Vintage, Symptoms and Box of Pain, Box of Fear. He is the winner of the Emerson Prize For video breaking out every now and Straus and Giroux, 2008) by Rivka 2008) by Austin Grossman Poetry and The Margaret Ward Martin Prize For Creative Writing. His sixth book of then, but storytelling via video that Galchen poetry is forthcoming in late summer 2015. “Meg Cabot Talks About Her Elope- ties into books and audio will be “What Men Are *Really* Thinking” ment” for The Queen of Babble Gets where we are in the next decade.” Bill has published poetry across the United States in hundreds of literary magazines for The Average American Male (Harper Hitched (Morrow, 2008) by Meg Of course, Krozser’s predictions and academic journals such as Rattle, Hawaii Review, Asheville Poetry Review, Antietam Perennial, 2007) by Chad Kultgen Cabot underscore the most important Review, California State Poetry Quarterly, Laurel Review, The Comstock Review, Chami- principle when creating a trailer or nade Literary Review, The Loyalhanna Review, Portland Review, Sow’s Ear, Wisconsin Yiddish With Dick and Jane (Little, “Book Launch 2.0” for Head Case any ancillary promotional device to Review, Context South and Poet Lore. Brown, 2004) by Ellis Weiner and (Harper Perennial, 2007) by Dennis help sell your book—a point that Barbara Davilman Cass should be at the forefront of your In addition Bill has been anthologized in Wild Sweet Notes, And Now The Magpie, and mind even before you have a book What The Mountains Yield. To watch the trailers, visit www.pw.org/magazine or search at www.youtube.com. to promote. Tell the best story possible. Bill, who now lives in Hudson, Ohio, has lived in West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Florida, Virginia and Maryland. He is available to give poetry readings and conduct creative writing workshops both domestically and internationally.

You can reach Bill at [email protected] or www.billgarten.com. PW.ORG 26 Bill Garten has published five books of poetry, Black Snow, Red Rain, Eventually, Symptoms and Box of Pain, Box of Fear. He is the winner of the Emerson Prize For Poetry and The Margaret Ward Martin Prize For Creative Writing. His sixth book of poetry is forthcoming in late summer 2015. Bill has published poetry across the United States in hundreds of literary magazines and academic journals such as Rattle, Hawaii Review, Asheville Poetry Review, Antietam Review, California State Poetry Quarterly, Laurel Review, The Comstock Review, Chami- nade Literary Review, The Loyalhanna Review, Portland Review, Sow’s Ear, Wisconsin Review, Context South and Poet Lore. In addition Bill has been anthologized in Wild Sweet Notes, And Now The Magpie, and What The Mountains Yield. Bill, who now lives in Hudson, Ohio, has lived in West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Florida, Virginia and Maryland. He is available to give poetry readings and conduct creative writing workshops both domestically and internationally.

You can reach Bill at [email protected] or www.billgarten.com. POETS & WRITERS GUIDE TO PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION THE AUDIO REVOLUTION How to Amplify Your Poems

BY TODD BOSS

e are in the midst of the past few years (culminating these recordings were converted to a revolution in the in a debut collection from W. W. MP3 files for my website, and sud- way poetry finds Norton that spent several months denly online visitors could both its readers. Never on the poetry best-seller list), has read and hear poems I’d published. Wbefore has it been so easy to create benefited greatly from my invest- As it happened, the audio files went and distribute vocal recordings to a ment in audio production. And I online in the nick of time. About a truly global audience, and yet most am just beginning to realize the month earlier I had submitted my contemporary poets continue to possibilities. manuscript to Norton, and within invest themselves in only their art My journey into audio poetry was a week of its launch the website form’s print aspects, reserving their propelled, in truth, not by a perfor- caught the attention of someone at presentation skills for little more mance—or by slam-poet impulses— the venerable publishing house. It’s than public readings. It’s a pre- but by familial envy. My cousin John easy to imagine that the site’s audio Internet model that serves poets Hermanson is a folk-pop musician in content helped Norton take a risk to a limited extent, leaves readers my hometown of Minneapolis. For on me, and to be honest I have no half satisfied, and denies access to a years, I’ve envied not only his gor- idea if it did, but it’s hard to think potentially much wider “listening” geous, risk-laden songwriting, but that the recordings hurt. Later, audience. also his teeming throngs of gyrating when the publisher introduced Yel- The audio revolution may op- coed fans. In contrast to his shows, lowrocket to its sales team, my audio erate on assumptions less radi- poetry readings are downright fune- was piped into the room. “It blew cal than logical. If we agree that real. Like it or not, rap and pop music us away,” a sales rep told me. I know poetry is partly music, then we must are the popular poetry of our day, from my days as a bookstore man- also concede that to read a poem and poets have much to learn from ager that it’s that kind of anecdotal is partly to sing it. And when you their distribution models, which are experience that finds its way into consider that most Americans know also being quite fantastically revised sales pitches, and can make all the by heart the words of at least one at present. But in this ferment lies difference on an order form. popular song—the one that has opportunity. When Norton mailed advance been played over and over again When I launched my own website reader’s copies of Yellowrocket to on the radio and been downloaded in 2007, I wanted visitors not only to booksellers and reviewers, the pub- countless times from iTunes—it’s learn about me and my work but also lisher enclosed a CD featuring nine easy to see their love of language as to hear my poetry—in my own voice. of my audio tracks. I asked Susan a tremendous opportunity. I wanted the music of my poems, Meyers whether that CD helped My own writing career, which intimate and aspirant, to reach my her write a review of my book for has enjoyed a lot of traction over would-be readers in that sacred place the Charleston Post and Courier. “I where the eardrum’s rhythms pound know better than trying to review with the heart’s heat. I went knock- someone’s work without catching a Todd Boss is the author of the poetry ing on Johnny’s studio door. sample of the sound of the poems,” collections Yellowrocket (Norton, Three sound sessions later, doz- she says, “even if I have to read 2008) and Pitch (Norton, 2013). ens of my poems were masterfully them aloud myself—which I like recorded and edited. A handful of to do. Having access to the poet’s

PW.ORG 28 began inviting me to perform with voice reading his or her own work, INVEST IN YOUR VOICE though, is definitely a plus. I like them. As a result, I’ve been on- having the poet’s voice in my ear.” stage numerous times in the past ecordings and readings can work Later, American Public Media four years, at venues ranging from Rfor you, but only if your voice is well offered me a fifteen-hundred-dollar outdoor folk festivals to intimate tuned. Writers don’t get the vocal train- commission to write a poem about listening-room showcases, perform- ing singers and actors get, and it shows. food for Lynne Rossetto Kasper’s ing my poetry with singer-songwrit- Before you plug in the microphone or syndicated weekend radio program ers and various instrumentalists for fire up GarageBand (or a similar Win- The Splendid Table and read it on the sell-out crowds. Audiences repeat- dows version of the audio software), air. American Public Media pro- edly express their delight and sur- invest in your voice. Consider these tips ducer Larissa Anderson says that prise at how well this works. For for reading your work aloud: hearing my audio helped her make many, it is a first experience of a • Slow down. the decision to recommend me for poetry reading. Most come away • Breathe. Relax. the commission over other candi- with a renewed sense of the music • Work from the diaphragm. dates. “When I consider potential of poetry. • Pause where meanings, radio guests,” she says, “I listen for There’s something to be said for not necessarily line breaks, substance and delivery. Substance the way music can give the listen- require. is easy to research, but delivery can ing mind a break from poetry, and • Articulate. Everything. be more elusive. I sometimes have a this, too, is important for poets to • Go for rich, round vowels. chance to listen for that in a phone grasp. Poetry readings typically • Vary tone and pacing appro- conversation, but I always look for stack the poems so deep, and leave priately. some other kind of audio—an inter- so little room for the mind to absorb • Believe (afresh) every word. view or an instance of that person them, that they risk penetrating the • Practice often into a recorder. reading his or her work.” listener’s consciousness only mini- • Listen critically to yourself My audio files helped make in- mally. After a whirlwind hour of po- and others. roads into the music industry as etry and poetry alone, audiences can well. As soon as they were available come away without a single image to share, I sent MP3 files to select left clinging in the brain’s branches. I was able to quickly hand over digital musicians and composers in the But during an hour in which six or audio files, which made the anima- Twin Cities and beyond, inviting seven poems are read in a context of tor’s work that much easier. Several them to “illustrate” my poems with musical interludes, an audience can of my poems are now available on original instrumentals. Now some use those interludes as entry points YouTube. Our website, motionpoems of my poems have underscoring into the poetry. In this way, musi- .com, is now matching poets with by violin, harp, and other instru- cians can actually train audiences to animators, using the Poetry Founda- ments. Composer Steve Marzullo read poetry, as the listening mind tion’s Poetry Everywhere project and arranged a short cycle of my poems opens to the meditative mind. Billy Collins’s exquisite specimens at for vocal performance; I have several There are other benefits to per- bcactionpoet.org as models for what longer-term collaborative projects forming with musicians in music many see as an industry trend. in the works with a flutist, a percus- venues, not the least of which is that When I started on my audio jour- sionist, an installation artist, and a such venues tend to pay performers. ney, I hadn’t foreseen this animated composer; and a collective of theater You might sell only a single book at video adventure—an adventure that artists interested in collaborations a folk concert, but who cares? You’ll wouldn’t have been possible if I invited me to join their founding have earned perhaps a hundred dol- hadn’t already produced the neces- board, which should open more ex- lars in cash, just for showing up. sary “voice-over” that gives anima- citing new relationships with artists After a reading one night, a film- tors a foothold into the work. Videos of various kinds. maker approached me, asking if I’d of my poems have been picked up Because they could hear the ever want to see my poems animated. by dozens of media outlets, hosted music in my work, musicians After giving her my answer (hell, yes!) on Norton’s YouTube channel and

29 POETS & WRITERS POETS & WRITERS GUIDE TO PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION

various blogs, and even played (a Studio 1 (mxlmics.com) and Audio- video!) on the radio, to punctuate Tech n ica’s AT2020 USB (audio-tech- LISTEN AND LEARN an interview. nica.com). All install easily and ren- pend some quality time listening to der warm, bright sound. great (and not so great) audio re- had the benefit of professional Perhaps one day poems will be S cordings of writers reading their work. studio sessions when I made heard on radio stations just as songs As you listen, enjoy—but also make my first audio files, but there’s are, and poets will release audio mental notes of best and worst read- good news for poets who don’t poetry collections and singles on ing practices. Pay attention to pacing, Ihave access to the fancy stuff. Great iTunes. Audio isn’t likely to replace phrasing, and breath. audio can be recorded using the built- the printed (or pixelled) page, but in microphone on most computers if you couldn’t ask for a better way to www.blackbird.vcu.edu ambient recording conditions are supplement it. Just remember: Stan- www.cortlandreview.com optimal. And there are many high- dard book contracts give audio rights www.fishousepoems.org* quality microphones available with to publishers, taking your control of user-friendly USB interfaces; they can future audio recordings away, but www.newyorker.com* plug right into your computer, mak- most publishers won’t raise a fuss if www.poetryarchive.org ing recording at home a snap. I tested this clause is struck from a contract. www.poetryfoundation.org* several for this article. The best is You should insist on retaining your the Snowball, manufactured by Blue rights to recordings of your work, www.slate.com* Microphones (bluemic.com). Other so that you can explore, unhindered, excellent microphones for around the many ways in which audio can be *Also available as a free podcast on iTu nes. a hundred dollars include the MXL put to good use.

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PW.ORG 30

POETS & WRITERS GUIDE TO PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION

Scott McClanahan, a musician, filmmaker, and author of five books, MAKE THEM GLAD including two published 2013: Cra- palachia: A Biography of Place, pub- lished by Two Dollar Radio, and Hill THEY CAME William, published by Tyrant Books; Alissa Nutting, author of the BY KEVIN SAMPSELL How to Give an story collection Unclean Jobs for Women and Girls (Starcherone Inspired Reading Books, 2010) and the novel TAMPA, published by Ecco in 2013; and lot of people love to aters. I know when someone is a good Jenny Zhang, a frequent contribu- hate on literary read- reader and when…well, not so much. tor to Rookie, an online publication ings. Even among I asked eight of my favorite read- for teenage girls, and author of the writers, they’re often ers of all time for their thoughts and poetry collection Dear Jenny, We Are Aridiculed in cruel jokes about in- advice about how to give inspired All Find, published in March 2012 by sufferable writers droning on from readings. They are: Octopus Books. long, convoluted novels or the Steve Almond, noted rabble- singsongy manipulation of poetry rouser and author of a number of How did you get to be so good at slams. I imagine Mike Myers in the fiction and nonfiction books, in- readings? 1993 comedy So I Married an Axe cluding the story collection God Bless Kennedy: I think I’m good at read- Murderer, performing like a finger- America (Lookout Press, 2011); ings mostly because I’m terrified snapping beatnik. Derrick Brown, publisher of Write that I will be bad at them. In other But when a reading is good, it can Bloody Publishing, award-winning words, I think the level of fear and, be just as exciting as seeing a great performance poet, and author of five oddly enough, shame or embar- singer lose herself in a song or watch- poetry collections, most recently Our rassment or something, is so high ing a stand-up comedian killing it Poison Horse (Write Bloody Publish- inside of me right before I walk into onstage. I’ve been setting up and ing, 2014), and Strange Light (Write the room that every single damn hosting readings at Powell’s Books Bloody Publishing, 2012); nervous tic comes out and I think, in Portland, Oregon, for seventeen Michael Heald, author of the essentially, that makes for an enter- years now, and have done my own essay collection Goodbye to the Nervous taining evening for folks. I have to readings longer than that—from Apprehension (Perfect Day Publish- say, as a grown man, no matter how open mikes and poetry slams to read- ing, 2013); good the reviews are on something, ings at bars, bookstores, and big the- Dan Kennedy, host of the Moth I feel a little awkward about facing StorySLAM and author of three an audience of people who have lives books, including the novel Ameri- and a million other things going on Kevin Sampsell started reading at can Spirit, published in May 2013 by and basically saying, “Hey, you guys, open-mike nights in Seattle in 1989 New Harvest, an imprint of Hough- I’m gonna do my little funny writing and began coordinating various ton Mifflin Harcourt; thing now, so make sure you get in readings soon after. Since 1998 he Beth Lisick, cofounder of the line and get a good seat.” I’m from has been an events coordinator for Porchlight Storytelling Series in San a kind of working-class background Powell’s Books. His writing has Francisco and author of five books, where I feel like, you know, people appeared in Salon, Nerve, the Good including Yokohama Threeway and have lives and a lot to do—they can’t Men Project, Tin House, the Rumpus, Other Small Shames (City Lights, be bothered with this. I just feel like and elsewhere. His novel, This Is 2013) and Helping Me Help Myself: you have to be good at it, you can’t Between Us, was published by Tin One Skeptic, Ten Self-Help Gurus, and waste people’s time; keep it interest- House Books in 2013. a Year on the Brink of the Comfort Zone ing and paced and moving. Before I (William Morrow, 2008); had ever written a book, I remember

PW.ORG 32 sitting in a bookstore listening to an author read and it was almost hostile, how long the author was going on and on. I remember thinking, “Jesus, I READ DIFFERENT PIECES EVERY was a fan of yours an hour ago.” Almond: A couple of things that NIGHT. CONSIDER THE AUDIENCE, help are: (1) Doing lots of them, and ‘ (2) being a big fat showoff. I also went THE LENGTH OF THE READING, AND to a ton of readings when I first got to Boston, and it helped me realize YOUR OWN MOOD. that the folks I liked best were the ones who broke down barriers with the audience, who seemed to want to reveal themselves, as opposed to roids for a bit until I had to stop. I Brown:‘ I think speech and debate/ projecting a persona. couldn’t stand the acne anymore. forensics competitions helped me a Nutting: I think you have to be Zhang: Basically total, unceasing, lot. In those performance competi- willing to embarrass yourself.... It’s indefatigable narcissism coupled tions (and in writing, for me) you pretty difficult to get people to laugh with crippling shyness and fear of really learn what it is like to have with you. It’s easier to get people to meaningful social interaction. I fear an audience of three people, how laugh at you, so I try to engage that as other people to an intense degree, subtle you can be, how the audience much as possible. I just want people but I also have an intense desire to should have the orgasm more than to laugh. I also think it’s important be the center of attention. It’s easy you, how noticing the environment to know that a great piece of writing for me to misbehave or act out when during the reading is important. I doesn’t necessarily translate into a I’m on a stage or when I’m talking in also loved how Anne Sexton would great piece to read aloud. For read- front of a crowd. The less intimate do so little and Steve Martin would ings, I try to pick stories that have the setting, the freer I feel to act do so much and I could be just as what I like to call the Honey Boo instead of be. I don’t think an “act” is moved. I try and live in the middle Boo factor: ones that ooze shock, necessarily a bad thing, either. It can for poetry. Too much performance [with] spectacle and irreverence. be a protective, defensive measure. is like putting bacon on top of Lisick: When I wound up at a bar Like if I’m going to talk about things bacon. that was having an open-mike night that might be revolting for people Heald: I practice. I stand at my win- back in 1993 or so, I was so inspired in the audience, then afterward I dow and pretend Couch Street [in by how all the readers climbed onto have this buffer against whatever Portland, Oregon] is my audience. the stage and read their poems and hatred or disgust I might feel. Like, The day of an event I’ll use the stop- stories to the mostly drunk crowd. “Oh, it wasn’t me that made you watch function on my phone and I made myself come back the next feel uncomfortable, it was the act, read through the piece maybe four week with something to read, and the performance.” If you think of a or five times. Ideally I’ll get to the that’s how I got experience. That’s reading as a performance—and I’m point where I tear up or make my- how I started writing, too. Writing thinking about performance in the self laugh. Then I know I’m ready. I and reading for a bar crowd. Part of broadest possible way, meaning not spent many years playing in bands. it was sheer volume—making your- necessarily showy or loud or high Getting up onstage is something I self heard—and part of it was try- energy or filled with punch lines crave. I just really like the attention. ing to write something compelling or shock points, but just something I think the first step toward becom- enough so that people would stop that is more than reading words you ing a good reader is to start look- talking and listen. once wrote down—then you create a ing forward to that attention. Even McClanahan: I did the Hulk Hogan space where you can play. I try to fig- if you’re reading about something method. I said my prayers and I took ure out what kind of play is possible really awkward and embarrassing, my vitamins. I also shot up with ste- when reading my poems out loud. you’re trying to do it in a way that

33 POETS & WRITERS POETS & WRITERS GUIDE TO PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION

will make people go, “Weird. That McClanahan: Be vulnerable and showed up. Don’t read for too long. was kind of sexy.” prepare to be humiliated. Readings Don’t rush. It’s supposed to be fun. are kind of like a public sacrifice— Lisick: I think you should definitely What tips do you give to writers and you happen to be that sacrifice. practice whatever you’re going to who are about to do their first I’m getting sick of people bringing read and if you’re reading prose, reading, or even their first read- their beer to the stage though. In the don’t be afraid to edit your text to ing tour? words of Mick Jones from the Clash: fit the situation. You might need to Nutting: Know your venue and your “Don’t disrespect the stage.” drop a few paragraphs or read con- audience. The same stories that kept a Almond: The first thing I say is: versations without every “he said, she quiet room of writers captivated and Don’t try to front. If you’re feeling said” or even add things if it makes rolling with laughter have tanked at nervous, just say to the crowd, “I’m something more clear, funnier, or loud bars with a mixed crowd. I had feeling nervous.” If a guy in a stove- better. I treat the performance of to learn when to do a quick blast of pipe hat walks in front of you, don’t my written work not as a showcase micro fiction filled with zingy one- ignore the weirdness. Acknowledge for what an amazing writer I am but liners and when it was okay to whip what’s happening in the room. Don’t rather as something that stands on out the intricately crafted fifteen- be afraid to ad-lib. Loosen up. It’s its own as an enjoyable experience page story where everything comes okay to be disappointed if you have a for the audience. As writers, we hope together at the very end. small crowd, but don’t take that dis- that’s the same thing, but I know for

Kennedy: Writing, comedy, direct- appointment out on the people who me it just isn’t. nutting: aaron mayes, black mountain institute; kennedy: lam thuy vo; almond: jason elek; mcclanahan: elissa goldstein ing, storytelling...all of these things are blue-collar service jobs, and the second you mistake them for a glori- fied or privileged position, you’re off track. Everyone who came out to see you has a lot to do, so make them glad they came. If something works well and they enjoy it, take a second to mark it so you can do it the next night in the next city; if something is good on the page but sucks live, cross it out so you don’t do it the next night, and bail out of it earlier than you planned. It’s more fun to admit it than to try and force it. I’ve been reading, stopped, looked up at the audience and said, “Oh, fuck that, right? It was really fun when I typed it, trust me. And I think you’ll like reading that part of the book, but Jeeeezus, let’s step it up a little here, right?” And then I skipped to some- thing in the book that’s more fun to hear. Having said that, the stuff I write is rooted in comedy; I’m not sure any of my advice is worth much if you’ve written something that isn’t. I’d hate to tell you to cut something short if it’s beautiful and heart wrenching but you look up and don’t see people laughing.

PW.ORG 34 Zhang: Read your shit out loud in it’s okay to give a depressed reading. every night. Consider the audience, front of a mirror and time it. The It’s okay to give a fun, light reading, the length of the reading, and your worst thing is going over your allot- too. Just don’t give a self-indulgent own mood. The last thing you want ted time at a reading. No one likes reading. You know, where you end up to do is read something you’re bored that. Not drunks and not sober, se- being the one who is the most moved of, or something you no longer think rious people—not anyone. Even the and the most charmed by your own is very good. My favorite readings most boring readings are magnifi- antics. Don’t do that. have always been when I’m reading cent when they are under five min- Heald: Practice, practice, practice, something brand new. People like to utes. And the greatest readings in the but not too much. Time yourself. laugh. Writers aren’t comedians, and world become tedious after the twen- Shorter is almost always better. it’s important to remember that dis- tieth minute. These are general rules, Know where your funny moments tinction, but if you’re reading some- but obviously, brilliance and cha- are. Don’t be afraid to give people a thing brutal and depressing, it’s not risma trump rules. Do like Virginia chance to laugh. Prepare yourself for a bad idea to say something funny Woolf: Get in a bathtub and read those superdramatic moments where while introducing yourself. It’ll help your words out loud to yourself over you’re going to slow things down. you relax and keep people on your tony tulathimutte; brown: mike mcgee and over again, and make sure they One thing I’ve found helpful, espe- side while you wade into this brutal, sound right together. If they don’t cially when on tour or doing a flurry depressing stuff. sound right, strike them. Lastly, pay of readings here in Portland, is to Brown: For your first reading, make nutting: aaron mayes, black mountain institute; kennedy: lam nutting: aaron mayes, black mountain institute; kennedy: lam thuy vo; almond: jason elek; mcclanahan: elissa goldstein lisick: eli africa, somarts cultural center; heald: robert duncan lisick: eli africa, somarts cultural center; heald: robert duncan gray; zhang: attention to your mood. Sometimes change it up. Read different pieces yourself tired before you perform. Do push-ups, run, get it on—something to burn down the nerves. Don’t drink unless you’re a pro. Don’t smoke weed unless you think rambling and pregnant pauses are amazing. Don’t do a reading if you have ten good pieces. Have a hundred good pieces and choose three. A great feature is twenty to twenty-five minutes or, if you have a lecture format, longer. But most people get it in that amount of time. Don’t ever ask for more time, or one more. Always have merch and get your ass back there and sign books. Take credit cards using a Square Reader. Don’t write bland shit when you sign books. Ask them something. Top row, left to right: Alissa Nutting, Dan Invite a weird line and sign it. You’ll Kennedy, Beth Lisick, gain a fan for life. and Michael Heald. Bottom row, left to Who are the best readers you’ve right: Steve Almond, ever heard? Scott McClanahan, Lisick: There are so many! Michelle Jenny Zhang, and Tea, Justin Chin, Bucky Sinister, Derrick Brown. and Jeffrey McDaniel are comrades and heroes from my beginning days. Michelle’s sheer accuracy in nail- ing it when she’s reading so fast is extraordinary. Justin always sounds

35 POETS & WRITERS POETS & WRITERS GUIDE TO PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION

like he’s sharing a secret with you, Annie” when I was five years old. a few days after Hurricane Sandy Bucky is vulnerable and powerful at As for the now: Mike Young, Adam hit, so everyone was kind of wild- the same time, and Jeff is so hilarious Robinson, Lindsay Hunter, Amelia eyed and rabid after being cooped up while being so earnest that it breaks Gray, Blake Butler, Michael Kimball for a week. Some people seemed sad your heart. I am a huge fan of Dan at Franklin Park in Brooklyn in Oc- and heavy and other people seemed Kennedy. He has made me convulse tober 2012 doing a selection from Big unchanged, although I know that is with laughter at a reading. I have been Ray, Sam Pink, Megan Boyle, Kendra not a charitable or accurate observa- slayed by Matthew Zapruder’s warmth Grant Malone, and Matthew Savoca. tion. A few minutes into the reading and humor. Eileen Myles has given me Almond: People are great in differ- we were told that an electrical fire the chills on multiple occasions. ent ways. Dorothy Allison is like a had broken out, and suddenly there Kennedy: It’s not the most polished preacher. Matthew Zapruder is like were firefighters walking through and practiced and theatrical readers the world’s coolest rabbi. When this gathering of poets and writers. who have caught my eye over the Mary Szybist reads, I want to climb It made me really sad for some rea- years. There are plenty of readers out inside her mouth and live there. I son; like there was something unjust there who have big tricks and props saw Leni Zumas read in 2012—I’d about the way we were carrying on and go way out of their way to create never read her stuff before and she with this reading while these fire- a spectacle of themselves and their just floored me. Those are my favor- fighters were stomping around in wares, and it’s probably great, but ite sorts of readings—when I don’t their gear trying to put out this fire. for some reason that always leaves know the person’s work and I come The last reader was Alli Warren me kind of rolling my eyes a bit. I away feeling like a fool for not know- and she did this incredible thing am always crazy about writers who ing his or her work. where she quietly entered the space just get up there and are vulnerable Brown: Sherman Alexie, Anis Mo- of the reading and said that she was and real and awkward and somehow jgani, Patricia Smith, Neal Pollack, going to read a few poems and then accidentally graceful and awesome. Andrea Gibson, Idris Goodwin, “step back.” I remember hearing You’re a writer first and foremost, so Eugene Mirman, David Cross, Jason those words and being reminded of it stands to reason that the story is Bayani, and Beau Sia. going to these social-justice summits going to be more powerful than your Heald: Scott McClanahan, Michelle as a college student and discussing so-called showmanship, right? Tea, Steve Almond, and Brian Ellis. with other bright-eyed and bushy- One of the best readings to ever Nutting: Benjamin Percy, whose tailed college activists that we need happen in New York City was in voice has built-in special effects. to learn to step back and let other 1999, at a club called Fez that used to Nick Demske, who brings a South- people take up space. Alli killed it. be underneath a place that was called ern Baptist preacher-level intensity I feel like she made this conscious Time Café. Mike Topp read there, to the podium. Laura Mullen, who decision to take up as little space as and it was amazing. He read about ten has the audience cut away her wed- possible, and she really accomplished pieces in a row, they were all about ding dress. And Rikki Ducornet, that, but at the same time, for eight five lines long, and he read them one who is not afraid to make imaginary minutes on that night, my entire after the other fast, and they ranged bird noises. world was filled with her poems and from hilarious to philosophical to Zhang: Brandon Brown did this her ideas and her performance and heart wrenching and it was all over reading that felt decadent. His poems her existence. It was beyond. in about seven minutes. It was like the were booming and loud but not at literary equivalent of a Ramones set. all aggressive or smug. I felt like he McClanahan: I can’t see them but was dipping the audience in a vat of PW.ORG/M AGA ZINE the Dylan Thomas recordings are chocolate, and we all wanted to be Watch videos of Steve Almond, pretty spectacular. Leonard Cohen’s swirled by him forever and ever. Derrick Brown, Michael Heald, 2008 recitation at the Rock and Roll At the same reading, Alli Warren Dan Kennedy, Beth Lisick, Scott Hall of Fame, Hank Williams’s really blew me away. It was at this McClanahan, Alissa Nutting, recitations as Luke the Drifter, and reading in Brooklyn—the Private and Jenny Zhang giving inspired my mother doing “Little Orphan Line reading series—that happened readings.

PW.ORG 36

POETS & WRITERS GUIDE TO PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION THE BEST REVIEWS BY MELISSA FALIVENO MONEY CAN BUY Critical Care for Self-Published Authors

or a little over a year, reviews more than three thousand feature the review in Kirkus’s digi- while stitching together self-published books each year. tal newsletter, which is sent twice a living of part-time For $425 a pop, an author can monthly to more than forty thou- work and freelance jobs, have her book read and evaluated sand industry professionals and FI reviewed books. Not for the New by an established reviewer (who consumers. York Review of Books or the New may also be an editor, author, or Buying a review takes only a couple York Times Book Review, those writing professor). Reviews are not of clicks: An author provides infor- publications that critique the best guaranteed to be positive, and in my mation about her book, submits ei- and biggest books of the season by experience they rarely were. Every ther a print or digital copy, selects the best and biggest authors, but for two weeks a book would arrive in standard service (seven to nine weeks) Kirkus Indie, a younger service of my mailbox (or, in the case of the in- or express (four to six weeks, for the long-established book-review creasing number of e-books, in my $575), and pays for the review. And magazine Kirkus Reviews. The inbox). I would read the book, write then she waits. works I wrote about were published the review, and offer three titles to I found the reviewing job through not by the major houses, nor any of which potential readers might draw a colleague, Karen Schechner, the the ever-multiplying independent a comparison. Once I submitted a senior editor of Kirkus Indie. Be- presses; they were unknown books review, it was given a careful once- fore heading to Kirkus, Schechner by unknown authors who decided over by the Kirkus editorial staff, worked for ten years at the Ameri- to self-publish—and who, through which then notified the author that can Booksellers Association, where a relatively new program, bought a the review was ready for download. she spent much of her time watch- book review. The author can then choose, for no ing independent bookstores across Founded in 1933, Kirkus Re- additional fee, to have the review the country adjust to the growing views is distributed twice monthly, published on the Kirkus website— demands of DIY publishing. by subscription, to more than five where agents, editors, and potential “For a long time indie book- thousand editors, agents, book- readers might find it—and use the sellers had difficulty dealing with sellers, librarians, film executives, review, or excerpts thereof, as pro- their local self-published writers,” and foreign publishers. Its website motional material such as jacket Schechner tells me over lunch near gets a million hits a month. Kirkus copy, press releases, a quote on the the Kirkus office in Manhattan’s Indie (originally called Discover- book’s Amazon page, or a blurb on Flatiron district. “They weren’t sure ies) was established in 2005 to serve the author’s website. Alternatively, how to market them; they weren’t the burgeoning self-publishing the author can choose to never let sure how to handle the selling of the community—which, the Kirkus edi- it see the light of day. books.” But soon booksellers began tors noticed, lacked an established If an author does choose to pub- finding profitable ways to work with outlet for coverage of its books. lish the review, Kirkus also releases self-published writers, introducing Indie, as it is commonly known, now it to Google, Barnes & Noble, and resources like the print-on-demand distributors such as Ingram and Espresso Book Machine, and de- Melissa Faliveno is the associate Baker & Taylor. The editors con- veloping programs through which editor of Poets & Writers Magazine. sider it for publication in Kirkus writers could purchase bookstore Reviews magazine, and may opt to mailings or pay for in-store events

PW.ORG 38 and sell their books on consign- included; the editors then select a pay freelance reviewers as the basis ment. number of those titles to be re- for charging a substantial fee for re- Through Kirkus Indie, Schech- viewed in the magazine. Publish- views. “But editorial standards are ner saw the possibility of champion- ers Weekly expanded the program the same,” she says. “Authors can ing new writers in a similar fashion. in 2013, now publishing PW Select buy reviews, but they can’t buy posi- “It’s really exciting,” she says of the on a monthly basis, and offering tive reviews.” current self-publishing landscape. new editorial features such as self- I approached each book I was “I think we’re going to start to see publishing success stories, author assigned to review with an open things that we’ve never seen before.” profiles, how-to articles, trend mind, intending to provide hon- The fee-for-review model isn’t pieces, and a self-published best- est, constructive feedback. This limited to Kirkus: The independent seller list. “The interest in self-pub- proved challenging, to say the magazine Foreword Reviews has of- lishing continues to grow,” Adam least, particularly as it became ap- fered a similar service to indepen- Boretz, reviews editor for Publishers parent that most of the books were dent publishers and self-published Weekly and editor of PW Select, said pretty bad. Still, I made a silent vow authors since 2001. Trade magazine in a press release. “Self-published to those writers—even the ones Publishers Weekly, which has been in authors are looking to promote penning treatises on how modern the business of book reviews since and sell their books, and with PW women should better serve men, 1872, has since 2011 offered PW Select’s expansion…self-published for instance, or those who lacked an Select, a bimonthly self-publishing authors will have more options to understanding of even the most re- supplement in which self-published get noticed.” medial English—and to prospective authors can pay to have directory- At Kirkus, Schechner cites the readers, that I would be fair, and do style information about their books need to support editorial work and my best to muscle out at least one

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39 POETS & WRITERS POETS & WRITERS GUIDE TO PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION

scrap of positivity. On a few rare book, thinking about it and writing McArthur bought a Kirkus review occasions I found a diamond in the about it.” at the same time she began shopping rough. Each may have been in need And while some authors do re- the book around. “A big factor to of some polishing, but was a gem turn to the drawing board, others me was the issue of artistic control, nonetheless. have been remarkably successful in something I was reluctant to give up. Of the dozens of reviews I wrote, using a review to bolster their mar- As I was debating, I received my re- only a handful of authors chose to keting platform, and even gain some view. It was so positive that I thought have their reviews published. For a mainstream attention. “A way to tra- it would give me the credibility I was while I wondered if I was being too ditionally publish is to self-publish,” looking for, so I told the press I’d de- harsh, if perhaps my idea of fair and Schechner says, with an air of con- cided to self-publish.” balanced was not nearly as fair or as viction. “One of the things that’s McArthur’s decision to buy a balanced as I’d hoped. notable about Kirkus is that we’re review was threefold. First, she “Our approach is always to be ac- uniquely positioned to catch the says, she wanted to hear an expert’s curate and respectful and honest in attention of readers and agents and opinion. “If the review was posi- our critique,” Schechner says, “but editors. We’re so closely linked with tive, then I would know the book our obligation is to the reader, not traditional publishing that making was ready for publication; if the re- to the author. Our credibility de- that transition from self-published view pointed out weaknesses, then pends on that. We certainly don’t to traditionally published, if that’s I could try to fix those before I went want to applaud a book that doesn’t what an author is interested in, can any further.” She also thought she deserve it, but we do want to ap- happen.” could use a positive review to help plaud the books that do. And that get the attention of an agent, and makes it exciting when we see some- fter Michal Ann that she could use the review to help thing that we can get behind.” McArthur’s debut promote her book. Despite my track record, Schech- novel, Choking on a In order to help Choking on a ner insists that the majority of au- Camel, got a Kirkus re- Camel gain visibility, for three thors who buy a review do choose to Aview in spring 2013, her book was days McArthur offered the Kindle have it published. “It’s rare for any- downloaded on Amazon seventeen edition of her book for free. With one to get an unadulterated rave,” thousand times. In May she reached the Kirkus review at the top of the she says. “Even Colum McCann’s the No. 1 spot in three Kindle cat- book’s Amazon page, a handful of latest book [TransAtlantic] got a egories, including the coveted “liter- book sites, including Goodreads mixed review in the Times. I think ary novels” section, and landed at the and BookBub, accepted the book some authors don’t fully understand No. 3 spot in Amazon’s Free Kindle for advertising. Soon after, McAr- how reviewing works, so they want Top 100. thur was contacted by MacKenzie to bury [a negative review]. We have “I searched for an agent for more Fraser-Bub, a literary agent at Tri- a reputation of being tough critics, than a year,” she says. “The same week dent Media Group in New York. so when we have something posi- that I heard from a small press that “She read my book, liked it, and tive to say about a book, it’s worth they were interested, I met a local au- became my agent,” McArthur says. mentioning.” thor who shared his experiences with “This was a fantastic break for me. Once he can recover from the ini- self-publishing. I wasn’t sure which I love working with her.” tial sting of criticism, a resourceful direction I wanted to go. I was at- Despite snagging a literary agent, author will either use the review tracted to the traditional-publishing McArthur, who is at work on her next to promote his book, or take the route because I thought it would give novel, still spends four days a week feedback and revise. “That’s why I me credibility as an author. I also knew promoting her first book. “While I think there’s a lot of value even if that self-publishing is becoming more market my book myself, my agent is you get a mixed review,” Schechner accepted, and if an author is willing to trying to sell the manuscript to a tra- says. “You’re getting a critique from do most of the work a publisher tra- ditional publisher. I market as though a professional reviewer, somebody ditionally does, the financial rewards she won’t succeed while hoping that who has spent a lot of time with the can be much greater.” she will.”

PW.ORG 40 Daniel Rich, author of the mili- tary thriller Project GITMO: Res- urrection, chose to buy a Kirkus AND WHILE SOME AUTHORS DO review because he was told by an agent that while his book had RETURN TO THE DRAWING BOARD, promise, it was ultimately unmar- ‘ ketable. After publishing through OTHERS HAVE BEEN REMARKABLY Amazon’s CreateSpace, Rich hired a freelance editor and an artist to SUCCESSFUL IN USING A REVIEW TO design the cover. “I decided to go through Kirkus for the same reason BOLSTER THEIR MARKETING PLAT- that I decided to self-publish: No professional reviewer would review FORM, AND EVEN GAIN SOME MAIN- my book,” Rich says. “An objective review was an important way to STREAM ATTENTION. stand out among the mass of self- published books.” He projects that, while many self-published authors other when we need to go back and who works on the series with his son, rely on Amazon reviews to spread try again.” explained‘ that his decision was about the word, such assessments rarely In 2011, after finding an agent but having creative freedom. “When do the trick—not least because, as failing to find a publisher, author you’re in the television business, they are often written by family and Darcie Chan chose to self-publish you’re at the mercy of the networks, friends, objectivity is questionable. her novel, The Mill River Recluse, as of the studio you work for,” Fischer With Kirkus, Rich’s book was not an e-book. It went on to sell more says. But in choosing to self-publish, only given a glowing review (the than seven hundred thousand copies. “you can really write what you want, reviewer called it an “ingenious, Chan did three things as part of her how you want.” thoroughly absorbing twist on the platform: She priced her book low on “I think that sums up how a lot of military-fiction genre”) but it was Amazon, at 99 cents; she bought ads authors feel,” Schechner says. “He also awarded a star—a rare honor on websites that target e-book read- really had a choice, it seems to me, that was doled out to only 3 percent of ers; and she bought a Kirkus review. but now he’s writing a series that he Indie reviews in 2012. Rich was then “It wasn’t a starred review,” Schech- loves, and our reviewers really love able to wrangle a blurb by best-selling ner says, “but it was positive.” Chan’s his work.” author Clive Cussler, who called the novel landed on the New York Times, book “a fascinating read that cannot Wall Street Journal, and USA Today hen I first started be put down.” best-seller lists. Her follow-up novel r e v i e w i n g f o r Rich, who runs a forensic civil was published by Ballantine Books in Kirkus Indie, I engineering firm and is at work on August 2014. didn’t quite share the sequel to Resurrection, says that Even some authors who have the WSchechner’s enthusiasm. From the given the option he would likely option to traditionally publish choose start, I found myself grappling go the traditional-publishing route the DIY-route instead. Longtime with problematic writing that, next time, simply to recoup some television writer and producer Peter only with a lot of editing and a of his costs. (All told, he put about S. Fischer, who cocreated Murder, She handful of hard-worked revisions, ten thousand dollars into publish- Wrote and was a writer for Columbo, might someday make for pass- ing the book.) In the meantime, self-published a Hollywood mur- able prose. But when I found that he meets regularly with a writing der-mystery series set in the 1950s; first gem—in this case a suburban group to stay sharp. “The group is he bought a Kirkus review, which drama treading with surprising polite,” he says, “but we have known called the series “addicting.” In a re- grace somewhere along the back- each other long enough to tell each cent Kirkus Reviews feature, Fischer, yard hedges of Jeffrey Eugenides

41 POETS & WRITERS POETS & WRITERS GUIDE TO PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION CHOOSE YOUR DIGITAL EDITION OF

and Richard Yates—I was thrilled. reviewed Indie titles. Kirkus also plot, and I think that can only lead to As a writer and a reader I felt re- offers editorial services for self- a stronger book culture.” vitalized, inspired, and excited to published writers, and marketing For Michal Ann McArthur, who see where this author—so far un- services for those looking to pro- plans to buy a review for her next known, who’d chosen to carve her mote their books. novel regardless of how it’s published, own path—might go. In the end, Schechner and the the process of self-publishing and “We still get a lot of books that Indie team are hopeful that the work DIY promotion has been enlighten- need a tremendous amount of edit- they do is not only good for self-pub- ing. “The stigma of self-publishing ing,” Schechner says of her work at lished writers, but also for the greater is a bigger barrier to overcome than Indie, “but in a short period of time literary world. “Watching self-pub- I realized,” McArthur says. “At this we’ve also seen a lot of the writing lishing grow up so quickly has been point, the advantages of going the improve.” To help continue that fascinating,” Schechner says. “I think traditional route probably outweigh progress, Indie has launched a new it’s reinvigorated a lot of writers and the disadvantages for an author program called Pro Connect, which readers, and while we might see some just starting out. If I hadn’t moved allows writers who’ve purchased a bad writing, people sitting down to ahead and self-published my first review to build an author page on write is a positive thing. And all those book, though, I would probably still the Kirkus site, through which writers working on a novel or memoir be looking for an agent. I jumped agents and editors can contact au- or World War II history or children’s into the river in my little canoe and thors directly. The Kirkus editors book, even if they’re not writing a started paddling, not knowing where also curate two new features called starred title, they’re still spending a I’d end up but figuring that being in Authors to Watch and Books to tremendous amount of time develop- the river was better than standing on Discover, which highlight recently ing characters and fine-tuning their the shore.”

Free Reviews From Publishers Weekly

n May 2014 Publishers Weekly an- ment. All books available for purchase lishing options; and marketing, includ- I nounced the launch of BookLife, a in the United States are eligible for re- ing distribution, publicity, and sales. new platform for self-published authors view through BookLife; users need only “Self-published books and authors that includes, among other resources, to register on the site (also free), create are having more and more impact on free book reviews. Rather than paying a profile for the book, and submit. Titles readers and the publishing industry,” SUBSCRIBE TO SUBSCRIBE TO SUBSCRIBE TO hundreds of dollars to have one’s book in any format, including e-books, are ac- says Carl Pritzkat, president of BookLife IPAD EDITION NOOK EDITION KINDLE EDITION considered for review—a service the cepted. Unlike the Kirkus Indie model, and vice president of business develop- magazine originally offered through its reviews are not guaranteed; as is the ment for PWxyz, the parent company of marketing platform for self-publishers, case for traditionally published books, Publishers Weekly. “Through BookLife, PW Select—indie authors can now sub- the editors decide which submissions Publishers Weekly will provide indie au- mit their books to be reviewed by Pub- will be selected for review. While the thors access to its knowledge of book lishers Weekly entirely free of charge. process may take up to twelve weeks publishing and its understanding of the

OVER 110 WRITING CONTESTS WITH UPCOMING DEADLINES

Reviews of self-published books will or longer, the PW team provides up- tools and professional standards that SEPT/OCT 2013 PW.ORG be included in the print magazine— dates to users as their submissions contribute to success.” The site has in- ABC sorted by genre and appearing along- move through the system. In addition corporated much of the content origi- THE side reviews of traditionally published to reviews, BookLife offers articles, nally featured in PW Select, including MFA books—rather than only in the PW advice, and other resources for indie author pages, interviews, and profiles ISSUE Select monthly self-publishing supple- authors on editing and design; pub- of self-published successes. DEGREES OF VALUE Hiking the Yaak Valley With Novelist Rick Bass History Lessons From an Old-School Publisher Rosmarie Waldrop’s Poetry in Motion Trademark Tips Agent Advice

PW.ORG 42 Jesmyn Ward The National Book Award–winning author faces tragedy in her new memoir CHOOSE YOUR DIGITAL EDITION OF

SUBSCRIBE TO SUBSCRIBE TO SUBSCRIBE TO IPAD EDITION NOOK EDITION KINDLE EDITION

OVER 110 WRITING CONTESTS WITH UPCOMING DEADLINES

SEPT/OCT 2013 ABCPW.ORG

THE MFA ISSUE DEGREES OF VALUE

Hiking the Yaak Valley With Novelist Rick Bass History Lessons From an Old-School Publisher Rosmarie Waldrop’s Poetry in Motion Trademark Tips Agent Advice

Jesmyn Ward The National Book Award–winning author faces tragedy in her new memoir POETS & WRITERS GUIDE TO PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION

can be.) I worried about all kinds THE DIY of possibilities: My old van would break down and/or get trashed BY RON TANNER by vandals; somebody would rob AUTHOR TOUR me and/or run me off the road; I would lose Cleo and Jill would How to Sell a Book in America never forgive me; my sanity would crumble. Nevertheless, I was com- n 2012 and 2013, I completed House magazine and on its website. mitted to making it work. a forty-state, sixty-city book The resulting book, a combination tour. It was an experiment love story, Mission: Impossible tale, QUERIES to find the answer to three and inspirational memoir, has wide Because my book is about restor- Iquestions: What does it take to sell appeal. But how was I going to get it ing an old house, I sought partner- a book in America? Can an indie into the hands of what seemed to be ships in every city with preservation author manage a tour of this mag- a potentially large readership? groups, historical societies, and old- nitude? And if so, is it really worth The current wisdom is that you sit house neighborhood associations. doing? The book I’m promoting, in front of your computer and take aim Most books have some angle that From Animal House to Our House: at blogs. I was prepared to do that, but would lend itself to a partnership A Love Story, published in Febru- it didn’t seem enough. If the key to of some kind. Odds are there are ary 2012, is about how my then- selling a book is word of mouth (even organizations—for single parents, girlfriend (now wife) and I bought a the publishers tell you this), then I had for those in recovery from substance condemned property, a former frat to start a campaign that would spread abuse, for cooking enthusiasts— house, and—knowing nothing about the word. So, six months before my that have thematic connections to fixing houses—labored to bring it book was out, I awoke one morning, the book you’ve written, no mat- back to its original Victorian splen- inspired, and announced to my wife, ter the genre. A partnership offers dor. Everyone said we’d go bankrupt Jill: “I have to get a camper van and two things: a built-in audience and and break up. But ultimately, after tour the country to sell this book!” Be- a place to read. I’ve discovered that many funny and jaw-dropping tra- cause I’m a DIY kind of guy, I outfitted it’s harder to find a place to read than vails, we triumphed and, in 2010, the van myself with solar panels on the it is to find an audience. our story was featured in This Old roof, both DC and AC power, a tidy You can hire a publicist to pen kitchen, and even a toilet in the rear. your queries, pitches, and press re- My publisher, a midsized independent leases, but since you’re a writer why Ron Tanner is the author of the press, agreed to give me an assistant not do it yourself? Mary, my assis- memoir From Animal House to (an intern) to help me book the venues tant, did the initial research of con- Our House: A Love Story (Academy and manage the tour. And that was it. tacts, I followed up with more, and Chicago Publishers, 2012), the A DIY book tour of this magni- she sent out what I had written—six illustrated novel Kiss Me, Stranger tude is far from reasonable. But, months in advance of the tour. I re- (Ig Publishing, 2011), and the story as the book I had just published vised these half a dozen times even collection A Bed of Nails (Bk Mk makes clear, I am typically willing as she was sending them out. Press, 2003). He self-published an to take on more than is reasonable. I Your query offers three things: e-book version of this article, How to charted out my route in three legs— your credentials (will you put on a Sell a Book in America: The DIY Book South, West, and Northeast—that good show?), a compelling reason to Tour and other Marketing Strategies, in minimized travel time from city to partner (for example, “This would 2014. He teaches writing at Loyola city. Jill wouldn’t go, so I decided to make a great event to highlight University in Baltimore and directs take my basset hound, Cleo, to help the good work of your organiza- the Marshall Islands Story Project keep me emotionally centered. (As a tion”), and the promise that you (mistories.org). former road musician, I know how are making absolutely no demands. lonely and crazy the itinerant life The last is most important. You’ve

PW.ORG 44 got to make it easy for the host. If friends’ families, too. Close friends a number of reasons. Bookstores are a slideshow is part of your event, will recruit their families for you— having a tough time these days, and then bring your own projector and and those families may, in turn, most have limited resources. They screen (this is what I did). If you recruit more. This happened in Den- may have an events calendar on a think you should get paid for your ver, when a friend’s daughter brought rudimentary website and they may appearance, then stay home. some of her friends to my reading. have a mailing list, but they have no This is, I suppose, the model on money for advertising your appear- NETWORKING which Facebook was built, but noth- ance, much less those of a hundred Facebook is a gold mine of contacts, ing beats the enthusiasm of real others they host during the year. right? Like a supercolony of ants, friends and family—not to mention A number of bookstore events your Facebook friends will spread the real friends of those friends and managers weren’t great at answering excitement about your book from family. my e-mails—even when I followed town to town, right? Well, no, most up with phone calls—and deadlines likely not. Using Facebook for self- BOOKSTORES were missed. The subsequent delays promotion is something like a Ponzi When I did my first book tour, for made it difficult to secure dates in scheme. It might work for the few my story collection, A Bed of Nails, some key cities, which made me re- who are famous, but for most people I was stunned by how callous some alize, finally, that I was relying too it’s an empty promise. Your “friends” of the bookstore events managers heavily on bookstores. I hasten to add will express good intentions (if they were. The worst was a guy who said that I had some great events at book- express anything at all) but, let’s face to me over the phone, “Give me five stores, and more than a few book- it, we’re all too busy and distracted good reasons why I should have you sellers promised to push my book. to act as someone else’s publicist. read in my store.” He was rude, but Nevertheless, here is the sad truth: Still, I was surprised by how useless he was right, too. You are not neces- Whereas writers could once rely on Facebook turned out to be. sarily doing the bookstore any favors independent bookstores to hand-sell I had much better luck with readers by offering to read there. The store their books, they can no longer do so of Houselove.org, the website that Jill has to accommodate your visit with because stores are working under an and I run. These dedicated folks share publicity and planning. That costs avalanche of new releases and they’re our interest in old houses and were money. It’s gotten to the point where so nervous about the prospects eager to help. Friends and acquain- some stores now charge (nonfamous) (“they’re terrified,” my publisher told tances from writers conferences and writers to read there. The most out- me) that they sometimes return new colonies were helpful and supportive rageous fee I encountered was three books within a few weeks of receiving as well. My experience has shown that hundred dollars to read at a big-deal them. They deem it too risky to hang the only people from whom you can bookstore. There’s no way an indie- on to untested stock. If the store re- realistically expect to get valuable help press author is going to recoup that ally likes your book, staff may tout it are those with whom you have a real, money in book sales at a single event. as a “pick” on the store’s website, but lasting connection. Other stores now ask for a “co-op it will remain a special order, taking Which brings us to family. Rela- fee,” which ostensibly splits the cost up to four days to get into the store if tives come through. Use them! My of advertising. My publisher paid this someone wants it. mother publicized my appearance at one store during my recent tour. What this means is that, since the at her retirement community and My policy for choosing stores has store doesn’t keep your book on the turned out a hundred and fifty peo- come down to this: I will go only shelf, your appearance is really a one- ple. I sold all the books I had and then where I am wanted. I will not pay to shot deal. And so, if selling a book took orders for fifteen more. Family read. I will not beg to read. At the is about word of mouth and there’s will come to your readings. A cousin start of my tour I had the fantasy of no guarantee that the bookstore will I hadn’t seen in thirty years showed partnering only with independent spread the word, then you might be up at one of my stops in Missoula, bookstores—Indie Author Takes on better off holding your own event— Montana. Another long-lost relative the World With Indie Bookstores! at a friend’s house or at a library (be appeared in Indianapolis. Use your Sadly, this did not happen, and for aware that many libraries book their

45 POETS & WRITERS POETS & WRITERS GUIDE TO PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION

events six months to a year in ad- journalism student will tell you, a press dollars a night). Once I took a shower vance) or anywhere you might draw release is a template news article that in some lawn sprinklers at a rest stop. a handful of people—and selling the any paper can customize as its own. Another time (wearing swim trunks) book yourself. Chances are you’ll do At least a dozen newspapers used my I took a shower at a DIY car wash. I at least as well even at a private event press release for the core of their ar- cooked meals in my tiny kitchen and as you would at the local bookstore. ticles. When sending information to spent four hours a day managing And because a private event is special, newspapers, I make sure to emphasize the tour, which included e-mailing the people there are more likely to the group or groups I’m partnering Mary with updates, new queries, and spread the word. with in town. Morning TV shows are revised plans. Because the tour was always scrambling for content: Make so long, I was still booking dates as I PUBLICITY it easy for them by keeping your pitch traveled. If you have a limited budget, If at all possible, offer to help with short, offering links to more informa- don’t hire a publicist, hire an assis- publicity for each stop on your tour. tion (like your press kit), and giving tant. Mary was invaluable—I still This is especially important when them bulleted talking points. If pro- haven’t met her but I picture her ever booking appearances at bookstores, ducers of morning TV shows don’t ready and tireless in front of a large which may not have the time or answer your query, don’t waste your computer screen. money to get the word out. My pub- time phoning them. They’re impos- I phoned Jill every day. Her cyni- lisher and I offered to do all the pub- sible to reach. cal good humor kept me laughing at licity for every stop—and it made a myself as I made all kinds of mis- big difference. Most places split the READINGS AREN’T SEXY takes, like the day I blew up my task with us. As a result, we hit many I knew the only way to get trac- water tank or the day I realized I more media targets than we would tion with my bookings was to had thrown away my new prescrip- have had we let the host organization forgo a reading and, instead, offer tion sunglasses a few cities back. go it alone. Unless you hire a publicist a presentation—with a slideshow. Big-eared and lovable, Cleo was wel- (which could run you at least fifteen My presentation is actually a comic come company and a splendid good- thousand dollars), nobody is going to monologue, presenting excerpts from will ambassador, winning hearts and contact newspapers, much less radio the book as a “talk.” A talk will al- minds at every stop. I took her to and TV, on your behalf. Yes, major ways have greater appeal than a read- most of my presentations. publishers have in-house publicists, ing. So don’t read; present. Enhance To keep my spirits up, I treated but don’t be fooled. Unless you’re at your presentation with visuals, if they myself to local culinary delights— the top of your publisher’s list, that make sense. If I were a poet with a like the famous watermelon of publicist isn’t going to do much for book of autobiographical poems, for Green River, Utah, the miraculous you. One of my big-house writer instance, I would consider bringing barbecued ribs of Kansas City, the friends made up her own tour last slides of family, events, and places savory oyster po’boys of New Or- year because her big-house publicist that influenced my writing. I’d bring leans. If I had time to get off the wasn’t doing anything for her. An- artifacts, too—anything to augment major highways, I did. More than a other writer I know partially funded the impact. As artists with products few times I camped illegally on by- his own expanded tour with the to sell, we need to reconsider what ways and back roads, on cliff sides money his major publisher was going we do and how we do it. We need to and mountaintops, where Cleo and to use to fly him to only a few cities. compete with other entertainment. I gaped at the silver cascade of the Once you get a booking, you’ve got Milky Way and its light show of fall- to hit newspapers, community papers, LIFE ON THE ROAD ing stars. I saw geysers and sea caves, local arts papers, online events calen- Even if you like traveling and meeting bald eagles and badgers, redwoods dars, and radio and TV stations. For new people, life on the road is tough. and badlands. I made lots of new newspapers and TV shows, I offer an I never got enough sleep or exercise. I friends and made a point of stop- online press kit that includes photos, camped in Walmart parking lots and ping to see old friends. There was a press release, and other details that freeway rest stops because campsites never enough time but there was someone might find useful. As any are too expensive (twenty to sixty time enough nonetheless.

PW.ORG 46 RESULTS less inclined to partner with me be- The question we must ask our- My show—the comic monologue and cause they preferred organizing their selves is, How many people do I slideshow—was tremendously suc- own event. So I learned to contact a need at my event to make it worth cessful and seemed to appeal to the prospective partner before contact- my time? Of my sixty appearances, widest spectrum of prospective read- ing a bookstore, if at all. Where I I had three where nobody showed ers. But managing the tour was tough, could, as soon as I secured a date with up. The largest turnouts (excluding a full-time job. I needed at least two a local partner, I contacted the local my mother’s retirement community) assistants to do it well. One morning bookstore to see if it wanted to sell my were fifty to sixty people, which was I missed a TV show because I simply book at the event. In other words, I gratifying, since they were all strang- couldn’t keep up with the schedule. remain a staunch supporter of indie ers to me. A more typical number was At another stop the host organization bookstores. That said, more than one ten to twenty. Several times I had had gotten the date wrong and wasn’t bookstore was not interested in my only five to ten. How many books prepared for my visit (neither I nor event even when I offered to bring did I sell? We’re trying to figure that Mary had been in contact with them them local partners and plenty of out. Before I started, Jill joked that if for a month or more). Ultimately, I publicity. I averaged five per stop, I’d have sold had to ask myself, What exactly am I Do people go to readings any- three hundred. “Not much for all the willing to do to get my book into as more? Here’s what it took to get a trouble,” she said. many hands as possible? turnout of fifteen at one very good But a tour like this isn’t all about If you think that a book tour should bookstore in Milwaukee: an e-mail selling; it’s about planting a seed in make money and/or you should easily sent to eight thousand people, a every town. For every ten people recoup your expenses, then stay home Facebook events notice seen by more who showed up, there were another and query book bloggers. If, on the than two thousand, placement in the ten to a thousand who were aware of other hand, you believe that by put- bookstore’s events calendar (with the event—they read about it in the ting yourself in motion, by meeting distribution to six hundred people), local paper, saw me talking about it as many people as you can, you will a blog post seen by four hundred on TV, heard about it from a friend be better off as a writer, then the DIY subscribers to my RSS feed and re- or acquaintance. At every event I book tour is for you. You don’t have posted to Facebook and Twitter, in- handed out business cards for my to go on the road for four months as store signage and display, a mention website and have since heard from I did. Your tour could be relegated in a local arts paper, and a local TV many of these prospective readers. to weekends. appearance prior to the event. After my appearance in Oklahoma My most successful events were On the other hand, here’s what it City, I received two offers to return. partnerships between local organi- took to get more than fifty people to At several cities where, for one rea- zations and libraries—Preservation my event at a museum in Oklahoma son or another, I wasn’t able to book Pittsburgh and the Carnegie Library, City: one feature article in the city’s an event, I have since received invi- Historic Kansas City Foundation and paper and one announcement in the tations to make an appearance. the Kansas City Public Library—and local arts paper. Yes, this all comes down to a big multiple organizations supporting my What can we conclude from this? Who knows? But that’s a far better event: Quapaw Quarter Association, Not much, I’m afraid, except to say prospect than having spent my sum- Arkansas Historic Preservation and that when people don’t show up, it’s mer in front of the computer, target- the Historic Preservation Alliance of understandable, since everyone is ing book bloggers and striving to get Arkansas in Little Rock; the San José more distracted than ever. When somebody somewhere to pay atten- Woman’s Club and the Preservation people do show up, it may be due tion to From Animal House to Our Action Council of San José. My least to a convergence of good publicity House. The fact is, lots of people paid successful events were at bookstores and salubrious cosmic rays. One fact attention—I met them, I made them that clearly had done nothing to pre- seems clear to me: More people will laugh, I gave them something to talk pare for my visit. I found that when I come to a library or a museum for a about. Maybe good returns will come had booked an appearance at a book- talk than will show up at a bookstore of that. And maybe that’s the best we store first, local organizations were for a reading. can hope for in these hard times.

47 POETS & WRITERS POETS & WRITERS GUIDE TO PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION

boost in attention,” Call says. A few weeks later, the book was selected MY BOOK IS A YEAR as the winner of a second prize. “I learned of the award five days before it was announced publicly and used OLD, NOW WHAT? that time to build a new website for the book,” she says. While it’s true BY MIDGE RAYMOND that most mainstream media outlets How to Keep the Buzz Alive review books that are hot off the presses, winning awards can lead to fresh media coverage. Even being n anniversary i s tered this question when my debut shortlisted can present new oppor- usually a cause for cel- story collection, Forgetting English, tunities and attract new readers. ebration. For authors, initially published by Eastern Wash- In addition, keep book bloggers— however, a book’s first ington University Press in 2009, most are open to reviewing older Aanniversary can be a precarious went out of print a year after it was books—as well as special-interest time: While the one-year mark can released, when the press that brought magazines and journals in mind. And bring with it a new paperback edi- it out was shuttered. I found a new don’t be afraid to venture beyond tion—and thus renewed interest— home for it the following year, but I media outlets when looking to build more often it can signal a slowdown faced the challenge of beginning the an audience. After No Word for Wel- in publisher support and, ultimately, marketing process all over again with come’s first anniversary, Call turned a decline in sales. As most authors a not-quite-new book. What I discov- her focus toward two areas that she know, the months before and just ered is that there are numerous ways felt offered long-term sales poten- after a book’s release are crucial— to keep your book’s buzz alive—and tial—readers with a special interest in this is when you get the most buzz that it can even be a little more fun Mexico, where her book takes place, and the big reviews, and it’s when once the pressure’s off. and university courses. “Two women you do the most events—and after When one window closes, find who work with grassroots organiza- that, your publicist moves on to the others to open. If you missed the tions in Mexico developed discussion next frontlist titles, and you’re left to window for coverage in Publishers groups around No Word for Welcome in your own devices. So what happens Weekly or the New York Times, there the second year after its release,” Call if your book doesn’t take off within are still plenty of other ways to help says. “And a colleague who teaches these first few months? I encoun- garner readers and reviews. First, writing composition designed an en- work with your publisher to submit tire course around the book. Finding Midge Raymond is the author of to prizes. Many award series accept a small number of people with a real Forgetting English (Press 53, 2011) books well into the year following commitment to the book was the most which won the Spokane Prize for publication; make sure you submit effective—and gratifying—strategy.” Short Fiction, and the novel, My to all for which you’re eligible. Partner with new writers. When Last Continent, forthcoming from Wendy Call received two awards Forgetting English was first published, I Scribner. She is also the author of two for her nonfiction book,No Word for wanted to do a book trailer but had no books for writers, Everyday Writing: Welcome: The Mexican Village Faces the good ideas. A year later, when my hus- Tips and Prompts to Fit Your Regularly Global Economy (University of Ne- band published his novel, The Tourist Scheduled Life (2012) and Everyday braska Press, 2011), which attracted Trail (Ashland Creek Press, 2010), we Book Marketing: Promotion Ideas to Fit new attention for the book long after came up with an idea together: the Your Regularly Scheduled Life (2013), its release date. One award included (mostly fictional) story of a husband both published by Ashland Creek a trip to Boston to lead a workshop obsessed with his book’s sales and Press, which she cofounded with her and give a reading at a writers con- his wife’s enabling of this obsession. husband, John Yunker. ference, just before her book’s one- Called “Love in the Time of Amazon. year anniversary. “That offered a nice com,” the trailer was shared widely on

PW.ORG 48 social, mainstream (the Seattle Times), together, and the crossover between nect with authors through local and and publishing-industry media out- our books—hers a travel memoir, worldwide events. “It is about find- lets (Shelf Awareness and GalleyCat), mine a collection of short stories set ing the right audience to connect which brought attention to both of our in locations across the globe—made with your book.” McBeth works with books. the joint reading a great fit, which in authors both in the run-up to their You can also expand your tour by turn led to good sales and broader works’ release and well beyond. “We traveling with another writer: Team- awareness. recently held a luncheon for a book ing up is always a great idea because Connect with your community. that was published seven years ago,” you cast a wider net in terms of au- Because the stories in Forgetting Eng- she says. “Since the author had pub- dience, but it’s especially helpful if lish are united by the theme of travel, lished her memoir at age eighty-one, you can visit new venues and reach one of the things I’ve done for years it made perfect sense to host the event new readers well after your launch to continue promoting the book is to in a local community with a heavy date. When my friend Janna Cawrse offer travel-writing workshops, both population of seniors. The event was Esarey’s memoir, The Motion of the in my own community and in any a success not only because it sold out, Ocean: One Small Boat, Two Average others that will have me. “The key but also because the seniors related Lovers, and a Woman’s Search for the to successful author events is not a to the author’s story, so much so that Meaning of Wife (Touchstone, 2009), matter of doing a book talk within half the audience purchased books was published, my book had already the first three months of the pub after hearing the author speak. The been out for nearly six months. She date,” says Susan McBeth, founder ticketed event included a small dona- and I decided to cohost a celebration at of Adventures by the Book, a San tion to the senior group as well.” a local literary organization; the event Diego–based company that offers Supporting local organizations, brought all our friends and colleagues opportunities for readers to con- such as donating books to fund-

In this sequel to Newfound Freedom, danger and adventure on the high seas await Englishman Jack Hollister. He is commissioned by General George Washington as a midshipman in the fledgling Continental Navy. Spread the Word, Jack’s fast-paced adventure of courage and camaraderie occurs when he gets caught up in a lesser known, but historically accurate, early event in Coast to Coast the American Revolution. Hartside Publishing http://www.amazon.com GIVING A READING? RUNNING a series? Get the word out on P&W’s Literary Events Calendar, which lists readings and workshops from Portland, Maine, to Portland, Oregon. It’s searchable by city, state, and genre. Best of all, listings are free.

List your literary events. Online at pw.org.

4949 POETSPOETS & & WRITERS WRITERS POETS & WRITERS GUIDE TO PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION

raisers, is also a good way to stay in- says. “Do some research and find out of The Tourist Trail is set at a penguin volved in your community and reach from your family and friends some colony in Argentina, and, several more readers. I’ve found that Forget- unique venues in their community. years after the book was published, ting English makes a great addition to Perhaps there is a trendy nail salon a major study on penguins and cli- vacation packages and gift baskets; for where you could host a girls’ night mate change was done by scientists one Seattle nonprofit’s silent auction, out—or an aerospace or history mu- who had been studying that very I gathered a collection of paperbacks seum for a book about World War II. colony for thirty years. By linking to and audiobooks from local writers Find a venue [whose personnel are] as the articles and an NPR Science Fri- and added tea and chocolates—a do- excited as you are to have a successful day interview, my husband was able to nation that supported the nonprofit event, and they will jump on board to combine a current event with a bit of and introduced the auction winner to help you promote.” backstory about his novel. a half dozen local authors. Give social media a fresh twist. While your networks may grow Keep your book in mind wher- You’ve been promoting your book weary of constant book updates, peo- ever you go. Whether you’re plan- on Facebook and Twitter for a year ple rarely get tired of free stuff. Offer ning a vacation or visiting family for or more already, and your friends an anniversary book giveaway, which the holidays, always think of possi- are no doubt thoroughly acquainted your friends can share with others in bilities for events. Seek out libraries, with your work. You can still use so- their own circles. Holidays can also bookstores, and cafés where you can cial media to find new readers, but try be a good way to bring attention to do readings or workshops, but don’t to take a fresh approach. Instead of your book, especially if you have some limit yourself to bookish spots. “The linking to reviews or readings, posi- fun in the process. I’ve recently dis- beauty of off-site events is that the tion your book in a new, and maybe covered, for example, the existence of possibilities are endless,” McBeth newsworthy, light. For example, part National Punctuation Day, DNA Day,

Some of the most dangerous things in the world are the stories we tell ourselves. “[An] intense, provocative novel... will resonate with anyone who’s ever watched a loved one self-destruct.”—People

“Riveting”—Bridgette Bates, Kirkus Reviews

“A strikingly intelligent first novel, both entertaining and deeply moving.” —Sullivan County Democrat

“Best of the West.”—Los Angeles Magazine Simon & Schuster Stephaniekegan.com “The Must List.”—Entertainment Weekly

PW.ORG 50 and World Kiss Day. Whatever your When you publish a new essay on- do for others, the more they will do book is about, there’s probably an ob- line, or when a literary journal ac- for you. scure holiday out there that’s relevant, cepts a new story, be sure your bio Remember: Most best-sellers even if only in a small way. (Visit www. includes your book and your website. don’t happen overnight. Finding cute-calendar.com for ideas.) Wendy Call worked nearly full-time your audience is about more than sales. Social media is also invaluable for on book promotion for the first six If a reader loves your book and loans a reminding people that you love to talk months after her release date, cutting copy to six friends, don’t think of it as to book clubs. If you haven’t already back to less than 50 percent in the losing six sales; think of it as gaining reached out to local clubs, this is a second six months; after her one-year six readers. Building an audience takes good time to start, and social media anniversary, her time commitment time: Jenna Blum’s first novel, Those can be an excellent way to find them. If dropped to about 20 percent. “I had Who Save Us (Houghton Mifflin Har- you have already taken part in a book- to move on to other things, which court, 2004), hit the New York Times club meeting devoted to your work, meant being careful about how I in- best-seller list in 2008, four years after post a link to its discussion questions vested that time,” she says. “Finding its initial hardcover publication and along with a photo from a book-club a small number of people willing to three years after its paperback release. session you’ve attended, and offer a invest time and energy in connecting Best-selling author Gwyn Hyman giveaway to a new book-club host who readers to the book was crucial.” To Rubio’s novel Icy Sparks (Viking, 1998) offers to feature your book. find and maintain such a community, was three years old when it became an Keep writing. There comes a be generous: Offer to host guest posts Oprah Book Club selection in 2001. time when we all must move on to on your blog, review fellow writers’ The lesson? Never give up. Like so new projects—but even as you do, books whenever you can, share re- many good things, some books just you can still keep your book alive. views and event news. The more you get better with age.

Waiting for inspiration to strike? THE TIME IS NOW. Poets & Writers delivers free writing prompts to your mailbox every week, along with words of wisdom from published authors and recommended reading to keep your writing practice on track all year.

Sign up at pw.org/writing-prompts-exercises. It’s free. Don’t wait. Do it today. ABC

51 POETS & WRITERS CLASSIFIEDS

CFM: MAGAZINES features emerging Explore the #1 City who cites Zora Neale submissions of single writers and artists. All in the World (Condé Hurston as a hybrid works in fiction, INDOLENT genres are welcome, Nast Traveler, 2013). inspiration. Entry nonfiction, & poetry BOOKS seeks po- including literary Barbara Kingsolver: fee: $15. Deadline: from May 1–August ems for an anthology comics, interviews, “San Miguel is full of October 1. http:// 1. The winner in about living with reviews, and cross- unexpected riches...” talkingwriting.com/ each genre receives HIV in 2015. No genre work. Simul- Details and registra- contests. $500 and publication restrictions as to sex, taneous submissions tion available August in The Orison gender, race, eth- accepted year-round. 1: www.sanmiguel BRIGHTHORSE Anthology. Judges: nicity, or any other Response time is writersconference.org. Book Prize: $1,000 Kevin McIlvoy (fic- identity category. No typically 1 month. and publication for a tion), Ann Hood restrictions in terms For guidelines and CONTESTS novel, a collection of (nonfiction), Claire of HIV status: the the latest issue, visit poetry, or a collec- Bateman (poetry). poet can be HIV- www.printoriented THE 2015 NEW tion of short fiction. Entry fee: $15. The positive or HIV- bastards.com. Writer Awards offer Reading period: Orison Prizes in negative or not know over $500 in prizes February 15–August Poetry & Fiction their HIV status. As and publication in 16; $25 entry fee. All are open for submis- TRAJECTORY, sions of book-length long as the poems Sequestrum for writ- submissions consid- a literary journal, works in poetry (60- are about living with ers yet to publish a ered for publication. actively seeks un- 100 pp.) & fiction HIV, living with the published short sto- book-length manu- https://brighthorse risk of HIV, or living books.submittable (minimum 30,000 ries (no word limit), script. Two grand words) from Novem- in proximity to HIV poetry (3–5 poems), prize winners (1 .com/submit. To in the here and now learn about the 2014 ber 15–February 15. CNF, b/w photos & fiction/nonfiction, The winner in each of 2015. Poz for days art. Send with cover 1 poetry), and 4 winners and for more or decades. Neg try- information about genre receives $1,500 letter and SASE. Si- runners-up selected. and publication in ing to stay that way. the 2015 contest, visit multaneous submis- Entry fee $15. Sub- hardcover & paper- Neg partners of poz sions OK—notify if mit via our online http://brighthorse people. Men, women, back. Judges: Hadara accepted elsewhere. submission system. books.com. Bar-Nadav (poetry) LGBTQ, straight, Subscriptions $20 Deadline October 15. any race, age, mode & Peter Orner (fic- annually (checks Sequr.info@gmail DANA AWARDS’ tion). Entry fee: $25. of transmission. payable to Trajectory). .com. Full guidelines: 20th anniversary— Submissions ac- Complete details on Publishes twice per www.sequestrum.org/ celebrate with us! A both contests are cepted on a rolling year. For more info, contests. $200 “Best 20” award basis (submit ASAP) available at www go to www.trajectory plus our traditional .orisonbooks.com/ through September journal.com. Submit 2015 TALKING awards of $1,000 30. Submit your best submission to Trajectory, P.O. WRITING PRIZE each in the novel -guidelines. poems in a Word Box 655, Frankfort, KY for Hybrid Poetry: (first 40 pages only), doc. Up to 10 poems 40602. $1,000 plus pub- short fiction, and PATRICIA but not to exceed 10 lication in Talking poetry. Deadline Oc- DOBLER Poetry pages. There is no CONFERENCES Writing, a nonprofit tober 31. Guidelines: Award 2015: Open to fee to submit. And magazine that fea- www.danaawards women writers over there never will be. SAVE THE tures essays, journal- .com, or e-mail dana the age of 40 living For further informa- DATES! 2016 ism, and poetry. This [email protected], in the U.S. who tion or to submit, go San Miguel Writ- year’s unusual contest or send SASE to 200 haven’t published a to our Submittable ers’ Conference & is open to all writers Fosseway Dr., full-length book of site: https://indolent Literary Festival: who love crossing Greensboro, NC poetry, fiction, or books.submittable (February 10–14); boundaries. Entries 27455. nonfiction (chap- .com/submit/42292. 11th annual keynote can mix together books excluded). speakers and faculty poetry, prose, even ORISON BOOKS Winner receives PRINT-ORIENTED will be announced cartooning. “The announces 2 annual $1,000, publication Bastards is a August 1. Choose poetic is not limited contests. The Orison in Voices from the At- quarterly online liter- from 50+ workshops to a poem,” says con- Anthology Awards tic, round-trip travel, ary magazine that in all genres. test judge Amy King, are open for lodging and reading

PW.ORG 52

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53 POETS & WRITERS