How a Publicist Chooses Which Books to Represent

Ever wonder how a publicist decides which books she’ll agree to promote? Here are a few items that factor into a publicist's decision when considering a new client:

1. Is the book good?
Believe it or not, having a well-written and professionally published book is the number-one criteria for taking on a client. If the book isn’t good (i.e., is poorly written, hasn’t been edited, is riddled with typos, has a cover clearly not designed by a professional, etc.), it will be difficult to find a publicist to represent it. This fact is sometimes hard to hear, especially for those authors whose work has been already been rejected by agents and editors. Chances are, if your book is not good enough to be traditionally published, you may want to look at improving it before asking a publicist to look at it. The business of publicity is all about generating word-of-mouth buzz about your book. But, a bad book will not generate buzz, no matter how much exposure a publicist is able to obtain for it.
But, you ask, what if my book was rejected by agents and editors, and I want to self-publish it? Will a publicist still be willing to take it on? The answer is oftentimes yes, but be sure your book is the best it can possibly be before the publicist sees it. A good publicist is going to agree to represent books that are well-written and marketable; even if your book is self-published, you’ll want to make sure it has been professionally edited, designed, and printed, and that it has proper distribution.

2. Does the author have a platform?
This is the second most important criteria for taking on a client. Having a platform means that you, the author, have some kind of background or experience that is marketable and newsworthy. Publicists will want to know what it is about you that is interesting or notable, and this background will be crucial to obtaining media interviews for you.
How do you develop a platform if you don’t have one? Take classes and go to workshops that will help educate you in your book’s subject area (this is true for both fiction and non-fiction authors). If you have expertise, develop speaking topics and give presentations and workshops. Create a website and a blog, and make sure both are informative and educational. Become an expert in your subject area by blogging about your book’s content. Use social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter to develop a following. Write articles and publish essays on your content area. Enter contests and do as much as you can to become a known and sought-after entity in your subject area.

3. Is the book with a reputable publisher?
While it’s possible for a publicist to promote a self-published book, it can be a bit more difficult to do so if a book is not with a reputable press. There are a number of self-publishing entities out there that exist mainly to make money from writers. These entities are known in the industry as vanity presses, and some of them have unsavory reputations. Before you sign with a publisher, especially if you’re self-publishing, you’ll want to make sure that your publisher has a good reputation. Do background searches on the Internet and check with other writers and writers’ forums to see if the press you’re considering is a good one.
Also, be aware that most booksellers will not shelve books that are self-published. And even though booksellers are struggling and may soon become a thing of the past, there are still many independent and chain bookstores in existence that sell books to readers. If you want your book to be available through a bookseller, do all you can to have the book traditionally published. If your book is self-published, be sure it is available through distributors like Baker & Taylor or Ingram, or through independent distributors, if you want booksellers to stock it in their stores.

4. Is the book ready for distribution?
I get many calls from writers asking about publicity services months before their books are ready to be distributed. While it’s good to start early with publicity efforts, authors should take care to time their promotions so that their books are available when readers hear about them. I usually recommend that clients wait to start a publicity campaign until at least one or two months before their books are available through their distributors; otherwise, the booksellers I call cannot find the books in their listing services, or they’ll turn down opportunities for events because they see that the books are not yet available for ordering. If your publisher is producing advance review copies (ARCs), then we’ll be able to send copies to interested booksellers and media for review ahead of time. But if you don’t have review copies available, it’s best to wait until your book is listed with a distributor and very close to being available in print before starting your promotional efforts.
What if your book is only going to be available as an ebook? I hear from many authors who choose not to offer printed versions of their books. If that’s the case, then promotional efforts can begin as soon as the book is available for download. My only caution is to be sure that the book is ready to be read – publishing an ebook that is poorly written or has not yet been edited, can lead to weak reviews and no word-of-mouth buzz from readers. Make sure it’s truly ready for public consumption by having the copy professionally edited, the cover professionally designed, and obtaining back cover blurbs and endorsements from as many credited authors and readers as you can.

5. Does the author know what s/he wants in the way of publicity?
A publicist can recommend a game plan for promoting any book, but it helps to work with an author who knows what s/he wants in the way of publicity. Do you want a book signing tour, a blog tour, book reviews, media interviews, or all of the above? And what kind of budget do you have? Knowing the answers to these questions beforehand can help give a publicist some direction for the work she does, and will help ensure that you get what you want in terms of promotion for your book.

6. Is the author open to new ideas and possibilities?
I sometimes encounter authors who want publicity for their books, but are not willing to do much to help make that happen. A publicist can set up signing engagements, book tours, and line up media interviews, but it is up to the author to fulfill these engagements. An author who limits what can be done for his book, will limit the amount of reach the book has with readers. Likewise, an author who does not want to speak publicly, is unwilling to travel, and/or refuses to pursue social networking for his book, is not likely to be successful. Good promotion requires spreading the word to readers, and that requires reaching out to them in as many ways as possible. A good publicist will urge her clients to think outside the box and expand their promotional reach as far as possible; clients who are unwilling to do so are not likely to be good candidates for a publicity campaign.

7. Is the timeframe reasonable?
One of my favorite characters, Varuca Salt, in Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, is famous for her demanding cry, “I want it now!” Many authors are excited once their books are finally published and, in their haste to get promotional programs moving, demand instantaneous results from their publicists. But publicity can be a painstaking and time-consuming business. Oftentimes, scheduling events and interviews for clients can take numerous phone calls, email messages, and meetings to bring the sought-after press to fruition. Authors should realize that it may take days and sometimes even weeks to get agreements for events or media articles and interviews. The wise author will allow his publicist the time s/he needs to pursue promotional opportunities and know that having patience generally pays off with a yes nod for coveted media spots.

8. Is the author willing to work hard at promoting?
It doesn’t matter how good your publicist is – whether your book makes it or breaks it will depend on how hard you, the author, are willing to work. A good publicist can open doors and set the stage for you to inform others about your work. But, ultimately, it is up to you to make the most of those opportunities. Whether it is giving a talk at a professional meeting, doing a book signing, speaking at a trade show, or giving a radio or TV interview, the energy and professionalism you put into your performance is the most important factor in influencing readers to buy your book. Likewise, your willingness to put long hours into developing a professional and engaging website, create an active blog, work the social networks, and get out there and meet readers, is crucial to your book’s success.

How to Get Self-Published Books into Bookstores

A self-published author recently sent me the following email message:

"I conducted a book signing at my local Walden bookstore and when one of my friends tried to purchase my book a few weeks later, she was told that I was not
in their database. How can I get my self-published book stocked in a real bookstore?"

This is the dilemma for self-published authors -- most booksellers do not want to stock self-published books in their stores, for many reasons: 1) booksellers order thousands of books per year and don't want to have to order from individual publishers. Instead, they order through wholesale distributors like Baker & Taylor or Ingram, where they can place one order for all the different books they want at once; 2) booksellers don't like having to wait for POD books to ship; they would rather order from a distribution company, which has the books already there in its warehouse; and 3) many print-on-demand books are, to put it kindly, subpar -- they have not been edited and/or reviewed before they are printed, so some booksellers feel that self-published books, in general, are not high quality (whether that's true or not, they have that stigma attached to them).

So, what can be done if your book is self-published?

1) If you want to get your book into stores, it's important to have it listed with a distributor. There are a number of independent distributors, like Pathway Book Service or Greenleaf Book Group, that handle distribution for self-published authors. Some of the wholesale distributors, like Ingram, also have divisions for self-published books. If your book is listed with a distributor, you have a much better chance of getting it into independent and chain bookstores. And, in addition to warehousing and shipping your books, distributors can help with other aspects of marketing including sales promotions, negotiating with buyers, order tracking and reporting, and mailing list maintenance.

2) Some of the bigger booksellers, like Barnes & Noble and Borders, have their own distribution centers. To get into those, you have to approach their small press divisions and ask if they are willing to sell your book in their stores. Both of these companies require that you send a marketing plan for your book, along with one or more copies of the book and a cover letter, to the small press division. You’ll typically receive an answer within a few weeks.

3). Even if Barnes & Noble and Borders won't accept your book through their small press divisions, individual store managers can still order from you directly, if they choose to do so. That's why it's so important that you still try to do signings in as many bookstores as possible. If you hold a successful signing in a store, the bookseller may be willing to order copies (although Borders assigns its own numbers, called "BINC" numbers, to books that it carries, so if your book is not in the Borders system, a store manager may not be able to order it).

If you don't do signings, it's difficult for individual booksellers to know about you or your book -- that's why making appearances at bookstores (even with a low turnout) is so important, especially the first six-eight months after a book is released. Booksellers are willing to have self-published authors in their stores, but only if there is a perceived demand for the book and the author is willing to promote the signing and help draw customers to the event. A good publicist can help convince bookstore managers that your book is worthy of a signing appearance and can be instrumental in booking you for print, radio, and television spots that will drive traffic to your event.

If you do land a signing event, many bookstore managers will ask you to bring copies of the book with you and will purchase an agreed-upon number of those books from you the day of your signing. In some cases, you will have to wait to be paid, since the checks come from corporate offices, rather than the individual stores.

4) Consider offering your books on a consignment arrangement with independent bookstores. Most indie booksellers will take a few copies (usually about 5-10) and will want to keep a percentage of the sales (the typical consignment arrangement is 40-60). If your books sell well, you may be able to convince the store manager to stock them on a regular basis.

5) Finally, don't forget that as a self-published author, you have the advantage of being able to control how your book is marketed. In addition to selling in bookstores, you'll want to explore making your book available in as many ebook formats as possible and consider other venues beside bookstores for sales opportunities.

Some Thoughts on Thinking (and Selling) Outside the Bookstore Box by Carol Newman Cronin

Note: This guest post is by Olympic sailor and author, Carol Newman Cronin, who sailed for the U.S. in the 2004 Olympic games in Athens and has written two fabulous young adult novels: Oliver's Surprise and Cape Cod Surprise. Read what Carol has to say about selling books in places other than a bookstore, and then vist her website: www.carolnewmancronin.com and her blog: Where Books Meet Boats. -PM

Boats Meet Books in Newport:
Five tips for selling books in non-traditional venues

“Author’s Corner - what’s that?”
“You wrote these books yourself?”
“What age group are they meant for?”
“Where do I find a bathroom?”

Those are just a random sampling of the many questions I answered this past weekend at the Newport International Boat Show. Probably not the first place you would think of for book selling, but it turned out to be a great venue for my two Surprises www.carolnewmancronin.com/books.htm. With abundant sunshine and temps in the 70’s, the weather was perfect for boat gawking out on the docks. And once they’d overcome their own Surprise at seeing books - real books - on a boat show booth table, many of the people pouring down the aisles of Tent C were eager to buy some nautical fiction.

The Author’s Corner is a booth provided for those lucky few who are asked to give seminars during the four day event. My seminar (entitled “Where Books Meet Olympic Spirit”) took place before lunch every day, and whether it was because people weren’t yet ready for a sit-down break from boat gawking or due to the vague title, attendance was, well – poor. But sales in the booth were brisk, making the entire effort well worth it.

I had been dreading sitting inside a tent over a beautiful September weekend, and I certainly took several breaks on Thursday and Friday to wander the show and catch up with all my marine industry buddies. But over the weekend, I was simply too busy to get antsy. Handing out bookmarks to anyone who looked like a reader (and US Sailing Team Alphagraphics stickers to all the kids), talking about writing and sailing with those interested enough to stop and chat, and – best of all – signing the books once I’d made the sale; I enjoyed it all more than I expected.

After four days of refining my pitch, I can definitely pass on a few pointers about non-traditional bookselling.

1. Find something in common with the person, and talk about that.
It’s pretty safe to assume that anyone who walks in the door of a bookstore is a reader. I couldn’t make the same assumption about the people walking down the aisle of Tent C, but I could make a different assumption: they were most likely interested in boats (or at least, interested in SOMEONE who was interested in boats). That gave us something to talk about besides the books for sale.

I quickly learned to watch darting eyes, to see if they were caught by the sight of books piled up on a table. Readers notice books; flagging down everyone else by waving a bookmark (or tripping them up) probably wasn’t going to lead to a sale.

2. Create a visually appealing booth that makes it clear what you’re selling.
Since I don’t do many trade shows, I don’t have a lot of big banners that draw in customers. Most people didn’t quite understand what an “Author’s Corner” was right away; it would’ve been very helpful to have a background display that clarified our bookselling/author roles.

Saturday and Sunday our table’s visual appeal was greatly helped by the addition of a large hardback called Steam Coffin.

Author John Lawrence Busch eagerly told anyone who even glanced at his beautiful cover about the first transatlantic steamship. His enthusiasm was infectious, and some of his listeners also bought copies of my books.

Our other booth mate was Captain Graybeard, a boat show veteran who was hawking a wide variety of books, electronics, and weather information – and giving away a free catalog on CD. The world famous cruiser Don Street also made appearances, in between seminars and his visits to the beer tent. So we had something for everyone - softcover fiction, hardcover history, electronic self-help, and nautical legend all represented in the same booth. But many thought we were all selling all of our wares together, rather than independently.

3. Have something to give away that’s easy to carry.
For me, bookmarks work very well as a way to engage people – and I ran through my entire supply. Frequently someone would glance at our table but wouldn’t actually stop until I offered a bookmark. Some just said “thanks” and kept walking, but most would come back to the table and take a second look at what I had to offer. And many of those eventually turned into sales.

4. Have a “special.”
People love to feel like they’re getting a deal when buying at a show, so it’s important to have a special offer. For me it was “Boat show special - two books for twenty bucks.” Only a few people realized they could also buy one for ten bucks…

5. Avoid the hard sell.
There is a well-known parable about the wind and the sun, each trying to get a man to remove his coat. The wind blows hard and then harder, but all that happens is the man clutches the coat tighter to his body. Then the sun comes out, and once the man is warm and happy he gladly takes off his coat.

We’ve all been verbally assaulted walking through a trade show, the human equivalent of the wind blowing harder and harder. After four days of watching my booth mates and the other booth operators around me, I tried to be more like the sun and make people happy. Once I got someone’s attention with a bookmark and had given a very short overview about the books, I asked a question about their boat or where they lived. I haven’t met a boat owner yet who doesn’t like to talk about his or her vessel, and I also enjoyed hearing about all the different ways people work and play on the water.

Selling doesn’t have to be hard. And boat shows, as it turns out, don’t have to be awful – they can be a great chance to find yet another link between boats and books.