As a book author you have likely sent out information on your new book to book reviewers, beta readers in the hopes of a testimonial, and press/media releases to magazines, newspapers, radio, TV, and internet sources. In this short article, I’d like to show you how to make the job easier for the media to use your material and give you a higher chance of getting your release published.
1. Make the media’s job easier; get the information about your event to them well in advance of your event.
Don’t wait until the week before or worse, a few days away from your event (book signing, release, autograph party, awards acceptance) to let the media know you have a story their audience would be interested in learning about.
Get preliminary information to them right away and follow up with specifics as they become available. Make sure your contact information is bold and visible on all documents so the media can get in touch without having to search for you.
2. Reporters will (mostly) not read your book, so provide them with relevant questions and if needed answers, as well as a one-page synopsis of the book.
3. Add sidebars to the release with tips and other useful information. The reporter may use your release as a springboard to his/her own piece, but may still include your sidebars and tips, and reference you and your website in the material.
4. The reporter usually needs at least two quotes but can’t take them from the release. Reporters are not allowed to use information cited unless they can verify it with at least two independent sources.
Provide the name and contact information for other experts on the subject of your release, with your release.
5. Provide more than one story angle. Editors in all forms of media ask one question: What’s in this for my audience? To be blunt, they really don’t care about you and your book. They only care about what will intrigue their respective audience and keep them coming back for more.
- Remember to cover the local angle
- Something that is local that can lead to national is even better
- Provide “backgrounders” which are clips of similar stories
- Testimonials (although reporters know most clips are made up by Public Relations people)
6. Include photos of your book, the event, or head shots of author/person in the story ONLY if requested by the reporter.
- Reporters may not open email attachments because of the threat of computer virus.
- Maintain a picture gallery on your website the reporter can copy a picture from.
- Remember, web pictures are generally 72 dpi for quick loading online, so plainly mark the pictures saved at 300 dpi for print use. (dpi = dots per inch)
7. In your release make sure you notify TV / radio people that “show prep” material is available via your Home Page. Include a “Media Information” button on your Home Page.
8. Limit industry jargon and write to a 5th grade reading level.
9. Paper media kits should be sent only if requested. Reporters are jaded by gaudy media kits, not to mention the deluge they must wade through every day.
10. Always send a “thank-you” note to the media after the event. Encourage “warm regards” so media will be motivated to open your next release.
Hopefully, these brief guidelines will streamline your pitch for media coverage more effectively and help get your release published.
