3 Press Release Don’ts for Authors by Dee Stewart

As a literary business hybrid, I get to see the publishing industry in three dimensional terms. As a writer, I share the same pangs and long hours of marketing my latest writing project or literary event. As a publicist, I spend hours creating the best press release for my clients with hopes that it grabs my media friends attention. As a member of the press, I take great care in scrutinizing author requests to be featured in on my blog or magazine department or radio show in my charge.

All three aspects of me require basic marketing acumen. All further require a brilliant press release(either on the part of me creating one or me receiving one) to help me stay successful.

What I’ve found is that my press release submission ratio is higher than most and my press release acceptance ratio is very high. In short, I’m pretty successful creating press releases, but unsuccessful retrieving good ones to help me satisfy my many writing assignments.

So I thought it would be best if I share the three major guffaws a writer should never take when creating a press release. All three are mistakes I’ve witnessed and/or participated in before I knew any better.

3 Dont’s:

1. Do not send a boilerplate press release to media contacts and book group gatekeepers. I can’t tell you how many Facebook, Twitter and email messages I receive about promoting their book on my sites, columns or on Media Candy Radio, and how many of those messages I never read. Instead take the time to research the media (including blogging) outlets that fit your book’s audience. Learn the correct contact’s name, when to contact them and the type of content they prefer to receive from you. Then provide exactly that. Generally, here at the blog I work with about five publicists, three editors, ten trusted literary sources, ten published authors, and three book clubs to source content. These people have become my dream team. Imagine if you were a member of your favorite blog’s dream team.
2. Don’t submit a boring, non buzzworthy event. Newsflash to you and unfortunately to some of my present and former clients…Submitting a news release about your upcoming book club event isn’t good enough anymore. It’s no longer news, but a community event that is befitting for a local events calendar(nothing wrong with that, by the way.) To ensure that your media contacts take you seriously, however, listen to what they want from you, submit them press releases that are relevant and helpful and trendy. Otherwise use the online events calendar to submit your book club meetings and signings.
3. Don’t include your book’s synopsis in your press release. A press release should be formatted correctly and contain info that suggests to media that my book has a public takeaway value. Use your press release to do that. Here are two examples:

The 2009 Faith and Fiction Retreat
Sherri L. Lewis Award Announcement

We will talk about the DO’s next time. In the meantime send me your current press release and let me fix it here on the blog. Email me at deegospel pr at gmail dot com for details.

Dee Stewart
www.christianfiction.blogspot.com

A Day in the Life of a Literary Publicist by Dee Stewart

Every day people follow me on Twitter with hopes to get a glimpse of my day. Why? For some odd reason some think that having a pr firm and being a publicist is glamorous and pays well(Ha!) And others, especially authors who may have been burnt by a lit pub think that this job is a no-brainer gig and that any one can do it, so they try to copy what I do to save from hiring a peer. Then there are those who are considering hiring a publicist to handle their personal or their client’s pr needs and wonder what about the outcomes and expectations that they could receive. Finally, there are lurkers who are either pr firm owners or would be publicists who want to duplicate my system. At any case I tweet and tell as much as my time and patience allows on Twitter at DeeGospel.

However, last month–one particular week– I experienced the most busiest, Big Fun, craziest and saddest weeks of my lit life. To get through it, I journalled. I thought I would share one of those days with you. Let me know what you think.

A day, any day in May, 2009…

6:00 a.m.: Wake up my daughter to get her off to school

6:15a.m.: Respond to a late night text message about a possible Atlanta bookclub event. Some of my clients are on pacific time.

6:30 a.m.: While driving daughter to school, I skim reporter’s requests that just came through.

7:56a.m.: Work out, but not breathing correctly through the poses, because I hear three text messages come through my Blackberry. One is from a new bookclub forming, the other from an irate client, and the other from an editor I owe content to.

8:00a.m.: At my Home Office desk(have taken my morning heart meds,) reviewing my “to do” list and calendar. Dropping in info for my next blog post. Reading Newsfeeds.

8:30a.m.: Sort through 100+ new emails in my inbox. Respond to urgent emails, submit one reporter’s request pitch to magazine searching for young adult summer picks.

9:00a.m.: Phone pitching begins, then ends abruptly. An event that I’ve booked four authors for haven’t been promoting the authors via the radio station that is hosting the event. Must call the radio station and the bookstore president for clarification. Where are my clients? Why can’t I hear about them on the radio? Not happy, trying hard to keep the Hulk in me hidden. Send out a prayer request via Twitter.

10:00 a.m.: Submit EPKs to a reporter, who asked for it. Converse with a mag editor friend of mine about a national writer’s festival I will be promoting for the summer.

10:30 a.m.: Reading and editing clients tip sheets before I present them to editors for possible inclusion in magazine.

11:15 a.m.: Work on Phase 2 of an existing pr campaign. Target podcasters and vloggers that fit client’s fanbase. He’s a romance writer. Throw chicken in the crockpot for dinner. Curry chicken on the menu.

12:00p.m.: …Want to break for lunch, but take two calls instead. The bookstore finally calls, but with another challenge. Need more books pronto. Must call book vendor friend to see if she can be the bookstore’s solution. Send another prayer request out. Doc wants me to take a lunch break for my heart. Yikes!

2:15 p.m.: Rest break over. Now pick up Selah from school, while taking a call from an A & R manager seeking pr support for one of his music artists. Receive another she-say-she-say call from a client about a client/friend which saddens me. Now my mind shifts into crisis-management mode for the second time today.

3:30 p.m.: Home. Brainstorm campaign strategy for new book about a mid-life woman starting over. How will this story get media attention? What’s the psychographic for this book? Women Oprah’s age, starting over, forever young, Christians having face lifts, what?

4:00.: BFF called. Wondered if I was free this weekend. No. I’m not, just too tired. Need to follow Doctor’s orders. Receive tip about another lit event. I refer that opp to Tanisha at Grand Central Publishing and ask if the PH can find funds to send our clients. She agrees to ask and get back with me.

4:30 p.m.: Take another call with bookstore vendor about a new book tour project we want to put together.

5:00 p.m.: Homework with daughter. (Supposed to be end of business)

5:30p.m.: Attend “media analysis” telemeeting with prospective client. Discuss media potential for this client and announce our strategy to increase public attention. This author comes to me months after release date, which drops media hit potential dramatically, but I have a plan. Will she trust me?

6:20 p.m.: Take late call with client, who hints at wanting more sales opportunity surrounding this Book Event that has now become a thorn in my side. I remind client that I care about there success and want the best for them but I am not their booking agent or sales manager. My job as stated and agreed upon in our contract is for Media Services, but I can’t do my job for doing tasks that aren’t pr related. I do promise to check with book events host and a book club friend to see if they can cook something up. I jot down a note to write a post about PR and author expectation(coming soon.)

7:00 p.m.: Join an online radio chat to hear another client’s interview, while finalizing itinerary for the Book Event. The Radio station called and gave me the concessions I asked for. Received an email from my bookclub president buddy that her church would host a book signing after Sunday service. Then leave the chat to take a call from events host and radio producer. Good chat. Things should be looking up, but received a call from another client shortly after, who was concerned about said client/friend’s issue with the event. I begin to think the challenge is more with me than the event, but when I contact said author she seems okay. (??? confused now) Told her some of the new additions to the itinerary, not all, because the contract is not complete. But tomorrow I will ask client if she wants to continue on in this event before this contract gets in my hand. I can see the end of my rope with this foolishness now.

7:30 p.m.: Wrap up loose ends, daughter’s giving me the Mom we must Eat look. Have Mercy!

9:00 p.m.: Return to my desk to write this post in draft and turn in my article to my waiting editor. Isn’t she sweet?
wrote:-

Midnight: email from a peer on Central Time. She wants me to speak at her event. I text while sleeping. Don’t know how I responded.

Question: Do you think authors have misconceived idea about what pr support is? Do you think I could have handled myself better? Is this your idea of what a publicist does?