How to be a Shameless Hussy –
Working the Media like a Pro
There are lots of articles and workshops on how to approach editors and agents, and the steps to getting a book published. But what do you do after your book comes out? How do you let people know about it? One way is through the media, specifically newspapers, radio, and television.
The title of this workshop is How to be a Shameless Hussy – Working the Media Like a Pro. The workshop looks at how authors can get newspapers, television stations, and other media outlets interested in their books, how to write press releases and other media-friendly materials, and how to put their best foot forward when interviewed.
During the workshop, I’ll cover the following topics:
1) Dos and don’ts for dealing with journalists
2) How to create a basic press kit
3) How to create exta, book-related materials for readers on your Web site
4) Commonly asked interview questions
5) Some tips on what to wear to an interview
DOs and DON’Ts for dealing with journalists
Not sure how to approach a journalist? Panicked at the thought of a giving an interview? Don’t worry. It’s not as complicated or nerve-racking as you might think. Here some tips:
DOs
n Start local: Media outlets in your hometown and the surrounding area are the easiest places to start your campaign. They’re also going to be the most receptive since you live in their coverage area and have friends and family who will buy the newspaper and tune in to see you.
n Do some research: Find out if the newspaper/magazine/radio/television station you’re targeting does stories on authors or has an events listing for book signings. Find out who you need to contact, what you should send her (press release, author photo, etc.), when she needs it by, and how she wants to receive it (e-mail, CD, hard copy, etc.)
n Send out press releases: Journalists are always looking for interesting people to profile. Why not you? Writing a book and getting it published is a major accomplishment. Be proud of it.
n Give advance notice: Journalists hate to get things at the last minute. Send information about book signings, author talks, etc. out at least two weeks in advance of the actual date. If you’re targeting a magazine, send it out even earlier, as they usually require more lead time than newspapers.
n Follow up: If you send out your material and don’t get a response, follow up with the journalist. Things do get lost in the mail, and e-mail does crash. A short, polite phone call or e-mail is best.
DON’Ts
n Don’t be afraid of getting rejected: No matter how good your press kit is or how interesting your book, a journalist may tell you that she can’t do a story. She may not have the time – many journalists are overworked and underpaid, just like editors – or she may just not be interested. Don’t let this stop you from sending your information to the next person. The worst thing a journalist can do is say no or hang up on you. If you’ve gotten your book published, you’ve probably been told no by dozens of agents and editors. Those rejections didn’t stop you, why should one more?
n Don’t be overly pushy: This is the flip side of not being afraid. If a journalist tells you no, respect her decision. Ask her what she can do for you. If she can’t do a full-blown feature, but can put your signing in her calendar of events, then graciously ask her to do that. Don’t pester her. There is a fine line between being aggressive and being a pest. Don’t step over it.
n Don’t be late for an interview: Show up at the correct time at the correct place. Or be by the phone waiting, if that’s how the interview is going to be done. If you have to cancel, call ahead and give plenty of notice, so you can reschedule the interview at a later time.
n Don’t be nervous: Journalists are people, too. They have spouses, kids, mortgages, and pets just like the rest of us. Relax during the interview and be yourself. You can practice what you’ll say beforehand, or write down some thoughts on index cards and take those with you, if it will help you feel better.
n Don’t give one-word answers: There is nothing more frustrating for a journalist than someone who answers yes and no to every question. Those answers don’t make for a good story. When you’re being interviewed, just talk. Give thoughtful answers. Expound on your ideas. Let your love for your books shine through.
n The most important rule: No matter who’s interviewing you, whether it’s Meredith Viera or a woman from the local newspaper, there’s one thing you should always do – treat the journalist just like you would an editor or agent. With courtesy and respect.
Creating the perfect press kit
So your book is coming out soon, and you’re ready to start putting together your press kit. But there’s one small problem – you don’t even know what goes in a press kit. Don’t worry. It’s easier and cheaper to do than you might think.
Getting started
Here are some basic things you need to include in your press kit. Most of these are self-explanatory:
n Press release with all the details about you and your book
n High-resolution, color author photo
n High-resolution, color photo of your book cover or an actual copy of the book
n List of awards/praise for your book (if Nora Roberts or J.K. Rowling loves your book, you definitely want to mention that)
n List of any book signings/author talks you have scheduled (if they’re local, that’s a little extra incentive for the journalist to interview you)
n List of local bookstores that are carrying your work (again, more incentive for the journalist, and it makes it easy for people who read the article to buy the book)
n Business card with your contact information (at least put an e-mail address and phone number on there). List the days/hours that are the best times to reach you, if you wish.
n A CD with all of the above information on it. This saves the journalist or someone else from having the retype your press release or scan in your photo. Make things as easy as possible.
n The last thing you need is something to put all this in. A simple, white folder will do. There’s no need to get fancy. Buy them in bulk, and save some money.
The press release
The press release is the most important part of your press kit. It’s what tells the journalist about you and your book. You can skimp on the rest of the package, but make sure you have a coherent press release with all the pertinent information in it.
The easiest way to do a press kit is to take your query letter and rework it. After all, your query is a short pitch of your book, with a few lines about your writing credentials and background thrown in. That’s essentially what a press release is. Below is a sample of a press release for Jane Doe, who has a paranormal romance coming out in a few months:
What would you do if yYou found your fiancé cheating on you with your best friend on your wedding day?
For Jill Jackson, the answer is simple. Dump the jerk. After Jill drops the two-hundred-pound dead weight that is her former fiancé, Stanley, she decides to follow her dream and open up her own coffee shop and bakery. There’s only one problem. Jill is a witch, and her magic tends to go haywire more often than not. Add to that the suicidal werewolf who lives in the basement of her building and the leprechaun who keeps stealing all the cookies, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. Soon, the neighbors are complaining about the strange noises, people, and lights in her shop, which attracts the attention of sexy detective Mike Logan. Mike is a complication Jill doesn’t need, but a man she can’t resist …
It’s all part of For Love and Chocolate, a paranormal romance by Jane Doe. By day, Jane is an accountant, helping people plan for their futures and avoid being audited by the IRS. By night, she’s a romance writer, penning tales of love and desire. Jane is a member of several writers’ groups, including Romance Writers of America. She lives in Smalltown, USA, along with her husband, John, and their two kids. For more information on Jane and her books, visit www.janedoe.com.
You start out with a hook to bring people in, give a short description of the book, and wrap up with your credentials. It’s quick and easy and can be limited to one page.
Another press release
Want another example? Here’s a press release I did for my book, Jinx:
Vampires, werewolves, witches, wizards. It seems like these characters are in just about every fantasy and paranormal romance novel on the shelves these days. But how many books about dark, brooding, tortured vampires can you read before you get bored? Not many.
Romance readers are ready for something different, and Jinx will give it to them (Berkley Books; Sept. 2, 2008; $7.99; ISBN: 0425220621). Jinx offers all the fun, adventure, danger, excitement and romance of a traditional paranormal book with a twist – there are no vampires or werewolves in sight. Instead, evil ubervillains stalk the night – much to the chagrin of fashion designer Bella Bulluci.
Bella Bulluci’s big passion is the arts. Her big pain is being born into a family of superheroes. Of course, Bella might feel differently if her own superpower was one she could control – or at least get some use out of. Instead, her power is one of capricious luck – supercharged telekinesis. In other words, static electricity. Bella knows that’s not a power – just a jinx.
During a gala fundraiser for the local art museum, Bella comes upon two things no Bigtime supergirl should be without: an ubervillain of her very own who plans to steal a priceless gem; and a dashing – if slightly shady – stranger named Debonair. He may have a reputation as a notorious playboy, but the real sparks are going to come from Bella, who’s finally going to learn just how well love and danger can go together …
Author Jennifer Estep follows up her previous books – Karma Girl (May 2007) and Hot Mama (November 2007) – with another action-packed adventure in Jinx. The three books make up the Bigtime series, which features a city full of sexy superheroes, evil ubervillains, and lots of smart, sassy gals looking for love.
Strong, female characters. Secret identities. Skin-tight spandex. Sexy superheroes. Jinx is super-powered paranormal romance. Best of all, there are no musty, old vampires in sight.
By night, Jennifer Estep is an author, prowling the streets of her imagination in search of her next super idea. Her Bigtime books feature sexy superheroes, evil ubervillains, and lots of smart, sassy gals looking for love.
By day, Jennifer is an award-winning features page designer for a daily newspaper. She's also a certifiable fangirl and an authority on fantasy literature and culture. Jennifer is a member of Romance Writers of America, Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and other writing groups.
Jennifer's books have been featured in Cosmopolitan, Entertainment Weekly, Southern Living, and a variety of other publications.
Statistics
Something else to keep in mind is that journalists (and people in general) love statistics, quick little bites of information that they can pass on to their readers. So, give them what they want. Add a few statistics at the bottom of your press release or on another sheet of paper. Here are some that Jane Doe might use, and I have similar ones posted on my Web site for my books:
About the book (you should always include this information in any release you send out)
n Title: For Love or Chocolate
n Author: Jane Doe
n Release date: September
n Price: $7.99
n Format: Mass market paperback
n ISBN-10: 1234567890
n ISBN-13: 1234567890123
n Publisher: Estep Enterprises
n Available at: Amazon.com, B&N.com, and local bookstores
Writing statistics
n 1: For Love or Chocolate will be my first published book.
n 2: My second book is titled Death by Chocolate.
n 5: Years I’ve been writing books.
n 10: Months it took me to write and edit For Love or Chocolate.
n About 400: Number of pages in For Love or Chocolate.
n About 100,000: Number of words in For Love or Chocolate.
Other ideas for statistics
Don’t limit yourself to straight numbers. Since Jane’s book is set in a coffee shop, she could include another sheet filled with recipes her character makes in the book or what kind of cookies werewolves like best. If you’re writing romantic suspense, include some statistics and information about crime. If you write historical romance, prepare a fact sheet about the type of clothing worn, food eaten, or other facts about the era. Whatever your book is about, be creative and have fun with it.
Fun stuff for readers
Don’t limit yourself to creating press releases or statistics just for journalists. Think about your readers and what might interest them, and let your press releases do double duty. Any of the above things I’ve mentioned would make great extras to post on your Web site or blog.
On my Web site, I have several extra features for readers, including character quotes from the books, a who's who of characters, and a tour of my superhero city, Bigtime, N.Y. Every time I have a book coming out, I go through and update all the information, archive the old on a separate page, and add new teasers where appropriate.
The most important thing is to have fun with whatever you’re writing – even press releases. Because if you’re having fun, your readers will too.
Commonly asked interview questions
In the course of my career, I’ve interviewed hundreds of people, including several authors.
Here are some of my most commonly asked questions, and what I would ask Jane Doe if we sat down to do an interview about her paranormal romance.
n How do you spell your name?
n How old are you? Do you care if I put your age in the article?
n Where do you live?
n Tell me about your book.
n What inspired you to write it?
n What is your writing process? How long does it take you to write a book?
n What exactly is paranormal romance?
n Why do you write romance? What appeals to you about it?
n How did you go about getting your book published? How long did it take?
n Are you doing any book signings or author talks in the area? If so, when and where?
n Who are some of your favorite authors?
n Do you have any more books coming out? When?
Is there anything else you’d like to tell me?
As you can see, all of the questions are things you should be able to easily answer. After all, who knows more than you about your book? Nobody.
However, there are a couple of questions that are a little trickier to answer, like these:
n How do you write all those steamy sex scenes?
n How much did they pay you for your book?
n Could I send something to your agent/publisher?
There are lots of ways to answer these questions, from polite to funny. I use my imagination. If I tell you, I’ll have to kill you. My husband helps me do all my research.
n As far as the sex question goes, ask other authors how they handle it. Think about their answers and come up with your own take on it. Romance Writers of America also has excellent resources on its Web site to help authors deal with this particular question.
n The money and agent questions can also be tricky and uncomfortable. One way to handle the money question is to simply say that you prefer not to release that information.
If the journalist persists in wanting to know, just tell her that you’d rather not say, and move the interview on to another subject. Don’t worry about not answering this question and don't panic if the journalist gets upset.
Remember, any time you do an interview for a newspaper or other media outlet, thousands of people will probably see it. Even the smallest newspapers usually have a couple thousand subscribers, not to mention the people who visit the Web site. There are some dangerous people out there who might think you have money that you don’t. Protect yourself first.
n The agent/publisher question can also be a prickly one and perhaps the most difficult to answer. You don’t want to discourage a fellow writer, but you don’t know how good her writing is and whether it’s even something your agent/publisher handles.
One way to handle this question is to encourage the journalist to join a writer’s group like RWA or check out the latest guides to agents and publishers.
This way, you are being helpful and giving the journalist other avenues to explore, instead of getting backed into a corner.
A few words about what to wear
You’ve sent out your press releases, booked your interviews, and prepped for all the journalists' questions. Now, on to what you really need to know – what the heck do you wear to an interview? Here are a few tips to get your ready for your close-up:
n Don’t wear anything too casual or over-the-top: You wouldn’t get your author photo taken wearing flip-flops and worn-out sweats, would you? Of course not. Writing is a serious business, so look the part. Be professional. Wear a nice, business casual outfit. Nobody ever went wrong with basic black pants and a nice shirt or sweater.
n Keep it simple: Don’t go too over-the-top with jewelry, makeup, and hair, unless it’s part of your public, author persona. Even then, think about if it’s really necessary. A tiara studded with pink plastic hearts is fine when you’re sitting in front of your computer alone, but wearing one out in public? Probably not a good idea, unless you want an express trip to the funny farm.
n Wear something comfortable: You want to focus on giving a great interview, not about the fact your pantyhose are going up where the sun doesn’t shine. Wear something you feel comfortable in that isn’t too big or too tight, or too low- or high-cut.
n Wear something you won’t mind being photographed in: There’s a good chance the journalist will bring a photographer along to take your picture, even if she hasn’t mentioned it to you. (This is another reason why you don’t wear ratty clothes to an interview). Be prepared by looking your best.
n If you’re going to be interviewed on television, wear something simple: Don a shirt in a bright, solid color or put on a nice, dark-colored blazer over a bright shirt. No stripes, no plaid, no big flowers, unless you want to look like a test pattern. Also, put on some lipstick and mascara, even if you don’t usually wear makeup. Women who don’t wear lipstick and mascara on television look like they’re dead.
Electronic vs.
paper press kits
n Want to save more money? Create an electronic press kit, instead of an actual paper version. E-mail is much quicker and cheaper to send than regular mail. You can also burn your files to a CD and mail that. Again, it’s cheaper.
n All you have to do is take your information and convert it to commonly used file formats, like Microsoft Word for your press release and .jpg or .tif images for your photos.
This way, you can e-mail the information to a reporter at a moment’s notice. It’s also a good idea to have this information available on your Web site anyway, so journalists can download it themselves.
n Want to see an example? Visit my Media page.
Newsletter
Site designed and Maintained by
Stonecreek Media, Inc
