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, 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) Commonly asked interview questions
4) 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 to help you:
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 tell you 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 Katie Couric 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 Author photo (preferably color)
n A high-resolution, color photo of your book cover or an actual copy of the book (for photo/review purposes)
n List of awards/praise for your book (if Nora Roberts loves your book, you might 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 (make sure you 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 And, of course, the last thing that 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 …
You 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 all the strange noises and 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, Tennessee, 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 own book, Karma Girl:
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 romance readers are ready for something different, and Karma Girl will give it to them. Karma Girl 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, superheroes and ubervillains stalk the night – and investigative reporter Carmen Cole is hot on their trail.
Carmen Cole's wedding day is officially the worst day of her life. That's when this Lois Lane-type reporter discovers her fiancé cheating on her with her best friend – and that the two are her town's resident superhero and villain. Carmen does what any scorned woman would – she exposes their secret identities to the world. And she doesn't stop there. Carmen travels from town to town, newspaper to newspaper, unmasking America's most illustrious heroes and villains. Now, she's in Bigtime, New York, and determined to uncover the biggest heroes and villains of all – the Fearless Five and the Terrible Triad. There are just a few problems. The Triad wants her dead, and Carmen finds that she's more interested in seeing if Striker, the leader of the Fearless Five, looks as good out of his costume as he does in it ...
Strong, female characters. Secret identities. Skin-tight spandex. Sexy superheroes. Karma Girl is superpowered paranormal romance.
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 several other writing groups.
Karma Girl is her first book. It will be published May 1 by Berkley Books. The sequel, Hot Mama, will be released Nov. 6. The third Bigtime book, Jinx, is set for an April 2008 release.
Statistics
Something else to keep in mind is that journalists 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 2007
n ISBN-10: 1234567890
n ISBN-13: 1234567890123
n Publisher: Estep Enterprises
More statistics
n 1: For Love or Chocolate will be my first published book.
n 2: My second book is tentatively 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.
Since Jane’s book is set in a coffee shop, she could even include another sheet filled with recipes that Jill might use in the book. If you’re writing romantic suspense, include some stats about crime. If you write historicals, prepare a fact sheet about the type of clothing worn during the period or other facts about the era. Whatever your book is about, be creative and have fun with it.
Commonly asked interview questions
In the course of my career, I’ve interviewed hundreds of people, including more than a few 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 answer easily. 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 easy 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.
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. RWA also has excellent resources to help authors deal with this particular question.
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 or panic if the journalist gets upset.
Remember that are some dangerous people out there who might think that you have money that you don’t. Protect yourself first.
The agent/publisher question can also be a prickly one and perhaps the most difficult to answer. After all, 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 the agent 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 journalist’s 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 help you get 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 that’s comfortable: You want to focus on giving a great interview, not about the fact that your pantyhose are making their way 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.
A final note – electronic vs. paper press kits
If you’re on a tight budget, you might want to create an electronic press kit, instead of an actual paper version. After all, 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.
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.
Want to see an example? Visit my Media page.
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