by Adriann Ranta

Why Hire a Publicist?

Working in an industry with as many daunting facets as publishing is an intimidating choice, not just because of the countless hours of writer’s block, but being able to switch gears enough to successfully market a finished product. Luckily, there are people like Lynn.

For the past four years, Lynn Wiese Sneyd has been a literary publicist for Russell Public Communications, a five-year-old PR and ad agency based in Tucson, Arizona. After 12 years in sales and 3 years in the events planning department of Barnes & Noble, as well as publishing a few titles herself, Sneyd has combined her passion for sales and writing into a career. Not only is she a nice lady, but she has the industry experience to make people buy, buy, buy.

Generally, publicity is handled by the publishing house, but according to Marika Flatt in her online article “Publicity Puzzle,” in-house publicists can’t always give an author the attention he needs.

“Due to the heavy volume of books that a publisher’s in-house publicity staff has to promote, by hiring an outside publicist, more time and energy can be devoted to individual titles,” says Flatt. “Some publishers have even done away with their publicity departments and send all their titles to an outside publicity firm to handle the promotion efforts.”

With the increasing competition for the eyes of traditional publishers, more and more authors are opting for print-on-demand, online publication, and grass root publishing presses. While this route might get a book into print, it usually doesn’t equal the sales incurred by an industry professional.

“The most important reason to have a professionally produced marketing plan, is that without one, independent authors are almost guaranteed to be ignored by the major distributors, the backbone of the publishing industry,” says Monica Poling in her article “The Five Most Common Mistakes New Authors Make.” “Working with distributors can be extremely difficult for independent authors, as major distributors have traditionally been leery of working with small and POD publishers.”

AR: What qualities would you look for if you were in a different line of work and considering hiring a publicist for yourself?

LWS: I would make sure the publicist presents a solid proposal, has enough time scheduled to work on my project, carefully reads and understands my book, feels passionate about it, and takes my suggestions into consideration.

What Does a Publicist Do?

Book publicity is a highly tailored process where the publicist pitches the most appropriate media for her client. This includes radio, television, or publications where the audience is awash with potential buyers who would rather hear from an “unbiased” third party, rather than an author who obviously loves their latest book. Media relations are what a publicist specializes in, and sometimes it’s best to leave this full-time job to a professional.

The steps taken by a literary publicist to market a book are generally universal: 1) pitch to the appropriate media, usually by email, 2) if requested, send out a media kit and/or review copy of the book 3) follow up with a succinct, 30-45 second phone call to all queried sources, and finally 4) scheduling interviews, book reviews and developing feature stories.

“Occasionally, other services are offered, such as book tour coordination and promotion, media training and development of marketing materials,” says Flatt. “However, a publicist does not typically find agents, publishers, distributors for the book, schedule speaking engagements or coordinate travel arrangements for a book tour.”

With a constant finger on the pulse, publicists like Sneyd have a pretty good idea about what sets the media buzzing. While literary agents might have a better idea about the latest trends in manuscripts, Sneyd knows what the public wants to see.

“Living green is really popular with the media right now,” says Sneyd. “General health is also something most television stations are happy to broadcast since they’re always on the lookout for interesting stories to report. In addition, the media is often interested in local, topical news. The book, Arizona Laws 101, written by a Phoenix-area lawyer, received considerable attention from the Phoenix and Tucson media, particularly television."

AR: Are there any known scams or unethical practices in the book publicity industry that writers considering hiring a publicists should be wary of?

LWS: If a publicist promises to book an author on a show like Larry King Live or promises a review in the New York Times, red flags should go up. Generally, publicists can’t guarantee results.

What Should an Author Know?

Considering the audience is the most important consideration in marketing a book, it is also crucial for the author to know their audience and be willing to participate in getting their name out there.

“A lot of authors think they’re perfect for Good Morning America and Oprah, and most of the time this just isn’t true,” says Sneyd. “Keeping inside a 90-mile radius is a realistic way to begin publicizing a title. Then branch out from there."

While not all writers should be holding their breath to be Oprah’s next Book Club choice, this should not shaft all the benefits of a publicist.

"There were just under 200,000 published books in 2006," says Sneyd. "It's very difficult to get noticed. It's always been hard as a debut author because you don't have a string of published books that people know you by. Sometimes it takes two or three books before your name gets known."

Even with the help of an industry professional, the author’s involvement in his own marketing campaign is invaluable.

“What authors often don't realize is that there is a huge difference between marketing and public relations,” says Poling. “While a PR rep at a publishing house is primarily focused on generating media attention for your book, there are many other ways of generating buzz.”

For example, maintaining a friendly, approachable persona at a book signing might gain a writer new fans who are willing to pitch the book to their friends, sway the employees at to choose the book for their "Staff Pick," and even place the book in a more propitious location on the shelf.

Once a manuscript is edited until it shines, picked up by an enthusiastic agent, and sold to a publisher, considering an equally enthusiastic literary publicist might be worth the money: it could be the deciding factor in making a book fly off the shelves.

AR: What should a writer be prepared for in terms of cost when it comes to hiring a publicist?

LWS: Some publicists offer a Chinese menu list of services with set fees. Others, like myself, will set a project fee for a particular campaign, the fee being contingent on the type of work that the author is requesting. A full blown, high-end campaign can cost upwards of $50,000. In general, though, an author has to anticipate investing $3000-5000.

Want More?

• Lynn Wiese Sneyd, literary publicist for Russell Public Communications in Tucson, AZ
• Publicize Your Book: An Insider's Guide to Getting Your Book the Attention It Deserves, by Jacqueline Deval
• The Savvy Author’s Guide to Book Publicity, by Lissa Warren
• “Publicity Puzzle,” by Marika Flatt. Marika Flatt is the owner of PR by the Book LLC, a publicity firm dedicated to helping authors and publishers achieve quality media exposure.
• “The Five Most Common Marketing Mistakes New Authors Make,” by Monica Poling