Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jinjer Stanton on July 23, 2012 at 12:40pm

Thanks to everyone for all this useful and passionate discussion!

I've managed only small amounts of publicity on my own and while my talks and my radio appearance were good experiences, the kind of effort I put in to getting them was alien to who I am. I am a writer. I am a natural introvert. I am not an extrovert who enjoys and feeds off the kind of activities that lead to publicity.

I've had the niggling feeling that I need to tap into savings and find a publicist. How do I find a good one? Do an internet search for , "best book publicist for yoga?" That's the best I know how to do.

Should I look for someone local?

Wisdom welcome here. Recommendations also welcome!

Permalink Reply by Karma Bennett on July 23, 2012 at 1:35pm

Hi Jinjer,

I am a book publicist. My website is at karmabennett.com. Let's chat. I'll give you a free consultation, and if I'm not a good match for your book I know many other publicists as well. Email me at karma@futureisfiction.com.

Permalink Reply by Peter Kraft on July 23, 2012 at 9:48pm

If you're not going to be out there with at least a dozen platforms, a crew of confederates, and a great presence maybe just writing for yourself is best for you. Book selling is business sometimes big business, and if you don't treat it as such you mizewell self-publish, and hand out a few copies to your friends. 

Permalink Reply by Sondra Sneed on July 24, 2012 at 9:34am

But Peter, every business begins with a kernel of opportunity, first.  The problem is with patience.  Many authors who appear overnight sensations have been hacking away for years and then something finally gives.  There's too much get rich quick attitude.  Where's the grooming and stone laying?  

If you want to make a serious addition to the world, there can't be the author/marketer as the only source of income for publishers.   Gems take time and pressure to produce.  Someone needs to take responsibility for shaping our society, and start doing it.  Right now I think Netflix and cable are the only distributors, for example, of independent films that are reaching a mainstream audience.  

Permalink Reply by Peter Kraft on July 24, 2012 at 11:45am

Sondra you are correct. When there is no opportunity, the creative invent them. Patience is imperative, and during down time, more projects are developed, nurtured, edits and rewrites are done, and all along your brand is developing. Sometimes it can take decades. There are things which at one time were useless and with a good spin become precious, timeless, and hilarious-The world will not beat a path to you unless you have something to give back. 

Permalink Reply by jeff herman on July 24, 2012 at 9:27pm

Sonda, I agree. Keep looking even after you fall a few times, and you may see some new trails.

Permalink Reply by Sondra Sneed on July 25, 2012 at 10:06am

That means so much to me, Jeff. Thank you for the encouragement.

Permalink Reply by Karma Bennett on July 24, 2012 at 1:15pm

Peter,

this is exactly the sort of reply that got me so fired up about this question. How sad that publishers have been shirking their responsibility for so long that you believe a writer's job is to be a marketer. I would rather have a world full of amazing writers that leave publicity to the professionals than a world of half-ass writers that are good at selling themselves.

Permalink Reply by Monique Colver on July 24, 2012 at 1:19pm

So would I.

Permalink Reply by Peter Kraft on July 24, 2012 at 3:51pm

Sadly it takes some thick skin to make it in this racket. No rejection is any easier than the one before it. It stings the same way with each "sorry, we're not interested," on a form letter. Trust me, I've been there. 

Permalink Reply by Monique Colver on July 24, 2012 at 3:57pm

So have I. That was one of the reasons I self-pubbed. That, and I'm not getting any younger here. That, and I wanted some control over the process. That, and I don't have thick skin. Wait. I said that already. 

Permalink Reply by Peter Kraft on July 24, 2012 at 4:08pm

Remember that there's nothing "wrong" with self-published work. The stigma is largely, in a lot folks opinion contrived, but that's a different story. The person that buys a small business say an air conditioning shop may not be any less an air conditioning repairman than the big outlet, just on a different scale. You have plenty of control of your work, and don't have deadlines, lousy cover art, or an editor you may not care for pestering you. The democratization of the publishing industry is upon us. Anyone can publish and go directly to market sans the agent, editor, or anyone else. Who's to say anyone else's work is "better" than yours-no one. That's the attitude of an artist. People have different tastes, and a lot of folks are fed up with the junk being hustled-You go for it!  

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