CHAPTER 17

Marketing and Publicity

You've spent a great deal of time trying to sell your manuscript to publishers, and at last you have succeeded. Congratulations! Now the real work begins. How is the publisher going to sell your book to the public? Remember that the success of your first book will have a bearing on your ability to publish more books down the road. It is crucial to work with your publisher on a comprehensive marketing and publicity plan, to give not just your book, but you as an author, a decent chance to thrive in the book business. This chapter will guide you through some of the common tactics used to help promote and sell your book.

The Catalog

The publisher's catalog is likely to be the first place your book receives any form of attention. Publishers normally have two lists per year — spring and fall — and a catalog to advertise each list. Your book will be categorized by the pub date, along with all other books coming out in the same month.

Either your acquisitions editor or a house publicist will write the catalog copy accompanying a picture of your book's cover, if one is ready in time. The book's announcement will also include trim size, page count, ISBN, author's bio, a brief description of the book including age or reading level, and price, and may mention any marketing plans intended for the book.

Sales reps will be busy trying to sell the books on an upcoming list and will bring a catalog along to their meetings. The catalog is a very useful selling tool, as it contains brief but succinct information that a book buyer can use to make a decision.

The sales team does not have time to sit down and read each book that they sell. Therefore, they will rely on information provided to them by editors and the catalog. The editors will likely have written up tip sheets, which include information about the book and the author (and illustrator, if applicable). The editor will then go before the sales team and give his own pitch for the books he represents. This gives the sales team an opportunity to get their questions answered and get a better feel for the books. Sometimes, they will receive other promotional materials to help back their sales pitches to buyers, but don't expect a whole lot for a first-time author. Normally, a spot in the catalog and a brief pitch from your editor is all the sales team is going to get for your book.

The catalog will present all the new titles for an upcoming list, as well as a few successful older titles. The new titles make up the publisher's frontlist, while the older ones are part of the backlist. This year your book is part of the frontlist; next year, your book could be part of the backlist.

The sales reps aren't the only ones who use the catalogs. A publicist may decide to send out catalogs to reviewers, journalists, and other such contacts to raise awareness and help promote the publisher's latest books. Interested book buyers may request a catalog if they haven't already been contacted by the sales reps. Individuals just like you, conducting research on a particular publisher, may also request a catalog to check out the upcoming titles.

If you do not receive a catalog automatically, call or e-mail your editor and request one. This will probably be the first instance in which you see your name next to your book in print. It will be uplifting to see your book listing and to learn about the other titles sharing space in that season's catalog. You will find yourself in some very good company.

Book Reviews

Most publishing companies will send out review copies of new titles. Even though it costs publishers to mail out copies of books, the positive effect book reviews have on sales makes it well worth the price. Publishers want their books to be reviewed before the final pub date, in order to secure shelf space and media-generated buzz. Therefore, they will send out bound galleys for select titles. These are copies of the typeset book before it has been finished and sent to the printer. Other companies will wait for the book to be printed and send out advance copies before placing the book in stores.

What is a galley?
Before a book is made up into pages, the text is printed as a single column of type on long sheets of paper with wide margins for marking corrections. These sheets of text are called galleys. Sometimes they are sent out to reviewers, and sometimes they wind up in used bookshops. They can become collector's items.

A book review is great publicity and can heavily influence book buyers. Librarians, especially, will rely on book reviews to help make their decisions on what books to purchase for their library system. Reviews are great for public exposure, even if they are partially negative. Curious readers will buy a book they have seen reviewed in order to find out if they agree with the reviewer.

Making the Cut

A book review is a great way to bring your book to the attention of all book buyers, from the buyers for major chains to librarians to the general public, but getting your book reviewed isn't guaranteed. First you have to make the publisher's cut.

Because sending out books for review does cost money — when upwards of 500 copies are sent out, the price adds up quickly — publishers must decide which books are worth the investment. Some will decide to only send out titles they believe have the best shot at making it big. Some will send only those titles that have well-known authors' or illustrators' names attached to them. As a first-time author, your book may not make this initial cut.

If you know of a specialized publication that may be interested in reviewing your book — such as a regional magazine or your local newspaper — let the publisher know. The publicist may not be aware of the publication, and its notice may be able to help you sell books. Editors and reporters often like to promote local writers.

Even if your book is sent to a high-profile reviewer, this doesn't guarantee a published review. Now that you've made the publisher's cut, you have to make the reviewer's cut, as well. Publications have only so much room for reviews and those come out only so often. Books that are chosen for reviews are often tied to a well-known name, whether it be author, illustrator, or publisher. While it seems as though it is exactly these that do not need the extra attention, they are what people want to read about.

On the bright side, there are a few publications that try to review all new books, giving each author a fair chance in this very competitive field. The next section will highlight some of these publications.

Where to Look for Reviews

Your book may not be placed in the hands of the New York Times book reviewer, but it will likely find its way via your publisher to at least one, if not all, of the following reviewers. These publications are those combed by industry professionals on a regular basis. A favorable review in one or more of these will almost certainly result in increased sales of your book. You are likely familiar with these publications from your market research. But now that you are published, you will be perusing them for a different purpose.

Booklist. The American Library Association's magazine primarily targets librarians. The magazine reviews more than 2,500 children's books per year.
The Horn Book Guide. A biannual publication that is dedicated to children's literature. It includes reviews on almost all new hardcover titles.
Publishers Weekly. One of the major industry trade publications. Almost everyone involved in the book business reads it on a regular basis. It has a section devoted to reviews called “Forecasts,” with a subsection for children's books. A starred review in PW will help get your book off and running.
School Library Journal. This targets primarily librarians and boasts that it reviews more books per year than any other publication.

These publications aren't the only places you'll find reviews, but they are considered the major reviewers.

Evaluating Your Reviews

If your book does get a review, prepare yourself before reading it, and remember not to take any one review too much to heart. Reviewers have their own motivations — one may be attempting to set himself up as a brutally honest critic, and may have all but decided to rip your book apart before reading the first page. Another reviewer may be trying to establish herself as a writer in your area, and may feel threatened by your book. Although reviewers try to remain objective, many will be influenced to some extent by their own backgrounds, goals, and prejudices. Simply take each review with a grain of salt, and remember: All press is good press. The worst review will boost public exposure, and probably sales, for your book.

Resist the urge to write a negative reviewer in anger. This will only serve to alienate that reviewer, which could backfire in the future. If you write to a journal to say a review was unfair, they will likely print your letter. But it will make you look like a whiner — unless you are pointing out a significant factual mistake.

On the other hand, if the review is favorable, now is the time to abandon your modesty. Clip it, frame it, show it to everyone you know. Put it up on your website! Above all else, take pride in the determination, sweat, and love that you put into your book, which led to this moment of someone appreciating it — in print.

Press Releases

The publicity department may write and send out press releases in addition to advance copies of your book. A press release is a sheet of information and advertising copy designed to generate interest in a book. Newspapers and magazines will often become interested in a book based on reading a press release, and will request an advance copy for review. This works out nicely for the publisher, who does not have to gamble the price of mailing out books before reviews are scheduled. Sometimes press releases are quoted in publications; but since press releases are basically advertisements, most magazine and newspaper editors do not feel comfortable using them as copy, and instead prefer to assess books independently and critically after reading them.

Some publishers will send press releases to all major newspapers throughout the country. Others will target only local areas or any area that has a relationship to the book, such as your hometown.

Media Tie-Ins

The press release will be brief and to the point. This is an introduction to your book and will include important general information such as title, author, type of book, and a brief description. Because it is used as a selling tool, the copy will try to grab the reader's attention from the start. While the press release may include pertinent information with only a few hooks thrown in here and there, publicists spend a lot of time brainstorming new angles from which to grab the attention of the media.

A publicist may also target specialized markets with press releases. So if you have written a book on sibling rivalry, a press release may be sent to parenting magazines or newsletters emphasizing the subject matter. If you can, suggest specialized newsletters, e-zines, or even blogs that might like to read the release and pass the word.

In the event that your book's subject ties in to a current media event, this is a perfect angle from which the press release copy may be written. For example, let's say you have written a book about a senator from your state, and then, just before the release of your book, that senator decides to run for president. Now, suddenly, the national spotlight is cast upon this senator, and the media is scrambling around, trying to gather as much information on him as possible. Lucky you!

To capitalize on this great stroke of luck, a savvy publicist will send out a press release promoting your book. You are one of the authorities on this senator, and all the major television networks will be calling you for an interview. Of course, luck has to be on your side to get this much of a media boost, but this example shows that press releases can grab the attention of the media if written from a creative angle and tied into current events.

Author Participation

The publicist has probably already asked you to fill out an author questionnaire, which asks for information the publicity department can use to help promote your book, such as where you currently live or where you grew up. If you haven't been asked to fill out a questionnaire, you may want to provide the publicity department with this information yourself.

If you know that your hometown newspaper or radio or TV station would be interested in doing a spotlight on a local author, give the publicist contact names and addresses. If you live in a small town, the publicist is unlikely to be familiar with local newspapers and magazines, and without your initiative, your book could miss out on valuable press opportunities. Try to think of any other publications that would be interested to learn about your book. Think of schools you graduated from, or organizations you belong to. Any of these may be ready and willing to help promote your book if given the chance. Collecting this information yourself makes it easier on the publicity department and increases your book's success.

The marketing department establishes marketing plans for all upcoming releases. The biggest ones might include author tours, full-page ads, posters, and promotional giveaways, but this isn't likely for first-time authors. While your book probably won't be singled out for a high-stakes marketing strategy, it may very well find itself among the list of other books featured in an advertisement.

Taking a Risk

Publishers take a risk when they buy ad space. Ads are expensive, and they are usually placed before the book hits stores, so the publisher does not know in advance how well the book is going to do, and whether they will get a return on their investment. Therefore, they must think long and hard about what route to take in advertising. In general, children's books do not have large marketing budgets, so using money to advertise one book (that may or may not sell well) will be taking money away from the other books on the list. However, publishers want to let book buyers know what they've got to offer, so they will sometimes take out one ad featuring a group of several titles. The money that would have been used for one book has now been used to promote several.

Ad space in a major trade publication could cost a publisher anywhere from several hundred to several thousand dollars. You may not have ads, but you can give interviews and library and school talks, and can publish short articles and reviews in your area of expertise to call attention to your book.

Group advertising promotes not only the upcoming books, but also the publisher. If several books are listed in one advertisement, this will show that the publisher is confident about all its books, not just one or two. Granted, there may not be room to give a description of your book, but wouldn't you rather see your book's title among the list of others with no description than to not have any advertising at all?

Of course, if your book is expected to sell big, it may get its very own space. Sometimes publishers will take out ad space in a consumer magazine that is specific to your book's topic. For instance, if you have written a nonfiction young adult book about eating disorders, the publisher may take out an advertisement in a magazine geared toward the health and fitness of teens, or maybe in a popular teen magazine's health section.

Co-op Advertising

Flipping through local newspapers or magazines, you may have come across an ad for a bookstore featuring a few select titles. Don't assume that if you can't get the desired advertising out of your publisher, you may be successful getting it out of a local bookstore. Those ads that you noticed are part of a cooperative (co-op) advertising agreement made between the publisher and bookstore.

In a co-op advertising agreement, the publisher agrees to divide the costs of an advertisement with a bookstore. However, the costs aren't normally divided up equally. The publisher usually ends up paying around 75 percent of the costs and the bookstore pays the remaining 25 percent. The ad will be taken out in the name of the bookstore with the bookstore's address and contact info, featuring the publisher's book.

How many times have you walked through a major bookstore and found fantastic displays drawing you in to take a closer look at the books advertised? Did you know that the publisher pays the book-store for the display space? Those displays may look personal, as if they were chosen by store employees, but they actually represent hard bargaining between publishing and bookstore executives.

For instance, if you are scheduled for a book signing in your hometown, the publisher may decide to advertise cooperatively with the bookstore in a local paper to raise awareness. Or a publisher could choose to pay co-op money for displays or posters advertising the upcoming book signing. While this may sound like a great idea, it isn't always the best option from the publisher's point of view.

Most small publishers do not participate in co-op advertising. The Federal Trade Commission states that any co-op advertising agreement made with one company must be made with any other company choosing to participate. In other words, if the publisher enters a co-op agreement consenting to pay 75 percent of a newspaper advertisement for one bookstore, the publisher is then obligated to pay 75 percent of a newspaper advertisement for any other bookstore that wants to participate. This can become very costly to small publishers that do not have huge advertising budgets for their books.

Conference Displays

Another common and important promotion your book may be considered for is its display at professional conferences. Publishing companies often attend several professional conferences a year. They will have a booth set up to display new releases and perhaps some strong-selling backlist titles. Representatives from the company will be there to work the booths, answer questions, and show off their products. Sometimes authors are invited by the publisher to attend and participate in book signings, though this is usually reserved for best-selling or top-name authors.

There are several conferences that take place throughout the year. You can check with Publishers Weekly (www.publishersweekly.com) to get a list of conferences and their dates. The two biggest conferences that you'll probably be interested in are the American Library Association's annual conference and BookExpo America (BEA). Both of these draw publishers from all over the country. Attendees can walk around and view the displays, talk to sales reps and editors, acquire an armload of free stuff, and make numerous contacts within the publishing industry.

If your book is displayed here, just think about all the people who will give it a glance, if not further study — authors, illustrators, librarians, booksellers, publishers, editors, sales reps, pretty much anyone involved in the book business. This is an important promotion for your book. Not only will it raise awareness of your book, it will also raise awareness of you as an author.

In addition to national conferences, publishers will attend international conferences at which they will set up exhibitions and try to sell foreign rights to their books. If your book is displayed here, you might just end up with a nice little chunk of money added to your royalty statement.

There are also smaller book fairs, conventions, and conferences that may be of interest to you. Check with your editor to see if the publisher will be setting up shop at any regional conferences. If you can attend, do so. It is an invaluable experience.

High-Profile Promotions

The most widely known marketing and publicity strategies include author tours, television and radio interviews, and advertised book signings. But don't start packing your bags just yet. These types of promotions are reserved for those authors and books that are top sellers for the company. Sure, if your book receives a literary award or makes it to the bestseller list, you'll have a good shot at your fifteen minutes of fame. However, most books and authors (though they may be top quality with solid selling records) do not reach this level of publicity, except in their local markets.

Publicists are not going to send review copies of your book to every talk show they can think of. This would waste time and money. Pay attention to books you hear about on talk shows. Have you already heard the author's name a thousand times before? Is the subject matter a hot topic in current events? Is the author or illustrator someone who's rich and famous? For most of the books you hear about, you will be able to answer yes to at least one of these questions.

High-profile promotions cost big bucks. This is why it isn't likely a publisher will choose to take such a risk on a first-time author. Unfortunately, fame is often a Catch-22 deal. No one will pay attention to you unless you are famous, and you can't become famous until someone gives you attention. Of course, there are always stories of overnight successes. You should hope — just don't bank on it.

Don't rule out interviews completely. As an author, you do have something worthy of mention. You may still be able to get an interview with a local radio personality or newspaper reporter. Contact noon chat shows on both public and commercial radio stations in your area.

In case this chapter has left you feeling discouraged, let us end on a hopeful note. In today's evolving publishing world, much of the promotion you would like to see for your book is in your hands. The Internet has made it possible for writers to be their own publicists. The next chapter will discuss what you can do to promote your book and yourself. But before you commit yourself to launching a high-profile, high-stakes marketing plan, consider that perhaps an overnight smash hit is not really what you want. Remember, fame always carries a cost.