10 Things Your Publicist Wants You to Know

If you don't have a publicist yet, bookmark this.

I hope you’re all enjoying the last days of summer. My week started a bit bumpy with a very sick dog (she is okay now). I’m also back at it in my MA program, and have some editing to do, so this week’s newsletter is a listicle.

Note to paid subscribers: Due to the holiday weekend, Book Therapy will resume next Friday, September 5th.

Something I think about a lot is why I do a job that causes anxiety, stress, and can make me feel like a failure. I’m not alone in this—many of my publishing and publicist friends have similar thoughts. Below, I’ve listed some things your publicist (or future publicist) wants you to know. Take it to heart and bookmark it.

1. It costs nothing to be kind. You may be working with a freelance publicist or an in-house publicist—or both. Being unkind is unacceptable, but so many of us grit our teeth and take it because we don’t want to rock the boat. This needs to stop. Some authors have no idea how much stress they can cause, and I blame publishers for not reining them in—a good reminder: publishing people talk to each other. We know who’s on the naughty list.

2. Results take time. You must give publicists time to pitch and follow up. You, the author, have invested a significant amount of time in your book. We, the publicists, have just received it. Allow us to get started by creating lists, writing press materials, and pitching. There is a lot of silent work that goes on. Please respect our process, and if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

3. We say “no” for a reason. If we know a pitch will not work somewhere, or your book is not a good fit for a particular journalist or outlet (including newsletters), we will let you know. I always tell authors why their book isn’t a good fit. How do I know someone won’t cover a book? I have been in this field long enough to have a deeper understanding of the media and social media landscape than I ever wanted to. So have many of my colleagues. Listen to us.

4. We need information. If you plan to hire a freelance publicist, you should have the following before you participate in an initial call: Publication date, knowledge of when or if your publisher will provide ARCs and finished books for publicity purposes, who your in-house publicist is, if there is one, an idea of what marketing is happening for your book, and if your publisher is sending you on a book tour. My caveat is that we understand you may not have every piece of information, so at the very least, know your publication date and whether there are ARCs available.

5. Status reports take time. If you asked me what I hate most about my job, I’d say it’s creating any form of a status report. They suck up a lot of time, but I know they are necessary. Google spreadsheet trackers are the devil! Seriously, though, we are always happy to put information in one place, but be patient. We also try our best to communicate via email and Zoom about what’s happening. Pro tip: What was happening two or three days ago is usually the same as today.

6. Money discussions are not fun. I dislike sending invoices to clients because I am afraid they’ll say my work isn’t good enough to pay me (I am 53, and I am still that insecure) or tell me they can’t afford to pay me anymore. No one likes to discuss money, so if you don’t have at least 3-5K for publicity, you probably shouldn’t hire a freelance publicist, and that is the extreme low end of what it costs. We are all aware of the current economy and can appreciate why people are concerned—we are, too! This is how we make a living, though, and while most of us will negotiate, we also need to pay the bills.

7. The media really doesn’t respond. Sometimes, I have to break up my day because I think about how much time I’m putting into pitching to see my inbox stagnate. This is one reason I love podcasts: people respond! Many of them are enthusiastic as well. I love newsletter writers for the same reason. I have strong relationships in traditional media. Still, that doesn’t guarantee a response. I can make a compelling case for some books, but the person on the other end of the pitch must be willing to cover it. Sometimes, we can make them cover it if it’s enticing enough.

8. We deserve vacations. I have tried just about every productivity hack, and there is one that works: taking time off. On Monday, I needed to strategize about something, and my head was too cluttered with emails, etc. So, what did I do? I floated in my pool for 90 minutes. Allowing my mind to rest means I will be better at my job. If I am on vacation for a week, the world will not fall apart. Besides, I’ll probably still respond to your email.

9. Pitches are different from press releases. A pitch is the “why,” and the press release is the “what.” Pitches tell someone why they should interview you or cover your book. Press releases are copy about the book. At times, press releases are used to announce a major acquisition, a significant hire, or a major business deal.

10. We have feelings. I am VERY sensitive, so sometimes I read client emails and think, “This person hates me.” It is rarely true (I hope!). I put immense pressure on myself to deliver for my clients, so I tend to work myself into anxiety attacks. I had one yesterday, so I started dry-heaving, worried that my little empire would collapse. Running your own business is not for the faint of heart. When I worked in-house, my anxiety centered around our weekly marketing meetings. Many of us lack great self-esteem, yet we work in an industry that often disregards our feelings about ourselves. Before sending an unkind or accusatory email, ask yourself if you can handle it differently. My coping mechanism is to walk away from my laptop for a bit before responding to certain emails. Pro tip: ChatGPT is excellent at making emails sound more kind.

And with that…

END NOTES:

What I’m Reading: I am just about to dig into Leigh Stein’s new book, If You’re Seeing This, It’s Meant for You. I can’t wait.

What I’m Listening To: I have endured ten—that’s right, TEN—hours of Amy Odell’s biography of Gwyneth Paltrow. It’s like a trainwreck. I can’t stop. Gwyneth is quite possibly the most privileged celebrity I have ever read about. I also never want to hear about her sex life with Ben Affleck again. The visual!

What I’m Watching: My cohort (aka my 17-year-old daughter) and I have watched seven episodes of With Love, Meghan’s new season. All I can say is that it leaves me very hungry, and I aspire to that lifestyle…which will never happen because I work in book publishing.

On Sunday night, my husband (a Beatles aficionado) watched Beatles 64—on Disney+, I think. It is fantastic. I highly recommend it. The footage is incredible, and, well, you already know about the music.

A NYC EVENT YOU SHOULD ATTEND

Join Women’s Media Group for the event below on September 10 at Barbetta Restaurant in NYC. You can register here. I’ll be there, as will so many other terrific women from media and publishing.