A Media Guide for Authors

Who covers books, who doesn't, and what's working.

I’ve considered myself a student of the media since I was a kid. My parents were liberal about what I watched, so my television diet included plenty of 60 Minutes and 20/20. The news has always fascinated me, so it’s no surprise that I chose a profession where I am in contact with some form of media daily. I am the annoying person who will explain how and why someone is getting media attention, sitting courtside or in a luxury box at a sporting event, or how items end up on Page Six in the New York Post. Sidenote: When I first started in PR, I thought Page Six was the sixth page of the Post. Really.

Often, I find myself explaining the whys and hows of media coverage to authors. I don’t blame anyone for feeling out of the loop because the media landscape shifts rapidly, and if it isn’t something to which you pay close attention, you can feel lost. The best way to examine different types of media is to explain how each of them covers authors. Let’s dig in.

National Television/Morning Shows

Over the past two weeks, I’ve made a point to watch CBS Mornings, Good Morning America, and the Today Show. While they rarely book authors—especially fiction writers—they occasionally interview non-celebrity nonfiction authors. Mainly, the segments on each show are driven by social media trends. Good Morning America and the Today Show sometimes interview well-known authors under the guise of the author recommending other books. Here’s NYT bestselling author Brad Thor recommending Fade In by Kyle Mills (a book I am doing PR for) on the Today Show last week: Today Show.

The exception, of course, is Today and GMA’s respective book clubs. I find their choices somewhat uninspiring—meaning, not surprising—but it can’t be denied that they sell books. One problem with them is that they are simply brand extensions of each morning show, but that is a newsletter for another day.

Verdict: Don’t count on getting booked on a morning show unless they choose your book for a book club or another author recommends it in a segment. Nonfiction CAN be the exception, but it depends on the author’s profile and the book’s topic.

National Television/Daytime Talk Shows

Let’s get this out of the way: Most “normie” (non-celeb) authors do not get booked on Jennifer Hudson, Drew Barrymore, or Kelly Clarkson’s shows. Drew is the exception in that she sometimes has influencers come on and do a beauty segment, but 99% of the guests on these shows are celebrities. The networks want eyeballs watching them, and they want good clips for social media (J-Hud clips are my favorite).

The View is tough to gauge at times because they’ve been so political in the past. I’m told such is not the case now, and that the hosts have been told to tone it down—again, a topic for another newsletter—so it’s hard to say who they’re more open to booking these days, but there are two things you should know: You can’t do the third hour of the Today Show and The View (they are competitive). Sometimes, The View doesn’t even want your client to appear live with Kelly and Mark (which is strictly for celebrity bookings).

Verdict: Unless you are a celebrity with a new project or a known influencer, chances are next to none that you will get on these shows.

National Television/Cable News Networks

If you’ve got topic-driven nonfiction, cable news networks can be a great way to elevate your profile as an expert. The catch is that your credentials must be top-notch, and your topic must be closely related to the current news cycle. 24/7 news networks move at the speed of light. I’ve spent entire afternoons arranging and rearranging schedules so authors could be on CNN, MSNBC, and yes, even Fox News (hey, it sells books). The goal here should be to have a publicist pitch you in a way that, even if the producers don’t book you now, they’ll keep you in mind for next time.

Verdict: Cable news networks are great for nonfiction, but the topic must fit into the news cycle, and the author’s credentials must be solid.

National Television/Streaming News

An unexpected perk of my new house (we’ve been here close to a year) was the smart refrigerator that came with it. It has a TV, and since I mostly work from my kitchen counter, I keep NBC News Now on in the background. Guess what? They interview authors! Granted, their focus is mostly nonfiction, but it’s not a bad way to gain exposure. CBS News 24/7 and ABC News Live also book authors (again, mostly nonfiction).

Verdict: All news streaming services are worth a shot if you’ve written topic-driven non-fiction. Memoirs count, too.

Newspapers (Print + Digital editions)

Authors need to know which newspapers have book sections. They are: The New York Times Book Review (and its daily review), The Boston Globe, The Minneapolis Star Tribune, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal (although it does not have an official books section, it does review books), The Washington Post, Financial Times, The Guardian, and The Chicago Tribune. The Los Angeles Times reviews books occasionally. Sadly, they discontinued the book review a couple of years ago. The New York Post still covers books as well. The point here is that barely any newspapers run book reviews these days. That said, reviews don’t sell many books—this is something I’ve been yelling from the mountaintops.

Verdict: Reviews are scarce. If you have a great angle, it’s not out of the question for your publicist to pitch off-the-bookpage coverage like the Styles/Lifestyle section of a newspaper.

Magazines (Print + Digital)

Let’s face it, most magazines have put more resources behind their digital editions than print. To that end, I’m focusing on which magazines have good book coverage: Glamour, Elle, Cosmo (great for romance), Town & Country, Real Simple (sometimes), Oprah Daily, Vogue, Marie Claire, Good Housekeeping, Harper’s Bazaar (sometimes), The Atlantic, The Economist, The Nation, Entertainment Weekly, Vanity Fair, New York Magazine (sometimes). I’m probably forgetting some general interest magazines, but these are the main ones that cover books, usually in a listicle (they get clicks!). I’ll throw in Time and Newsweek for good measure.

Verdict: There is stiff competition for publicists to get books covered in magazines. It’s about what kind of relationship a publicist has with the book section editor. Always worth pitching as long as the publicist knows where to pitch what.

Digital Only (except newsletters)

This is where most book coverage occurs. There’s Bustle, PureWow, Slate, Salon, Airmail, NPR Books (excellent coverage), Vox, The Millions, Book Riot, LitHub, and The Associated Press (I am categorizing it as digital only because they distribute content to a massive number of outlets, which then run it online). The list of outlets is longer than what I've listed here, but you get the idea.

Verdict: Digital-only coverage is essential, but competitive.

Newsletters

If you’ve been reading Publishing Confidential long enough, you know how I feel about newsletters: they are the future of meaningful book coverage. As many of you know, I’m building a spreadsheet with newsletters that cover books. If you’d like to be part of that, please email publishingconfidential@gmail.com. I’ve gotten a great response so far! Publicity departments: This is a great summer or fall intern project.

Places like New York Magazine, Vox, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and NPR have great newsletter verticals for books. There’s also Puck and The Ankler—both are heavy on media and entertainment coverage, but can work for the right book.

Since there is an endless supply of newsletters, I can’t list all of them here, but always remember that it is valuable to show up in a reader’s inbox.

Verdict: A hearty YES to this coverage.

Podcasts

Podcasts are my jam. I love them, and I love pitching them. Generally, I book clients on about 50 podcasts—sometimes more, sometimes less. There is a podcast for every topic. The trick is in the pitch, which I won’t write too much about because, well, it is my livelihood. I will say this: Listen to episodes of the podcasts you’d like to be on and determine whether it is a good fit. Publicists: You already know this, but it is about relationships. It is also about mentioning previous episodes in a personalized pitch.

My advice to authors is to start small. If you’ve hired a publicist, have a conversation about how many podcasts you can realistically record each week. The sweet spot with my clients seems to be four to six podcasts per week, although six is a lot and can be draining. You also want to start small if you’ve never been interviewed for a podcast—they are good practice.

Some of my favorite podcasts are the most competitive ones: Smartless, Pivot, On with Kara Swisher, Be There in Five, Otherppl with Brad Listi (you need to know Brad’s taste in books), Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, Fresh Air, WTF with Marc Maron (I am SO SAD this podcast is ending), NPR’s Life Kit, Armchair Expert, Fast Politics with Molly Jong-Fast, On the Media (WNYC), and more.

Verdict: Podcasts are great for book promotion, but you need a strong pitch.

Radio

You probably know NPR is great for book coverage. They are also competitive. There are also NPR affiliates, such as Northeast Public Radio (WAMC—Roundtable is a great show), WBUR in Boston, Wisconsin Public Radio, Minnesota Public Radio, and more. There are 1000+ sister NPR stations in the U.S., but not all of them have original programming. I like public radio interviews because they are long-form and allow the author to tell their story.

Terrestrial radio (as in, non-NPR, non-satellite) still exists, and there are stations with shows that feature interviews with authors. You must know your markets and your shows. If someone feels radio is a priority, I send them to my friend Anna Gartaganis at Core Four Media for a radio satellite tour. A radio satellite tour is when a person, like Anna, has strong relationships with radio and local TV affiliate producers and can guarantee bookings. Yes, that means it can be expensive, but the cost varies depending on your specific needs. I’d say plan on spending at least $5000.

Syndicated radio still exists! I am an avid listener of The Free Beer & Hot Wings Show, which is nationally syndicated (Guys, if you’re reading this, can I have a t-shirt?). While this show rarely, if ever, has guests, other syndicated radio shows do.

Verdict: Radio is an excellent addition to your book's media campaign, but it is also a competitive medium. Nonfiction is usually a bit easier, but a fiction author’s background could make for a good angle.

I hope this helps you. If you’re an author, use this as a guide in a conversation with your publicist about what’s realistic for your book. If you’re a publicist, tell me what I’ve missed. If you’re media, I LOVE YOU.

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CLASS IS IN SESSION!

I’ve got 10 spots left in the only class I am offering this summer, so grab one while you can!

Here are the details:

WHAT: Author Identity: Building Your Brand & Boosting Your Books

WHEN: Wednesday, July 16 at 1 PM EST. The class will be one hour with 30 minutes for questions.

WHERE: Zoom NOTE: Lifetime access to the recording is included.

COST: $75 for 90 minutes. A bargain. My consultations are $350-$500 for 60-90 minutes. This is the lowest price I've offered for a class.

WHO IS IT FOR: Everyone. Please pass it along to others who might be interested, but do not subscribe.

Caveat: I don’t specifically cover children’s books, but the information can be applied to promoting them.

HOW YOU REGISTER: Use this link.

END NOTES:

What I’m Watching: I just finished Mobland starring Tom Hardy, Pierce Brosnan, and Helen Mirren. A great series about two rival families in the UK and Ireland jockeying for power. It can be a bit gruesome, so be warned.

What I’m Listening To: Live clips from the Oasis reunion tour. I love how great they sound.

What I’m Reading: Sadly, nothing outside of work at the moment!