How I Handle Being a Publicist

Most people need to understand how difficult it is to be a publicist. Let us count the ways.

Hi Everyone,

I’m working from a warm climate this week, which has helped my spirits. A subscriber emailed me suggesting this critical topic, so I wrote a quick newsletter. This is the only edition of Publishing Confidential you’ll receive until next week.

When I began my career as a book publicist, there seemed to be a million different media outlets to pitch, so almost every book I worked on received some attention. Those days are long gone, but the expectations of authors and publishers have not adjusted to the current media landscape. This is not only problematic for the industry; it is hurting the mental health of publicists, many of whom are understaffed and underpaid. Publicists want to be collaborative, and they never set out for a book not to get media attention, but we live in a time when media is shrinking, and more books are published than ever before.

Publicists are the last stop on the publishing train and often bear the brunt of an author’s displeasure with their publishing experience. It isn’t fair, and most publishers (at least a number of them I have worked for) don’t do enough to manage authors’ expectations. Instead, the pressure is on for publicists to deliver results. The subscriber who wrote me asked if I had any specific tips for publicists to cope with the pressure from authors and publishers while experiencing dead silence from freelancers, editors, and producers after pitching them. I’m not sure I do, but here are some topics I’ve discussed in therapy (sidenote: I doubt my therapist will ever publish a book at this point) and how I’ve coped:

I.  I feel ineffective at my job because no one is responding to my pitches.

 This is something every publicist thinks at some point. I’ve been doing PR for almost 30 years and still feel wildly insecure about my abilities when there are crickets after I pitch. Here is what I want to impart to other publicists: It’s not you; it’s them. By “them,” I mean the media who are overwhelmed, underpaid, and scrambling to either keep their jobs, find new jobs, or hustle to write god knows how many stories each day. To publishers and authors, I would like to say: please be patient and understand the media landscape publicists are up against. All pitching is done through email, and it could take days or weeks before a response is given—if one is given at all. The worst thing to do is make a publicist feel bad or scared about telling the truth—that there has been a lack of response—because it is too easy for them to blame themselves, which is unfair. The silence after pitching can feel overwhelming, so instead of being on Team Author, please be on Team Both: Author and Publicist.

II.  I am afraid to ask for help.

Asking for help is not a weakness. Read that sentence again. While you may not be able to ask the publisher for help, find a mentor or peer you can trust and talk to them about what you are experiencing. So many of us are overwhelmed—and not only in book publishing. I learned the hard way that there were certain people I couldn’t trust, so be cautious about who you talk to. We all need help at some point, so don’t be ashamed to admit you can’t do something alone or don’t know how to do something.

III.  I am having anxiety about work.

When I ran big marketing and publicity departments, I had my share of direct reports cry in my office. Heck, I even cried in my office at times. Here’s the thing I’d tell my staff: It’s just books. You are not working in an ER and saving lives. Try to separate the expectations you place on yourself from the unrealistic expectations placed on you by people who have never done your job. That might sound harsh to some people, but unless you have worked as a publicist (especially recently), you don’t know how challenging the day-to-day can be. Publicists, be kind to yourselves. Sometimes, we are our own worst enemies because we personalize criticism. I learned in therapy to reframe things, so instead of thinking you are bad at your job, think: “This is a hard book to pitch, and the media landscape is shrinking.” Control the things you can control: who you pitch, where you pitch, and how often you follow up. You can’t control whether you receive a response, and it is perfectly okay to phrase it that way to people who question you.

IV.  I am anxious about pitching media because I’m afraid they will pass on the book.

Some hard truths in publicity include that you won’t know if anyone will respond to your pitches unless you try them. There are instances when you should pivot to a different pitch, so always have a plan B. A best practice before pitching is to ensure you aren’t sending email blasts to journalists or approaching media people without researching what they cover. Personalizing pitches is essential; you can’t do that unless you are familiar with a journalist’s work. Email blasts rarely work, and journalists dislike receiving them. Let go of the anxiety about pitching and do the work. You’ll feel better after you spend an hour or two in the weeds sending emails to journalists because you can cross it off your to-do list.

V.  An author is asking me for their book's marketing and publicity budget. They have not talked to their editor, so I feel responsible.

I’ve been in this situation several times, and the best answer I came up with was, “I’m sorry, but I can’t discuss the budget. Here are our plans.” I know it isn’t perfect, but it buys time while you address the issue with the editor or Publicity Director. Authors should address budget questions with their agent or editor because publicists aren’t usually privy to the budget process, and, in some cases, small publishers may not do title budgets (this is the marketing/publicity budget for a specific book).

VI. I can’t disconnect from work.

As I sit in a warm climate typing this, I can attest that I have difficulty disconnecting, but I also run my own business, so I can’t fully check out. There is simply too much going on, and I am responsible for it. That said, when I worked in-house for publishers, I’d compile a memo about each book I was working on, where things stood, and what might come up in my absence. Then, I was able to check out for vacation. The last time I was able to do that was 2016. If you have support in your department, take advantage of it. We all need a mental health break once in a while, and no one should feel guilty or made to feel guilty about it. You need to put the oxygen mask on yourself first. You can’t be enthusiastic or creative if you are teetering on the edge of burnout.

VII.  More advice.

·      Use your vacation days.

·      It is okay to take sick days.

·      Be gentle with yourself when you feel down because the media isn’t responding. Go for a walk, be present, and take in the here & now.

·      This, too, shall pass. YOU HAVE SURVIVED 100% OF YOUR BAD DAYS. Sometimes, the best thing about a day is that it ends, which is okay.

·      Find your people. It has taken me years to find others who think about publishing the same as I do. I was so hung up on fitting in that I didn’t know how networking within certain groups could benefit me emotionally and intellectually. Publishing can feel like a big clique, but people will always support you. You need to know where to look.

·      Don’t wait until you burn out to take some time off. I made this mistake more than I’d like to admit.

My email is always available if you need someone to talk to. I’m checking it sparsely this week, but send a note to publishingconfidential@gmail.com if you ever need an ear.

I will be back next week with a regular publishing schedule for the newsletter.

Kathleen