"I’m going to admit something, and I think many publicists probably feel the same way: I fell out of love with pitching media .... I think publicists deserve more credit for being resilient."
Spot on. I’m a career publicist, mostly healthcare. Book publicity was new to me in 2018 when I publicized my late mom Sydell Rosenberg’s picture book, H IS FOR HAIKU (Penny Candy Books). My campaign was both strategic and highly tactical. I was successful. Would I be as successful today? I don’t know. The media landscape is so different now, due to the pandemic and other factors.
But I’ve loved the work. I’m now publicizing my collaborative collection, WING STROKES HAIKU (Kelsay Books, 2022). It’s been an uphill climb, no doubt about it.
But it’s made me a better publicist and media relations consultant overall. I never stop learning, even after decades in the industry.
Thank you for sharing all these insights. It’s funny you specifically call out five years, as in publishing today is so different than five years earlier, because that’s exactly where I noticed a shift too. 2017-2018. (I’m coming at this from the author perspective.) Today, I feel really helpless/clueless re: what actually helps a book move copies. Will be looking forward to any followup posts you do on this!
Oh man this is SO helpful!! Have you already written a post about how authors can best participate? I debuted in 2020 and I feel like all the research I did about the most effective promotional things for authors to do went obsolete that fast. All the authors I know (including myself) feel like we're floundering in the unknown publicity waters of 2023. Any suggestions would be so helpful!
This is a great resource. Thanks so much for writing it. The first time I learned the reality of pay to play was only last year. I was so naive(sp?) about the whole industry. My decision tree these days is: do I write because it has intrinsic value to me, or do I stop and just enjoy my life? The sense of prestige or importance of being seen as a writer by others is a bit of an ego trip. But at the end of the day, we only have so many days on this earth, so I'd better find intrinsic value in what I'm doing. Right?
"I’m going to admit something, and I think many publicists probably feel the same way: I fell out of love with pitching media .... I think publicists deserve more credit for being resilient."
All. Of. This! #PublicistProblems
I feel the same way. I’m still doing it but it’s the part of the job I like the least.
Spot on. I’m a career publicist, mostly healthcare. Book publicity was new to me in 2018 when I publicized my late mom Sydell Rosenberg’s picture book, H IS FOR HAIKU (Penny Candy Books). My campaign was both strategic and highly tactical. I was successful. Would I be as successful today? I don’t know. The media landscape is so different now, due to the pandemic and other factors.
But I’ve loved the work. I’m now publicizing my collaborative collection, WING STROKES HAIKU (Kelsay Books, 2022). It’s been an uphill climb, no doubt about it.
But it’s made me a better publicist and media relations consultant overall. I never stop learning, even after decades in the industry.
Thanks for this wonderful newsletter. Do you think editorial is as busy in the summer, too?
Absolutely.
Thank you for sharing all these insights. It’s funny you specifically call out five years, as in publishing today is so different than five years earlier, because that’s exactly where I noticed a shift too. 2017-2018. (I’m coming at this from the author perspective.) Today, I feel really helpless/clueless re: what actually helps a book move copies. Will be looking forward to any followup posts you do on this!
Oh man this is SO helpful!! Have you already written a post about how authors can best participate? I debuted in 2020 and I feel like all the research I did about the most effective promotional things for authors to do went obsolete that fast. All the authors I know (including myself) feel like we're floundering in the unknown publicity waters of 2023. Any suggestions would be so helpful!
Not yet! That’s forthcoming!
I would love to read this, too!
👀👀👀
This is a great resource. Thanks so much for writing it. The first time I learned the reality of pay to play was only last year. I was so naive(sp?) about the whole industry. My decision tree these days is: do I write because it has intrinsic value to me, or do I stop and just enjoy my life? The sense of prestige or importance of being seen as a writer by others is a bit of an ego trip. But at the end of the day, we only have so many days on this earth, so I'd better find intrinsic value in what I'm doing. Right?
It’s such a personal decision. I’m a believer in writing for yourself.
Thanks, yes that's where I've landed. :-)
This was really useful. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you!
100% concur.
My pet peeve is everyone in book world pretending pay-to-play doesn't exist.
Right?? Like, hello yes it does.
You put this newsletter together so well. Thank you for sharing with us!
Thank you!