What’s It Really Like Doing PR?

Hint: It's not as glamorous as you think.

If you’re anything like me, your head is about to explode from the constant stream of terrible news headlines. As much as I want to avoid it, my job requires me to stay updated on the media daily. I won’t lie: it’s taking a toll on my mood, which swings from anger to depression to fear. I wasn’t like this during that guy’s first administration, partly because I was dealing with a lot personally, and the pandemic stirred up a different level of fear. A constant throughout this has been that I still need to perform my duties as a publicist, which isn’t easy even on the best days. In today’s newsletter, I want to discuss what it’s like doing PR so you can better understand the reality that most book (and other) publicists face.

PR=Anxiety

A dear friend who is a recovering publicist messaged me recently. She’s watching “Younger” for the first time and noted that Liza (Sutton Foster’s character) perfectly captures the right level of neuroses and anxiety for someone in book publishing. If you’re not familiar with the show, it tells Liza’s story: she’s a 40-year-old divorced mom from New Jersey who worked in publishing in her 20s but discovers that no one will hire her at her current age. To overcome this, she lies on her resume to make it appear as if she’s 26. While the show is like book publishing on steroids, some of it is realistic, including crying in the office, attempting to do ten things at once, and, as my friend pointed out, Liza’s level of constant anxiety.

Authors often tell me that I embody a calming presence. I take pride in that, but I also feel anxious about fulfilling my job because I genuinely care about my clients' outcomes. Some of this anxiety stems from PTSD related to previous in-house roles where I worked for individuals who demanded perfection. This issue is common in the industry yet remains largely unaddressed. Publicists are constantly under pressure to deliver results and fear the consequences of falling short. While there are times when everyone agrees that a book isn’t working, overall expectations for results are prevalent. The problem is that no one can predict the media response to a book. Celebrity books and others “written” by well-known figures are usually exceptions. Still, there were moments when I worked on a celebrity book and received little to no media attention. Publicists are the last people in a book’s publication journey and often the first to be blamed for a book’s failure. No one sets out to fail a book. Publicists can’t control media, nor do they want to. However, the level of anxiety that most publicists experience is unhealthy, and publishers don’t do enough to help them.

When I was the VP of Publicity at Atria, my whole department felt anxious about a particular bestselling author. I remember when the author’s flight got canceled, and their agent called me on a Saturday to yell at me as if I were responsible—even though the author had booked the flight using their own Expedia account, which I couldn’t access. I had been driving with my two-year-old son (who is now 20) in his car seat, so I pulled over. After the call, I cried, questioning my career choice. No one should have to endure something like that. When I was Associate Publisher at Rodale (before Penguin Random House acquired it), my boss (the Publisher) kept a box on their desk with the names of people they wanted to fire, written on Post-its. I could go on, but my point is that experiences like these stay with people long after they leave a job. The anxiety lingers, and even when you do your best, you wonder if it’s good enough and when the other shoe will drop.

PR=There’s no such thing as 9-5

Public Relations isn't for you if you’re seeking a career with a decent work-life balance. In the early days of my career, there was no email or internet. When email finally became part of our daily work routine, cell phones didn’t exist (at least not for those who weren’t wealthy). Then came the Blackberry. Once I received a corporate Blackberry, the separation between home and work disappeared. If your boss had a question, you needed to respond. If you had an author on tour, you needed to be reachable 24/7.

I can't remember which in-house job it was, but I recall working 20 consecutive days without a break. I am still not good at leaving work alone on weekends, but I chalk that up to running my own business. I try to shut down before 8 pm on weekdays and leave work alone at least one day on the weekend. Here’s the thing: If I don’t do that, I won’t be at my best for my clients. Everyone needs restorative time. When I ran publicity departments, I’d always allow staff days off if they had been involved in a labor-intensive publicity campaign or had to attend weekend events. Other times, I’d buy them gift cards to let them know I appreciated their hard work. I hope some executives are doing that today.

PR = You must do your job through hard things

I may be dating myself, but I’ve managed PR during 9/11, the 2008 financial crisis, school shootings, election cycles from 1996 to now, the pandemic, January 6, 2021, periods when the U.S. has gone to war, and more. It’s not easy. Sometimes, you must explain to authors why you’re holding off on pitching, even when they push back. Other times, like 9/11, you have to explicitly tell an author that their book tour has been canceled, even though you know they’ll throw a tantrum and talk to USA Today about it.

Currently, many publicists are experiencing whiplash. January began with a terrorist attack in New Orleans and wildfires in LA. Then the new (old) president took office, resulting in chaos. Yet, we continue pitching. For some of us, there’s hope that our pitches will make a difference in someone’s life. We must stay attentive even as we feel the urge to tune out the news. We are disheartened when we read about more media layoffs. We continue to work, and that deserves recognition.

PR = Working on books that don’t align with your values

I’m not sure how publicity departments handle this these days, but when I worked in-house, I didn’t have a choice about what to work on—books were assigned to me, and I did my job. I never had the luxury of quitting a position simply because I disagreed with a book being published. I believe publishing staff can express their disagreements about certain books being acquired. Often, a petition or an open letter is the only way for a CEO to understand how some company members feel about an acquisition. One thing I’ve understood for a long time is that certain acquisitions are business decisions. This doesn’t mean I always agreed with the contents of a book or the person who wrote it. These are rough waters to navigate and can be stressful. Somehow, I learned to compartmentalize and continued with my job. Someone will always have to work on a book they don’t support. It’s up to publishers to make business decisions that their staff will help. I can’t think of a more crucial time to do so than now.

PR = Standing up for yourself and your staff

Publicists deserve more respect. I have encountered situations where I was threatened, spoken to condescendingly, yelled at, and ignored simply because I am a woman. I have witnessed staff subjected to inappropriate behavior by authors and harassed, among other things. As I grow older, my responses to these situations become more skillful. I can’t control how others act, but I can control my reactions. Authors need to understand how their actions affect publicists, just as it is vital for publicists to learn how to advocate for themselves. Years ago, a well-known author did something entirely inappropriate for my then-assistant. First, I reported what had happened to my boss and told them I would handle it. Then, I confronted the author in person. That was the end of it. The truth is, it should have never happened. I can’t imagine how many publicists have found themselves in uncomfortable situations. It is our responsibility to support each other.

PR = Projecting confidence even when you don’t feel like you have it

Even though I’ve been doing PR for about 30 years, I still have days when I question myself and my abilities. Imposter syndrome is real. Sometimes, it’s hard for publicists to see themselves as others see them because the job is filled with rejection: lack of responses from media, no replies from outlets, and delivering disappointing news to authors. None of this means a publicist is bad at their job. Instead, it is just a part of what they do. Most of the time, it’s a thankless job because people expect certain things. If you’re an author, remember to thank your publicist for their work even if the results weren’t as expected. I’ve mentioned the invisible work of publicists before: writing press materials/pitches, creating media lists, influencer outreach, pitching, mailings, etc. These things are worthy of thanks. They are also a good reason to feel confident about your work as a publicist. Celebrate the wins, big and small.

PR = Why I do it

You might think, “Wow, she’s a negative Nellie!” Not at all. I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t enjoy it. I love working with authors and publishers, strategizing what will work for a book. I adore books and have a passion for writing. I’m a self-proclaimed media junkie and no stranger to every social media platform out there. Connecting with people about books is one of my greatest joys. In writing this, I aim to highlight aspects of the job that many people don’t know about, offering a chance for improvement. I worry about young people stepping away from the industry because of things they’ve heard or experienced. What I would say to anyone who has a publicist or is a publishing executive is this: It costs nothing to be nice.

END NOTES:

What I’m Watching: I binged Apple Cider Vinegar on Netflix Friday night. It’s based on a true story about an Australian wellness influencer who faked having cancer. It’s quite a statement about how much damage some wellness influencers who peddle “cures” can do.

What I’m Reading: I’ve been in a reading lull for a few weeks but have a book to return to.

What I’m Listening to: My client Lori Pappas on The Deconstructed Woman podcast: LISTEN