Why Substack is Essential to Every Book Publisher’s PR Strategy
Media is shifting, and book publishing must shift, too.
Despite feeling a bit burnt out from my continuous work over the past two weeks, I found a sudden inspiration. Why not write about Substack? This is a short post, but I believe it is crucial. With more journalists transitioning from traditional media to Substack, the potential of this platform in every book publisher’s PR strategy for books is becoming increasingly evident.
The fragmented media landscape makes getting attention for books more challenging than ever. Review space is shrinking; the news cycle makes it nearly impossible to book non-celebrity authors on television and clicks rule. As a publicist, I’ve witnessed authors continuously disappointed by the lack of coverage for their books in mainstream media, which begs the question, “What is mainstream media today?” The most straightforward answer is that traditional media is network and cable television, newspapers, magazines, and radio like NPR and Sirius XM, but that is shortsighted. The new media landscape is bucking what we consider “traditional” because so many journalists and other media figures are carving out spaces in podcasting, their news sites a la Oliver Darcy’s Status News (worth the subscription, by the way), Semafor, and creating newsletters on platforms like Substack where they are not beholden to creating clickbait stories or must follow marching orders from editors. I salute them.
I know it will be hard for publicists to attend sales meetings and try to explain that their author is being interviewed by a particular newsletter on Substack. Salespeople will want them to report back to traditional media outlets because that is what retail accounts wish for. They’re wrong. The publishing ecosystem can no longer depend on the same media coverage that worked 5-10 years ago because that ecosystem has dramatically changed. Retailers must come to terms with this and try to understand Substack’s power and the value in reaching people’s inboxes. Sure, they know marketing emails, but many buyers and salespeople don’t know the editorial value of Substack newsletters (and other newsletters). They don’t yet understand that women’s magazines are being replaced by talented editors like
’s Substack. They don’t know the extensive reach of Sari Botton’s . They are still looking for the same old plans, including print, radio, blogs, and influencer outreach. This must change, and fast. It is no longer feasible to construct a publicity campaign with the usual suspects because they, too, are flailing in a world where advertising is hurting their bottom line. Additionally, if you’re an unknown author with little marketing behind your book, you are not a draw for media that depends on traffic to drive clicks. This is not my opinion; it is a fact.I suspect we will soon see more advertising in Substack newsletters, sponsored content, and more journalists decamping to the platform to create their own media companies. I am surprised that more publishers haven’t joined Substack, as they miss an opportunity to connect meaningfully with readers. Then again, most of the publishing industry seems always to be two steps behind what’s happening online. Now is the time to step up and embrace newsletters. They are the future of media.
Some newsletters I love:
’s As Seen On (TRULY EXCELLENT) ’s The HyphenAnd the soon-to-be-launched
Go forth and subscribe!
-Kathleen
As part of the publicity around my own upcoming debut novel, I'm writing guest posts for a few Substacks, including Oldster, and Nancy Reddy's Write More, Be Less Careful, so I'm glad to hear you think Substack is a useful place for authors to be.... and I too love As Seen On!
Attention Economy and Link In Bio have become staples for me. Excited to look at these others!