THE BEST BOOK PUBLICITY YOU CAN DO YOURSELF

Crafting companion pieces to get the press your book deserves.

- BY SUSAN SHAPIRO

After struggling with rejections for 20 years, I was exhilarated when a Random House editor made a flattering offer to buy my first book. I imagined a whirlwind publicity tour filled with TV and radio appearances, great reviews, and book signings. How misguided I was. “Today Show” and NPR interviews were scheduled, then cancelled last minute. Articles that were promised never saw print. I soon learned it’s rare when the publishing process goes the way you hope, especially when it comes to publicity.

Less than one percent of books coming out from mainstream publishers become bestsellers, and 90 percent of traditionally published books sell fewer than 2,000 copies. Most authors I know blame disappointing sales on a lack of press. Of course, being on “The Today Show,” NPR, or having your title picked by the Oprah, Jenna, or Reese’s book clubs provides an enormous boost, and lots of favorable media coverage is the best way to sell more copies. But not all small presses have publicists—even though it’s rare that a writer can pitch these major outlets successfully themselves. Big publishers have in-house publicity people in charge of getting the word out. Unfortunately, these PR pros are often young, overworked, poorly paid, or juggling multiple projects at the same time. Lead titles by bestsellers and social media influencers often get the most attention, as well as superstars who put out “ooks,” as the literati label junkie celebrity memoirs, with much less time and space for debuts and followups by nonfamous writers. As a V.I.P. in the biz once confided, “People think publishing is a business, but it’s really a casino.”