You have written an awesome book that has got good reviews on Amazon and you have a huge social media fan following. Now what next? How do you make an effective pitch to the press or to reporters? What should you do to ensure that your book does not reach the trash? Do you require an agent or an agency to pitch your book successfully? Media exposure is crucial to a book publicity campaign.
To grab the limelight or to be in media, you need to pitch your book to all types of media like print, online, radio, TV, blogs, magazines, etc. What is a pitch? A pitch is an e-mail that you send to the media to promote your book. You should include a synopsis of your book in simple language, cover image, your author biography, a link to your website and the feasible date/time to review your book or interview you.
Here are a few tips to pitch your book effectively:
1. Choose the right target
When you choose a target, ensure that it will actually fit. This means that you need to be aware of the type of stories a certain publication or a journalist publishes. If you have written a mystery novel and you approach somebody who specially writes biographies, this means you have chosen the wrong target. Do your homework and research thoroughly. After all, you don’t want to get disappointed. A wise thing to do is study 8-10 publications thoroughly. Read one article per day from each of the publications. Eventually, you will get a hang of what some writers usually write about and the tone the publication uses.
2. Stay abreast of the trends
You should keep yourself abreast of what is happening in the world around you. Watch BBC or CNN; read newspapers and magazines or do anything that keeps you updated about what is there in the news. Once you have done this, the next thing to do is analyze how you can utilize the media. Make Twitter, Facebook and other social sites your best companions to let the world know about what you are writing. See what is trending in the media and figure out if you have a relevant story to share with the world.
3. Targeting reporters
How do you approach potential journalists who fit your bill? Start by narrowing down a list of publications you would like to be featured in. This could be newspapers or magazines. If you have drawn a list of five publications, find individual reporters to target. Try connecting with an editor too. But a smarter approach is to target reporters as they are usually “news-hungry.” Go through the publication or the website and select a reporter who writes something that is in sync with your writing. After doing this, target individual journalists and start building a relationship with them. For instance, you could perhaps write an e-mail to them saying you liked what they wrote. Gradually build a rapport with them and then pitch your idea. This process may be time consuming but it definitely is worth the wait! Most articles will provide the contact details of the reporter. If you are unable to get the contact details, then search on LinkedIn or Twitter. How does all this help? Eventually when you pitch your story idea to the reporter, you will probably ring a bell in his of her memory as the one who corresponded previously.
4. Narrate your story with flair
Keep an eye for the kind of TV news or stories that appeal to you. Analyze what captures your attention. What keeps you glued? Use the same strategy to pitch your book to the press. Tell them why and how you fit the bill. Tell the media folks the “meat” of your story so that they can decide if they ought to interview you. Keep your pitch short and simple. Don’t forget to include facts and statistics to support your writing. This will add more strength and selling points to your pitch.
Do not oversell your book. Saying that you are the next J.K Rowling is too much for anybody to digest. It will not persuade anybody; instead it is an open invitation to reject you and your book.
Image credit: Javier Micora on flickr and reproduced under Creative Commons 2.0
I’m Smitha Abraham. I love traveling in my flights of imagination and use these flights to craft short stories and poetry. I am a budding writer from India. My passions are reading, creative writing, listening to music, learning new languages, meeting new people, getting acquainted with different cultures and traveling. Authors like Isabel Allende, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Carlos Ruiz Zafón, genres like magic realism, historical romance, and writing styles that are imaginative and flow effortlessly fascinate me. I love to unwind with a book curled up on a sofa or by gazing at the stars by the sea shore. I am a nature lover and spending time admiring the sunset and sunrise is relaxing for me.