The Little Things Community

Book written. Edited. Audience defined. You are ready to tell the world all about your masterpiece. It’s time to write your press release. Let’s start by answering some basic FAQs…

What a press release is: A carefully crafted one-page “teaser” that will convince readers of the release that they MUST get their hands on your book. It’s a sales pitch, but it’s important not to go at it like a used car salesman.

What a press release isn’t: A summary of your book.

Who reads a press release: The press. This includes newspaper and magazine reporters and most recently… bloggers.

What does the press do with a press release: They use it to determine whether or not they should request a review copy of your book. If the release grabs their attention, they will ask for  a copy of the book. If they like the book (and sometimes if they don’t like the book), they will write a review. A newspaper or magazine will never print a press release directly in its publication.

If you’re an author that has signed with TLT, you can breathe a sigh of relief, because our talented team of publicists takes care of this step for you. However, it would benefit you to understand the process behind our press release writing service. For those of you who are trying to strike out on your own… pay attention.

The most important thing to understand when you’re writing a press release is exactly the same guiding principle that you follow at the outset of your campaign: remember your audience! In this instance, the audience is defined as journalists. There are a few things that all journalists have in common:

• They are working on tight deadlines and are super balls of stress 90% of the time.
• They receive literally hundreds of solicitations for reviews and write-ups every week.
• They’re all looking for the “next big thing” that will push their story to the front page of their publication.

Knowing this about your audience may intimidate you, but you should use the knowledge to your advantage. These are some tips that I’ve collected over the years, working both as a journalist and as a publicist, that will help your book get into hands that will take you to the top:

• Write in a clear, succinct style. — Avoid using flowery language and going overboard with the adjectives. Snoresville.
• Plant a “newshook” in your first paragraph. Tie your story into something relevant that’s happening in the world today. You’re more likely to get a mention on the morning news if the journalist has a way to use your book in a story that he or she is already working on.
• Don’t summarize your entire plot. — Give a fair amount of backstory, but include some “teasers” that leave the reader wanting more. This is a fine balance. Have someone who hasn’t read your book read the press release and see how they feel before you send it out to the media. If they’re confused, add more detail. Think of this as the “theatrical trailer” for your book.
• Keep it short. — Never go over one page. Ever.
• Include your contact information somewhere on the release. Don’t make the journalist search for your phone number, or you may never get a call.

Your press release is your introduction into the world as an author. Write it with all of the respect it deserves.

Need a little afternoon pick-me-up? Check out this hilarious site that awards a prize to the most awful opening line of a (fortunately fake) novel. The 2011 winner is Sue Fondrie, who writes:

“Cheryl’s mind turned like the vanes of a wind-powered turbine, chopping her sparrow-like thoughts into bloody pieces that fell onto a growing pile of forgotten memories.”

The Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest originated at San Jose University in 1982. It was named after Edward George Bulwer-Lytton, the original author of such cringeworthy cliches as “it was a dark and stormy night,” “the pen is mightier than the sword” and “the almighty dollar.”

Read the opening lines of former winners of the BLFC here.

Please note: All rejected TLT manuscripts will be submitted to the 2012 contest.

(Just kidding… That would be mean.)

I suppose the best way to launch a column about marketing tips would be to start with the first step that every aspiring author must take before undertaking a publicity campaign. This is a crucial component of the campaign and it should absolutely be a priority.

Step one: Cut a hole in a box… (Kidding! That would actually freak a lot of people out and not be an effective marketing strategy. Don’t do that).

The real first step is targeting the appropriate audience for your book. Though it may seem like a big “duh,” a lot of authors undervalue the importance of a carefully narrowed down audience.

Now when I say “target audience,” it’s important to understand that I do NOT mean “genre.” Examples of genre include: young author, romance, mystery, etc. A target audience is a much more specific group of people that you are trying to market your book to. I can’t help but cringe when I ask an author to tell me their target audience and I get “general fiction” as a response.

I would define genre as the answer to the question: “What is my book about?”

The target audience is defined as the answer to the question: “Who would want to read my book?”

Think about this person. We’ll call him Marco. What does Marco like to do in his spare time? What does he do for a living? What does he wish he could do for a living? I’ve heard of some (bestselling, mind you) authors who create a complete profile of Marco. Some take it to another level and actually write their books to appeal specifically to Marco and others like him.

Another approach you can take to learn more about the elusive Marco is to survey people who have already read your book. Everyone loves free stuff. Hand out some copies of your new novel along with a carefully crafted (but not too long) list of questions. Ask what parts of the book they most enjoyed. Did a particular character speak to them? Did they really identify with one of your themes? Give them open-ended and interesting questions that will encourage them to provide you with detailed responses. The few bucks you spend to give out free books will be well worth the time you’ll save in your marketing efforts.

This brings me to my next point. I’ve explained how to target an audience, now let me tell you why. Imagine you’re trying to get an influential blogger to run a review of your book or you’re trying to set up an author event that will bring in the most potential buyers (don’t worry, we’ll cover all of this stuff in future blogs). Now imagine how difficult it will be instill interest in and increase your chances for success with said blogger or book buyers if your target audience is “general fiction.” Cringe.

The big picture: A wider net = fewer guaranteed sales.

If you set up a book signing at a small town bookstore, your target audience is whoever happens to wander in off the street. The odds that one of those bored strangers is actually interested in your book: not good. Now, if you set up your book signing at a Renaissance Faire because your book is a beautiful bedtime fairy tale… boom! You’ve landed yourself in the realm of lords and ladies who would be much more likely to be interested in your “once upon a time” tale.

See my point? Defining your target audience NOW will only help you generate results and SALES in the future. And who doesn’t like that?!

You’re welcome.

That's me!!

Hello everyone! I’m sure you’ve noticed me tinkering around on this site — adding new info about our authors and events. I’m going to be speaking to you directly now, through this new blog.

A few weeks ago, I taught a free course about how to self-promote a book to about 15 community members at the Learnapalooza Festival in Chicago. I was completely blown away by the level of interest, participation and appreciation for the information that I shared. This experience got me thinking about all of you– the TLT community– and how you might be able to benefit from some of the stuff that I have learned (sometimes the hard way) over the years. I have worked both as a publicist for a major vanity press which shall remain anonymous (hint: it rhymes with “rother mouse”) and as the senior publicist for TLT, but even I am still learning. I read new books and blogs every day to keep up with marketing trends and techniques. The field is constantly changing.

If you are one of our published authors, if you’re planning on submitting your manuscript to us or to another publishing company or if you’re planning on striking out on your own through self-publishing, this blog is for you. I will be adding new posts on a weekly basis and I encourage you to ask me questions and make recommendations. If there is a particular topic that you would like to see addressed in the blog, please send me an email: lindsey@tltpublishing.com

Lastly, I encourage you to comment on the posts. I would like to see this blog transform into a sort of forum where we can all share our experiences and success stories. Isn’t that the point of a community, afterall?!

Thank you for your continued support and happy writing!