How to Get Published

by Carole Barnes

What is it? Do I need one?

An author’s press kit (also known as a media kit or a promo kit) is a package of information about you, the author.  Often authors are asked to provide details about themselves and their work to members of the press, their publishers, or potential clients. A press kit is a simple tool for handling this request quickly and efficiently. A press kit is a great, cost-effective way to generate exposure for you and your business. If you don’t already have one then it may be time to consider one.

A well prepared press kit is an all-in-one package that summarizes you as an author and all of your professional information. It allows you to have pertinent information about your books, biographical information, activities, achievements and press coverage at your fingertips whenever needed. It can be as simple or as elaborate as you like, with its main purpose being to pull together all your information and make a good solid first impression.

The most important element of your press kit is its professional appearance and packaging. We want to promote you, your products and your business, as well as providing your contact and ordering information.

So, what’s actually in the Press Kit?

The contents can vary, depending on the intended purpose and/or audience, but in general, a press kit contains the following:

1. A brief biography - a one page summary about you, what you do and what makes you unique. This is a good place to insert your contact information and a photo of you.
2. If you are promoting your current book, your press kit will include a summary, title, publisher, publication date, synopsis, and a picture of the book’s cover. This is a great place to add reviews about the book, as well as an order form.
3. If you wish to promote your general writing services, a list of what you’ve done for others in the past and some testimonial comments from satisfied clients can be added.
4. Reprints of newspaper and magazine articles, printouts from websites and references to TV and radio shows where you have been mentioned. Articles and media exposure lend tremendous credibility.
5. All awards and citations you have received.
6. A list of all your works, including where and when they were published.
7. Previous book signing photos as well as mention of any upcoming signings.
8. Of course you’ll need something to put it in so it all stays together - a professional folder with your photo or logo on the cover.

With all of your information put together in an attractive, professional kit, you’ll have a cohesive, convenient, and centralized marketing package. This packet will clearly communicate all the key facts about you, your work and achievements. The best part is that it will be ready to distribute at any time, with the goal, of course, of attracting future business and interest.

In these hard economic times, if an agent/publisher requests a summary of your information, it makes sense to have a showcase of your work ready to send out or take with you. A press kit can be handed to anyone… TV executives, agents, publishers, reviewers, etc., and can also be used to introduce yourself to prospective bookstores.

Press kits can be as simple as a one page summary of you and your work, or as detailed as you like. The best part is you can customize your kit for any occasion.

Whatever your preference, I can work with you to develop a professional press kit specifically for you and your needs!

Carole Barnes & Associates provide individual press kits for authors and speakers. “Clients are assisted with articulating their vision and personality by having promotional materials developed and made into press kits that will effectively communicate to their target audience.”

by Anne Hawkins, Literary Agent
John Hawkins & Associates, Inc.

Rejecting authors’ projects is one of the least pleasant aspects of my job. It’s no fun to feel that I’ve ruined someone’s day, even though I always try to be gentle and courteous. How much nicer it is to call or e-mail and say, “I love what I’ve read. Please send more.”

Of course, the most common reason for rejection is a perceived lack of quality, a natural reaction to a misbegotten query letter or sloppy sample pages. Sometimes, however, I have to turn down projects that are actually quite good. Subjective judgment plays a large role in that sort of decision, but so do other business considerations. Let’s take a look at some of the factors that influence an agent’s choice of books for representation. (more…)

by Marti Talbott

A good summary is targeted directly at the reader and it is important to remember that the reader wants to know only one thing - what is the book about. Not paying attention to this most important element can spell disaster. Here is an example of a summary that is sure to fail:

“I spent a year writing this book and I know you will love it. It’s exciting, filled with action and well written. It’s the story of a girl and boy who fall in love under dire circumstances. First they have a hard time meeting, then they hate each other, and then they fall in love. I know you will enjoy reading my book.”

Here’s why this summary is doomed to fail. (more…)

by Penny C. Sansevieri

It’s one thing to write a book, it’s an entirely different thing to write one that’s a saleable, viable, marketable product. Ensuring the success of a book is something even the biggest publishers have never been able to guarantee. Mitigating circumstances, flash trends, and world events will all affect buyer preferences. That said, there are still ways to leverage the sales-factor in your favor and here’s how you do it. (more…)

by Jessica James

Look between the pages for new ideas to market fiction

Photo by galleryquantum

If you’re like me and have finally gotten that novel published, you’re beginning to realize that writing it was the easy part-now you have to sell it.

There is probably no tougher job in today’s marketplace than promoting fiction, so I thought I’d share a few ideas that have worked for me, including a cross marketing plan that is just coming to fruition. (more…)

by Laura Holka

Are you ‘going on the air’ as an expert? Things you should know about tv media

Real television is very different from the “dramas” that entice us on a daily basis. Everyone is beautiful, spoiled and catered to, but the truth of television is very different. Here are the top seven “real situations” you will encounter as a guest.

(more…)

by Al Kalar

Most first-time authors don’t get picked up by one of the big New York houses (but don’t let that stop you from trying). Chances are, your first book will be published by a small press, an eBook outfit like AKW Books, or perhaps self-published through a short-run or Print on Demand vanity press.

Now, your small press publisher isn’t going to have much of an ad budget and a “vanity” press won’t spend a dime on you (you pay them). So, as a first-time author, or even a second time author, you’re going to have to learn how to market your own writing. (more…)

by Al Kalar

One of the new things that’s happening on the Internet is the emergence of Blog Talk Radio. Some of these “stations” are pretty small potatoes with little if any audience, but some have caught on and can boast a fair following.

Unlike a “blowtorch” like WLS in Chicago which broadcasts 24/7, blog radios record articles and such, then post them for their audience to consume when they have the time.

Mark Eller, who writes horror stories, has cultivated some of these blogs very successfully to promote his line of books. You can too. (more…)

By BARB STEGEMANN, Author of The 7 Virtues of a Philosopher Queen

WHENEVER I give a talk, I make a point of asking how many people in the audience wish they could write a book. Nearly every hand goes up. It puzzles me that more people don’t put their thoughts on paper. I believe if you have knowledge on some topic, it is your responsibility to get over any fears you might have and write. (more…)