The Truth about Publicity

Since early October I've been doing publicity for Creating a Freelance Career. What this means is that I've hired a publicist (for the second time in my life; I hired the same publicist back in 2006-2007 for Sometimes Art Can't Save You), and I've been making the rounds of radio shows, podcasts and guest writing on applicable websites. In past instances, I've done a whole mess of television interviews and bookstore and university talks and signings. This is all done to spread word about the book, to get your name out there as an expert and to find people who can be helped through the work we do. Routledge, my publisher, and their in-house publicity/salespeople are targeting colleges and universities, professors and students. 

Sometimes publicity can be fun. I like traveling; talking to people I've never met; being on television. podcasts and radio. For example, one show I did that aired on November 20, School for Start Ups had an engaging host who was a joy to work with. The same can be said about Stephen Warley and Life Skills That Matter that we recorded in late spring and aired in May.

Other times, being on a show can be like walking into the middle of a dysfunctional family, like on the NYC radio show I did a decade ago, where the host hadn't read my bio, the Q&A provided by my publicist or anything else so he knew nothing about me or why I was on his show. All he talked about on-air for more than 30 minutes was what he thought of my looks and how it was too bad the radio audience couldn't see me. His producer repeatedly cut to commercial to silence him, and every time he did, they got into a big cussing match about the host's behavior.

That same year, i also ended up with a stalker who saw me on television. came to meet me later that day at a bookstore and tried to follow me everywhere i went for the duration of my tour in his city. These two things are some of the downsides of publicity that few people talk about. The other downside is that for all of the "out and about" time you put in, the effects may be minimal in terms of in-person turn outs at reading and signings and book sales. One international group of women and non-binary writers t which I belong discusses this regularly. Some book signings and readings may fetch two to three people in the audience while others bring in hundreds--all for the same speaker and book. In a way it's like voter turn-out: it can be affected by weather, interest, other obligations or even if it is a city or town where going to events is something people do or not. 

To create a successful publicity strategy, one needs a consistent message and multiple ways to deliver it over a sustained length of time. This means that message needs to be conveyed on all media channels (including social) regularly. But of course, one-of lists, such as those for holiday gift buying never hurt, if you're included on those. :)