Publicize Your Book — Review #2

Well, I finally finished reading “Publicize Your Book: An insiders Guide To Getting Your Book The Attention It Deserves” by Jacqueline Deval.

Publicize Your Book

If you happened to have missed my previous review of chapters 1-8, you can read it here.

Here is my review of chapters 9 through 13.

Chapter 9: Media Training: How to Give A Great Interview

This was a very helpful chapter, as well as an unhelpful chapter. Helpful because I’ve never given an interview. Unhelpful because I don’t expect too give one anytime soon! But anyway, there are lots of practical tips on how to do it in person as well as over the phone. One of the most important things covered was how to bring up your book naturally during an interview.

Here are some of the pointers:

  • Skim your own book before the interview to make sure you haven’t forgotten it!
  • Know who is interviewing you as much as you can.
  • Know who the audience is.
  • Be early.
  • Bring your book with you.
  • …and lots of other tips specific to TV, radio, and print.

Chapter 10: Bookstore Appearances and Speaking Engagements

This covers both how to set these up as well as how to make them a success. There are thirteen rules for how to make a book signing effective, and even tips on how to have a bookstore event without being there yourself! Very interesting.

On speaking engagements, a number of real life examples are given to encourage you to be creative on where to set these up and how to conduct them. In particular, libraries were highlighted as a great place to speak.

Chapter 11: Internet Marketing

A lot of good information here covering everything from:

  • Creating your own site
  • What to include on your website
  • How to work with web designers
  • Getting involved on other’s sites
  • The need to have accurate information on the major e-tailer’s websites
  • Using search engines to find places to promote your book
  • Using your emails to promote your books
  • Creating email lists.
  • Newsletter writing
  • Making your website friendly for online reading groups
  • How linking to other sites can help you
  • How e-books may or may not fit in

Most of the above is covered only briefly. After all, how much can you cram into a single chapter when an entire book can be devoted to this topic? One topic not covered in depth was viral marketing, but there are other books that cover that.

Chapter 12: Set Up Your Own Publicity

This was an eye-opening chapter to see what is really involved if you wanted to promote your book yourself due to a Print-On-Demand situation.

But this chapter also applies to authors who have a traditional publisher and just want to supplement the publicity. As part of that, this book covers how to work with and not against your publisher as you strike out on your own. As part of this, your publisher might be able to assist you in various ways, and the potential areas are covered.

One of the mysteries explained is how to get contact information for people in the media. But having contact information is not enough, you have to know how to deal with them, and this is covered as well.

One of the important areas is what to do when you get a “Yes” form a producer or publisher. This is critical because sometimes the opportunity is lost through mis-handling at just that point.

Chapter 13: Parting Thoughts

This chapter is only 1-1/2 pages long and briefly summarizes why you should be an active participant in your book’s publicity.

Appendixes

The appendixes cover contact information on where you can publicize your book. Over forty pages of information and very useful!

My Overall Impression

If you are either ready to have a book published or hope to one day, reading this book is a must to understand the mysterious publicity campaign that your publisher may or may not do for your book. This information will make you wiser as you negotiate a contract and also prepare you for the rigors of being an active participant in the publicity of your book.

Highly recommended.