tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post6573932448548224461..comments2024-03-18T09:09:59.625-04:00Comments on Janet Reid, Literary Agent: Question: spending money on a publicistJanet Reidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-67240213074696609202014-09-28T21:48:31.984-04:002014-09-28T21:48:31.984-04:00Thank you for this article. I have been pushing my...Thank you for this article. I have been pushing my social media platform and growing it for a very long time and have solid numbers, but have wondered if a publicist was my next avenue - and I see it isn't. But, I could always use marketing advice. Thank you again. Elyse Salpeterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09857264377836261431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-35948549586747877322014-09-26T19:33:14.086-04:002014-09-26T19:33:14.086-04:00Janet, thanks for the clarification. I obviously g...Janet, thanks for the clarification. I obviously got the wrong end of the stick, as I thought the agent was suggesting the author give them money to hire a publicist. This struck me as all kinds of wrong, as an author should never be paying their agent. However I'm still pretty sure that suggesting they spend $10k on a publicist is bad advice, for all the reasons you pointed out, so... still a bit leery, to be honest :-)Kallihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11272078032578217903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-42759309708554346582014-09-26T13:37:46.447-04:002014-09-26T13:37:46.447-04:00I would suggest following @bookgal and @timgrahl o...I would suggest following @bookgal and @timgrahl on Twitter instead. Really good advice on building a following to last a career. Janethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04600030574995481267noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-42283319278846515642014-09-26T09:37:23.651-04:002014-09-26T09:37:23.651-04:00This has got to be one of your most useful posts! ...This has got to be one of your most useful posts! (Said the writer who follows all your advice religiously.) Thank you! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-85308557338055666672014-09-25T20:48:51.272-04:002014-09-25T20:48:51.272-04:00Very, very interesting. Thanks, QOTKUVery, very interesting. Thanks, QOTKUGingermollymarilynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15684318210445109786noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-58087330787431772362014-09-25T19:55:32.229-04:002014-09-25T19:55:32.229-04:00Kalli, I think you've gotten the wrong idea he...Kalli, I think you've gotten the wrong idea here. The agent suggested the author hire publicist. That's NEVER the agent's actual job. Some agents (like me) do work with publicists but it's a bonus, not on the actual job description.<br /><br />Agents make suggestions of ways to promote books all the time. <br /><br />This question was merely about whether this was an effective use of resources, not whether the agent had overstepped.<br /><br />More clear? Less clear?Janet Reidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-24532113356983508072014-09-25T17:45:07.640-04:002014-09-25T17:45:07.640-04:00I would be very leery if my agent asked me to inve...I would be very leery if my agent asked me to invest ANY money in publicity for my novel. Time, yes, but any expenditure my agent decides to make in the interest of selling my novel is her financial burden, surely? Money flows to the writer... Kallihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11272078032578217903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-45906082608521056322014-09-25T11:55:45.326-04:002014-09-25T11:55:45.326-04:00really great stuff. As an indie with 20+ books see...really great stuff. As an indie with 20+ books seeking to bump my sales and exposure I have seriously considered this. Consider me a blog follower now. This is the kind of advice I can use! <br />cheers<br />Liz<br />Lizhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15182147051413946727noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-5248306175514915422014-09-25T09:07:51.691-04:002014-09-25T09:07:51.691-04:00Great advice. The reality is, even if it were a bi...Great advice. The reality is, even if it were a big publisher, the author would still have to do most of the heavy lifting to get the word out. But finding out the initial press run of the book is obviously vital. If you're making a buck a book and they're only printing, say, 3,000, there's no way spending 10 grand on a publicist makes any sense at all – unless you're independently wealthy. Which reminds me, I've gotta go check the Power Ball numbers.John "Ol' Chumbucket" Baurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17120550659339089195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-35550539443867102932014-09-25T07:07:06.806-04:002014-09-25T07:07:06.806-04:00Publicist, marketing and bears, oh my.Publicist, marketing and bears, oh my.MNyehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10406097805165082275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-1375940161905668202014-09-25T02:27:14.652-04:002014-09-25T02:27:14.652-04:00I was actually about to drop a couple grand on thi...I was actually about to drop a couple grand on this until you spoke up. Well, in all honesty, I was going to do it after I attend the James River's Writer's Conference next month and learned some marketing tips...<br /><br />Speaking of that (wonderful) conference, here's what I learned in the past year that I'd like to share with my fellow writing friends. Don't just target conferences that have panels, one-on-ones, and agents who will be entertaining queries. Go to a conference or two with only one goal in mind- "network". The more people you meet and befriend, the better. Agents are always good to get to know, but don't strike out the many authors who outnumber them. Many of them have publishing credits and, if you're genuine with them, won't mind referring you if your genre matches up with their agents list.<br /><br />Don't aim for just the people that are published either. Aim for the novices who are aspiring for great things. Writing is a long-distance run, and the more people you know and support, the better. More importantly, maintain those relations and keep interest in what they are doing. Networking means nothing if you hit a person up every few years just to ask for something.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03736352366533619152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-46188350128756878982014-09-24T20:47:04.912-04:002014-09-24T20:47:04.912-04:00See, see, Christina Seine, nailed it, Shark U.
Q...See, see, Christina Seine, nailed it, Shark U.<br /><br />QOTKUniversity<br /><br />I will be captain of the cheerleading squad. Although me in spandex...no, no, no. I'll dress as the mascot. Do they make shark-spanx.<br /><br />Seriously though, I made a copy of today's post because I am hoping I may need to refer to said-info in relation to one of my own projects...someday.Carolynnwith2Nshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18394998702410764388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-81242369196206286562014-09-24T19:49:01.550-04:002014-09-24T19:49:01.550-04:00All great information that is as rare as jellyfish...All great information that is as rare as jellyfish teeth, but more valuable. I expected some comment about an agent recommending a writer spend $10K on anything, much less a publicist.Lancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17335923263777449916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-16081449098619801942014-09-24T19:30:37.129-04:002014-09-24T19:30:37.129-04:00Ten thousand bucks???
I'm a little worried by...Ten <i>thousand</i> bucks???<br /><br />I'm a little worried by that five-figure sum. Isn't this an excessive amount to ask any writer to spend towards marketing their book? It doesn't feel fair that they should even have to consider making such a substantial payment in aid of the commercial side. One reason so many of us are not financially well off is that we work only part time, in order to be able to write - hence a smaller paypacket.<br /><br />Words of wisdom from today's sharkly Facebook gospel:<br /><br />Money buys time and time is all a writer has to create.<br /><br />$10k would fund a LOT of writing hours.<br />Bonnie Shaljeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13067442140631504611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-26982817103368172542014-09-24T18:32:30.258-04:002014-09-24T18:32:30.258-04:00Ausgezeignet, and thank you.
... now. What if I ...Ausgezeignet, and thank you.<br /><br />... now. What if I want to publish a coffee table book of impossibly squee-inducing photos of cute baby sharks?<br /><br />Will I make the publishing industry just 'splode right there? Because: greatness and colossal sales volume right there, huh? Right?DLMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08768285199864217885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-13944347307327228382014-09-24T18:15:53.031-04:002014-09-24T18:15:53.031-04:00This is so, so, so useful - thank you! I don't...This is so, so, so useful - thank you! I don't know of anywhere else you can go for simple, straight facts about the publishing industry. I have a BA in creative writing, am halfway through an MFA, and have attended several writing workshops at conferences and have never, ever had the straight info regarding book sales, best-seller lists, and publicity explained so well. Why don't people teach these things? Readers of this blog should receive a diploma from Shark University.Christina Seinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18411040428007697691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-55510025939011396532014-09-24T16:31:11.155-04:002014-09-24T16:31:11.155-04:00Colin, the NYT list based on orders, not sales. An...Colin, the NYT list based on orders, not sales. And they don't reveal their guidelines, so it's somewhat of a mystery.<br /><br />Karen, a unit is an ISBN. Thus a book with several editions can appear in several places. At one point there were three editions of DIVERGENT on various lists.Janet Reidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-26870051225959661472014-09-24T14:41:43.133-04:002014-09-24T14:41:43.133-04:00Great post, Janet. And you're right, unless th...Great post, Janet. And you're right, unless that cute baby shark is reading your book and or your book is a photo collection of cute baby sharks, it's probably not going to help :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01568200315558036082noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-80788551382219791582014-09-24T14:19:40.081-04:002014-09-24T14:19:40.081-04:00Thanks to whoever asked this question. And thanks ...Thanks to whoever asked this question. And thanks to the shark for this advice .<br /><br />Best blog out there, we surfers should nominate Janet's blog for the Golden Blog awards. What do you think?<br /><br />BTW I don't write crime and writing my memoires doesn't appeal to me...<br /><br />But I love her blog, it's like reading a book that you can't put down. angie Brooksby-Arcangiolihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08000615140577512304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-30750077863774452012014-09-24T14:01:57.641-04:002014-09-24T14:01:57.641-04:00@Karen McCoy: My assumption is units are the numbe...@Karen McCoy: My assumption is units are the number of books sold that week and YTD is how many since publication for that year. The rankings shown are for the week, and the until numbers are clearly ranked largest to smallest. Each title new to the list has only slightly larger YTD numbers, while those occupying the list multiple weeks show much larger YTD numbers.Elissa Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10727748060605823895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-25379148094842522072014-09-24T12:43:12.325-04:002014-09-24T12:43:12.325-04:00I'm wondering about units and how they relate ...I'm wondering about units and how they relate to YTD (which I assume is year-to-date). Does a unit refer to one book? Or is a unit a measurement of something else?<br /><br />Great post, as always.Karen McCoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02640324898284007337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-76527606044785975222014-09-24T08:33:23.026-04:002014-09-24T08:33:23.026-04:00Another extremely useful article Ms. Shark. Thanks...Another extremely useful article Ms. Shark. Thanks!<br /><br />Question: If this PW chart is based on weekly sales, what is the NYT Bestseller list based on? Sales total since publication? Or do they have some other criteria that makes it uniquely "NYT"?Colin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03292997431935215499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-90039362673046057552014-09-24T08:03:57.295-04:002014-09-24T08:03:57.295-04:00hiring a publicist to address envelopes and mail b...<i>hiring a publicist to address envelopes and mail books to radio stations</i><br /><br />I know they used to send demos of songs to radio stations. I'm flashing on the movie Coal Miner's Daughter when Doo sent out demos of Loretta's Honky Tonk Girl to the radio stations in Kentucky & Tennessee. Do people actually send books to radio stations to promote them these days?<br /><br />This was a great lesson on the business end of writing.Kittyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11772310179223546476noreply@blogger.com