In my latest column for Publishers Weekly, I discuss how authors must refine their approach when seeking support from influencers or the media. (I call this “earned media”—where you get attention or coverage for free. Sometimes publicists help with this.)
First, never assume that the influencer needs to read a copy of the book—or have a copy—in order to support it. Not true. I write:
Consider that reading a book takes hours of time that someone might not have. Though it may seem counterintuitive (and some authors are hurt by the implication that not everyone is eager to read their books), if your targets already know you or your work very well, don’t put them on the spot to read the book. They may already be prepared to support you. Of course, you should always offer to send a copy. Just don’t make that central to your ask—e.g., “May I send you the book?” Instead, think about what you’d like to see happen if they agree to support the book. Do you want them to tweet about it? Post on Instagram? Have you on a podcast?
There’s a second mistake that gets made—read the full column to find out what it is.
Jane Friedman has spent her entire career working in the publishing industry, with a focus on business reporting and author education. Established in 2015, her newsletter The Bottom Line provides nuanced market intelligence to thousands of authors and industry professionals; in 2023, she was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World.
Jane’s expertise regularly features in major media outlets such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, NPR, The Today Show, Wired, The Guardian, Fox News, and BBC. Her book, The Business of Being a Writer, Second Edition (The University of Chicago Press), is used as a classroom text by many writing and publishing degree programs. She reaches thousands through speaking engagements and workshops at diverse venues worldwide, including NYU’s Advanced Publishing Institute, Frankfurt Book Fair, and numerous MFA programs.
As the author with a hybrid publisher, I’m loving all of your helpful advice! I can do this!
In my quest to find reviewers, I’m finding a lot of my author friends are in the same boat, trying to get their own reviews. One local, well-known Los Angeles published author friend had this response: “Ruthie, you’re a solid writer, and a natural story teller and if I read your novel I don’t want to give it HALF my attention. I want to be IN IT.” I wanted to tell him he didn’t have to read it, but didn’t want to sound pushy or desperate. It would have been nice if he was to simply let me use that quote. I think some are afraid, perhaps, to attach their name to a newbie. One NY Times bestselling author/editor I worked with on another of my novels, declined to give me even a quote, stating it was unethical since she’d worked with me on another book. Back to the drawing board.
Hi Ruthie: You might take a look at Story Origin as a way to find reviews. As of today, it’s still available for free: https://storyoriginapp.com/
Jane, I read this one in PW with great interest. However, I don’t understand what you mean when you say, “never assume that the influencer needs to read a copy of your book.” I suppose you could ask an influencer to tweet out/post a really grabby sentence/excerpt from your book along with information that the book is published or about to be published — without asking him/her to add an opinion about it.
Nevertheless, as a reader, the minute I read an influencer’s/reviewer’s mention of a book and that mention includes any kind of opinion about it e.g. “great, twisty thriller” or “grabbed me on page one” then I, as a reader, do expect that reviewer to have read the book.
There’s already too many suspect reviews on websites such as Amazon or Goodreads which give the impression that the reviewer/influencer has read the book. In fact, I’m writing this comment partly because I was totally appalled a couple of days ago to read a thriller which ended with the Most Implausible/Impossible/Incredible revelation ever. And, I don’t mean outlandish, out-of-left-field, or a little farfetched. I mean it would have been physically, chronologically, and in every other way impossible for that ending to happen. (It wasn’t fantasy or sci-fi.) Yet that thriller had gotten reviews from some bestselling authors in the genre. I cannot imagine that any of them read to the end of it which means they staked their reputations on a really bad novel.
Hi Joanna: I don’t mean to imply that influencers (or anyone) should support a book with language that suggests they’ve read it when they haven’t, much less write reviews. (Although … yes, that does happen.)
“Support” when someone hasn’t read a book can look like this:
— “Congratulations to my colleague John Smith, whose latest book, TITLE, releases today. It’s getting some great advance praise. Check out this review from XXX.”
— “I’ve long admired Jane Doe and have read her blog for years. Her new book TITLE has just come out and I can’t wait to read it.”
And so on.
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