Sunday
22Aug
Johanna Edwards, Producer of Book Talk and Author of The Next Big Thing
Aug 22, 2004 at 12:13PM
Question:
You have extensive experience in media, as a journalist and as the producer of "Book Talk." Can you tell us some Do's and Dont's of pitching to the national media?
Answer:
DO Cut to the chase
Producers have short attention spans. I don't want to wade through a 10-minute voicemail message; keep it to 2 minutes or less. Keep your e-mail pitches to 1 page. Postcards with book covers (and a short description on the back) always catch my eye.
DO Work any angle you can think of
This is especially important if you're a mid-list author trying to break into the big leagues. Remember, you're selling yourself (and your book). I get dozens of pitches every day, so do something to "wow" me. Make sure you have a terrific press kit and bio. Don't be modest -- brag about awards, advance praise, accomplishments. Can you tie your book to a current news issue? Do you have an unusual publication story or life history? Before becoming a writer, were you a bee keeper, an opera singer, a prison warden? Tell me! Do anything you can to make yourself stand out from the pack.
DO Be courteous and enthusiastic
Radio producers look for guests who are lively, energetic and personable. If you come across as boring and unfriendly during a phone call, why would I want to book you for an on-air interview?
DO Know your market
So many authors waste time pitching shows that are completely wrong for them. Or they waste money sending 3 or 4 copies of their book to different producers at our station when, really, they only need to send a copy to me. Do as much research as you can before contacting a producer. If you can't find anything online, it never hurts to call or e-mail the station and ask for a description of the program: What's the format? Who does the booking? What's the lead time? Do they only tape in-studio, or do they do phoners (phone interviews)? Do they prefer to work with established authors, or are they open to up-and-coming writers?
DON'T Forget vital information
When leaving voicemail messages, always give your name, contact info, a brief summary of your book and a few reasons why you'd make a great guest. This sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised how many people make careless mistakes, like forgetting to leave a callback number. Sometimes they even forget to tell me what they're pitching. Just last week an independent publicist left me a 4-minute voicemail, raving about a "wonderful new author that you've got to have on your show." But he never once mentioned the author's name or the title of the book!
DON'T Wing it
Unless you're a seasoned PR professional, don't just pick up the phone and start pitching producers without practicing first. Write out a list of "bullet points" for why you'd make a great guest and keep them handy. Have a brief speech prepared in case you get voicemail.
DON'T Behave unprofessionally
I get lots of e-mail pitches that start off, "What's up, Jo?" or "i wanna be on your show, r u interested?" Keep your correspondence business-like. Also, don't take it personally if a producer doesn't offer you a slot on their program. There are many factors that lead me to say "no" to authors. Sometimes their work isn't a good fit for our audience or sometimes it's simply a matter of scheduling. It really irks me if authors become rude or accusatory when, as a result of circumstances that are often beyond my control, I'm not able to feature them on "Book Talk." It's a small world, and you don't want to get a reputation for being difficult.
Johanna Edwards produces WYPL's nationally-syndicated radio program "Book Talk." Her first novel, THE NEXT BIG THING, sold for six-figures on the basis of a partial manuscript and synopsis. It will be published in March 2005 by Berkley. Visit her online at www.johannaedwards.com
.
You have extensive experience in media, as a journalist and as the producer of "Book Talk." Can you tell us some Do's and Dont's of pitching to the national media?
Answer:
DO Cut to the chase
Producers have short attention spans. I don't want to wade through a 10-minute voicemail message; keep it to 2 minutes or less. Keep your e-mail pitches to 1 page. Postcards with book covers (and a short description on the back) always catch my eye.
DO Work any angle you can think of
This is especially important if you're a mid-list author trying to break into the big leagues. Remember, you're selling yourself (and your book). I get dozens of pitches every day, so do something to "wow" me. Make sure you have a terrific press kit and bio. Don't be modest -- brag about awards, advance praise, accomplishments. Can you tie your book to a current news issue? Do you have an unusual publication story or life history? Before becoming a writer, were you a bee keeper, an opera singer, a prison warden? Tell me! Do anything you can to make yourself stand out from the pack.
DO Be courteous and enthusiastic
Radio producers look for guests who are lively, energetic and personable. If you come across as boring and unfriendly during a phone call, why would I want to book you for an on-air interview?
DO Know your market
So many authors waste time pitching shows that are completely wrong for them. Or they waste money sending 3 or 4 copies of their book to different producers at our station when, really, they only need to send a copy to me. Do as much research as you can before contacting a producer. If you can't find anything online, it never hurts to call or e-mail the station and ask for a description of the program: What's the format? Who does the booking? What's the lead time? Do they only tape in-studio, or do they do phoners (phone interviews)? Do they prefer to work with established authors, or are they open to up-and-coming writers?
DON'T Forget vital information
When leaving voicemail messages, always give your name, contact info, a brief summary of your book and a few reasons why you'd make a great guest. This sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised how many people make careless mistakes, like forgetting to leave a callback number. Sometimes they even forget to tell me what they're pitching. Just last week an independent publicist left me a 4-minute voicemail, raving about a "wonderful new author that you've got to have on your show." But he never once mentioned the author's name or the title of the book!
DON'T Wing it
Unless you're a seasoned PR professional, don't just pick up the phone and start pitching producers without practicing first. Write out a list of "bullet points" for why you'd make a great guest and keep them handy. Have a brief speech prepared in case you get voicemail.
DON'T Behave unprofessionally
I get lots of e-mail pitches that start off, "What's up, Jo?" or "i wanna be on your show, r u interested?" Keep your correspondence business-like. Also, don't take it personally if a producer doesn't offer you a slot on their program. There are many factors that lead me to say "no" to authors. Sometimes their work isn't a good fit for our audience or sometimes it's simply a matter of scheduling. It really irks me if authors become rude or accusatory when, as a result of circumstances that are often beyond my control, I'm not able to feature them on "Book Talk." It's a small world, and you don't want to get a reputation for being difficult.
Johanna Edwards produces WYPL's nationally-syndicated radio program "Book Talk." Her first novel, THE NEXT BIG THING, sold for six-figures on the basis of a partial manuscript and synopsis. It will be published in March 2005 by Berkley. Visit her online at www.johannaedwards.com
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