We live in an age of immediacy, thanks to the Internet and advancements in communication technology there’s usually no reason we can’t find what we want, exactly when we want it.
But the one thing we can’t do? Ignore reality. Well, we can, but it’s usually not an efficient way to go through life.
And what prompted this you may be wondering?
Since the holidays wrapped up and everyone is back to “business as usual” I’ve been inundated with calls and emails from clients wondering, “What happened today?” They want to know what the New York Times said about their book. They want to know if the Today Show has emailed an itinerary yet.
Fair questions you may be thinking – but here’s the rub – 99% of authors will NEVER get a write up in the Times and could only tell stories about how good Matt Lauer smells if they managed to get a good spot along the fence in the plaza. And before you assume I’m slamming my clients behind their collective backs, I want to confirm that it is very rare that we ever tell authors to hold their breath for these types of pitches in this day and age.
There is a pandemic in publishing today that’s led authors to believe that because it’s so easy to get a book printed with a shiny cover, the reviewers and buyers will be waiting at their doorstep.
Sadly that couldn’t be further from the truth. Publishing is getting easier, but that’s made getting attention more competitive than ever.
All authors, whether they’re being represented by a big publishing house or going the self-publishing route, could do themselves a favor by always focusing on the next step, not the two steps prior.
What I mean is, always be thinking about the next move you can make, the next contact you can reach out to, the next blog post you’ll be writing, the next reviewer you can approach – because the consistent effort will get you some recognition, it will come. But if all you can focus on is the one print copy you mailed to the New York Times a month ago, you’ll be going nowhere, fast.
If you’ve hired someone, know that they share this attitude. Trust they know their business. They understand that you have to cast a lot of lines to catch big fish…and they definitely don’t focus on the one that got away.
As a publicist I can tell you, my phone works too. And if the New York Times calls, I will let you know.