Reporters are busy people. On any given day they are fielding dozens of phone calls, calls of their own, reading stacks of newspapers and magazines, and rushing to meet deadlines. So how do you break through all the noise, to get a reporter or editor on the phone to listen to your pitch?
In my 15 years as a magazine journalist, I have hundreds if not thousands of such calls fielded. The following tips are what I have told many writers and journalists. The ones I finally wrote about are those who listened and learned from the conversation.
1). Ask if the reporter has time to talk to you
Make "Is now a good time?" The first question you ask when you get as a journalist on the phone. Do not assume that if he or she is employed, they will not answer the phone, because sometimes pick up a reporter on deadline. They could for the confirmation of a source or wait to connect with a colleague in the field, and caller ID does not always provide enough information for a thorough oral exam. There were many times when
I am on deadline and answered my phone only to find to my chagrin, a non-stop pitch at the other end. But the callers who had impressed me immediately asked if I was on deadline. Everything that I had to say was: "Yes," and they would say they would call me in another day or so and hang up. Cool completely. I made sure I have time, if they have a recall. Sometimes I even checked my mail to see if I could find the caller in the press release, so I would be prepared for our conversation.
2). Understand:The fact that you wrote a book, is not a story!
You can book the best in the world have written, but if you are Stephen King turned to fiction (as he did recently) or pulp Terry McMillan publishing your first novel in several years and always at the same time, divorce (as she has recently ), you and your book, no story. I'm sorry, but that's the truth. Of course, if you land on the bestseller lists, then we would have something to discuss. There is an instance, but if you would be a story, and that's when you ...
3). To connect a story already in the news
In the promotion of your book you should read the newspaper and watch the news (local and national) daily. You are looking for stories around the theme look in your book. Ideally, you have something to say and it would offer up to a reporter. For example, if you wrote a book about nepotism in official government contributions could you make a press release and called a reporter during the Hurricane Katrina disaster with information such as: "This kind of nepotism has margins in the government response caused before I can. tell you how it happens and where it's happened before. "The press release would list the details in easy-to-read bullet points. It would be easy to see, you would make a great interview subject.
This can work so well for novels. Alice Sebold The Lovely Bones is an exquisite book in its own right, but it does raise a large public because they will be published at a time when several stories of missing girls were happening in the news.
4). Ask what the reporter is working on
If the reporter is not interested in your story, not just cut and run. Engage the person in a friendly conversation and find out what kinds of stories he or she is working on future spending. In this way, you get a relationship to care for - important, since good contacts are hard to come to the media. You are also learning what newsworthy, so you can either individually your message for other branches or come back to the reporter, if you do have to information he or she can use. I used to love it when this happens - it made my job easier!
One last note: Be sure to send the press releases. You may think, "Well, if they are interested they'll call," but nine times out of ten it does not work that way. Your press release could be in the mail, unopened, in someone's office or under a stack of paper in the trash. It's definitely not been read yet! Do not be afraid to make the call. Whatever the outcome, at least you'll be able to use what you learn for your next publicity effort.
In my 15 years as a magazine journalist, I have hundreds if not thousands of such calls fielded. The following tips are what I have told many writers and journalists. The ones I finally wrote about are those who listened and learned from the conversation.
1). Ask if the reporter has time to talk to you
Make "Is now a good time?" The first question you ask when you get as a journalist on the phone. Do not assume that if he or she is employed, they will not answer the phone, because sometimes pick up a reporter on deadline. They could for the confirmation of a source or wait to connect with a colleague in the field, and caller ID does not always provide enough information for a thorough oral exam. There were many times when
I am on deadline and answered my phone only to find to my chagrin, a non-stop pitch at the other end. But the callers who had impressed me immediately asked if I was on deadline. Everything that I had to say was: "Yes," and they would say they would call me in another day or so and hang up. Cool completely. I made sure I have time, if they have a recall. Sometimes I even checked my mail to see if I could find the caller in the press release, so I would be prepared for our conversation.
2). Understand:The fact that you wrote a book, is not a story!
You can book the best in the world have written, but if you are Stephen King turned to fiction (as he did recently) or pulp Terry McMillan publishing your first novel in several years and always at the same time, divorce (as she has recently ), you and your book, no story. I'm sorry, but that's the truth. Of course, if you land on the bestseller lists, then we would have something to discuss. There is an instance, but if you would be a story, and that's when you ...
3). To connect a story already in the news
In the promotion of your book you should read the newspaper and watch the news (local and national) daily. You are looking for stories around the theme look in your book. Ideally, you have something to say and it would offer up to a reporter. For example, if you wrote a book about nepotism in official government contributions could you make a press release and called a reporter during the Hurricane Katrina disaster with information such as: "This kind of nepotism has margins in the government response caused before I can. tell you how it happens and where it's happened before. "The press release would list the details in easy-to-read bullet points. It would be easy to see, you would make a great interview subject.
This can work so well for novels. Alice Sebold The Lovely Bones is an exquisite book in its own right, but it does raise a large public because they will be published at a time when several stories of missing girls were happening in the news.
4). Ask what the reporter is working on
If the reporter is not interested in your story, not just cut and run. Engage the person in a friendly conversation and find out what kinds of stories he or she is working on future spending. In this way, you get a relationship to care for - important, since good contacts are hard to come to the media. You are also learning what newsworthy, so you can either individually your message for other branches or come back to the reporter, if you do have to information he or she can use. I used to love it when this happens - it made my job easier!
One last note: Be sure to send the press releases. You may think, "Well, if they are interested they'll call," but nine times out of ten it does not work that way. Your press release could be in the mail, unopened, in someone's office or under a stack of paper in the trash. It's definitely not been read yet! Do not be afraid to make the call. Whatever the outcome, at least you'll be able to use what you learn for your next publicity effort.
