PRW Newsletter, September 18, 2001 - Use Press Releases to Promote Your Self-Published Books

In this Issue:

• Featured Article - Press Release Writing: a Handy 12-Step Summary

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Featured Article - Use Press Releases to Promote Your Self-Published Books

Of all the ways that press releases can be utilized as tools, from sales and service to news and announcements, press releases are often the best, if not the only avenue for self-published books. Not always, but frequently, editors, agents and publishers will not look at books written by unknown authors, especially today. The book-publishing business has become more cloistered as giant publishing houses gobble up small presses and major moguls merge.

In this era of celebrity-driven book sales, the new or first-time book author becomes a disposable commodity to the publishing world. 'Names' sell books. Never mind that some celebrities who can hardly speak proper English, let alone spell it, become best-selling authors. All they need is a well-known name and a little cash to hire a ghostwriter. (We exclude all foreign-language-speaking authors and good writer celebrities, and there are many out there.)

But here you are, a hard-working and gifted wordsmith with knowledge or adventure to share, and you can't get a nod from the publishing world, let alone the mainstream media. Here's where the mighty press release comes in.

If you can come up with a clever angle, a unique twist or a first-time-ever happenstance, you can get attention from the media with a press release. So you say, "It sounds like quite a trick. How am I going to do that?" Oh, come on, you're a writer. Remember? If you can plot a novel or organize information in book format, surely you can write a pithy press release about it. Remember, pithy means clever, yes, but also terse and to the point.

To give you examples of successful press releases we've written about self-published books, we're including a few titles below that illustrate unique twists, timely connections and clever angles. You'll get the idea.

Illustrative Examples:

New Book Unravels Mystery of Buying First Baby's Layette: An Economic Survival Guide for First Time Parents

The idea is unique. Did you ever see an entire book devoted to baby's first layette? How many new parents have you met who seemed mighty confused on what they will need? How many ask themselves how much it will cost? This book answers those practical questions and more. It's also a timesaver and a money saver for new parents. This is the angle we concentrated on and created a release that had all the elements of a best seller.

New Book Spells out Key to Success Based on Your Name

The unique twist of this book is that your name can influence your success in life. Of all the self-help books out there, we've never seen one with this connection. This book uncovers intriguing ancient formulas that enable you to analyze your name and act on it to improve your life. 

Find your own unique angle for your book and promote it with press releases. The media loves the unusual, as long as it makes sense.

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