FAQ on Publicity and Such

This week's video started off talking about what a publicist does vs. what an agent is for. Then, we delved into the essentials of self-publishing.

I can't share the embed of the video because it is not up on YouTube, but for a while, it will be housed on Facebook. For the time being, you can watch it here.

Here's a couple of the key points in really quick summary.

A book agent helps you get a publisher and book deal. A publicist gets you interviews and reviews once your book is published. A publicist seeks out media. If you are looking speaking events, you will probably need a speaker's bureau or speaking agent.

There are three things that every book must have (I don't mean characters, plot and conflict). This is especially true of all self-published books. These are areas you cannot skip. They are:

1. A professionally designed cover by someone who is an excellent graphic designer. Books are judged by the cover. A bad Photoshop job or plain, ugly fonts can kill your book.
2. A well-written back cover. Sometimes an author is too close to the story to do this effectively. Let other people read it and give you feedback. Does it make sense? Is it interesting? Would you want to read it? (I have read some cover copy that I honestly left me confused as to whether or not the book was fiction or non-fiction. That's not good.)
3. Professional copy and content edits by an experienced book editor. This is more than proofreading for errors (and yes, every book has a few). This includes all sorts of editing for grammar and such, but also for story consistencies, historical or Biblical references, flow, etc. 

Although that's the nutshell of the advice, do watch the video for entertainment value alone!