Book Promotion in the Dog Days of Summer

In the final weeks of August, pitches for book promotion tend to net a lot of “out of office” messages. Lots of folks are traveling, visiting family, and generally trying to avoid over-checking their inbox. 

So what’s the best way for an author to make use of this slower time—especially if they have a fall or winter pub day?

We have a few suggestions—

• Pivot: A slower inbox frees you up to devote more time to research! Work on bulking up a robust and targeted media list with more good journalists to contact. Polish your digital presence, devote a little extra time to social media, draft essays, or sketch out op-eds tied to upcoming events. 

• Get tapped in: Whether you’re angling for coverage in a particular venue or trying to assess where your book fits into broader trends in your space, it’s essential to be familiar with the tone and perspective of your target media outlets. Use this time to pull out a lawn chair and read NYRB (or Lit Hub, Times Literary Supplement, or any of your preferred book review publications), check out writing and bookish podcasts, follow some thought leaders and skim their archives, etc.

• Pitch anyway: If there’s someone who’d be a perfect fit for your book, consider bucking the trend and reaching out now. We’ve gotten some of our biggest hits while pitching in these slow periods; journalists, like everyone, have their own schedules and maybe, just maybe, you’ll get them when they have extra time to consider your pitch. And if not, plan a September follow-up! 

We hope these suggestions give you something to consider and keep you busy – but not TOO busy! :)