Choose book promotion opportunities with caution.
Choose book promotion opportunities with caution. This is new advice and, coming from a book publicist, it's counter-intuitive advice. You'd think that a book publicist would want authors and publishers to take advantage of every book promotion opportunity that comes their way, and to err on the side of doing any interview that might win some exposure for the book, wouldn't you?
Well, this just in. Some media personalities have such objectionable messages to disseminate that you don't want to accept their interview invitations. In short, you don't have to deal with jerks.
Case in point: Radio show host Michael Savage said, on the air, that 99% of children who are labeled "autistic" are actually undisciplined brats. Read the Associated Press's story about it here, via MSNBC.com. If a more ignorant statement than that has been uttered about any child, I don't want to know about it. Does Savage believe the nonsense he spouted, or did he just say those things to get attention? In either case, no author, no matter how worthy the book he or she is promoting, should feel the need to appear as a guest that's hosted by people who say objectionable things on the air for any reason.
Don't feel guilty for turning down a book promotion opportunity if you feel that accepting that opportunity would force you to compromise yourself. Most book promotion opportunities are worthwhile, and they can even be wonderful. But if it doesn't feel good to you, then don't do it. That is this book publicist's advice of the day.
Comments
While I absolutely agree with your advice about not accepting every interview opportunity. It is always worth the time to do a bit of research if you are not already familiar with the interviewer and venue.
However, your example is a poor one that only proves that you did not really do sufficient research. Instead, you have relied on the untrustworthy and discredited AP (quickly challenging the AFP for #1 worst wire service) without finding out if their report was accurate.
I actually heard the show in question. Yes, he did say that 99% of kids diagnosed with autism were improperly diagnosed and may be no more than brats in need of discipline. However, in the context of the segment and Savage's show in general, this was obviously not so much a statement of statistical fact as an attempt at a wake-up call.
Far too many of our kids are being diagnosed with autism, ADD, and ADHD every day (and the definitions of those conditions are being broadened all the time with no real basis in new science). The diagnosing doctors and the pill-pushing drug companies are making huge profits.
As a PR pro, you should recognize that those with the biggest financial stake in an issue are rarely the ones with the most unbiased approach.
So, yes, you are correct. Carefully consider interview opportunities. But be careful what examples you use to illustrate your points.
Cheers!
Walt Shiel
Publisher, Slipdown Mountain Publications LLC
Stacey's response:
I've done my homework on autism, Walt, and I can tell you that autistic children are not "brats," nor are they choosing to break their family members' hearts. More to the point, I've done my research on book promotion, and we're on the same page. Do your homework, and have your book promotion specialist, do his or her homework, so that you have the best chance possible of avoiding interviews with anyone whose confrontational style is part of the act. You don't need to be the butt of anyone's jokes. You might choose to be -- and, if it's fun for you, then go for it -- but you don't have to be in order to promote your book.
Posted by: Walt Shiel | July 22, 2008 10:30 AM
I couldn't agree more about the importance of exploring the culture of a show before deciding to appear on in order to promote your book and its message. I would also like to add that it's important to go beyond just the obvious. For example, I booked a client on a public affairs program but she resisted after seeing the morning show's Web site. Granted, the morning show was wacky and silly, but the co-host, who was also the news director, conducted a very thoughtful and provocative interview that she loved--once I convinced her that the morning show was not the same as the public affairs show.
Posted by: Joanne McCall | July 22, 2008 12:02 PM