Writing Wednesday
Wednesday is the day I share what I have learned on my journey from writing to publication, marketing and writing and publishing again. If you have any questions please feel free to leave them in the comments and I will do my best to answer them. If you have any tips please share them with us…
Media Kits
Once you become a published author you have no idea who may be stalking visiting your website. If a member of the media visits looking for information on you and/ or your book what will they find? This information will help them decide to call you for an interview or not. Professional bloggers should have media kits too.
Does your site appear professional?
Do you have up to date blog posts and current information?
Is the site easy to navigate? Is information easy to find?
Do you have an easily accessible media kit?
Sadly my answer to most of those questions is no. With a new book coming out late summer/ early fall I need to update my media kit and my site as soon as possible.
Your media kit should be easy to find on your website and should include:
2 author bios. 1 long and 1 short (200 words or less)
Include several current and professionally done author photos, (350 dpi.) All of the photos do not all have to be headshots.
If you have any early reviews include a few lines from the best ones.
Any writing or blog awards
Sample interview questions and answers (3 or 4)
Links to podcasts of TV or radio interviews you have done. If you don’t have any, have a friend interview you and create a video.
A press release
Complete contact information for you, your agent, publicist and/ or your publisher
It took you months or maybe even years to write your book. It is a good idea to spend at least a few days working on your media kit and also a good idea to have your editor look it over.
Happy writing,
Doreen
12 thoughts on “Media Kits for writers…”
Thanks for sharing these tips. It’s very kind of you to mentor people just getting into the business of writing and doing some/all of the promotional work. My husband has written and published 7 books, and it’s been a real tough learning curve for him.
Marketing books is definitely a tough job and there is so much to learn.
This was interesting and helpful. The media kit for authors is far different from a media kit for bloggers. I do have a blogging media kit (one page) but no author one. By the time I’m published, I’ll have one, thanks to you! 😀
There is so much more to write besides the book!
Now that I read this I know I will miss seeing you even more this week. I love Wednesdays with you when you share your expertise with us, Doreen. Always great advice. I will look to you when I finish my book! xo
I am so sorry you cannot make it, we will miss you.
Every time I read your posts on PR it brings back my more than 30 year career in the field. Your advice is solid.
I am really enjoying PR but it is a lot more work than I ever thought.
Always good advice! I’m going to be combing your site…I want to do an ebook, filled with photographs as well as writing so I need to figure out how to do that!
I want to do an e-book too so I am planning to be writing more about how to do that!
Thanks for sharing this info. It is so helpful to those of us working on a book to know the next steps.
Thank you Estelle and good luck with your book!