Comments on: The right and wrong book launch strategies – and 4 ways authors can get blog publicity for their book

By: Just Write Blog Carnival August 7, 2009 Edition | Incurable Disease of Writing

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 06:05:02 +0000

[...] O’Brien presents The right and wrong book launch strategies – and 4 ways authors can get blog publicity for their b… posted at Twenty [...]

By: evilbunnytoo

evilbunnytoo — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:48:00 +0000

I think that there is a huge difference between being paid to be a reviewer for the NYT by the NYT or receiving payment from a publisher to review a book. This would be much different from Monica receiving money from a publisher (even disclosed) to review a book.

I'm not saying that Monica is asking for payola, but rather that she is sort of functioning like a zine as opposed to a newspaper.

For zines and independent papers or newsletters, often publishers and contributors don't get paid or make just enough to cover publishing costs (with some exceptions for the larger ones) but readers still expect reviews and such-nots. So the question is, how do smaller zines and newsletters deal with these issues, especially since they are probably equally as spammed by PR guys

By: Rob Gilmark

Rob Gilmark — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:52:52 +0000

Hi Monica, I found your piece via askamanager. This piece is a hilarious take on the topic: http://su.pr/1xOdpo (“I Will Not Read Your F… Script” by Josh Olson at VillageVoice). It's a bit different because at least his pitchers are in the same field–or are trying to be–but the response and explanation (time wasted etc) is on point.

By: The Office Newb

The Office Newb — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:07:09 +0000

"pay me to do a (disclosed) review post for you, or work out some sort of money trade."

Interesting. I once posed this very same question to the blogosphere since I was also getting inundated with requests to read and review books from folks I'd never heard of. And I pretty much got ripped apart from authors telling me I was a horrible person for even asking.

Frankly, I don't see much difference between a blogger and the book reviewer for the NTY except that no one would expect the NYT reviewer to read their book for free.

By: Evil HR Lady

Evil HR Lady — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:54:15 +0000

This was brilliant. I think I'll copy Ask A Manager's idea. I hate the interview/book/review/check out my new product e-mails.

By: PR professionals vs. bloggers: Who is at fault?

PR professionals vs. bloggers: Who is at fault? — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:45:25 +0000

[...] don’t respond like traditional media - I’ve written before about the reasons that traditional media outreach is vastly different from blogger outreach. The main gist is that bloggers often have different goals than traditional media, so the [...]

By: The Mad Editor’s Round-Up #10 | Diary of a Mad Editor

The Mad Editor’s Round-Up #10 | Diary of a Mad Editor — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 23:24:14 +0000

[...] O’Brien presents The right and wrong book launch strategies – and 4 ways authors can get blog publicity for their b… posted at Twenty [...]

By: thomasmcmillan

thomasmcmillan — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 23:57:48 +0000

Monica- Interesting post as it made me think about the different ways that I've been pitched in the past. I think I'm similar to Miriam and I'll review the pitch and determine if I think it is a new and relevant viewpoint on the subjects that I write about.

However, that being said, I've been most receptive to those whom I had a previous relationship or from someone whom I already respected/enjoyed hearing or reading their point of view on the subject in the past.

By: thomasmcmillan

thomasmcmillan — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 22:57:48 +0000

By: monicaobrien

monicaobrien — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 03:04:54 +0000

I don't mark as spam unless the person is really obnoxious – but it's just as frustrating as you say! I think it makes sense that you like press releases, since you do a lot of freelance for various blogs and traditional media outlets. You would be a blogger “looking for a story,” so press releases are more helpful.

Thanks for the comment!