A book publicist is usually hired by a publishing house and is responsible for generating media interest in a new book. In the end, he or she wants journalists to write about the author and his or her book in order to raise public awareness and sales. The position combines aspects of marketing and publishing.
In most cases, no formal education is required to work as a book publicist. Publicists may choose to pursue degrees in English, journalism, marketing, or communications because the job requires a lot of communication and writing. A publicist must be confident, outgoing, knowledgeable in his or her field, and, of course, someone who enjoys reading.
A book publicist will most likely be assigned a book, or a series of books, months in advance, and will be in charge of developing a publicity campaign for the book. The creation of press releases for new books is an important part of a publicist’s job. These press releases are then distributed to a variety of media outlets in the hopes that they will cover the story. As a result, it is critical for a book publicist to establish contacts in various media outlets and to have a thorough understanding of how the media operates. A magazine, for example, requires much more lead time before publishing a story than a newspaper, which can do so within a day.
A book publicist may be in charge of organizing book tours and signings for authors in addition to generating media buzz about the book. The publicist will need to work with the author and his or her schedule, as well as the schedules in different locations or bookstores where the author will be traveling. A publicist may also be required to make travel arrangements, such as hotel stays, airline tickets, or rented cars, to name a few.
The publicist can then begin creating promotional materials, such as fliers and advertisements, once the tour has been set up. The publicist will almost certainly have to collaborate with other departments on a regular basis, such as the art and design department. He or she will almost certainly have a budget and will need to stick to it while promoting the book. A career as a book publicist can be a great fit for outgoing people who enjoy working with others and want to work in the publishing industry.