“What is your book about?” and “Why is it important to read–or cover–now?”  are two questions you must be able to answer comfortably, confidently, and concisely. Leah Paulos of Press Shop PR and Book Publicity School gives tips on capturing the value and genius of your work with a perfectly crafted elevator pitch, and explains how to tailor your message to different audiences. This one-hour session is devoted to laying out best practices for writing a pitch rather than workshopping everyone’s materials, but the Q&A portion will allow for personalized advice.

What to expect: Approximately 15 minutes of presentation and 45 minutes of audience Q&A.

Ideal audience for this session: Authors of any genre with a new book coming out. If you are in the proposal or querying stage, this session may be helpful, but we will focus more on pitching for media attention and readers.Ideal audience for this session: Authors of any genre with a book coming out at least several months from now.

Ticketed attendees will get access to attend the live event and Q&A. If you buy a ticket and do not attend, you will not have access to a recording of the Q&A. Refunds will only be issued for cancellations at least 3 days in advance. A recording of the presentation (not including the Q&A) will be made available for all Authors Guild members later.

The meeting will take place via Zoom with automatic closed captioning. To request any other accessibility features, please email support@authorsguild.org and we will make every effort to accommodate.

Presenter

Leah Paulos is the founder and director of publicity at Press Shop PR and Book Publicity School, and has worked at the intersection of publishing and media for over 25 years. Twice named a top PR firm by the Observer, Press Shop PR has worked on #1 bestsellers including March by Rep. John Lewis and On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder, and titles by Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Neil deGrasse Tyson, James Kirchick, and Pulitzer-finalists Samuel Freedman and Louise Aronson. Leah leads the workshops at Book Publicity School, which offers virtual classes and coaching on book promotion. She graduated from Cornell University and lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two sons.

FAQ

1. How are Launchpad Q&As different from regular Authors Guild webinars?

These will be Zoom meetings, so that everyone can be on camera and able to unmute. After the guest speaker gives a ~15-minute presentation, the rest of the hour will be Q&A. You can remain off-camera and type in questions as well. Only the short presentation will be recorded, so the Q&A segment can be candid and personal.

2. Am I guaranteed to get my questions answered by the publicist?

We cannot guarantee that you will receive a robust, personalized answer to all your questions, but our guest speakers will do their best. We recommend asking questions that a professional book publicist can reasonably be expected to answer on-the-spot, rather than highly detailed questions that would require conducting research.

3. Why is there are $25 ticket? Are Authors Guild webinars no longer free?

These ticketed Launchpad events are a unique new program. The goal is to provide a relatively small group with personal access to book publicists, so that your questions are more likely to get a personalized answer. The price of your ticket helps offset the cost of producing the programs and compensating the publicists for their time.

Our free educational webinars are put on by the charitable Authors Guild Foundation with support from donors. Those webinars (e.g., Business Bootcamps for Writers, Money Matters, Agent Talks) remain free to anyone who wants to attend.

4. What if I don’t want to be on camera?

It’s not necessary to be on camera or speak during the event. You will be able to pre-submit questions and type in a Q&A box during the live event.

5. Are there free resources to help with book marketing & publicity?

Your AG membership includes full access to the Launchpad Resource Library. Begin with the Overview of Book Publicity, download the Book Marketing & Publicity Checklist, and watch Launchpad webinar recordings anytime.

6. How can I connect with other authors who are planning a book launch?

Join our Marketing & Publicity for New Books forum group to share tips and network with authors in your genre or region!