Top 5 Media Pitch Questions For Authors (With Answers!)

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BONUS FREEBIE: You’re preparing to promote your book in the media but what questions do you need to have answers to? Click here to grab my free “10 Media Questions Every Author Needs to Answer.” There are questions for fiction and nonfiction authors!

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As a television producer for over 20 years, I get asked a lot of questions about how to pitch media and what they’re looking for. During my career as a news producer I saw a lot of awesome pitches and even more that I deleted without a second look.

Now as a media trainer who works with authors to get and keep media attention, I’ve helped dozens of non-fiction and fiction writers to prepare for media opportunities. 

But it all goes back to pitching media and making sure you’re giving them what they want before you ever get interviewed. And for authors it makes a big difference when it comes to who will get booked on a show or podcast and who will not.

So let’s dive in to the Top 5 Media Pitch Questions I get from authors.

1. What are the elements of a media pitch? 

The hook explains why what you’re pitching is relevant now. Maybe you wrote a book about divorce and a celebrity is going through a divorce. This would make your book relevant now.

The twist shows the producer or editor how this pitch is different than every other pitch/story they’ve heard about. Maybe you want to talk about how stress is actually good for you. That’s one heck of a twist!

The takeaway is what the audience will take away from the segment you’re pitching. Think about what the audience will do tomorrow after reading the story you’re quoted in or after watching your interview on TV. How will this change their lives? 

2. What do fiction authors have to offer in the media? 

Yes, fiction authors definitely have something to offer the media; it just might not be as obvious. It can be much easier for non-fiction authors to get media opportunities because of the nature of their books. 

For fiction authors, think about what themes or topics in your book might be pitched as a non-fiction element. Jodi Piccolt is an expert at this. Her books are timely and relevant to what’s going on in our society, so even though she writes fiction, she’s able to remain relevant to media.

3 . Who do you pitch? 

First, watch the show, listen to the podcast or read the magazine or paper you’re interested in pitching. Simple, I know. But this is one a lot of people forget. You’ll have a much better chance of success if you do a bit of homework. Make sure that what you’re pitching is relevant to their audience.

Check out the publication’s website. There’s typically contact information available there, or you might have luck finding the name of the producer or editor on LinkedIn. Or, go old-school and call the station or publication and ask who to pitch a story to or who books segments with authors.

4. How should you follow up?

Journalists are inundated with email. Maybe they saw your email and were distracted by breaking news before they could respond. It happens.

So, re-pitch them. I promise it’s okay. Don’t just reply all to your original email and write something like, “so, um, what’d you think?” What you want to do is re-pitch your idea. Write a summary of what you pitched originally and remind the person you’re writing to about who you are and why you’re the person to talk about this topic.

5. How many books will I sell after a media opportunity?

Selling a bunch of books isn’t the immediate goal here. You’re pitching to have interviews where people will read about you and your work and pique their interest. Podcasts are much more successful at getting people to buy books, and that’s likely because their audiences are niche and looking for specific information. It’s not that being on television or in a magazine won’t equal books sales, it’s just less likely. But that’s not a reason to forgo those opportunities – you want buzz for your book however you can get it. 

And because I couldn’t resist, I included the answer to one bonus question: “Do I need a publicist?” Well, you’ll have to watch the full episode to find out.

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BONUS FREEBIE: You’re preparing to promote your book in the media but what questions do you need to have answers to? Click here to grab my free “10 Media Questions Every Author Needs to Answer.” There are questions for fiction and nonfiction authors!

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