How to Approach (and NOT Approach) Your Local Newspaper

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Fuchsia Groan

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I apologize in advance if this info has been covered elsewhere. I am a regional newspaper editor who hears from authors promoting their books several times per week and has a stack (literally) of self-published books I received just this year from our readers.

Today I got an author email with a very obvious spelling error right in the subject line. It inspired this post, which I hope doesn't seem mean spirited. Keep in mind: I am also a fiction writer. An unpublished one. I get how hard it is to make people care about your work.

With that in mind — if you do approach your local newspaper seeking a review, here are some suggestions from someone who's seen it all.

1. Proofread!

I guess that should be obvious, right? But all the rules that apply to contacting an agent also apply to contacting a newspaper. If your email is full of spelling and grammar errors and convoluted sentences, I'm going to assume your book is, too. And, no, I don't care if you are a neo-beat poet who is reinterpreting the spelling of the English language.

2. Keep your message short.

My paper has a relatively small circulation, and we still receive hundreds of press releases each week. We skim them.

So I don't need your entire query letter; just tell me the basic premise and genre of your novel. Genre is important: If your book is romance, for instance, you probably have a better chance of getting reviewed on a romance-devoted blog than in a general-interest newspaper. If your book is literary (with writing to back it up) or has a local angle, that increases your chances.

It depends on the editor, though. For instance, I have a weakness for postapocalyptic fiction, so I wrote up a self-pub book of that description that was reasonably well written.

3. Only use blurbs if they matter.

I have learned to discount most blurbs — and that goes for ones on commercially published books, too, because I've found them hyperbolic and misleading. A blurb from an author I've heard of carries some weight, unless it's an author who can be relied upon to praise everyone in his or her general area. (They exist!)

I've received so many poorly written books with glowing blurbs from the Midwest Book Review that I disregard them. Same with a blurb from a creative writing instructor. It's not a negative, but it's not a positive, either.

4. If you self-published, please do not try to persuade me you did not self-publish.

I have read excellent self-published and POD books. I have reviewed them. Yes, the name of a big publisher on the spine means something, but in the end, I judge books on their merits. So, if you used iUniverse, please don't send me a long email explaining that you did not really self-publish, because iUniverse is "supported self-publishing." Don't send me your anti-big publishing screed. You don't need to.

I don't even try to have this argument with authors who used PublishAmerica or Tate. But keep in mind that journalists know how to do background checks, too.

5. On the flip side: If you self-published and you're out and proud about it, that's great. I support your taking the initiative. But please do not assume that your self-publishing saga is the first I've ever heard, or that your grassroots book marketing efforts are so newsworthy I will want to devote a whole story to them.

That was true several years ago. At some old-school newspapers, it may still be true. But if you've perused our searchable archives, you'll see I've already reviewed numerous self-published books and written stories on POD, e-publishing, NaNoWriMo and related topics. So, unless your story is really special, I'm not gonna be blown away. That time is past. Again, impress me with your book, not your critique of big publishing.

6. Keep in mind that a newspaper review is a critique, not a seal of approval. (Yes, there are book editors who don't seem to realize this. I'm not one of them.) When you ask to have your book "reviewed," you are asking for a dose of ruthless scrutiny.

Now, I usually reserve that scrutiny for books that have the weight and money of big publishing behind them. If I don't like your self-published book, I'm not going to flay it publicly — I would feel like a schoolyard bully. So, unless your book is of unusually stellar and professional quality, you won't get a "review" from me.

What you might get, if I found your book interesting, is a short write-up that tells people what it's about, what genre it is, who'll probably like it, etc. If I have something nice to say, I'll toss that in, too. This is not a "review," nor is it a free ad for your book. It's me reporting on what people in our area are writing.

This is the best way I've found to deal with the glut of self-published books. Some editors just toss them, but I'm fascinated by the breadth of things people choose to write about.

7. Don't pay a publicist to write your press release.

Get friends to proofread it. Hire an editor. Use the Share Your Work boards. But don't pay someone to make your book sound good, because if you can't do that yourself, you're wasting your money.

The worst self-published book I have ever encountered came with a slick, professional press release from a PR firm. It made me sad. This author had a shaky grasp of how to write a sentence and desperately needed to work on her craft, yet here she was paying someone to gloss over her obvious deficiencies.

Work on your writing. Don't waste your money. Yes, there are newspapers that will quote directly from press releases, but those are newspapers that are desperate to fill empty space.

Well, that about wraps it up. Thanks for listening to my rant — er, my advice. I realize most people who already use this board don't need it, but I hope my POV is useful anyway.
 
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