| Did you know there are 1,730 newspapers published | | | | book could skyrocket to stardom virtually overnight. |
| daily in the United States? They have a combined | | | | If you live in a major city, check the phone book for |
| circulation of nearly 62 million people. And reviews are | | | | local editorial offices. Otherwise, contact the |
| only one way of using them.Targeting Special | | | | Associated Press (AP) at 50 Rockefeller Plaza, New |
| SectionsThroughout the year, newspapers put | | | | York, NY 10020, phone 212-621-1500; United Press |
| together special supplements, which can be another | | | | International (UPI) at 1510 H Street, NW Washington, |
| bonanza. These are topic-specific: seniors, health, | | | | DC 20005, phone 202-898-8000; and Reuters at 3 |
| automobiles, gardening, college, investment, etc. Find | | | | Times Square, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10036, |
| out what's planned for your major daily."Lifestyle" or | | | | phone 646-223-4300.Hitchhike on Current NewsOne |
| "Trends" sections, known in the old days as the | | | | of the best ways to get into the news is to hitchhike |
| "Women's Pages," are often a good bet. Other more | | | | with another item of current interest. When President |
| specialized sections (Business, Real Estate, Sports) | | | | Bush put Linda Chavez up for Secretary of Labor, |
| may also welcome you, depending on the subject of | | | | the controversy heated up when it came out she'd |
| your book. Frankly, you're usually better off in special | | | | had an illegal alien living in her home, doing |
| sections. It takes a true book-lover to digest the | | | | miscellaneous chores, and had given the woman |
| book review pages, but all kinds of folks read the | | | | money. Kathy Fitzgerald Sherman, author of A |
| other sections. Gardeners, for instance, will have their | | | | Housekeeper Is Cheaper Than a Divorce: Why You |
| noses buried (no pun intended) in the gardening | | | | CAN Afford to Hire Help and How to Get It jumped |
| section but would seldom discover your book about | | | | on this issue.Perhaps your book solves a problem |
| organic gardening if it were only discussed in the | | | | that has just hit the headlines. Such was the case of |
| book pages.Let's say you have a guide to child raising. | | | | one clever author who had written a book on how |
| Every major newspaper has an education writer or | | | | to stop snoring. One day his newspaper vigil |
| editor. Articles in this section are read by both | | | | uncovered an obscure two-liner about a pending |
| parents and teachers. David Cole suggests you | | | | divorce. It seems the poor harried wife could no |
| target the papers with circulations over 100,000 | | | | longer tolerate her snoring spouse. A long-distance call |
| (there will probably be about 100 of them) and send | | | | to the presiding judge, a couple of bottles of booze, |
| a series of short 300-word articles extracted from | | | | and an overnighted book resulted in a front-page |
| your book for one-time use. Make sure you include | | | | spread with pictures. The judge felt this book could |
| "how-to" tips and provide illustrations if possible.Surely | | | | save the marriage. Picked up by the wire services, |
| you have looked with awe and maybe envy at | | | | the word spread swiftly; and the book went into |
| full-page spreads about authors and their books, | | | | four printings.This is one story of many that confirm |
| complete with numerous photographs. Worth a lot? | | | | the value of a "news peg" and the hitchhiking |
| Bet your sweet bippy it is! Don't buy into the idea | | | | principle. With a bit of inventive brainstorming, we bet |
| that only famous best-selling authors get that kind of | | | | you can think of lots of ways to link your book with |
| coverage. 'Tain't so.William Zimmerman would testify | | | | news items. Don't overlook writing an op-ed column |
| to that. He's had spreads in the Washington Post, | | | | as a vehicle for exposure either.When something |
| Business Week, and the New York Times. | | | | breaks in your topic area, immediately contact key |
| Zimmerman, founder of Guarionex Press, which | | | | media personnel. You want to establish yourself as a |
| published his How to Tape Instant Biographies, | | | | subject matter expert. While the media may not use |
| comments, "I've shown how you can leverage no | | | | you this time, chances are you'll eventually get ink |
| money and gain a lot of national attention and sales." | | | | and air time if you're persistent about staying visible |
| The Times feature about him prompted two | | | | when things occur in your area of expertise.To link |
| thousand inquiries replete with countless orders for | | | | with a breaking news story, you, of course, have to |
| his book.The successful author-publisher has staying | | | | know about it. If you're serious about attracting |
| power. Tenacity. Persistence. Bill Gordon, author of | | | | more than your share of print, radio, TV, and |
| The Ultimate Hollywood Tour Book, pitched no less | | | | Internet coverage, you must read the newspaper |
| than thirteen different reporters at the Los Angeles | | | | first thing every morning. I (Marilyn) have |
| Times before he got one to do a story. It first | | | | bookmarked the home page for the Washington |
| appeared in the Orange County section . . . then hit all | | | | Post. You can read it free online by going to (And if |
| the metro pages a week later.Print media offers the | | | | you want to start your day with a chuckle, go to |
| enterprising publisher a bumper crop of opportunities | | | | where a spoof news story mocks the real thing.)Tie |
| for promotion. Don't ignore the rich harvest small | | | | Into Special DatesTo add verve and flair to your |
| independent newspapers can provide. They, too, can | | | | promotional campaign, you might consult Chase's |
| be of assistance to your campaign. Alert them to | | | | Calendar of Events to see if there is a special day, |
| newsworthy activities. Press releases to hometown | | | | week, or month you can hitchhike with. This |
| papers about author tours filter into coverage in | | | | directory offers over 700 pages of imaginative PR |
| columns or feature stories. Consider contacting the | | | | angles. It is a day-by-day resource of holidays; |
| media in any town where you've previously | | | | historical anniversaries; fairs and festivals; and special |
| lived.Don't forget the wire services. Should you be | | | | days, weeks, and months. It lists more than 12,000 |
| fortunate enough to lock into one of them, your | | | | entries of national or broad regional interest. |