A press release is not an announcement; it is a pitch formatted the way an editor expects. “Author publishes book” is not news. “A hospice nurse’s debut novel about grief was rejected forty times and is now a bookstore pick” is. The difference is not spin — it is finding the true story inside the publication.
What you receive
- A release in standard format — headline, dateline, lead paragraph, quote, body, boilerplate and contact.
- A genuine news angle, drawn from the author’s story, the subject matter, the local connection or the timing.
- Two quotable lines written to be lifted whole, since that is what journalists actually use.
- A media list of local papers, regional radio, genre outlets, podcasts and newsletters that cover books.
- A short pitch email for each tier of the list, because the release alone rarely gets opened.
How it is written
- Interview the author. The angle almost never comes from the blurb; it comes from why the book exists.
- Check the news. Local hooks, anniversaries, related events and current conversations the book touches.
- Write to length — one page, inverted pyramid, most important sentence first.
- Build and tier the list, then send with a personalised opening line rather than a mass copy.
What journalists do with it
Most releases are deleted in seconds. The ones that survive contain a number, a first, a local name or a conflict. That is why the angle matters more than the writing: a well-written release about nothing is still nothing. We look for the element a reporter could build a story around — a profession, a place, a statistic, an unusual route to publication — and lead with that instead of with the book.
Coverage you can actually get
National coverage is rare and usually bought through a publicist’s relationships. Local papers, regional radio, genre blogs, podcasts and library newsletters are reachable, genuinely read, and they link. Ten small pieces in the right places sell more books than one mention nobody sees, and they are also what a future publicist or publisher will count as evidence of an audience.
Following up without becoming a nuisance
One email is a pitch; three is harassment. The workable pattern is a short note with the release attached, a single follow-up a week later with a different angle, and then silence. Journalists remember the author who accepted a no gracefully, and they are the ones who get covered on the second book. We write the follow-up at the same time as the release, while the angle is still clear.
Pricing
| Tier | Scope | Price | Was | You save |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | 1 release | $50 | $50 | |
| Professional | 3 releases | $130 | $140 | |
| Bulk / Authority | 5 releases | $200 | $200 |
Frequent questions
Do you guarantee coverage?
No responsible service can. What is guaranteed is a release with a real angle and a list of outlets that publish this kind of story.
When should it go out?
Two to three weeks before launch, so there is time to respond, plus a second push on publication day.
Can it be used for a backlist title?
Yes, with a hook — a new edition, an anniversary, an adaptation or a milestone.
Commission a release — tell us the book and the story behind it.