Book Publicist or Career as a Book Publicist
A book publicist is a person who works for authors or publishing companies in order to promote and publicize the work done among the right set of people to gain the best possible sales and public response outcomes. Book publicists can also work for public relations agencies, which undertake promotion and image building pertaining to published books or authors. This article will describe the career profile of a Book Publicist and the ways and means of building a career in the same field from the very beginning.
-Job profileof a book publicist
The job profile of a book publicist can be diverse and could depend on the type of work he or she has been assigned to undertake. Thus, a book publicist may have to devise and execute the book platform, acquire endorsements, edit the author's biography and book’s synopsis, request book reviews, oversee the editing of the book’s back cover text, pitch interviews and features, plan the book’s launch and assemble and disseminate a media kit pertaining to the promotion of the book. At the same time, the book publicist would also be responsible for managing the social media and schedule, as well as host or promote the book's virtual tour. Meanwhile, the publicist should also keep a watchful eye for events that could be high traffic author events and work towards gaining the attention of special audiences and book groups.
-Requiredqualifications
In order to enter the field of book publicizing, having a major in a related field or a bachelor’s degree would be required by many organizations. In addition, a strong background in English literature, public relations, advertising, journalism and communications would be an added qualification. At the same time, applicants who demonstrate good communication skills and who are confident in expressing their views and convince the listeners regarding specific points would get the nod over the others who may not possess such skills. In addition, the ability to meet deadlines, work in a team and a good understanding of mass media should also be helpful in securing a better job.
-Salary and the job outlook
The salary of a book publicist would vary from location to location and the profile of the individual and the organization. Thus, the average salary for a book publicist in the Manhattan area is around $70,000 while the salary range for the same group is $30,000 to $100,000 in most instances. The growth of the book publicizing industry is encouraging as the public relations industry is set to grow by 24% between 2004 to 2014. However, the demand for entry-level jobs may lead to a tough competition for those who are looking for book publicizing careers.
