Ask the Publicists: What’s the One Thing I Can Do For My Book? | Literary Hub

Dear Author,

Gone are the days when you could turn in your manuscript, put your feet up on the desk, and wait for the royalty checks to roll in. The success or failure of a book, now more than ever, depends on being proactive. You'll hear people in publishing talk about the difference between being a "writer" and being an "author." How a writer is holed up alone in a room for years creating her masterpiece, whereas an author steps out into the world to share her book with the public at large (readers; book critics; print, online, and broadcast media; booksellers; librarians; etc.). That point when you make the shift from being a writer to being an author? That's where publicity comes in. And we want you to be ready for it.

We've turned to several publicists we admire to help answer your question.