LYNDA BOUCHARD
- Guest Publicist -
G'day folks,
Today, I welcome you to an interview conducted with a publicist from the USA.
Welcome, Lynda ...
1.
WHY DID YOU BECOME A PUBLICIST?
During my ‘former life’
as a flight attendant for a major airline, I had the great pleasure of meeting
Connie May Fowler, author of River of
Hidden Dreams, on a flight from SFO-BOS.
We talked about literature, writing, travel and everything in between. She had events in Boston the following day.
Without hesitation, I offered to take her around since I had a 48 hour layover
and an intimate knowledge of Boston. Ms.
Fowler is a Southerner, born in North Carolina where I live now and where I was
based during my airline career. She
shared that her publisher didn’t know anything about the South or where to send
authors in that market. I saw a specific void that needed to be
filled in the publishing world - that of a liaison between author and
publisher. It was a gift for me, meeting
Connie May Fowler. I pitched my idea to the major publishing houses in New York.
They loved it and they hired me to set up book tours in the South (USA). I began driving all over the South with
authors on my days off! When I resigned
from flying following the 9/11 attacks, I kicked it into high gear, expanded my
services and the cities I covered. For
over 15 years now I have assisted some of the most famous authors on the planet
with their marketing, publicity, writing and editing.
2. WHAT
DO YOU ENJOY ABOUT YOUR JOB?
Every day is different
and holds sublime wonder when working closely with authors. I grow and learn from them, they advance and
learn from me. It is a magical alchemy.
3. WHAT
DO YOU DISLIKE ABOUT YOUR JOB?
Because I own
‘boutique’ PR agency, I can’t take on every author who wants to work with me.
That’s tough because every writer deserves the best chance at success they can
get. But by staying small, I remain agile with marketing efforts. Every book has unique aspects to it. My goal
is to focus and creatively customize each project so it means saying ‘no’ and
that never gets easier.
4.
HOW MANY AUTHORS DO YOU ‘MANAGE’?
I manage expectations –
not authors! Typically, I have no more than 4 authors at one time. (*see
above!)
5.
NO DOUBT, SOME AUTHORS ARE EASIER
THAN OTHERS TO WORK WITH, SO DESCRIBE WHAT YOU EXPECT OF AN AUTHOR AS YOUR CLIENT.
Fabulous question! I
tell any potential client that after they finish their book, the easy part is
over! Often, an author will expect me to
do all the work. That will never happen, in reality. Getting a book into the world is a Sisyphean
effort. It is a collaborative effort between author and publicist. Before I begin
working with an author, I have a conversation with them to determine if the fit
is right for us both. I want to know their expectations and secondly, their
commitment to doing the hard work that it takes. The absolute BEST authors to work with are
the ones who have realistic expectations and trust their intuition and my
creative ideas.
6.
IS THERE ONE MAIN POINT, OR MANY
POINTS THAT CONVINCE YOU TO TAKE ON AN AUTHOR?
There are several, but
my top 2 are:
1.
Having
a sense of humour,
2.
Being
open to ’outside the book’ ideas
7.
WHAT ARE THEY? * see above* plus:
Being able to -
-Know your genre
specific competition
-Do whatever it takes
to advance your work
-Have good contacts and
resources of your own
-Take criticism
constructively without judgement
-Keep it real. No,
Oprah and the New York Times best-seller list won’t happen in a day.
-Trust your crazy
ideas. And mine.
8.
WHAT’S THE WORST MOMENT YOU’VE HAD
AS A PUBLICIST?
I could write a book on
this topic alone. There are just oodles
of times where an author was not ‘engaged’ with an audience or book signing
event. They thought it was not important enough. One best - selling author
walked out before the signing event was even over. There was still a long line,
out the door and around the block! I had to apologize to the staff on their
behalf and needless to say, they weren’t invited back. Times like these reveal the author’s true
character.
9.
WHAT WAS THE BEST MOMENT?
This one is easy. Hands
down– Ken Burger, award-winning
author of Baptized in Sweet Tea, A Sporting Life, and many other books,
was being treated for end- stage cancer. Many months before, I secured an NPR
interview for him. The day of the interview, even though he felt sick, he drove
to the NPR studio in Columbia, SC and gave the performance of his life. It was
just poignant listening to it afterward. His voice was strong. He was upbeat.
He was a true pro. Link to that
interview:
http://etvradio.org/post/sporting-life-late-ken-burger#stream/0
http://etvradio.org/post/sporting-life-late-ken-burger#stream/0
10.
DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS FOR AUTHORS
SEEKING A PUBLICIST?
Be sure you hire
someone with compatible creative sensibilities. You will work closely with your
publicist for a long time so be comfortable with where they might take you
professionally and creatively. Do some
research and interview several. The
right ‘fit’ is important.
11.
WOULD YOU RECOMMEND YOUR CAREER TO
OTHERS?
Absolutely. It is extremely rewarding and creative. It is
wonderful for an entrepreneur who wants to go out on their own, like I did, but
for those who want a more structured environment, there are so many
opportunities with large and small publishing houses.
12.
WHAT SKILLS HAVE YOU LEARNED AS A
PUBLICIST – SKILLS YOU NEVER HAD BEFORE?
When I started out, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs were still
tinkering with the internet! I have learned how to go from ‘old school’ style
to the instant 24/7 always on world of engagement. It has raised my game for
sure. It has made me think differently about the many ways to create awareness
for my authors and help them rise above the noise.
13.
DESCRIBE AN IDEAL AUTHOR FROM A
PUBLICIST’S POINT OF VIEW.
For me, personally, my
ideal author is one like Kathryn Brown
Ramsperger. She contacted me BEFORE her novel was published. Wow. I wish I
could clone her. She gets it. She was open to ideas, coaching, did research and
worked her impressive contact lists to garner testimonials. I worked with her
to create a website specific to her forthcoming book. By doing this ahead of publication, she
showed a potential publisher, that she is serious and committed to the process.
It allowed me to be more creative and set her up for success. She is ever close
to being published but in the meantime, she sends short stories in for critiques
and publication, writes a weekly blog and works at it every single day. That, my friend, is what an ideal author
looks like.
http://shoresofoursouls.com/
14.
WHAT DID YOU DO IN A PAST LIFE?
I was a flight attendant
for a major airline. It was the perfect preparation for being a publicist. Many of the same skills apply! For example –
I know how to anticipate problems, how to plan for and make you feel
comfortable during any event, how to handle any emergency, know the decision
makers, how stop a baby from crying during a presentation, and can perform CPR
(creative publicity resuscitation) for back lists.
15.
IF YOU HAD YOUR TIME OVER, WOULD YOU
BE A PUBLICIST?
Yes, except I’d do it sooner.
16.
WHAT INSPIRES YOU MOST?
I am inspired by
possibility. I am surrounded everyday with positive people who believe in
themselves and a crazy dream – to be a writer. It is inspiring to know that in
our ‘always on’ world, one must still wait on the writer. There is great value
in that.
17.
ARE YOU A PUBLISHED AUTHOR?
I am currently editing
a final draft for a Children’s book, written by my late husband. I will self- publish
it. I have also begun a DIY non-fiction book for authors which will include
invaluable insights, interviews and tips from well-known authors and resources
for writers. Stay tuned for more.....!
18.
DESCRIBE YOUR PERFECT DAY.
Well, it would include
Kevin Costner and/or Daniel Craig.
19.
DESCRIBE AN AUTHOR WHO STANDS OUT
FROM THE REST – ONE WITH THE X-FACTOR?
Ken Burger had the most
soulful yet (seemingly) effortless style in person and on the page. Pat Conroy (The Prince of Tides) also had it. Both writers were Southern to the
core. It must be a Southern thing. There was an essence about both men - they
exuded confidence yet they were gracious and grateful. They were ever mindful that their talent was
a special gift – one they shared willingly. I consider it an honour to have
worked with them.
20.
HOW DO YOU SEE THE PUBLISHING
INDUSTRY NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE?
The publishing industry is changing rapidly and it will
continue to change. This has been positive for writers. The power has shifted
to the author – and away from the publisher. There are many more platforms now
to publish one’s work; however, it makes it more difficult to get that work
noticed. Thus, the need for a great publicist who is able to navigate the ever
changing publishing landscape.
Self-publishing no longer has the negative image it once
did. Can anyone say HUGH HOWIE? He is every writer’s hero. As the author of
‘Wool’ he broke through the self-publishing barrier. He crushed the idea that
traditional publishing was the only way to real success. After he became a
contender with ‘Wool’ the tables were turned. New York publishing houses came to him wanting a piece of his
success! This is encouraging for writers. YOU now have the control, options,
future in your hands. It will be fascinating to see where it all goes. One
thing I do know for sure....there will always be REAL books. Yup. I said it. I
believe that reading is a tactile as well as an intellectual experience.
WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL PLANS FOR THE
FUTURE?
I hope to visit
Australia again. In the near future I hope to get some sleep! Publicists are a
lot like koala bears. Mostly nocturnal,
but with bigger brains.
21.
ANY REGRETS?
Yes, I wish I’d begun
this publicity path sooner.
22.
SHOULD ALL AUTHORS HAVE A PUBLICIST?
WHY?
A book is a very unique ‘product. You have a
tangible object with intangible ideas inside. So, you simply must grab the
potential reader with the ‘idea’ of it – with a great title and a killer cover
and build lots of buzz around it. A
publicist, as an objective marketing pro, is able to jump-start a book, giving
it life before a single person reads it. IT IS A LOT OF WORK! Not many authors
are good at it, nor do they have the interest in marketing their work. And they are not objective.
Clancy's comment: Thank you, Lynda, for a great interview. Oh, by the way, Koalas are not bears, though they do look like one. See photograph below ...
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