花季传媒

As publicity manager at Simon & Schuster, the third largest publisher in the U.S., Brianna Scharfenberg 鈥�14 toils 鈥渢o get the word out about new books.鈥�

The process varies depending on the book, but Scharfenberg arranges all types of media exposure for authors, coordinates book tours with venues throughout the country, writes news releases, brainstorms opinion pieces and weighs in on editorial acquisitions.

鈥淎ny publicity hit can move a book in the right instance,鈥� she said. So she works to cover all the bases, including spending a lot of time talking.

听鈥淧ublishing is very much a people business; it's very social,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hether it鈥檚 editors having lunch with agents or publicists grabbing coffee with a magazine editor, it鈥檚 a big network.鈥�

In addition, 鈥淚 am there to navigate authors through the process and provide coaching and even emotional support at times,鈥� she said. Some authors are as 鈥渃ool as cucumbers,鈥� Scharfenberg said. 鈥淏ut many are nervous to see how The New York Times or The Washington Post is going to review their book, or they get jitters before an NPR or 鈥楾oday鈥� show interview.鈥澨�

She has represented Pope Francis and the co-writer of 鈥淟et Us Dream,鈥� and promoted biographies of Vice President Kamala Harris (鈥淜amala鈥檚 Way鈥�), first lady Eleanor Roosevelt (鈥淓leanor鈥�) and former German Chancellor Angela Merkel (鈥淭he Chancellor鈥�). Subjects can be as wide ranging as NASA鈥檚 mission to Pluto (鈥淐hasing New Horizons鈥�) to the Brazilian Amazon (鈥淭hird Bank of the River鈥�).

Since the pandemic caused reviewers and journalists to work from, well, wherever, Scharfenberg relies on email blasts to pitch books. Some reviewers respond, some don鈥檛, and it may take multiple emails to get their attention.听

Trade publications such as Kirkus Reviews and Library Journal print reviews ahead of publication so booksellers or librarians can order books coming down the pipeline.听

Such reviews 鈥渃an be helpful so that you can tell The New York Times, for example, 鈥業 hope you鈥檝e enjoyed that copy I sent you. By the way, here鈥檚 what Kirkus said about the book.鈥� 鈥� 听

鈥淎nd media begets media,鈥� Scharfenberg said, so she may send another wave of outreach when the book is published to share great reviews and author interviews.

If all goes as planned, the author will go on tour and more media opportunities spring up. 鈥淚鈥檒l continue to support them beyond publication throughout all of that too,鈥� she said.

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