Publicist!

Does anyone know anything about publicity companies? Are they worth the
investment? I'm about to drop a nice piece of change to a company I
think, if their website is any indication, is well known. I welcome all
advice and criticism! Thank you - Tony P.

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What are they going to do for you that you can't do yourself?

They state that they already have "connections" and that they put you in contact with them.

Indeed. Did you ask who those connections are, and what they're for? Do they list clients whom they've successfully "connected?"

They don't release the list, but they do show you what they have done for other authors. It was pretty impressive. Then again, If I was selling something I would make it pretty and shiny too!

What's the website?

smithpublicity.com

I would ask yourself how your situation is similar to any commercially published authors they represent, and ask yourself how as a self-published author, you will realistically benefit from what they can do for you.

Personally, I think you will end up a big chunk of change poorer, but some folks need to learn the hard way.

Sirx16,The golden rule is; the writer never pays. There are many good agents out there.Find some books that are somewhat like yours. You can find the name of the publisher, writer, and with that the agent.What ever you do, move very slow.

Well, he's already self-published his book, now he wants to make it known. His problem (one of many) is that even with marketing, he has no distribution, and retailers won't stock it. So what is his goal with the publicist? Is it to get him on Good Morning America and so famous that a publisher will pick him up or B/N will clamor to stock the book? Pigs will fly out of my ass first. Is the goal to sell books? Since this is fiction, again, with no retail presence, it won't happen, even if this company did get him on Good Morning America.

Sirx, have you asked this company what, exactly, they did for other self-published fiction writers?

This business is full of people who prey on writers, and the dreams this company are selling to self-published authors on their site makes them them no exception.

Thanks! I will ask them! All they have said is that they have been successful with similar projects in the past.

I will proceed with caution. I don't want to be prey!

Quote :

All they have said is that they have been successful with similar projects in the past.

This is where you have to pin them down as to what "successful" means. Successful may mean they achieve their goal of getting you some notice, but your goal is to turn that notice into sales.

right!

I know where there's a nice bridge in Brooklyn. It's for sale, too. Just install one toll booth, and you'll double your investment in a month. If you're interested, email for details. I accept Paypal.

You know, I was looking for a bridge in Brooklyn to try and connect to my alternate universe. Does it have hyper reality flux cables? The cable are a must if you are serious about the bridge!