What is a book publicist?
A book publicist is your advocate in the media world. Specifically, they bring two things most authors lack: an extensive network of contacts and the ability to find the story in your story that makes it worth talking about. With their help, you and your book gain access to reviews, interviews, and social media collaborations that put your work in front of audiences you couldn't reach alone.
Your book publicist will help you find the best people to pitch your story to — and the best angle from which to pitch it. Sometimes the golden selling point is your own personal narrative (e.g. “why I wrote this book”). Or it might be the cultural zeitgeist that your book slots into (“the rise of ‘indie’ zombie fiction,” for example). It’s the job of a book publicist to find that perfect hook, and then use it to open every door they can for you.
In 2026, there are more doors to open than ever. As well as traditional newspapers, niche magazines, podcasts, and radio or television programs, your book publicist may reach out to bloggers, Substackers, YouTubers, Bookstagrammers, and BookTokers who are influential in your field. Of course, not every book will be suitable for every type of media; your publicist will tailor their strategy precisely to your book’s genre, audience, and goals.
What’s the difference between a book publicist and a book marketer?
Many book publicists are also book marketers and vice versa, but their approach will differ depending on which hat they’re wearing. A publicist promotes your book through avenues that you neither control nor directly pay for — think honest reviews and interviews — to build real credibility for your name. A book marketer, meanwhile, helps you devise marketing strategies that you own and direct yourself, including paid ads.
The most successful authors use a combination of book publicity and book marketing to gain both credibility and visibility: readers who are served paid ads can search for your book and see that it’s been featured in prominent media and/or social media channels.
Find out more
The Differences Between Book Marketing and Publicity: Credibility vs Control
What makes a good book publicist?
Anybody can set up a business as a book publicist — which is why authors have to be so careful about where they find book publicity services. A good book publicist has:
- A thorough understanding of the book market, the media landscape, and the role of social media in book influencing
- Strong existing relationships with journalists, influencers, and other industry contacts
- A sharp sense of what makes a book newsworthy or timely
- The ability to craft compelling pitches, press releases, and author bios
- Good interpersonal skills, including persistence and tact
- The ability to manage outreach timelines and juggle multiple projects simultaneously
While a degree in a publishing-related field can be beneficial, it’s not as important as a publicist’s experience, proven skills, and network. At Reedsy, we only accept book publicists whose track records set them at the top of their field.
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Jaime W.
I'm a publicist with over 17 years of experience managing debuts and high-profile authors at some of the biggest publishing houses in the UK
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Elena J.
Publicist for non-fiction titles, including business, smart thinking, philosophy, self-help and artificial intelligence.
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Nicole B.
A former in-house publicist at HarperCollins & Hachette with over a decade of experience who specializes in Christian non-fiction publicity.
Request a quoteHere’s what working with the right publicist looks like in practice. Tim Darcy Ellis, who hired a publicist on Reedsy for his historical fiction debut, was impressed by the level of detail in the publicist’s initial questions. “He started our collaboration with a very long questionnaire about me as a writer and the book itself. Clearly, it was important for him to get a good sense of my story.”
Tim was also impressed by the publicist’s spreadsheet of all the contacts he’d reached out to. “Not everyone who initially showed interest in the book would follow up. But he had compensated for pitches falling through and planned plenty in advance.” Over three months, Tim was featured on BBC Radio Somerset, in the Daily Express, and in other traditional media.
Read more about Tim’s experience here.
How much does book publicity cost?
The cost of book publicity services varies significantly based on the scope and length of the collaboration. The median price authors pay to hire a book publicist on Reedsy is $1,370 for a month-long publicity campaign — but your publicist may charge more or less depending on your individual goals.
A publicist’s rate may also change depending on their experience, their industry contacts, and the level of hands-on support they provide.
To work out how much book publicity might cost for you, first establish what you want to achieve. Then, request and compare quotes from several book marketers to find someone whose services match both your goals and your budget.
How to find the right book publicist
When you hire a book publicist on Reedsy, you can rest assured about quality: we vet all of our freelancers manually and only accept the top 3% of applicants.
That said, not every publicist is a good fit for every author. Besides price considerations, we recommend following these tips to find a book marketer or publicist who’s right for you on our marketplace:
- Search for professionals who specialize in your book’s category. Some publicists only work with nonfiction authors, while others also have experience of promoting fiction books. On the Reedsy marketplace, you can filter marketers by subservice and genre, then browse their portfolios to see if they’ve previously worked on books similar to yours. A publicist with ten successful memoir projects to their name might not be the best person to tackle your history book.
- Determine what level of communication works for you. Some authors need publicists who will send them regular updates. Others prefer to sit back and let the professional do their job. Each publicist works a little differently, and it’s important that you find one who approaches communication in the same way you do.
- Double-check the publicist’s availability. Publicists juggle multiple clients at once and are often booked up months in advance. If you already have a launch date in mind, check that any publicists you’re interested in are able to work to that deadline.
Tips for working with a book publicist
Now’s the exciting part: when you can begin working with your book publicist.
To get the most out of your collaboration:
- Hire a publicist as early as possible. The best time to hire a book publicist is 6 months before your planned launch date. The earlier you book a publicist, the more time they’ll have to reach out to news outlets and influencers and send out advance review copies.
- Agree on sensible goals at the start. Not every debut author can make it onto the Today Show, so keep your expectations realistic. Discuss with your publicist what you would ideally like to achieve, but be open to their advice. The book publicists on Reedsy will know how to get you the best coverage possible.
- Be prepared to do some of the work yourself. A book publicist is a collaborative partner, not someone who’s going to do all your promotion for you. Think carefully about the questions your publicist poses, prepare thoroughly for interviews or podcast appearances, and remember that book publicity does not replace your other marketing efforts. You’ll also need a supply of physical books to send out to reviewers and media who request them.
Find out more
Creating an Effective and Timely Publicity Plan
How to Build a Rocking Author Media Kit
