Emily Souders talks about how book PR will survive AI, working with debut writers vs working with huge brands, and the impact of prizes in the book world...
I absolutely love this interview. Fantastic. I'm not sure if it is my brain being rather deflated but I did get quite confused: why is there a lack of publicity support for debut authors? It sounds counterintuitive. If the publishing industry wants to endure, they need authors but what incentive do authors have to continue publishing (other than the love of stories) to keep pursuing traditional publishers? Most authors choose traditional publishers believing that they will get support and exposure.
In terms of hiring a publicist, does it benefit certain genres or age groups more than others?
Publishers always want books to succeed and it is better for them, the author and the industry when they managed to select and publish a hit! All books are put forward by publishers to media but often not all books can have a high level of marketing and PR support due to resource and suitability. There is no particular genre or age group that is best served by PR, everyone can benefit! Often there is an instinct we have as publicist on whether a book will capture media attention - this can be because the topic is very relevant to the news agenda, there is a really interesting story behind the book or the author etc.
I love the Moomins! How brilliant that they've got RIOT to help promote them...does Emily work on Tove Jansson's other stuff, too? A copy of The Summer Book sits on my Specials shelf, always...it makes me feel happy just looking at the spine.
There was so much in this interview I'd like to know more about...such a tricky thing, to promote an author, without the author's character interfering between the story and the reader. How on earth do you judge it?
And what did TM Payne's campaign actually look like? I'm quite new to thrillers and detective series, and I'm on a steep learning curve of how their authors connect to readers. Did she whiz off on festival tour? Do online book club Q and A's? Or was it more commercial tie-ins with big buyers?
Be ace to know more!
Thank you again, Phoebe, and happy Tuesday back to you!
Hi Carlie, thanks for reading. I asked Emily about this, her reply for you is below:
Hi Carlie, yes we work closely with Moomin Characters across all Tove’s work. I love The Summer Book too, such a special novel. I have worked a lot in crime fiction, it’s a really fun genre with a lot of passionate journalists and fans. T.M. Payne’s campaign was a real blend of big media ops focusing on her inspirations for the book such as her long career with the Police and personal story (Woman’s Hour, double page interview in the Express etc), endorsements from established names (the crime community is really supportive and close knit so it is key to show that other crime authors rate a book) as well as more local grassroots work (Tina lived where her book was set so building a local fan base was important so we did that through local media interviews and Tina was really great and going into bookshops and building relationships with booksellers) x
Thanks Phoebe for another fascinating interview! There are so many facets to the world of publishing, and I'm grateful you're giving us writers an inside peek!
I certainly will Phoebe. Thanks for your help and your positive feedback.
I think it will be a fascinating read- haven’t finished it yet.
I think I may be the only nun’s daughter around who’s actually writing about it!
I’m an ex television drama writer ( 13 episodes of a daytime series and a one off BBC2 play about my missing father!- all as ANNE MERRILL my maiden name)
As a debut author myself- my book is called THE NUN’S DAUGHTER - I have a lot of backstory about my mother and her upbringing of me before she became a nun.
And how society reacted
So I think it would be great to have RIOT doing the PR here!
I absolutely love this interview. Fantastic. I'm not sure if it is my brain being rather deflated but I did get quite confused: why is there a lack of publicity support for debut authors? It sounds counterintuitive. If the publishing industry wants to endure, they need authors but what incentive do authors have to continue publishing (other than the love of stories) to keep pursuing traditional publishers? Most authors choose traditional publishers believing that they will get support and exposure.
In terms of hiring a publicist, does it benefit certain genres or age groups more than others?
Hi Erica, here is Emily’s response!
Publishers always want books to succeed and it is better for them, the author and the industry when they managed to select and publish a hit! All books are put forward by publishers to media but often not all books can have a high level of marketing and PR support due to resource and suitability. There is no particular genre or age group that is best served by PR, everyone can benefit! Often there is an instinct we have as publicist on whether a book will capture media attention - this can be because the topic is very relevant to the news agenda, there is a really interesting story behind the book or the author etc.
Hope that’s helpful x
That's amazing. Thank you Phoebe and Emily. It's really helpful 🙂
Phoebe, thanks for this!
I love the Moomins! How brilliant that they've got RIOT to help promote them...does Emily work on Tove Jansson's other stuff, too? A copy of The Summer Book sits on my Specials shelf, always...it makes me feel happy just looking at the spine.
There was so much in this interview I'd like to know more about...such a tricky thing, to promote an author, without the author's character interfering between the story and the reader. How on earth do you judge it?
And what did TM Payne's campaign actually look like? I'm quite new to thrillers and detective series, and I'm on a steep learning curve of how their authors connect to readers. Did she whiz off on festival tour? Do online book club Q and A's? Or was it more commercial tie-ins with big buyers?
Be ace to know more!
Thank you again, Phoebe, and happy Tuesday back to you!
Hi Carlie, thanks for reading. I asked Emily about this, her reply for you is below:
Hi Carlie, yes we work closely with Moomin Characters across all Tove’s work. I love The Summer Book too, such a special novel. I have worked a lot in crime fiction, it’s a really fun genre with a lot of passionate journalists and fans. T.M. Payne’s campaign was a real blend of big media ops focusing on her inspirations for the book such as her long career with the Police and personal story (Woman’s Hour, double page interview in the Express etc), endorsements from established names (the crime community is really supportive and close knit so it is key to show that other crime authors rate a book) as well as more local grassroots work (Tina lived where her book was set so building a local fan base was important so we did that through local media interviews and Tina was really great and going into bookshops and building relationships with booksellers) x
Oh! How brilliant of her to reply, and Phoebe, thank you for asking her!
Thanks Phoebe for another fascinating interview! There are so many facets to the world of publishing, and I'm grateful you're giving us writers an inside peek!
How do I contact RIOT for this?
I certainly will Phoebe. Thanks for your help and your positive feedback.
I think it will be a fascinating read- haven’t finished it yet.
I think I may be the only nun’s daughter around who’s actually writing about it!
I’m an ex television drama writer ( 13 episodes of a daytime series and a one off BBC2 play about my missing father!- all as ANNE MERRILL my maiden name)
Currently I’m a psychotherapist
Thanks for reading Annie! You can contact them here: https://www.riotcommunications.com/contact/ would be great if you could say you read about them on the Substack! 🥰
An excellent article and a really good interview!
As a debut author myself- my book is called THE NUN’S DAUGHTER - I have a lot of backstory about my mother and her upbringing of me before she became a nun.
And how society reacted
So I think it would be great to have RIOT doing the PR here!
Sounds a fascinating read!