The Easiest Publicity Move Most Authors Ignore

Your next publicity event might already be in your inbox

During a recent interview with Mark Oppenheimer, I asked him about his publicity strategy for his upcoming biography, Judy Blume: A Life. I expected the standard answer: podcast tours, op-ed placements, maybe a social media push.

Instead, he said something else—something much simpler and yet, arguably, more effective. He went through his contacts and looked for anyone “who has already valued my work enough to invite me in before.” Then he reached out to those people and asked whether they’d be interested in having him give a talk, do an interview, or engage with the book in some other way.

Over the course of a 25-year career, Mark has spoken on campuses, appeared on radio shows, consulted for organizations, and worked with editors and colleagues across journalism and publishing, so that’s a sizable group of people.

Here’s one example he shared: a university where he had previously spoken about journalism and Jewish issues connected him with a professor teaching a course on young adult literature. This led to an invitation to give a talk to her class. It’s an outcome that likely would never have occurred based on a cold email to a stranger.

And maybe I’m being extra sensitive (confirmed introvert here), but I think this approach offers a benefit beyond increased effectiveness. It also relieves some of the discomfort many authors feel about publicity. Promoting your book can feel like pandering, especially when it’s on social media, which is inescapably performative. This way, however, you’re connecting one-on-one with people who already know you and like your writing. It’s an actual relationship (imagine that!)

If you want to try this, here’s where to start:

• Open your contacts list (or LinkedIn) and scroll slowly. Who has invited you to speak, guest, teach, consult, or appear in the past?

• Choose five names.

• Send a short, personal note. Keep it simple, something like: “I have a new book coming out and would love to reconnect if it’s useful to your audience.”

• Frame it as an update, not a favor. Remember, you’re not begging for someone’s attention; you’re sharing news about something important to you.

• Repeat next week with five more notes.

At its best, publicity isn’t promotion. It’s reconnection. So start with the people who already said yes.

Until next time,

Panio Gianopoulos
Editorial Director, Author Insider & The Next Big Idea Club

P.S. If you’d like to watch or listen to my conversation with Mark, the video and audio replays are available here.