Why Ideas Are More Important Than Press Releases

My novel - which is set for July release - is set in Crater Lake National Park.

More than 500,000 people visit Crater Lake each year. That's the start of an idea that might interest a reviewer or media editor. Sending a press release saying your book is coming out will score negative points with both those types of people and possibly shut their door to you forever.

I resisted people telling me to use a two word title like "The Lake.'' Crater Lake needed to be in the title to peak interest. We're trying to get readers, people. Subtlety for the sake of it is silly.

Did I write the book with the Crater Lake marketing angle in mind. Absolutely not. But when you're done writing you need to assess all your potential weapons. It also helped that the plot was set against a backdrop of real events. That's another potential angle.

Editors need an angle or story idea to look at your book. And it has to be a GOOD idea or you're done. Then, of course, the book needs to be good to be successful. But without people willing to look at it there's no chance to be successful.

Using a couple of our story angles, we sent out an email pitch to 75 potential book reviewers/authors in the Northwest to look at the book . We got 14 to do a review. That's a very high number. It has nothing to do with the quality of the book and everything do about interesting angles.

Michael LaLumiere
www.whyiscraterlakesoblue.com