Like perhaps no other genre, books on religion have the potential to reach millions of people around the globe. Worldwide ministries, international outreach efforts and denominational ties all provide some authors with an enormous platform from which to promote their books; those writers whose titles find their way to the bestseller lists are often the best connected, at least on the nonfiction side. Fiction authors tend to fare better—Anita Diamant had no platform until she created one for herself, and a result was a devoted readership that helped propel The Red Tent onto the bestseller lists for about 90 weeks.
Nonfiction authors of religion titles—those who lack the visibility of a Billy Graham or a Pope John Paul II—would do well to take a cue from Diamant, because creating a platform by tapping in to the vast number of promotional opportunities available to writers is often essential to a book's success. What it comes down to, of course, is creative thinking and a willingness to work very, very hard.
We Have Lift-Off
There's no question that already having a sizeable launching pad in place can significantly boost the writing career of an author, in religion or any other category. Successful authors like T.D. Jakes (God's Leading Lady) have national and international ministries that reach millions of potential book-buyers through sold-out conferences, direct mailings, on-site and online bookstores, and various personal appearances. Jakes's publisher, Putnam, considers a writer's platform an important factor in the company's decision to sign them.
"Publishers buy authors as much as they buy their projects," says Joel Fotinos, director of religious publishing at Putnam. "There's so much competition that it's vital that the author have a platform of some stature to help the publisher sell the book. The rule is the better connected the author, the easier it is to publish a book successfully. The reality is, this is a media savvy country."
Few would argue with that reasoning. But that makes getting published a considerable hurdle for the platform-challenged. Harper San Francisco is one house that recognizes the importance of a well-connected author but places a bit less emphasis on the author's ability to reach the multitudes. "It's one of the things we look at, but it's not the most important thing," says Roger Freet, HSF's associate director of marketing and publicity. "A platform is valuable, but we frequently publish authors who don't have an immediate, significant platform. If the content is right and the book is that good, we'll go ahead with it."
Authors who lack the visibility of a mega-church pastor like Jakes often have access to a pool of potential buyers that may be smaller but is no less dedicated. One example is HSF author Peter J. Gomes (The Good Life, April), a Harvard theology professor who has capitalized on his Harvard connection by promoting his books among alumni. Campus and alumni publications, alumni chapters throughout the country, and former students form a network of promotional opportunities for an author at his or her alma mater, Freet says, pointing to Wake Forest theology professor Charles Kimball (When Religion Becomes Evil, Sept.), whose academic background and long history of interdenominational activities have created a network of supportive contacts.
Coleman Barks (The Soul of Rumi, Sept.) made his name through poetry reading festivals, combining his readings with a Middle Eastern musical experience (see InProfile, this issue). That gave him publicity off the book page and wider exposure at larger festivals throughout the country. Joseph Goldstein (One Dharma, June) tapped into a network of Buddhists connected with the Insight Meditation Society in Massachusetts. And Marcus Borg, a high-profile member of the Jesus Seminar, garnered attention for his books, including Reading the Bible Again for the First Time (2001), in part through teaching adult education classes in churches. All are HSF authors.
Still, it's those with the largest pulpit who generally get the largest share of book-buyers' dollars. "In religious publishing you have a handful of brand-name religious writers in all the houses, both general market and CBA, who already have a platform and reach a significant population," says former full-time literary agent Joe Durepos (now an editor at Loyola Press). "The question when they arrive is whether they can consistently deliver. Many, of course, have. You read [Christianity Today editor-at-large] Philip Yancey, and you know what a great author he is. Or Max Lucado, a Texas minister who creates extraordinary books. And when Dr. Dobson says something, a lot of people listen; when he says, 'You should buy this book,' a lot of people do. These people have incredible ministries and platforms, and that's why they're so desirable as authors."
Guerrilla Authors
Bestselling authors Wayne Dyer, Neale Donald Walsch and Mark Victor Hanson are representative of those writers who lacked a big platform but whose tireless promotion in small venues eventually paid off in a big way. Like Dyer, whose speaking engagements and public appearances in small towns and small bookstores helped keep Your Erroneous Zones on the New York Times bestseller list for a year in the late 1970s, Walsch and Hansen paid their dues on the small-crowd circuit.
"Neale did a lot of speaking to anybody who would have him in a room, even if there were only 20 people," says Hampton Roads co-founder Bob Friedman, who first published Conversations with God in paperback in 1995 before selling it to Putnam in 1996. "He went to metaphysical bookstores, Unity and Science of Mind churches, and began setting up his own workshops. He was on the road all the time."
To back him up, Hampton Roads sent a free copy of Conversations to the pastors of 500 Unity churches, along with information on how to order additional copies. The churches began selling the title in their bookstores, but even better, the ministers began quoting from the book in their sermons. New Age bookstores latched on to the book, and within a year of its release, Conversations had reached the 100,000 mark—a monumental achievement for the small publisher.
"Getting word about the book out there any way you can is the way to get a book jump-started," Friedman says. "If the word of mouth is good, that seeds the landscape. Oprah is essentially just word of mouth, but it's huge; she's saying it to 15 million people. But not everybody gets their book mentioned on Oprah, so you have to get the word out yourself."
A year after Hampton Roads released Conversations, Putnam bought the title and released it in hardcover—and sold 200,000 copies in the first three months. It remained on the bestseller list for 132 weeks. "Word of mouth has to be there for anything to take off and stay that strong," says Friedman. "I know authors who spent $1 million promoting their books, but the strong start didn't continue because the word of mouth wasn't there."
Unlike many authors, Mark Victor Hansen had the time and means to take Chicken Soup for the Soul on the road after he and Canfield finally found a publisher willing to take on the project. Published by Health Communications in 1993, Chicken Soup was rejected by numerous publishers, but the authors' belief in its message strengthened their resolve to see it published—and to achieve their goal of selling a million copies. They've done 40 times better than that so far, but Hansen hasn't forgotten how they got started. "He told me, 'I had to see an awful lot of church basements to get where we are today,'" says Marilyn McGuire, founder of NAPRA (Networking Alternatives for Publishers, Retailers & Artists).
To McGuire, whose organization offers a variety of promotional and marketing opportunities, church basements are a pretty good place for an author to be. "Church groups and women's groups are always looking for speakers for luncheons and other meetings," McGuire says . "There are usually organizations in every town that need someone who can come and put on a program. Contact bookstores and civic groups—once you get yourself out there, you'll become more innovative and a more seasoned speaker. Then you go to the state or regional level, do morning TV and talk radio, and work your way to national exposure."
McGuire tries to encourage even the most reluctant author to get out and do some public speaking. Hansen "started out shy but ended up pretty bold," she says, adding that she herself was once so terrified of speaking in public that she could hardly remember her own name by the time she reached the podium. "Now I've come to accept that the discomfort will be part of it. Yes, I will be afraid, but I'll do it anyway. People love to hear other people's stories."
McGuire has developed a virtual laundry list of tips for authors. Among her suggestions: Collect business cards and names and addresses of people who attend speaking engagements and start a mailing and e-mailing list that you can use to offer pre-publication sales of your next book. Write articles on the subject of your book for Web sites, magazines, newspapers, and local newsletters. Create your own Web site and make sure you give visitors an opportunity to ask you questions, which enables you to collect more e-mail addresses. And be sure your book is in stock in local bookstores before you schedule book signings or speaking engagements.
"There are lots of ways to skin that cat," McGuire says, adding that authors would do well to heed the advice of book promotion experts like John Kremer, Dan Poynter, and Marilyn and Tom Ross. "It saddens me and also surprises me how little p.r. and marketing the publisher is willing to do. If they would add just a dollar to the cost of a book with a 50,000 print run, they'd have $50,000 for marketing."
On and Off the Road
Authors themselves are often surprisingly skilled at finding creative ways to skin the cat on their own. Lynn Grabhorn, author of Excuse Me, Your Life Is Waiting, hawked 18,000 copies of the self-published title out of her garage before selling the book to Hampton Roads. The somewhat reclusive author avoided going on the road by sending letters to as many as 400 metaphysical bookstores offering each up to 20 free copies of her book. Most took her up on the offer, and soon enough, the stores sold out and began re-ordering. With very little media attention and even less visibility on the part of the author, the book has sold 140,000 copies since Hampton Roads acquired it; at one point, it was the fifth best-selling self-improvement title on the B&N Web site's self-improvement section, Friedman says.
Those authors who do choose to take their book shows on the road have to weigh the promotional potential against the high cost of travel—or find a cheaper way to go. Putnam author Christian de la Huerta opted for the cheaper route. To promote Coming Out Spiritually, a J.P. Tarcher book on gay and lesbian spirituality, the author created a 30-city tour that took him to areas where he had friends and family. Using the least expensive forms of transportation, he traveled from one house to another with a load of books, sleeping on sofas and taking advantage of every speaking engagement along the way. The book is now in its seventh printing, with 20,000 copies sold—not bad for a "niche within a niche," as Putnam's Joel Fotinos describes it. "He was willing to take the stipend we gave him and maximize it fully," Fotinos says.
Donna Eden, another Putnam/Tarcher author, "jumped in her RV with her husband and literally drove around the country promoting her book, Energy Medicine," Fotinos says . Among the advantages of her method were the economic and logistical benefits of traveling in an RV and the large supply of books she was able to carry with her, especially since the stores where she was appearing would not always have enough copies on hand. Putnam pitched in by taking a look at her itinerary and scheduling book signings, newspaper interviews, and radio interviews, which she would often handle on a cell phone while she was on the road. "These are the kinds of authors who are selling the most books, people like Donna who are smart enough to take advantage of all that a publisher gives them," Fotinos says.
The Value of Endorsements
From the Dalai Lama to Jack Hayford, religious leaders are relentlessly sought after to lend their enthusiastic words to book covers and promotional materials. But unless endorsers are careful about the projects they attach their names to, the public will soon dismiss their ebullient praise.
"Any time a book has credible endorsement support behind it, it will help the book immensely," says Dave Troutman, director of sales at FaithWorks, the Christian division of NBN. "But if the person has given his endorsement too often, that waters down the impact of his words."
What irks Troutman and others at FaithWorks are those publishers who waste valuable jacket real estate by quoting unknown or anonymous endorsers, using such identifiers as "Paul W. from Sheboygan." Calling such endorsements worthless, Troutman believes publishers need to do their homework and recognize the marketing potential of high-profile or widely recognized names—and to eliminate using endorsements altogether if those "names" cannot be persuaded to comment on the project.
Those who question the importance of endorsements might want to consider the plight of journalists like Los Angeles Times religion writer Teresa Watanabe, who receives scores of books by celebrity authors and unknown authors and lots of authors in between. While many factors contribute toward prompting her to take a second look at a particular title, she considers endorsements from people she respects to be a significant factor when the author is unfamiliar to her. Just recently, a book titled Healing a Broken World: Globalization and God by Cynthia Moe-Lobeda (Fortress, July) crossed her desk. While the topic was intriguing and newsworthy in the L.A. area, Watanabe might not have given the book much notice had she not seen an endorsement from John Cobb of Claremont (Calif.) School of Theology, a noted religious authority that she has high regard for. "Endorsement blurbs do help, if they're by well-known, respected people," Watanabe says. "Otherwise, a book might get tossed in the pile of rejected releases."
Power of the Press
The competition among religion titles for column inches in the L.A. Times recently intensified with the elimination of the book review feature in the religion section. Now religion titles are reviewed only in the book section, which means fewer religion reviews. But a mention in a religion story can still attract considerable attention, as Watanabe found out after she ran a story featuring The Bible Unearthed (Free Press, 2001), in which the authors, Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman, claimed that there was no archeological evidence for many biblical events, including the Exodus. "That story had international ramifications," Watanabe recounts. "The Jerusalem Post called me for a comment. The controversy created a lot of interest in the book."
Last year, Watanabe discovered the perfect book to tie in to a story on the re-release of the movie The Exorcist: Michael Cuneo's American Exorcism (Doubleday, 2001). "I quoted him, I quoted from his book," she says. "He called me afterwards and told me he was deluged with calls from all kinds of people who wanted to write about him or find out more about his book." But most authors who relish that kind of attention may as well forget sending their books to Watanabe; she seldom features books in her stories, and the books she does feature tend to be on topics related to news stories, such as the Catholic sex scandals and the religious roots of the Mideast conflict, or related to current religious trends, such as the resurgence of interest in Buddhism and mysticism.
Sometimes, the need for a strong news angle even shuts out some of the biggest names in religion—including a powerhouse name like Graham. "I wanted to interview Franklin Graham about his book [The Name, Nelson, July], but with all the Catholic coverage, I wasn't able to," says Cathy Grossman, who writes about religion, ethics and spirituality for USA Today. "We had written about the controversy at Bush's inaugural [when Graham had prayed in the name of Jesus], but I never had the space to cover the book when it was released." That's a common dilemma for Grossman, whose paper does not have a designated religion section.
Because of the space constraints, Grossman applies a fairly narrow test to the books that come across her desk. They must appeal to bright, educated baby boomers or to "bops"—Grossman's term for the typical USA Today reader, "boys on planes." Generally, she limits mention of books to stories about authors, about an overall theme or trend that a book ties in to, or stories in which an author is an expert she quotes on a certain topic. Having so little space to work with has meant that Grossman has missed more than one marketing phenomenon, including The Prayer of Jabez. "And The Cloister Walk [Riverhead] just went right by me. After a while I figured I should take another look at it, and then Kathleen Norris came out with Amazing Grace [Riverhead]. I immediately thought, 'Now this is a USA Today book,'" Grossman says.
"I think of myself as a good screener for our readers," she adds. "I'll look at a book and decide if the readers will go for it, or if it's something they should be aware of or if it's just a terrific book."
One book that recently caught her eye simply because of the remarkable nature of the story was Holding on to Hope (Tyndale, July) by Nancy Guthrie, a CBA publicist. "She is such an extraordinary person, you just want to do a piece about her," Grossman says of Guthrie, who lost two newborns to a rare congenital disorder. "What made the story worth doing was that she struggled so hard and made an unusual choice to carry a pregnancy to term, knowing what the outcome would be."
Forgotten Stepchild
Authors looking to make it big with their releases often dismiss the importance of exposure on an easily overlooked medium—radio. Fotinos encourages his authors to get as much radio exposure as they can. "I'm a firm believer in radio, which is sometimes the forgotten stepchild of promotion," he says . "Local radio is easier to book, but authors think that if they don't get national attention, it's not worth it. But they need to see that they can break books out regionally and build on that regional momentum. People don't have as much patience to do it that way."
Radio promotion can prove to be tricky, though, when the author—who may be an exceptional public speaker—is unskilled at presenting the essence of a book in a matter of minutes. Like many publishers, Putnam will work with the author or hire a media trainer who coaches the writer to distill their message into a sound bite and handle interviews in a way that makes their limited time on the air as effective as possible.
Troutman agrees that authors often miss the many opportunities for promotion that radio provides. "There are so many people who listen to talk radio, public radio and Christian radio," Troutman says. "Radio exposure is part of what contributes to the momentum of word-of-mouth on the book. It's just that it's on a smaller, localized demographic basis, and authors miss the significance of that."
Understanding the Industry
With their highly visible platforms and proven track records, top-tier Christian authors like Max Lucado, James Dobson and Philip Yancey have little problem finding an audience for their new releases. As an agent and now senior trade acquisitions editor at Loyola, Joe Durepos knows how hard it can be for second-tier authors to break out of the pack. And for that reason, he considers writers who have had careers in religion publishing to be the ideal second-tier author.
"These are people who understand the need for publicity and how to get the maximum amount of exposure for the minimum amount of dollars," Durepos says. "They get out there and get the job done by connecting with the people. Authors like Phyllis Tickle, Bert Ghezzi and Michael Leach [all Durepos clients and publishing veterans] bring with them a clear-eyed sense of what needs to be done and how to do it. They're not prima donnas; they've seen their authors succeed, and they know what will be successful."
Durepos singles out former PW religion editor Tickle as an author who has maximized promotional opportunities by combining insider publishing information with an understanding of the culture at large. "She is one of those gifted orators who is able to tell us things about ourselves," says Durepos. "She tracks trends in society and identifies where God is showing up in our culture. Her fire and precision of language have helped define her as a commentator on all things religious."
Understanding the publishing industry also includes a rock-solid awareness of one key element that many authors and publishers seem to miss: "Women are the only readers who count," as Durepos puts it. "If you can get an enthusiastic core of women readers across the country, you'll discover that they are the most wonderful message-spreaders you can imagine," he says. "They feel compelled to tell others about books that have changed their lives."
The Bottom Line
No matter what form of promotion an author uses, even the best marketing campaign can't grow legs on a mediocre book. Without the benefit of one person telling another "you have to read this book," marketing genius and creative promotion can take a title only so far.
"The great thing about our business is that a truly great book will find its way," says Durepos. "No matter what the hype, no matter how much publicity, the bottom line is that we have to have a really, really good book to sell. A great book has a life of its own, and it gets its life from word-of-mouth buzz.
"We have this great democracy that rules this industry. If the reader doesn't get what he is looking for, the book won't make it. If he does, then reading that book becomes an event that connects the reader and the author, and the reader can't shut up about it."
