By Scott Lorenz, Book Publicist
Westwind Communications
Want to get your book in front of millions of book lovers? BookTV can help. BookTV is a program that airs on C-Span every weekend from 8:00 a.m. EST Sat to 8:00 a.m. Monday. It’s been around since 1998 and dedicates 48-hours to non-fiction books and authors. In addition, it offers live coverage of book events across the nation.
Here are a few examples of authors who have been featured on BookTV:
- Tara Westover: Author of Educated: A Memoir, a memoir about family, loss, and struggle that was honored by the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Boston Globe Bestseller.
- Jodi Picoult: Author of 24 novels, eight of which have earned a #1 spot on the New York Times bestseller list. Her books include My Sister’s Keeper, Small Great Things, and A Spark of Light.
- James Comey: Former Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Author of A Higher Loyalty: Truth Lies and Leadership, a book about his career in the previous two decades of American government.
BookTV grants readers the opportunity to listen to non-fiction authors speak from the comfort of their own homes. If you’re a non-fiction author, you may be asking yourself, “How do I get my book on BookTV?” After all, this is a great opportunity to promote your book(s) and put yourself in front of the ideal audience.
To start, you can email BookTV at [email protected] or leave a phone message at 202-737-3220. When you email or call, make sure you state the following:
- Your name.
- The non-fiction book(s) you’ve written.
- Why you believe you’re a good fit for BookTV.
- Anything that makes you and/or your book(s) unique.
C-SPAN has an editorial board that meets on a daily basis to determine which authors and books to cover. If they have an interest in covering you, they’ll get back to you.
Before you pitch BookTV, it’s a good idea to check out its archive of programs and schedule for upcoming programming. This way, you can get a feel for what piques their interest and what they typically cover.
“My advice for authors and publicists who want to be carried by BookTV: Know our mission of promoting nonfiction, public policy, history, biography, and science books and authors. And keep pitching us! Also, join the over 100,000 book lovers who follow us on twitter, @booktv,” says Peter Slen, BookTV’s Executive Producer.
Remember that since BookTV delivers 48 hours of programming every weekend, there’s plenty of room for authors like you. If you don’t get a response right off the bat, keep trying as there is a good chance you’ll hear back eventually.
The Bottom Line: BookTV is an excellent way for non-fiction authors to gain exposure. While getting on BookTV may take some time and persistence, it will certainly pay off.
#BookTV is an excellent way for #non-fiction #authors to gain exposure. While getting on BookTV may take some time and persistence, it will certainly pay off. Click to tweet this article to your friends and followers! 𝕏About Book Publicist Scott Lorenz
Book publicist Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with authors to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more. Lorenz works with bestselling authors and self-published authors promoting all types of books, whether it’s their first book or their 15th book. He’s handled publicity for books by CEOs, CIA Officers, Navy SEALS, Homemakers, Fitness Gurus, Doctors, Lawyers and Adventurers. His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC News, New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, LA Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Woman’s World, & Howard Stern to name a few.
Learn more about Westwind Communications’ book marketing approach at https://www.WestwindBookMarketing.com or contact Lorenz at [email protected] or 734-667-2090 or fill out the form below. Follow Lorenz on Twitter @aBookPublicist. Want help titling a book? Check out Scott Lorenz’s new award winning, bestselling book: Book Title Generator- A Proven System in Naming Your Book www.BookTitleGenerator.net.
Would you like help promoting your book?
If so, tell us a little about your book. What is the title? Do you have a publisher? What is the publish date? How many pages is your book? What is the cost? Do you have web site? What is your specific goal I.E., to make money, raise awareness, get the attention of an agent or publisher, sell the story to a movie or TV studio or something else?
Submit the form below with this information and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you!
Thank you so much for this information. I have sent an email about my new book, The Commander in Chief: The Qualities Needed of Leaders of Freedom-Loving Nations in the 21st Century. It was the Number One Best Seller in the field of Non Fiction on the Wall Street Journal list of best selling books. I feel it is perfect for C-Span because it deals with American Presidential history and the qualities we need of leaders of democracies in the 21st Century. I hope you will consider it to be viewed on C-Span and for me to present it. More information about the book can be found on my web site below. I look forward to your response. Thank you and best wishes, Emilio
Another helpful article. I know writers who’d give their firstborn to get their book on that show. Not really, but thank you for the contact info that I can share with others on my pages. Book competition is HEAVY, and you have to have pro help getting it into the hands of readers you care about.