Media Strategies – Joanne McCall Book Publicist

They Wanted Oprah Because Oprah Was Oprah

Joanne McCall — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 16:00:06 +0000

Back in the day, when Oprah was still huge on network television, I used to do a little private experiment on discovery calls. I would silently time how long it took a potential client to ask about getting on Oprah. And honestly, I understood. Oprah had enormous power. There was nothing quite like her. She could move books, shape conversations, introduce authors to millions of people…

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Why You? Why Now?

Joanne McCall — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 16:00:04 +0000

There is a question running in the back of every producer’s, reporter’s, freelancer’s, editor’s, and podcast host’s mind when they receive a pitch from you. Rarely is it spoken. Most of the time, it’s not. But it is always there. And the question is… Why you? Why now? Those two little questions sit quietly behind so many media decisions, and it is up to you to answer them almost…

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What Not to Do When You Want Earned Media

Joanne McCall — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 16:00:43 +0000

There is a line between being visible and looking desperate. And it’s a line that an author and expert needs to know. I once worked with a woman who was going to be in New York City. She had written a book and wanted national media attention, especially from the Today show. Her big idea? She planned to go down to the outdoor plaza at NBC, hold up her book on camera, yell and holler when…

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Your Book Is Not Your Hook

Joanne McCall — Mon, 11 May 2026 16:00:03 +0000

There is something powerful that happens when a room full of nonfiction writers gathers together. Even if the room is virtual, you can feel it. The ideas, and the questions, and the quiet determination. The “I know I have something important to say, but how do I help people find it?” energy. Love it. There is nothing like it. That was the feeling at this week’s Nonfiction Writers Conference…

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The New Media Map

Joanne McCall — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 17:00:02 +0000

Back in the day, Oprah was the holy grail of media “gets.” You could meet someone at a networking event, talk to a fiction or nonfiction author, and within 60 seconds they would say her name. Not because they loved daytime TV, but because Oprah represented something else. Something big. Legitimacy. And that belief is still alive today, even if the name has changed. Today it sounds like: “If…

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The Solstice Reset for Experts Who Are Authors

Joanne McCall — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 17:00:16 +0000

Every year, during the week of the winter solstice, something subtle shifts in the early morning hours. I notice it the moment I wake up. The darkness feels different somehow. It’s still deep and quiet, but not heavy the way it is earlier in December. There is a sense of turning. As if the earth herself is pausing, listening, preparing. It is the longest night of the year, and yet I always feel…

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The One Message Your Audience Needs Now

Joanne McCall — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 17:00:06 +0000

Years ago I worked with an author whose book had tremendous potential. It was smart, timely, beautifully written, and exactly what her audience needed. We had lined up interviews, crafted pitches, and were building momentum. On the surface, everything looked aligned. But behind the scenes, something was quietly unraveling. Her social posts had drifted far away from her book.

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Is that No or Not Yet?

Joanne McCall — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 16:00:17 +0000

I pitched a producer once who I really wanted a client to get in front of. The story idea was strong, the timing was right, the show covers this topic, and I thought for sure it would be a yes. But the answer came back, no. Oh wow. I honestly wasn’t expecting that. To say I was surprised is an understatement. But here’s the thing. Sometimes (often, in fact) we hear no. If you let that shut you…

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The Danger of Saying Yes to Everything

Joanne McCall — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 16:00:53 +0000

I recently presented a webinar consisting of the five biggest media mistakes authors make. Of course, there are more than five, but we focused on a few of the most common mistakes, which can also be corrected. Mistake #1 is leading with your book rather than your message. Mistake #2 is making it all about you instead of the audience. Both are big ones. But now let’s move on to mistake #3…

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Why Your Pitch Fell Flat (Hint: It’s Not About You)

Joanne McCall — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 16:00:25 +0000

I was recently asked to do a webinar on the 5 Biggest Media Mistakes Authors Make (and what to do instead) for the Nonfiction Authors Association. Last week, I wrote about Mistake #1, which is here in case you missed it. Today, let’s focus on Mistake #2: Making it all about you. Not long ago, an author proudly sent me a pitch they had written. The first paragraph went something like this: “Hi…

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