Joanne McCall Book Publicist

Praise Is Not Preparation

Joanne McCall — Mon, 09 Nov 2026 17:00:07 +0000

A while back, I received an email from a woman who ran a large, paid community for people building their businesses. She was sharing a video of one of her participants who was working on becoming more visible and attracting media attention. The woman was thrilled with her participant’s progress. Other members were cheering her on, telling her how wonderful she was. I clicked on the video.

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The Question to Ask Before You Say Yes to an Interview

Joanne McCall — Sun, 01 Nov 2026 17:00:44 +0000

You receive an invitation to be interviewed on a podcast, online show, radio program, or some other media platform. Right after you make sure it’s legitimate, what is one of the first questions you – and most people – tend to ask? How big is the audience? Of course. It’s only natural and it’s a reasonable question. I ask it too. But honestly, it is not always the most important one.

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You’re Being Auditioned Before the Interview Begins

Joanne McCall — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 16:00:36 +0000

A few years ago, one of my clients landed a pre-interview with a producer. This was good news. The pitch had done its job, the producer was interested, and now they wanted to talk with him before deciding whether to move forward. It’s like an audition. The conversation between the two of them started well. In fact, maybe a little too well. The producer was friendly and easy to talk to…

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You Got Their Attention. Don’t Blow the Next Step.

Joanne McCall — Mon, 19 Oct 2026 16:00:16 +0000

You send a pitch to a producer, editor, writer, or podcast host, and then comes the reply you have been hoping for: “Please send me more information.” That is exciting, and it should be. You got their attention after all, but authors and experts sometimes read that response as, “They love the idea. I’m practically booked!” Well, not quite. While something might look and feel like a yes, it isn’…

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The Story Behind the Book May Be the Real Media Story

Joanne McCall — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 16:00:58 +0000

Here is something authors are often surprised to learn about media. A producer or journalist may not care very much that you wrote a book. Ouch, I know. But they may care enormously about what you know because of the business you have spent years building. And yes, your book makes you timely. I have seen this play out many times. An author comes to me understandably excited about the book.

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Your Publicity Campaign Ended. Your Pitch Didn’t.

Joanne McCall — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 16:00:10 +0000

Something happened recently that still makes me smile, even after all these years working with media. I heard back from someone I pitched approximately a year ago. A full year ago. Most authors and experts assume that when they send a pitch and hear nothing, the story is over, and sometimes it is. Sometimes the pitch landed badly, the timing was wrong, or the media contact simply was not…

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What a TV Producer Sees That You Don’t

Joanne McCall — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 16:00:40 +0000

This week, one of my clients sent me a video from one of her recent book events in Boston. It was lovely. It was professionally produced and beautifully edited. The team had great shots of her, her book, the event, and the people attending. It was exactly the kind of video you would be delighted to post on social media or on your website. There was only one problem. I was looking at it…

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Why A Great Pitch Can Get No Response

Joanne McCall — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 16:00:33 +0000

An author I know recently pitched a media outlet that made complete sense. It fit their “This outlet is perfect for me” test, which includes the following: The topic was right for them. The audience was right. The timing was good. The author had the expertise. It was the kind of match that makes you think, “Of course they are going to be interested.” And then… Crickets. Nothing. No response.

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Why Did My Interview End Early?

Joanne McCall — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 16:00:07 +0000

A former client once called me after a podcast interview and was clearly unhappy. The interview had been scheduled for an hour, but it only lasted about twenty minutes. To him, that meant something had gone wrong, like maybe I had gotten the scheduled length wrong. While it’s true mistakes can happen, I double checked this and that was not the issue. But it got me to thinking about something…

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It’s Already Holiday Gift Guide Season

Joanne McCall — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 16:00:33 +0000

Every year, authors make the same mistake with holiday gift guides. They wait until the holidays. On the surface that seems right, but when it comes to media, you often have to be thinking way ahead. By November, when the stores are decorated, holiday music is playing, and everyone is finally thinking about gifts, many authors decide it might be a good time to pitch their books for holiday…

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