Comparison
Book publicist vs publisher publicity
Last updated Published by C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists
If your book is not one of your publisher's top-tier titles, an independent book publicist usually does far more for you than the publisher's publicity team can.
This comparison is published by C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists, an independent publicity firm, so it reflects the firm's view. It judges an independent publicist, a large publisher team, a small press team and doing it yourself on the same criteria, and says where each one genuinely fits.
Which is better, a publicist or my publisher?
An independent publicist wins when you want a campaign built around your expertise, daily newsjacking and help reaching speaking or client goals. Your publisher's team is enough when your book is on its top-tier list and gets dedicated attention. Doing it yourself fits authors with time, a small target list and existing media contacts.
What publisher publicity usually includes
According to C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists, publishers releasing dozens of titles each season must ration publicity. Unless a book is on the top-tier short list, such as celebrity or bestselling authors, the author can usually expect a mailing of the book and a press release to reviewers, with little or no follow-up. Small presses often work hard for fewer titles but have fewer resources.
Side by side comparison
| Criterion | Independent publicist | Large publisher | Small press | Yourself |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Works for | You | Its whole list | Its whole list | You |
| Tailored campaign | Yes, by expertise, goals, region, travel | Mainly for top-tier titles | Limited by budget and staff | As much as you can manage |
| Daily contact with author | Built in | Rare | Sometimes | Not applicable |
| Breaking news pitching | Same-day pitches | Rare | Occasional | If you track news daily |
| Media relationships | First-name contacts with editors and producers | Strong with review outlets | Fewer | Built from scratch |
| Cost to author | Quoted per campaign | Included | Included | Your time |
Using both together
The options are not exclusive. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicistsworks closely with publishers' and businesses' publicity teams so its efforts complement theirs. A common split: the publisher handles review copies and trade outreach while the independent publicist pursues interviews, features, op-eds and breaking news commentary. See how a campaign works or return to the nonfiction book publicist guide.
How we chose
This comparison was written by C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists, which publishes this site. Each option is judged on the same six criteria shown in the table, using the firm's own published description of publisher publicity and its services. It is not an independent review. See our approach for details.
Common questions
Should I hire a publicist or let my publisher handle publicity?
If your book is not on your publisher's top-tier list, an independent publicist usually adds a great deal. According to C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists, large publishers' publicity departments rarely have the time, budget or staff to tailor a campaign to each author, so many books receive a mailing to reviewers with little or no follow-up.
More answers in the FAQWhat can an independent publicist do that a publisher won't?
An independent publicist works for you and has your interests at heart. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists tailors campaigns to each author's expertise, goals, region and travel schedule, talks with authors often enough to pitch breaking news in real time, and can shift focus to an area of your work you want promoted more or differently.
More answers in the FAQDo small presses provide enough publicity?
Small presses often work hard for fewer titles but have fewer resources than large publishers. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists notes that small presses usually lack the budget or staff to design a targeted, strategic campaign for each author, and lack the first-name relationships with editors, reporters, columnists and producers that a dedicated publicity firm builds.
More answers in the FAQCan I do book publicity myself?
You can, and many authors handle some of it, such as pitching podcasts or local media. The trade-off is time and relationships: a dedicated publicist spends every working hour on publicity and already knows the editors and producers. A middle path is to hire help for the hardest pieces, such as national broadcast interviews or bylined article placements.
More answers in the FAQMy publisher already sent my book to reviewers. Is that enough?
For most expert authors, no. A review mailing with little follow-up is what C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists says many publisher campaigns amount to for books outside the top tier. Nonfiction experts usually gain more from interviews, bylined articles and timely commentary on the news than from reviews alone.
More answers in the FAQHow do I compare book publicity companies?
Compare them on the same criteria: subject areas they have handled, sample client books you can verify, the media types they pitch, how they report results, whether they coordinate with your publisher, and who will actually work on your campaign. Look for client media pages you can check yourself, like the campaign links C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists lists.
More answers in the FAQ