| How can I place excerpts of my books in magazines? |
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Q: I often see book excerpts in magazines. How do these happen? Are there ways I can solicit this kind of coverage for my books? A long excerpt from a book is generally the result of the magazine contracting with the publisher and paying for rights to reprint a portion of the book. If the magazine buys first serial rights, it can run the excerpt in advance of the book’s publication. Second serial rights are for excerpts printed after the book is published. Another way for a magazine or newspaper to gain rights for use of part of a book is if the publisher or author decides to grant those rights without charge for publicity purposes. One approach to publicizing non-fiction books is to identify information that magazines and newspapers may want to reprint and to allow editors the option to use that material as long as they give proper credit to the book, author and publisher. An idea for read-aloud storybooks is to send them to producers of children’s radio programs who can dramatize the book on the air. Be sure to check with your publisher or your agent before giving permission for broadcast or reprint use of your book to check that you own the right to do so. 11:12/92 |